Steve's Obscure Super Famicom Impressions Thread

BOMBS AWAY

Some nice BM clones, but let's get back to the king. This next game I wanted to play badly back in the day, but never did



SUPER BOMBERMAN PANIC BOMBER WORLD


Bomberman + Puzzle = This Game

3 Bomberman heads drop at a time, and you match 3 in a row (horizontal, vertical or diagonal). There are two codes you can enter to change the pieces:

SD Bombermen (4622)


Balloons (5656)


Why? Why not. Little touches like these are always welcomed in my book. In addition to the Bomberman pieces you have 3 others:

-The unlit bomb

-The lit bomb (put these babies on the unlit ones for a blast!)
--->

Note: this blast will not rid the Bomberman pieces -- it ignites the unlit bombs, taking them off your field. And finally... once you've filled up your power bar... the MEGA BOMB. It can take out almost every piece on the field, depending on block positioning

--->

The Mega Bomb is the most visually impressive "clear-all-ish" piece I've seen in a puzzler. Panic Bomber actually uses a special chip. The mega bomb definitely gets the treatment as it pulsates with flames and makes a huge boom when dropped. It's sheer, raw, unadulterated POWER at its finest. Thank you, Mr. Special Chip Thingie

Of course, while the goal is to keep your playing field from filling up, the best way to beat the opposition is by crafting chain reactions. The 3-falling pieces instead of 2 format will take some getting used to for many of us, but once you do the combo's flow. Here's a basic 2 hitter





And, what Bomberman game would be one without a 4-player mode? Yes -- even in a puzzle game!



Simply brilliant... brilliantly simple. The smallness of it all might be a bit off-setting initially, but you'll quickly adjust. Besides, a tiny amount of the occasional squinting is more than worth it for a chance to duke it out with 3 buddies

And like any classic BM title, Hudson has made it very user-friendly -- 2, 3 or 4 players can play, with 1-5 matches to win the trophy. "B" allows you to go back to the previous screen. These are little things that you wish every single game was as customizable as these

Check out this 3-hit chain on the 1P side. The most I've done so far? 5 -- which, literally, is a killer


Drop the green on green...


... they vanish, dropping the blue piece...


... which diagonally connects...


... dropping a stack with a green...


... to complete the 3-hit chain



To create huge chain reactions you have to set yourself up proper. Here's another 3-hit combo of mine -- this time much easier to see. Notice I've stocked up on red and green. Not to mention some white....


Green connects horizontally...


... and diagonally! 6 piece combo

Dropping the stack of 3 reds...

Oh MY. Let's see, I see horizontal...

... vertical... AND diagonal connections!

Major poppage happens...

The white pieces fall down...

WHO'S YOUR DADDY!

Your simple run-of-the-mill 3-chain 19-piece combo


CLOSING THOUGHTS

OK, at its core it's just another puzzle game. But the Bomberman characters, coupled with the 4 player mode, make it pretty damn cool. Perfect for puzzle and Bomberman fans

BOMBS AWAY (cont.)

BOMBERMAN B-DAMAN




Packaged with a cool toy, the game inside isn't half-shabby either. This entry in the Bomberman universe is certainly different, to say the least. And speaking of that classic Hudson customization power, B-Daman even allows you to edit your own Bomberman

The 1 player mode has 100 levels. Several bombs float along the screen and you have only 1 bomb to blow them all up. The first 10 are easy. After that they go from tricky to damn crazy

This mode can also be played with 2 players, as each player waits their turn through the same 10 stages, to see who scores better (10 stages per bracket... 10 total brackets for 100 levels... 3 slots are available to the battery backup for player history) You get a maximum of 2 tries on each stage before it moves to the next

And don't worry, before it begins there's a preview of the bombs' formation

--->

A look at some stages...









Later more obstacles are added...



Others you must rely on, like this bumper-slash-skateboarder bit








Pretty cool eh

This shark stage is one of my faves














BUT OF COURSE... THIS BEING BOMBERMAN AND ALL....



B-Daman is no exception. Here the 1st player is on the bottom. "X" sends a bomb north, "Y" west and "A" east. Just like Super Smash TV

You can't die. Instead the goal is to score as many hits as you can. Anytime you're hit, you lose 1 point (if you have any). You can pick from 30, 60, 90 or 120 seconds. I like 60 myself. You can imagine how tense it can get if you have three points and the other 3 human players have 0! (Obviously, they'll gang up on you if they know what's best for 'em)

Let's observe a quick 30-second match:


As blue sends one to the black...

... I try to sneak one in

He dodged it, the swine

If at first you don't succeed...

HIT! 1 point for me, with 15 seconds to go

Hey that red guy's been quiet...

Something to wake him up then...


2-nothing!

9 seconds to hold 'em off

Blue looks for revenge...

... but I aim back proper...

... nullifying his efforts

And winning as the clock strikes zero


CLOSING THOUGHTS

B-Daman was never meant to compete with the other (more proper) Bomberman titles. And if you want to compare it to those, it ends up feeling very lightweight. The 4-player mode isn't terribly exciting though it does have its moments, like when 3 players form a temporary union to gang up on the leading scorer

Bottom line: it won't be the 1st multi-player game you pull off the shelf, but it's enjoyable in its own unique bizarre way. Some may think of it as the 'black sheep' of the family, yet still B-Daman manages to provide a decent diversion



Panic VS CPU (1:31)
Panic 4 Player (2:56)
B-Daman's 1st 7 stages (2:29)
B-Daman 4 Player (0:50)

"SHE'S A KEEPER"

1 week ago today was one for the history books for moi

November 10th I received my last package of "teh uber hard-to-find" video games. It took a month of collaborating but finally my mercenary in Japan finished the job, and what a job he did. With this score, I'm pretty much set

But I had no time to revel in its magnificence. I was on my way to a wedding banquet with my best friend. Who got hitched? Our old high school friend Christina; my best friend's old flame... and despite his efforts in coaxing me otherwise, I knew he still had feelings for her

She's the one he let get away, folks... and man she's a keeper



By the time we got off the freeway it was dark and pouring. We were stopped at a train track. As the heavy rain drops pelted the roof of his car, with the loud rumbling of the train roaring past us, it happened




JESSIE'S GIRL blared on the radio. Its cheesy yet classic 80s pop rock, not to be outdone by the tumultuous train, sliced through the cold night air with fierce vengeance

I expected him to change the station, but he never did

As the train roared on for what seemed like an eternity, we sat there in silence, taking in the ambience. I feared the lyrics would drive him over the edge....


[flashback]


Jessie is a friend
Yeah, I know he's been a good friend of mine,
But lately something's changed; it ain't hard to define
Jessie's got himself a girl and I wanna make her mine

Y'know I feel so dirty when they start talkin' cute,
I wanna tell her that I love her but the point is prob'ly moot

And I'm looking in the mirror all the time
Wondering what she don't see in me,
I've been funny I've been cool with the lines;
Ain't that the way love's supposed to be?

I WISH THAT I HAD JESSIE'S GIRL!
Tell me, where can I find a woman LIKE THAT?


[/flashback]


I dunno if it was the tranquility of that moment or some epiphany he later reached while parallel parking, but, the night was full of fun and frivolity. He showed no signs of lamenting her. That night he finally put the past behind him

Capping the night off, I arrived home tired but with enough energy left to eagerly open the big box. These games took me forever to find. And this next game is one of 'em




KEEPER


Slated to be released in the States as CYBER SLIDER, the furry little guy was replaced by a robot devoid of any charm or personality. It was canned. Thankfully this version is available in all its original glory. The title character is a likable fuzzball, who awakens when you press start

--->

*cough* Gizmo (GREMLINS)




IT LOOKS LIKE EITHER A PLATFORMER OR A PUZZLER

But of course. In this case, puzzler


SO HOW DOES IT PLAY?

You move Keeper around a five-by-five grid arranging stones. Your goal is to match 3 (or more) like-colors or like-shapes, vertically or horizontally

--->
Like-shapes work...

--->
... as does like-colors. Keeper goes HURRAH!


In addition, players have the option of changing the character into a girl or boy. The stone designs, the default being sea related things, can also be switched to letters of the alphabet or fruits. It doesn't change the gameplay but it's always nice to have choices

--->
Typical nice-looking clean-cut princess.... as for the boy... er, best not to ask, si?


WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH THE LITTLE BASTARD?

I'll pretend I didn't hear that one... at any rate...

You can move around the borders of the 5x5 grid




Keeper can push blocks using the D-Pad. "Y" pulls, "B" jumps. And that's all you need


Poor little guy!


Players can jump ON stones and move around ON them to strategically push another stone elsewhere, provided there's room

--->


WHAT MODES OF PLAY ARE AVAILABLE?

Four:

-1P regular
Grid starts out empty, every 3 seconds 1 stone appears, once the grid fills up it's game over

-1P puzzle
You're given pre-placed stones and must clear them all

-2P regular
You and a friend play on the same 5x5 grid, helping each other out

-2P VS
1st one to clear a set amount of stones win (customizable from 1 to 99, default being 30). There's also an option for "attack mode" which allows one player to stun the other for a few seconds if they can push a block over 'em


1st to clear 30 here wins


The 1 Player Puzzle mode has 60 pre-designed stages to tackle. A password is granted after each completed level. Those who enjoy contemplatively staring at the screen until inspiration breaks with a resolute "A-HA!" will especially love this

A look at the first couple, then


#1

SO easy even Keeper enjoys a quick nap!

Just don't connect 3 on accident

#2

5 reds and 2 blues...

Think like-colors, young jedi


Excellent, now think like-...


Ah, you're catching on


#3

5 yellows, 5 blues...

Just a matter of separating 'em...


1 down...


That was simple eh


#4

That funky thing acts as a wild-card

Since there's only 2 blues...

Bingo

1 set down, 2 to go

Now there's only 4 reds and yellows

Whichever color 1st is fine


Hurrah!


CLOSING THOUGHTS

Fun, charming and potentially addicting. KEEPER is simply, er, a keeper
Took me ages to find, but it was well worth the hunt



"What, tough guy?"


Puzzle Mode (2:05)
Regular Mode (2:41)


Jessie's Girl related content
-----
VH1 names it the 20th best song of the 80's (2:02)
Original music video by Rick Springfield (3:15)
Remake MV by FRICKIN A (3:23)

The cameo's by Springfield in the remake are clever. Even better, the lady in green at 27 seconds in is SMOKIN'

Cool stuff Steve, I've never heard of this game. Can't wait to see what other stuff you have up your sleeve!

SUNDAY DRIVER!

There's obscure... and then there's obscure. Some games you love because they're great... others aren't exactly great but you love anyway because of their perks

For me the latter in those sentences ring true for this next one


SUPER MAD CHAMP is a motorcycle racer with a dash of ROAD RASH, and then some. It's unfortunate the game is mostly an unknown, considering how many me-too titles call Super Nintendo home. SUPER MAD CHAMP on the other hand managed to distinguish itself as a noteworthy and truly unique effort, and its moment in the spotlight has been long overdue


THE RIDERS



1. Typical "good looking" hero boy
2. Token chick (complete with bouncy chest)
3. The "cool" rebel
4. The punk
5. The wily if not gruffly veteran

The more you win races, knock opponents off their bikes and whatnot the more money you earn. You can buy new bikes; of which there are 12. You can tune 'em up as well


ARCADE ANTICS OR SIMULATION SHENANIGANS?

Don't be fooled by the ability to buy and tune cars that Super Mad Champ is seep with sim roots and spirit. It's an arcade-like racer all the way


GAME MODES? 2 PLAYERS? TRACK COUNT? PIC?

Two modes. Sadly it's 1-Player only

1. Grand Prix (3 cups... password is available)

2. Time Attack

Total of 18 tracks




ANY TRICKS I CAN PULL?

Press down to pop a wheelie



Whenever you jump, make sure to execute one, or else when you land you'll lose the momentum you had

Sometimes there's a dip in the road...

... other times things like this

CPU players are smart...

They ALWAYS pop one during a take-off


DASH OF ROAD RASH

Fend off the comp. with a well placed kick
"L" for left side, "R" for right


Two hits knocks 'em off; KA-CHING!


SCROLL-PLAYING GAMES

Scrolling is what (usually) makes or breaks a game of this nature. Coming from a lesser-name company I feared the worst. I was therefore pleasantly surprised by how well it scrolls. The lack of slowdown is a major plus as well. Not a bad job here, where many others have failed. The little details are pretty ace as well


Such as these grass cuts


TRACK VARIETY

Pretty solid -- covers most the cliches and all looks pretty damn nice. Take a look for yourself


Punk swings his chain instead of kicking


Lotsa dips in this SUPER CROSS-esque track


Things get slippery here in a hurry

--->
"Is this Heaven?" "No... it's Iowa." Cookie if you know what classic film this is from


Airstrike!


OK, IT'S GOT SOME ROAD RASH I'LL GRANT YOU THAT

Sure

BUT IT *IS* ONLY ONE PLAYER

Ya

SO FAR I DON'T SEE HOW IT STANDS OUT, REALLY

I've saved the best for last...







YEAH, SO? THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME

That's what I thought at first too...




WHAT THE HELL!

My thoughts exactly!



When you manually get off your bike, or you're knocked off, this guy appears ready to fight. Both players have an energy bar and can block. It's no Street Fighter II... you can only punch and jump kick, but this basic style works

Actually, there IS one more thing you can do...



"Quit running and fight, ya bum!"


"OH S---"


OOF!

--->
"And now I'll jack your ride, hey great workin' wit ya... let's do lunch sometime yeah?"


Throwing bikes around -- you can't beat it. They too have an energy bar. The lower a motorcycle's energy bar, the less velocity it can travel at. This happens if the energy bar is zero:




FIGHT CLUB

Looking for an easy way to upgrade your bike? Just stop, get off and wait...



Then give 'im a good slacking and make off with HIS bike




ROADKILL

This can happen to the reckless...


Ran over while standing...


... or lying... OUCH


And you thought YOU were having a bad day!

You can even knock off passing riders if you time it right




STREET FIGHTER II ROOTS

No SF II... but wait-a-sec...


Hmmmmm...

--->
Somewhere right now Guile's rollin' round in his grave!

No fancy Hadoken motions here. Those moves above merely cap off punch combo's (rapidly hitting "Y")


IT'S LIKE "BISHIN DENSETSU ZOKU" EH?

Zoku is a SFC-only racing-fighting hybrid, but Super Mad Champ really isn't like it. Fighting is optional in SMC whereas in Zoku you had no choice after the driving bit is done with. Zoku came off very meh to me. Proceed with that title at your own caution


FIGHT OR FLIGHT?

When you're off your bike you have two options: fight or flight. You have to weigh your pro's and con's. Fight too long and you'll never get back in the race. If you don't finish #1 or #2 (out of 5) you have to repeat the course. So, it's advisable, even if the CPU has an energy bar, to fight temptation and should you engage in the scruffle, make it quick and go

But if you just want to fool around? It's great fun to finish 'em off


THIS GAME IS KUNIO KUN AT HEART? SAY WHAT?

The only other piece of info on the web I could find on this game is a quick post that states the following, how accurate it is I do not know although I think his info is legit

----

For those who are fans of the Kunio-kun series like I am, might be aware that at some point Technos planned on releasing Kunio Bike Racing game using the same engine from Kunio-tachi no Banka. What few people may know however, was that Kunio-tachi no Banka was actually developed by outside company called Almanic. Almanic was comprised of former Technos staff members, including Kunio-kun and Double Dragon director and producer, Yoshihisa Kishimoto. Almanic did a bunch of other stuff, but their best known work was Wonder Project J and it's N64 sequel.

Anyway, Almanic was contracted by Technos to do Kunio-tachi no Banka (the true sequel to the very first Kunio-kun game) , in addition to the bike racing game. While Technos ditched the bike racing, Almanic decided to released it anyway through another company and thus, it became Super Mad Champ (without Kunio's presense in the game).

Mad Champ, as mentioned earlier, was developed on the Kunio-tachi no Banka-engine, meaning that both games, share a similar look. As a matter of fact, you can even get off your bike and fight agaisnt a rival biker (and steal his bike while you're at it). The rest of the game plays like a typical bike racing simulator, in which you race in three different types of grand prix and customize your bike (and buy a new one when you can). It's quite a fun little game.

credit: "Johnny Undaunted" 3/26/04
---

Take of that as you will! After reading that and looking at the game again... it is easy to spot the Kunio influences...


CLOSING THOUGHTS

Super Mad Champ (gotta love its campy title) was part of the package, with Keeper, and it too eluded me for ages. I was a bit apprehensive dropping a nice bill on it, fearing that it might be obscure because it sucks. Nothing could be further from the truth! The racing, being the meat of the game, is plenty solid and the extracurricular activities make it that much more fun and memorable




The actual racing (1:47)
FIGHT FIGHT! (0:43)

SWEET SIXTEEN

Today, November 21, 2006, marks the 16th Birthday of the SUPER FAMICOM and SUPER MARIO WORLD. In my humble opinion, on this day 16 years ago the best game system of all time was born



I've been playing a spot or two of SUPER MARIO WORLD the past couple days. It's amazing how 16 years later a large majority of games still cannot touch its playability/greatness



So it's fitting, then, to look at two Super Famicom-exclusives featuring that ole Mario chum

(Note that at intermission I'll touch base on a character who has more in common with the SNES than you may think...)



MARIO & WARIO



An action puzzler in the vain of LEMMINGS or TRODDLERS. You must guide either Mario, Yoshi or the Princess to safety through courses strewn with hazards



You control a fairy named Wanda. The game uses the SNES mouse



To help me today is former SUPER PLAY editor James Leach (issue 13, Nov '93)

---

What's Mario & Wario like to play? Well, the graphics aren't incredible. They're not meant to be. The game's strength lies in its playability. It starts off really easy. All you do is click on some outlined squares in order. These fill in as you do so, allowing Mario (who's had a bucket placed over his head) to walk over them, instead of plummeting to his death. As you progress, the blocks you need to click on start to fragment, so you can't get too far ahead of Mario, else he'll still fall. It involves timing, a bit of planning and accurate use of the mouse.



Yet further into the game, there's a neat twist. Before Mario starts his lonely, bucket-headed walk, you can scroll around the playing area (which is about four screens in size). You must memorize the positions of the platforms and spikey bits, and, once the timer starts, you've got to use your memory to aim Mario off bits of the screen and onto the correct (out-of-view) platforms. It's tricky and requires concentration.



I've been saying Mario, but you can also play Daisy and Yoshi, who equate to easy and hard (Mario is medium), in your fight against the unspeakable Wario. And your mouse pointer is actually a fairy called Wanda. It's her helpful magic you're invoking as you slide around your mouse.

Once it gets going, this game's tough. And having used Macs for years, you can't tell me I don't know my way around a mouse. It's got a great panic element when Mario teeters on the edge, and for much of the game there're no random elements, so when you cock up, you've only yourself to blame.



So what about it, then? It's fun, it's simple to understand, but it gets tough and it's all a bit samey. Not a classic.

Graphics: 68%
Sound: 64%
Gameplay: 88%
Gamelife: 74%

Overall Score: 70%

---

Bear in mind when it came to rating games Super Play was notoriously hard. They factored in how expensive these games were, knowing the average gamer only buys 2 to 3 games a year. What most games receive a 70% in Super Play, GameFan, for example, has given 80-85%

So by Super Play standards 70% is considered a respectable score, whereas for the much more friendly GameFan, a 70 is a low-ish mark based on their generosity

I agree with SPlay too. It's fun, but not a classic. You're not missing anything earth-shattering if you've never played it, but it's certainly worth a go if this strikes your fancy

And if you buy Mario & Wario CIB, check if it includes the little mouse card




-------


INTERMISSION


When you think about the SNES, which characters come to mind?

Mario?
Ryu
Ken
Link
Lester the Unlikely?

.... on second thought, that last one's unlikely I reckon [Oh dear -Ed.]

How about...

MARK CALLOWAY?

Possibly unbeknownst to most of us, Mr. Calloway actually has more in common with the SNES than one might initially think....

Better known to wrestling fans worldwide as THE UNDERTAKER, Mark made his WWF debut with a big splash at the 4th Annual Survivor Series pay-per-view on November 22, 1990, just one day after the Super Famicom made its own big debut in Tokyo


And a legend was born...

Billed at a towering 6 foot 10, and seemingly impervious to pain, fans quickly took notice of his unparalled combination of size, power and agility



The Undertaker dominated the WWF, going undefeated for over a year in his meteroic rise to the top. Just one year removed from his debut, he made history when he pinned The "IMMORTAL" Hulk Hogan and became the new Heavyweight Champion at Survivor Series 1991



The Super Nintendo was released in the States August of that year, and as The Undertaker cemented his place in wrestling history in '91, so too did the SNES (in gaming history, mind) by beginning its worldwide march toward market domination

The Undertaker appeared in no less than six SNES games, possibly more. That's more than Ryu and Ken, and almost as much as Mario himself!



[

WWF Raw
WWF Royal Rumble
WWF Super Wrestlemania
Super Fire Pro Wrestling Special
Super Fire Pro Wrestling X Premium
WWF Wrestlemania: The Arcade Game



This Sunday Mark returns to the pay-per-view where he made his debut 16 years ago, taking on the young cocky rising star Mr. Kennedy in a First Blood Match at Survivor Series '06




The Undertaker and the Super Nintendo are both phenoms in their respective business. Both are celebrating 16 years of a undying legacy. And both will undoubtedly be fondly remembered for another 16 years, and, indeed, likely forever


-------


WRECKING CREW '98


Yes, released in 1998!

An update to the '85 Nintendo game, it's Mario and gang in a more traditional puzzler (at least for the '98 version). Even then, it's not your average puzzle game. For good measure, Nintendo has also thrown in the original version as a bonus


Choose between this or the '98 update

The '98 version is actually vastly different. In it you battle a CPU or 2nd player. Wielding a mallet, you navigate through your playing field smashing blocks trying to create enough trouble for the other player whereby his field is cluttered senseless



What I thought to be a real stroke of genius: once a block touches "the line of death" at the top, that player's screen will flash like crazy, accompanied by the appropriate heart-attack-inducing sound effect. Once this happens you have 3 seconds to bring it down or you lose. It adds a great deal to the anxiety level of the game.

You connect 3 (or more) like colors in a row to eliminate the blocks. However, it is only with 4 (or more) that'll send varying obstacles over to the other player. These obstacles depend on what color you've rid of. Chain reactions also will do the trick. And when your field is lacking blocks, just hit "X" to rain down a new row


Watch out for those green guys
Of which the 2nd player just sent over
If touched you'll be temporarily stunned


Players can climb and jump to higher floors via the girders. On the corner are handles. These can be used to slide the adjacent row, dropping unblocked pieces below to create potential matches

The computer is DAMN tough. I've yet to beat 'em. Matches can go 3, 4 minutes long. 8 characters are selectable (most have to be unlocked). 1P Story mode, 2P mode (or vs. CPU) and an option screen with multiple "how-to-play" samples



Honestly I was a bit disappointed; it's certainly not the 1st puzzler I'd reach for, but it's still a nice little package of an old classic coupled with a version for the 90's. Copies of Wrecking Crew '98 are rather hard to find and expensive; mine ran $38 and was too good to pass up on. Mario & Wario is much more common and cheap -- a measly $6 in contrast though I probably got a bit lucky with that one as well




Have a great Thanksgiving

PAINT THE TOWN RED

SUTTE HAKKUN



There are games you hear about, and instantly know it's right up your alley. But sometimes it all seems too good to be true, and you find the game's been cancelled, never made available on physical cartridge or whatever. Sutte Hakkun was that to me -- a game I thought was an exclusive BS-X game (a type of Super Famicom downloading service in Japan)

Fact is: Nintendo did put out copies in June '98 and upon discovering this revelation I knew I had to get my hands on one. My mercenary came through


IT LIVES!!!

Sutte Hakkun is a platform-puzzler. Taking command of a translucent creature who resembles a dipping bird, your goal is to reach the rainbow orb(s) in each level. Sounds simple, right? Right...




Some levels have 2 orbs

The buttons are very simple. "B" jumps and "Y" pecks. By pecking, you can absorb helpers (i.e. blocks) and move them to new positions to help you reach the exit. There are also jars which contain red, yellow or blue paint. By pecking, you can suck the color out of a jar and transfer the paint to blocks, causing the block to move in a set pattern, depending on the color you've injected



Red goes up and down, yellow diagonally and blue horizontally. Of course they do not travel the full length of the screen... there would be zero strategy in that case. They go a short distance back and forth


LOOK WHAT I CAN DO

Absorb blocks through your proboscis [Beak! BEAK! -Ed.]


You are what you, er, absorb

Placing blocks in new positions (only after you absorb 'em)



Suck paint



Sutte Hakkun translates to "Suck and Blow" I've read. [We're all mature enough here right? -Ed.] And that's exactly what you'll be doing a lot of. In this game, I mean. At least in this game. [Oi -Ed.] You'll spend quite a lot of time sucking paint and transferring them into the translucent blocks

Of course you can freeze a block's movement by sucking the paint out of 'em, and it's this method that allows you to change a block's height to better suit your goal

Pictures to make life easier:


Red causes that block to move vertically


Jump on, then jump off


Suck out the red and then put it back in


Now the block travels higher based on where you injected it


Easy huh!


You can actually solve the levels in more than just one way. And if you want to dump a color harmlessly, simply press down




LEVEL 2 AT A GLANCE


Hop on


Suck it, then put it back in


Hop on the "new and improved" block


1 down, 1 to go
The last orb is easy as you can see


There are many stages, 10 levels in each. The further you advance the crazier they get. Trust me, the later ones are INSANE. Just be grateful there's no time limit

--->


Coming from Nintendo, you know there are bound to be nice little details. Look no further than the smiling stone that frowns the moment you hop on its head

--->

Press "R" to scan the level -- later stages have a bigger layout and this feature comes in handy



And of course, different slots are available to save high scores and whatnot


CLOSING THOUGHTS

A fine action puzzler that will last ages on account of the later stages being damn tough. I dare call it a must-have for every SNES owner who enjoys staring contemplatively at the screen until inspiration breaks through with the resolute "A-HA!"


1st four stages (2:10)

"NO PLAY FOR MR. GRAY"

--->

Hmmmm, ohhhh-kay. Definitely would not get past NoA...



Hey there, lass. Ah, a fugly car then approaches [HEY! -Ed.]

--->

The driver, obviously, is asking her to make him some coffee [NO! He's asking her to join him for coffee ya git -Ed.] Oh. Well, either way she's clearly hesitant. No sooner then does a ride that's more "fly" as they say, pull up

--->

The new guy also requests her company. Stuck in the middle, with offers from both gentlemen, oh what's a modern lady to do?! I can't take this drama...


Oooh! Ouch

As they say in the commercial, "No play... for Mr. Gray!"

--->

The rejected guy, cursing his lot in life, contemplates how a better set of wheels would right all wrongs...

What do you expect this sad bloke to do now? Will he

A. Take out his anger by vanquishing bad guys in a beat em up?
B. Jump on cutesy animal baddies in a platformer?
C. Work his way up the financial ladder in a sim?
D. Push boxes around in an empty warehouse?
E. Learn the art of ass kicking and throw fireballs in a 2D fighter?

...
...
...


If you picked "D"...


Bob, tell him what he's won!


SUPER SOUKOBAN


GameBoy users may be familiar with this game as "Boxxle" (1989)



It's a mind-taxing logic game; the goal is to push boxes to cover the purple dots. You can't pull, you can only push and you can only move one box at a time. You can imagine the mess you'd create if you push a box in an ill-advised position. Thankfully, besides the option to restart a level at any point, pressing "L" rewinds the action and allow the player to go back as far as he wishes. Likewise, "R" is fast forward, in case you rewinded too far back. This is a God-send and very smart of the programmers. Kudos

There's no time limit however there is a step limit

Stage 1


The solution to this stage?



Get each box in that position there, where the guy is in front of

Stage 2


Can you figure out the "hot spot" here? OK, here's the final hint:



Stage 3 (see below) introduces the "darkened box;" this indicates the box is already resting on a purple dot. Later stages may have multiple darkened boxes so you really have to be careful with them...



Stage 4


Stage 5


Stage 6



OH PLEASE, EVEN A FOUR-YEAR-OLD CAN SOLVE THESE...

OK wiseguy. There are a total of 300 (!) warehouses to tackle, with the option of jumping to any one at any time, and a password is given each time you clear a level. Of course, the first handful eases you in, before becoming gradually harder til DAMN! Notice as the puzzles get more complex, everything is properly reduced in size...

A look at some of the later stages then...

Stage 47


Stage 88


Stage 147


Stage 188

GOOD GRIEF!!!


Stage 234


Stage 277



GOD DAMN!!!

See! They become absolute conundrums in no time. In fact, rumor has it launch day buyers TO THIS DAY are still stuck on level 289!! [Oh? Where did you hear that? -Ed.] Er, moving on...

To cap it off, there's also an Level Edit option and a radical 2-player mode to see who finishes first. There's EVEN a choice of 10 characters to select from




CLOSING THOUGHTS

Sokoban (note the missing "u") loosely translates to "warehouse keeper" I'm told, and has been around since the early 80's, pioneered by one, Hiroyuki Imabayashi. Its easy-to-play-but-difficult-to-solve gameplay is about as pure as it gets. It's a brilliant game that any one, even non-gamers, can really enjoy. The 2 player mode is nice, but it's really the 300 puzzles that will last players a lifetime

To borrow a phrase I used to describe Keeper and Sutte Hakkun, Super Soukoban is really a can't-miss for those who enjoy staring contemplatively at the screen until inspiration breaks through with a resolute A-HA!

This is, sadly, a underrated SFC gem. It's freaking ace


Awesome Sokoban Site
1st Four Stages (2:22)
Stages 5 and 6 (0:47)

POWER UP

Can't get enough Soukoban on your Super Famicom? Never fear, Nintendo is here. On New Years 1999 (yes, '99) they released an update to that ole classic...


POWER SOUKOBAN


Taking control of a devil, you go through a series of mazes with the same goal in mind as SUPER SOUKOBAN, pushing boxes (this time stones) to cover purple dots (this time pits). The modern twist? But of course, STAYING ALIVE. Staying alive? Yes, for from the excavation comes forth HELL'S ARMY!



OK, in all honesty, more like Hell's Rejects, no, Purgatory's Rejects

Baddies are more of a nuisance than legitimate threats. Two ways to dispose of 'em:

1. Pushing a stone over 'em
or
2. Zap 'em

Another modern twist is the ability to throw fireballs. You can also charge to create a powershot a la Megaman. And there's a "run" button as well

So then, this update is an action-puzzler with sort of a Zelda-y feel/atmosphere, very slightly, BUT it's certainly there, as anyone who has played it would surely attest to...


Rocks can also be pushed via the powershot


Whereas SUPER SOUKOBAN was straight-to-the-point, POWER features multiple paths, multi-tier puzzles, and there are even friends to guide you along with hints (in Japanese, mind, but nothing you can't do without)



Speaking of friends, here's the cast:



The game opens with that screen up there. The iron gate's locked so you must find an alternate route.... hey, what's that little crack in the wall...


BINGO! Only your powershot can break it


And off you go. There are many rooms and you can run to the next without solving the current one, but it's advisable you take care of each one as you go along


YOU CAN'T TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS

Multi-tiered puzzles adds new dimension to the ole formula

--->
Watch out for the statues up top; they'll come alive! No, not really


As you advance, more pits means more enemies. As long as the pits remain open, they will keep spawning. But again, they're really a non-factor... but at least they're there, eh? Plus, when defeated some drop a power-up to aid your quest

--->
Some of the enemies look to me like rejects from Super Bomberman 5...


I said earlier it'd be wise to finish each puzzle as you confront 'em; however, for some the solution is not immediately available. Only by advancing do you later arrive at a point where you can then solve a previously impossible puzzle. Confused? You needn't be

Observe:



See, here you enter this room on the lower floors. Blasted stones... how can you push them to cover the slots from this vantage point? The answer is you can't, and remember you can't pull



A-ha! Later transversing to higher ground, you'll find a room leading downstairs, now you can use your powershot to shove 'em where they belong


DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS

SS was going from one warehouse to the next, PS is not like that. [What are you saying about the Sega Saturn and Playstation eh? -Ed.]. Oi, anyway... POWER doesn't have "levels," per se. Rather it's interconnected like (Super) Metroid or Castlevania: Symphony of the Night


SOME MORE SHOTS


More multi-tier madness


Use your Powershot to break those dirt clumps


The occult-ish statues add nicely to this dungeon underworld's atmosphere


"Quick, snap a shot of me!"


Complete this while avoiding the circulating ring of fire


BE YOUR OWN BOSS

Another major diff in this modern update: you'll fight BOSSES! These include more traditional American-looking fiends such as Medusa and Frankenstein to name a few. These end-of-stage bosses are entirely combat-based


AUTOMATIC, NOT MANUAL

Something to take note of if you buy this game CIB: the game's manual is a fold-out map, with instructions on the back side. So don't fret when you don't find a "regular" manual inside the box




CLOSING THOUGHTS

Which do I prefer? I love the update. But there's something pure about the original I can't deny. These two are must-own's if you love these type of games, and they complement each other well. POWER SOUKOBAN is one hell of a nice update, but I prefer SUPER SOUKOBAN by a hair


Jan '93 vs. Jan '99! Both are well worth owning


Power Soukoban (2:19)

THE RUNNING MAN

*cue movie trailer voice guy*


ENTER A UNIQUE WORLD...




WHERE LIVES WILL CHANGE AND A NATION WILL CRY... or something


*end movie trailer voice guy* [Hey, how much does he cost us anyway? -Ed.]







IS IT AN RPG? SIM?


NO!


It's....


LODE RUNNER TWIN


Lode Runner is like an old trusty friend to some of us. You may not call this friend every week, or even every month, but whenever you do, it's like you never left

Thanks to T&E Soft, Super Nintendo players have a version to call their own. And while the mechanics are similar, the look and atmosphere is distinctly different

--->
You can forego the map if you wish for the full monty and a tougher challenge


HEY THAT'S NOT JACK PERIL!

Indeed it's not. Say bye Jack and hello Justy and Liberty, two anime-esque chaps. There's a story mode (complete with password), free play and a couple 2-Player split-screen modes




THE MORE THINGS CHANGE....

The more they stay the same. Let's check out how our protagonist fares in the first level:


Ninja mask!? No, just the odd gum-blowin'

Your goal is to collect all the candy wrappers. Only then will a ladder magically appear to whisk you to the next level

--->
Gone are cannibalistic monks... in its place SD trident-wielding devil lackeys

The baddies quickly attempt to gang up on you, but like your ancestors you too can cave in floors where applicable, and walk safely over their head as seen there


Rope-sliding feels spot-on and oddly becomes quite enjoyable to execute

Ah, our hero gracefully glides his way to safety, leaving the baddies in the dust. EAT MY SHORTS YA FILTHY SWINES!! [Have you your medication yet? -Ed.]

--->
1 more candy to go! Hey... what's that oil-y thing dripping from the ceiling eh?

"What manner of witchcraft is this?!" That drippy thing is a new bad guy forming. Have at him!

--->

You might have rid of that one, but notice his buddies quickly gaining ground. Now the magic sound effect blares off, indicating you've nabbed all the goodies. A ladder-to-the-next-level now awaits... of course... on your way there it's not 100% peaceful


YOU WON'T TAKE ME ALIVE!

Toggle the map on/off as you please. This bit is easy, and it's these fun little moments that add tremendously to the game's value/appeal


Drop and he'll follow you accordingly

As soon as you land, make your way toward the ladder


JUST about home free now!


AH there we are


CLOSING THOUGHTS

I love retro games. It's the spirit of the age you know, the zeitgeist -- looking forwards by looking back. Or something like that. Heck, I just might be an old codger. I remember when games were rationed, you know

If you can overlook (figuratively speaking) the annoying music, what you have here is a nice variation of a classic theme


1st Level (0:52)

POWER UP

*cue Movie Trailer Voice Guy* [Here we go again... *whips out big check* -Ed.]


IT IS AN ISLAND SATE WITH DANGER AND TRAPS...




Er... THATS PRETTY MUCH ALL I GOT THIS WEEK


*loud rumbling in the background, couple F-bombs and gunshots later...*


Ahem... well I guess we won't be seeing or hearing from him again. Neither, really. Anywho remember how Nintendo brought us a POWER update of a classic old game in Soukoban?


Weeeelll....


They're back at it yet again!


POWER LODE RUNNER


Released alongside POWER SOUKOBAN on New Year's 1999, this version of Lode Runner takes on a more modern feel, though indeed it plays much the same as ones before it. "B" digs a hole in the ground to your left, "A" to your right. If the bad guys fall through, you can safely walk over their head. Goal hasn't changed -- still have to collect the necessary items to unlock the rite to passage

Cute but in a different sort-of-cute compared to TWIN, you control a blue rabbit-y bloke, going through all manner of themes. There are three immediately selectable worlds, with themes changing every 5 levels


WORLD 1



I love these World shots -- you'll see a couple more later on equally as ace



Map on your bottom left (can be switched off), your item count bottom right (in yellow). Touch the logs there, leaving you 3 more pieces away


A spot of climbing. You'll do plenty of it


Piece number 2... 2 to go

I appreciate games with sensible gameplay... gameplay that allows the player to be efficient. You needn't climb to the bottom of a tree, not when you can slide off at any moment's notice (see above)


Those are the BAD guys?! Why yes

In this theme, these rather innocent-looking monkeys are the source of danger. As each theme alters every 5 levels, so too the enemies


DIE SCUMBAGS!

Applying some good ole Lode Runner know-how will make quick work of these chumps


There's sneaky contestant number 3

--->
Ahh one of the game's simplest joys; esp. when you evade a bad guy in this way

--->
A lone monkey soldier fails horribly to halt the progress of our furry protagonist


4 outta 4!


Home sweet home

And onto the next level you go


THE OTHERS


Some sweet climbing antics abound here


It's a romp to work this one out


Watch out for 'em spiteful beavers!


Kinda spooky here (sans Teddy of course)


"So... you come here often?"
"Yeah, great place to hang out"


Metal parts are unbreakable


Fruits can be used by enemies to stun you


"Ninety-eight.... niiiinety-niiiine..."


This bit's extremely fun to navigate through


WORLD 2


Freakin' gorgeous these World screens are


Our hero sporting a ninja-esque look


"I'M TOO OLD FOR THIS S---!"

WORLD 3


Evokes a stealth-y adventurous aura eh?


Beware of menacing crabs and... ghosts!


Kids -- don't try this at home


Persistent little suckers eh


CLOSING THOUGHTS

I love Soukoban and Lode Runner. It's nice to see four different games of these two timeless franchises on the SNES. Two of which are 1999 updates from Nintendo. Overall, I enjoy Soukoban more, but Lode Runner I'll always be down with

I prefer Super Soukoban over the Power update, here I'll take the POWER version over TWIN. Power Lode Runner is graphically and sonically superior to Lode Runner Twin. The level design and enemy roster is also better; oozing with more creativity and that undeniable Nintendo charm

Twin is no slouch though. These are four fine games every "thinking" SNES fan simply must own


1st level (1:39)



I have doubles of Lode Runner Twin, Super Mad Champ and Bomberman Panic Puzzle. If you want 'em, PM me. Asking price for all three is $30 US ($35 overseas, no split)

great stuff Steve, love your reviews!

BATS GUNS & KNIVES OH MY



This past Monday (Nov. 27) was Bruce Lee's Birthday. He would have turned 66. To honor the man, the myth, the legend... what more appropriate genre could we look at today than the beat em up?


The original Bruce clone: Kim Dragon!


I have a lot of good memories of THE COMBATRIBES. It was my 2nd import taste... my brother and I rented the Super Famicom version at this hotshot upstart diehard gaming rental outlet in late '92 or thereabouts. We friggin' loved it. And who could forget the comic ad that proclaimed "CYBORGS AIN'T LADIES!!"


Ahh Good Times


Oddly, I never bought the game back then. Sad but true: I rented it roughly 7 times.... at 6 different stores... over a 5 year span! I just never grew tire of swinging the carcasses around, knockin' out the other baddies in the process. Or, as the gif below shows, viciously re-arranging their furniture




So then... what kind of sick twisted game on the innocent ole Super NES would allow you, the sadistic bloodthirsty gameplayer, to partake in such boisterous barbaric brutality?


IRON COMMANDO


One of the harder to find beat em up's on SNES, I never once saw this sucker online. I was forced, then, to summon my hired gun in Japan to scour the shops for me. Is it worth the hype? Let's find out...

Pick from Jack or Chang Li (no relation to Chun-Li I assume). Tackle the gangs by yourself or with a friend. There is a nice variety to the levels as you'll see


THE CITY

In this first level quotes will occasionally appear at the bottom. Adds a B-Movie feel and oddly, only appears in this stage



Iron Commando has a myriad of weapons at your disposal. From 9mm guns to rifles to machine guns to knives and baseball bats, I'm almost shocked there wasn't a chainsaw as well


Now THATS what I call a double play!


The 1st boss


THE ROAD

Run and shoot em down


That'll teach 'em...


Or maybe not




THE FOREST

Rejects from SUNSET RIDERS!


THE WAREHOUSE

BATTER UP! 'Oh the indignity' sez Nintendo



You'll go from sunny exterior to this flickering warehouse interior. It's a nice effect. After a brief jaunt, you'll face "Mr. Soukoban" Big Tom. He is the "warehouse keeper" y'know

--->
"Have a Knuckle-Sandwich, Jack!" "YER Jack!" "Pscyhobabble won't work on me!"


THE TEMPLE

Bizarre enemy roster to say the least



Ugh, those serpents are unmercifully cheap-slash-annoying. You'll hate 'em even more than the Medusa Heads in Castlevania. Yes, they're that bad



Not only do you have to contend with this crazed inhuman maniac, but the spikes on the left are constantly moving toward the right; a most deadly proposition...


THE BEACH

DYK: they were extra's in "BEAT IT"


THE MINES

SHOOT EM ALL! LEAVE NO SURVIVORS!


THE CAMP

Oh jeez, the animal cruelty...


THE JEEP

Like sitting (er, standing) ducks, if they could that is


THE ROBOT
--->

Yikes! Hit 'im with everything you got! Regular enemies rover onto the scene... beat 'em to gain more weapons, but beware the robot's laser eye and giant frisky hands. This fight lasts an eternity


Good Luck!


SO IS IT GOOD OR BAD?

Nice looking graphics eh? I feel like I'm at the arcades. It just doesn't have the "typical" SNES look. It's visually distinct, and the weapon choice is pretty cool


"No, I'm not related to CHUNNERS!"


Here comes the "but" part.... it's a quarter-muncher. Pure and simple. Even on Easy, the game's hard. Enemies surround you. You suffer countless unavoidable hits. It's hard to really get into a flow with so many cheap hits abound

The damage distribution is horrible. Doing a 3-hit combo barely ticks their health. What gives? Am I controlling a little boy or a warrior here? This drags the game down in my opinion


"Choose Your Little Boy" more like


You're probably assuming weapon damage ratio to be better, right? Sadly, not much


CLOSING THOUGHTS

Cheap mandatory hits and poor damage ratio are my two biggest disputes with the game. If you can look past that, it can be a decent good time, with unique graphics and a almost B-Movie feel. The 2 player mode is a big plus

Still, one can't help but feel IRON COMMANDO should be awesome; a beat em up for the ages, a brawler to be lionized by a legion of fans.... rather than merely being "not shabby" or "it's pretty good, BUT..."


THE CITY (1:33)

Steve said:

In my humble opinion, on this day 16 years ago the best game system of all time was born

Click to expand...

damn Steve
I guess the Saturn fanboy is dead.

FIGHT CLUB


SHOUNEN NINJA SASUKE

Released by Sunsoft, this is a wacky sprawling no-levels-per-se-having beat em up with some RPG-ish traits thrown in for good measure. The music is very catchy. During fights it's upbeat and frantic. During town scenes calm and mellow. In either case, there's a decisively oriental flair backing it



Most of the game you'll be engaging in fights such as these. See that coin up there, they crop up for each bad guy you vanquish. Money can be spent in shops to buy food, weapons or save your progress (that too will cost ya) [Damn @#!$%^ shopkeepers -Ed.]


Villagers pass by innocently


Y'ALL GON' MAKE ME LOSE MY COOL
[UP IN HERE! UP IN HERE! Sorry -Ed.]


Ye ole trusty fist


Ye ole trusty foot


Flying shoulderblock

There is also a sword and shurikens. The jump kick can be repeated, without landing, multiple times. It's amusing to say the least. If you watch the video you'll see me jump kick a boss character -- without landing -- 22 (!) consecutive times

--->


Like the game itself, highly bizarre


I GOT PLACES TO SEE...

You'll travel a multitude of landscapes; some are cool-looking, others a bit creepy and a few even mythical


Atmospheric if I do say so myself


No Soliciting


Need a hand?


Warthogs can do a number if you're careless... the woods are filled with peril


Those heads are a bit creepy-looking


"Now open your mouth and say AAAAH"


... AND PEOPLE TO BEAT

Along the journey you'll meet some straaaange cats


Catmen can temporarily curse you


Uh yeah... no words could properly explain this scene... so let's move on





A WISE MAN ONCE SAID....

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.



Unlike traditional beat em up's, Shounen has multiple paths; you're free, for the most part, to go where you please


A ONCE WISE MAG SAID...




DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE

Two can play. You can hit your buddy too




CLOSING THOUGHTS

Initially I didn't care for it much. A friend likes it a lot though, so I gave it a 2nd shot and came away with a more favorable impression. It's a nice little game. Reminds me of a mix between GANBARE GOEMON and RIVER CITY RANSOM/MIGHTY FINAL FIGHT. Not a must-have, but it's a nice-to-have game if you like the theme. Keep in mind there's some RPG-ish elements and some JP text to be worked through, but it's not extensive


Shounen Ninja Sasuke (1:06)

FIGHT CLUB II

BATTLE ZEQUE DEN

You gotta be GREAT if you're a beat em up using a 1-plane system... otherwise it's like peanut butter and squid -- the two just don't mix. Does Battle Zeque Den make the grade?

There are three female fighters, each with their own special moves

Enemies are status quo. The regular joe (see below), a fat guy, a fat pig (like from THE MONKEY KING) etc



I dug the Jason Vorhees clone though



Her special move ("X") releases some dino friends



Level 2 sees a nice effect when it starts to drizzle



And then pours


"Y+B" for a different special move


It's not too bad, it's just missing that "oomph"

On the upside, it's pretty tough. On the downside, it's one player only and the 1-plane restricts a feeling of freedom that, in my opinion, makes these games so fun to play

Overall, slightly above average for the genre

Battle Zeque Den level 1 (1:35)

---

KISHIN DOUJI ZENKI: BATTLE RAIDEN

Be careful... there are, including this one, three Hudson Zenki titles on SFC. Raiden is the beat em up of the bunch. For simplicity's sake "Zenki" will be used from here on out

Based off the manga, Zenki is slightly similar to Zeque in that it's a 1-plane side scrolling beat em up. But it's much deeper thanks to its platform-y essence

The dark creepy intro sets a nice tone

--->

You play a small dude, but certain levels he'll be his super hero alter ego. In level 1 you start out as the little guy



The washed-out backdrop here is an excellent unique style. Kudos to Hudson. It reminds me of those paintings by the infamous painter with the fro back in the day -- he even appeared on THE SIMPSONS once or twice


Cool bosses abound from the get-go


Level 2 you become your alter ego

Level 2 is an icy world with typical platforming bits like disappearing ice blocks


Some baddies pop out for a nasty surprise

This part is pretty neat; you break a pod which releases a wavy energy current, lifting our hero up high



The shoulder buttons allow you to dash. Comes handy in this spot



Some baddies look menacing enough to pass as mid-bosses when in reality are just regulars



You have a super attack, but it'll cost you some health




Yes, you're restricted to 1-plane but the nice thing here is it's more of a platform-slash-beat em up hybrid. There are some devious platforming bits to navigate, which keeps the game interesting. Some bosses not shown are awe-inducing. Giant wolf head, red dragon with an ace fiery background, etc. Health refills are hidden inside pods, but sometimes a spider baddie lies inside instead

It's relatively easy but there are some tricky bits, like the lava ride. Some stages have a force field at the exit, so you must collect a certain item on that level to deactivate the barrier

There's a lot more to do here than in Zeque. I'm not crazy about Zenki, but I like it; there's definitely some quality here. Of course, you'd expect that, coming from Hudson and all

Zenki level 2 (1:01)

----

UFO KAMEN YAKISOBAN

A blatant marketing type game, you play a hero of a noodle brand


Chicks love that ride y'know



You mainly fight those corporate thugs, but of course you'd expect a game of this nature to have some bizarre enemies. And you'd be right


That guy's taking a major fashion risk


I mentioned blatant advertising, right?

Trash cans and the like reveal health refills or even a unicycle which acts as a devastating temporary weapon



Boss characters are as weird as the game itself


Boy, only the Japanese lemme tell ya...


"STOP! IN THE NAME OF LOVE!"

When you beat a boss you get this cutscene:






The game takes approx. 45 minutes to beat. UFO Kamen Yakisoban does nothing well. The hit detection is a bit off, the graphics and sound below par and the gameplay MEH. It's very ho-hum in every respect of the word

To its credit, it could be a lot worse, as these "advertisement games" usually are... but don't bother with this one unless you're a HUGE fanatic of the genre. Aside from its bizarreness, it's very vanilla, middle-of-the-road stuff

UFO level 1 (0:44)

FIGHT CLUB III

UNDERCOVER COPS

In '95 VARIE published this IREM port of the '92 arcade game. As SNES fans in-the-know will tell you, this is one of Super Famicom's most wanted. Complete copies frequently scorch the magical $100 mark, and some plop upwards to $85 for a LOOSE copy

Madness! What is this hard-to-find game like that has collectors up in arms for?



Select from Matt the powerhouse ex-football star, Zan the really skinny rough looking kickmaster or Rosa the quick and small token female

It's only 1-Player though (Arcade was multi-play)


SOAP? WHO NEEDS SOAP?

The first thing I noticed about UC Cops is how dirty it looks. I don't mean this in a bad way... I kinda like it in fact. Gives the game a rough and grim tone. So many SNES games have that cute saccharine look. Not a chance here


"My box -- MINE!"

Battle your way through rundown abandoned buildings, grimy festering docks and inauspicious underground tunnels to name but a few. Everything is in a deep state of decay. The enemies are bordering on being subhuman. A wretched decrepit flock of sideshow freaks. You can bet they haven't showered in months. Even the good guys appear unpleasant and a bit... dour

--->

Little details like such are priceless. Crows fly off revealing in its wake two relics, who soon rise like zombies, so send 'em back to the hell hole they came from


HAVE A BITE

You don't consume hamburgers, or french fries, or drink beer to replenish yourself in this game. Oh no. That would make too much logical sense. So what does one eat? You had to ask....


High in protein y'know

Anything small and alive is up for grabs. Mice, chicken, even snails! Eat 'em before they can scamper (or crawl) away. Disgusting? For sure. But thanks to your character muttering a gruffly "GOOD!" when swallowed, it's also a bit... creepy


EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK

While other beat em up's have knives to throw, UNDERCOVER COPS is quite unconventional...



--->
Giant concrete pillars can be unearthed to deliver major pain

Take a close look at the TV screen, pretty clever of Irem eh...


Nice, I count 8 there


Use the metal beams to soften 'im up


JOY TO THE WORLD

"Special Joy" moves are available, in exchange for a small amount of health of course

--->

After Parcs, boss of level 1, takes a beating, he sheds his skin -- revealing a cold steel interior! Crush him, if you can, for the ultimate satisfaction

--->


LEVEL 2

This part was my favorite section. Kick the barrel of flames, or better yet, heave it



Upon impact it'll liberate a flurry of flame torches. WICKED!


Eat that snail before it crawls away!

The scoundrels can toss the torches as well, and if you're knocked down, one rapscallion in particular enjoys a moment of debauchery at your expense


He's a tough regular, that bat guy


Whoa baby


LEVEL 3

These underground diggers are deadly when traveling in packs



Mines pop up at will and erupt


Get the **** outta dodge!

These suckers greet you with a nasty little love tap if you're in their path. They can't be killed so just steer clear as they mindlessly march on by



The end level guardian is a monster born from malpractice... and it wants you for dinner!




ASSESSMENT DAY

After each level your performance is tallied up. Depending on how much $$$ you earned, you'll regain a certain amount of health for the next level, if necessary




PARTING IS SUCH SWEET SARROW


Scheduled for a US release, but never saw American soil


DEJA VU

Being a huge World Heroes fan, I had a funny DEJA VU feeling 'bout Matt immediately. After conducting a series of strenous scientific studies I've concluded where Johnny Maximum's influence truly originated from...

--->

--->


TAKE A LOOK FOLKS

vs.


CLOSING THOUGHTS

Remember the Spike Lee movie "Do The Right Thing"? The character Radio Raheem sported a four-fingered ring on each hand -- "LOVE" on the right hand and "HATE" on the left -- to symbolize the struggle between the two emotions

That's how I feel about UNDERCOVER COPS. I love that it came out, I love how twisted it is.... but I hate that they canned the multiplayer aspect. It reeks of laziness. I hate how much better it should have been

If anything, it's a nice collector's item; a conversation piece. But is it worth the big bucks? Only you can decide that one...


Level 1 (2:56)
Level 2 (0:56)

good stuff. I for one love Undercover Cops unconditionally - I think it's a fantastic conversion, and yes I think it's worth the money.

kiki kaikai - now that's a game worth giving the reviewer's treatment. such brilliance.

Man Steve where do you find these awesome! SFC games?

RISE OF THE ENIX

ENIX is a favorite among many SNES fans. With hits like Soul Blazer, EVO, Actraiser and Ogre Battle, some folks place 'em right there with Konami and Capcom as their favorite 3rd party contributor

Indeed they gave us some great games in America. But did you know Enix also put out two SFC platformers? Judging from the small fanbase these two games have, I'm sure some of you already know

But if you don't, check this out

----


There's weird, and then there's weird



NANGOKU SHOUNEN PAPUWA-KUN

If there was ever a platformer destined to stay in Japan from the moment it was made, this would win by a country mile

It combines an anime feel (based off the anime after all), Japanese wackiness and standard platforming 101 techniques. There are 8 worlds to romp, with multiple levels for each one


Each orange star represents a new world

Nangoku has a level-up system... any time you kill an enemy a number pops in its place, indicating how many experience points you just gained. After a set amount you'll level up. This is pretty cool. A password system is incorporated

Your guy will sweep kick, punch and jump kick his way to victory


WORLD 1


Nutthin' like a light morning jog


Use the block to cover the bamboo spikes


Mid-boss madness

--->
"A" enables your special power attack (limited)


Rays brilliantly pierce through the forest


WORLD 2


Those are some big worms


Watch out for this Kirby sucker


Now there's a REALLY big worm!


Mr. Potato Head's tough!

Grab the key and unlock the imprisoned worm. Looks can be deceiving... the thing's actually a helper believe it or not


Level 2 of this world


WORLD 3


Prepare for Asian hi-jinx


He's nimble 'nuff to jump cross that


"I like to move it move it"


Mandatory flamin' section


Don't get crushed by these moving pillars


WORLD 4

WHOA! LINK makes a special appearance!!


I'll translate their dialogue


"Um.... did you take a wrong turn?"


"Wait a sec,
OH ****"

--->
Link must have accidentally found a time machine portal.... MY how games have changed...


"I told you your rent was due last week!"


WORLD 5


That chick is actually an enemy


Of course.... of course


WORLD 6


Ace backdrop for an ace motif


PACHINKO!


WORLD 7


Ooooh, them dreary clouds

I'll leave the rest for you to discover. There's a lot more


CLOSING THOUGHTS

Beneath this strange world of offbeat characters lies a pretty standard, yet solid, platformer. Nothing new here, but it's enjoyable and everyone I know who has played it, came away liking it. So too have I. Recommended


PACHINKO! Stage 6-1 (1:03)

Let us now look at ENIX's 2nd SFC platformer...

V IS FOR VIOLIN





HAMELIN NO VIOLIN HIKI

AKA Hamelin no Violin Tamaki, Violinist of Hamelin and Hamel the P-I-M-P



Based off the anime/manga, the game kinda reminds me of the sensational DoReMi FANTASY. Your goal is to guide a young female (named Flute) to the exit of each stage. You control the violinist -- Hamel. It's an action/adventure game with puzzles mixed in, and the way you interact with Flute is a riot, as you'll see


Push that block just like in NANGOKU

Don't ask why, but the girl can morph into one of 16 different things! Provided, of course, you locate the proper icon first. Certain sections require certain transformations. It's all about teamwork. This is not your everyday mindless platformer!



Flute follows you around unless you press X to deactivate her. She'll stand still until you press X again



The interaction between Hamel, Flute and the level design is really what makes the game work so well. You can stand on her head, pick her up and carry her around, or even toss her like a cannon ball into enemies or impeding brick walls!

--->
Flute's expressions are priceless... don't worry this doesn't hurt her

A look at the first set of levels then:


FOREST DAYTIME


Press "A" to unleash your deadly musical notes

--->
Sometimes you gotta hurl Flute, other times a bomb is provided


Ole Gator Face takes two hits


Grab your first icon


You're not Carl Lewis! What to do?

That's right, you hit 'START' and locate the proper transformation for the job. You only have 1 at this point, so it's pretty obvious what's needed here


Press X at any time to bring back Flute


Oooooh


FOREST EVENING


Duck those thorns and grab the 1-UP


2nd icon you'll find is a frog


There's the little sucka

This level is one of my favorites. Just the aura of it is off the charts, and very reminiscent of DoReMi's 1st world in the forest with the lifts to ride. Here you and Flute get on a platform. Shooting the spindle with a musical note carries the two of you across


Game has EXCELLENT music too, adding nicely to the atmosphere


Hey, it's either you or them


BONUS ROUND

If you collect enough stars throughout the levels you're treated to a little bonus game


No Mario 3 influences whatsoever...


THE CASTLE


DUN DUN DUN!

--->
Those flames can be tricky

Right off the bat you'll collect your 3rd transformation icon. It's a robot that smashes any wall whenever you jump on its head


"But you promised me there'd be NO bats, you lying bastard!!!!"

Best to carry her ass across the flame dripping bit. Relying on the "follow" command is not wise here (she's a bit of a ditz y'know)


Like CASTLEVANIA's red skeletons...
This guy cannot be killed for good


SNAKES IN A CASTLE!!


A PUZZLE, A MISSING KEY AND A HUMAN DART

As I mentioned, puzzles play a part in the game. Here's a neat little one within the castle walls



Hmmmm, I gotta get to the top...



First off, pause the game and enable the robot smasher transformation



Now position Flute on the little switch and deactivate her, so she won't move from that spot. By standing on the switch, the block up top disappears. Now fire a note at the crystal ball, which results in dropping the door. Hop on and now you're good to jump to the top



Once you get to higher ground, press "X" again to call Flute, and she'll properly climb the ladder. HURRAH! We're home free now....


*Tires screeching*

You must find the missing key. Proceed left...


"Sorry bitch... you know what it be"



Kill the snake, grab the key, the new icon (not shown) and go!


Fourth transformation in effect


CLOSING THOUGHTS

This was one of those SFC games I heard people raving about (much like MAGICAL POP'N and MAJYUUOU) before I could discover it myself. Some of these games don't live up to the hype

This one does

If you love action/adventure SNES games and you don't own this, you're nuts. It's fairly common and goes for roughly $15

NANGOKU is good... VIOLINIST is stellar. Well done once again ENIX


Forest Evening (1:38)
Spindle Night Stage (1:34)

Ah! Finally a papuwa kun review, good stuff!!

"JUST 1 MORE GAME"

During the summer of 2002, my cousins from Texas and theirs from Canada, crashed at my pad for two weeks. Along with my brother, the 6 of us engaged in some serious cutthroat PUZZLE FIGHTER warfare; where the winner kept playing and the loser made excuses until his or her next turn. It's one of my fondest gaming memories


Good times


---


NONTAN TO ISSHO: KURU KURU PUZZLE

In this abnormal puzzler you only need to match TWO like pieces. Two! The quirks don't end there -- you can't rotate the pieces... you can only flip

--->
Most show off their arse when flipped, but the fish has a skeleton

Regular pieces:

-Apple
-Owl
-Frog
-Fish

Special:

-Bee (more on this later)
-Cat (see below)

The cat can only be uncovered when you flip the regular pieces around. It doesn't appear straight up, so just flip constantly. Once in a while, instead of a frog or owl's ass, you'll find the feline instead

--->
Make the match

Any regular piece in the same row as the cats will be converted to cats


Transformation just about complete

Once that happens, they all dissipate

--->

Note that a horizontal cat connection is only 1 row's worth. A vertical hookup on the other hand is double the trouble


MODES OF PLAY

1 Player
---
A: Play til your top is stacked
B: Well has two rows already filled, with a bee at the bottom

2 Player mode is played in mode B


1 Player mode B in action

The goal is to eliminate the bee at the bottom (with another bee). Like the cat, the bee isn't presented directly. A little detective work is required, then



Even when later levels have multiple bee's, it's a piece of cake. You Game Over when the screen is filled, but that's hard to do


MISSING IN ACTION

There's no VS. CPU mode. I was also disappointed by the 2 player mode -- part of the fun is sending garbage blocks over to the opponent. Not found here


CHAIN REACTION

With only 2 like-pieces needed to match, it's simple to set up huge chains. Look at this 3-hitter


Bye fishies

Notice above how I've set up the owl pieces (both front and back sides) one spot higher, one column over. Once the fish are removed, everything drops accordingly

--->


CLOSING THOUGHTS

If there were a crown for "MY FIRST PUZZLER" this would win hands down. It's perfect for children. But for us older cats, the gameplay is too unsophisticated. Still, it's no shame to own Nontan if you love the genre as much as I do... you just won't be playing it over TETRIS or PUYO PUYO


Nontan "mode A" (1:33)

"JUST 1 MORE GAME" (cont.)

Long before Puzzle Fighter, there was DOSSUN! GANSEKI BATTLE

--->
These guys all share the same hobby eh?


Dossun has a unique battle system. Two ways to claim victory:

1. The opposing player's well fills up
or
2. Their energy bar hits rock bottom

Energy bar? In a puzzler? Whaaaa??

--->

Eliminating 3 or more like pieces have varying results:

-Green Rocks: Sends forth a dragon (see above)
-Red Scrolls: Fireballs
-Yellow Swords: Piercing swords
-Blue Potion: Replenishes your health slightly (if needed)
-Purple Squares: No effect whatsoever


ONE PLAYER

Select from 3 heroes



And one by one, do battle with the game's numerous villains



The loser is paid a visit from ole Grimsy




TWO PLAYERS

Everyone's up for grabs




TODAY'S SPECIAL

Most puzzle games have a special piece or power. Dossun is no different. When you have a special pellet stored, pressing "R" clears every purple square. Although Dossun's graphics could easily be confused for an early MEGADRIVE title, this visual effect is noteworthy


Much cooler than simply fading out


DO A COMBO MEAL

Like fighting games, special moves are a good way to inflict damage, but the best players utilizes devastating combos. The same applies here. While clearing 3 pieces at a time is fine and dandy, pulling off 3-plus chain reactions is the meal ticket. Diagonal matches yield the best results if you set yourself proper

Observe this lethal chain. The green rocks match diagonally and disappear



The yellow sword falls down, connecting with 2 other swords



The swords' elimination drops the red scroll....



... forming a crushing 5-PIECE horizontal/diagonal red match to end the 3 hit chain


PICK A FIGHT

After completing a big combo, the character enlarges and performs a fancy attack








That ogre is bad news, folks


HANG IN THERE

Major attacks result in leaving the opposition hanging


Annoying if you're on the receiving end!


ANY REQUESTS?

There's only 1 music theme throughout the entire game, and it can get tedious. When someone's energy bar flashes, the music breaks into a frenzy, sounding much better and adding nicely to the tension. But the regular music is a bit "meh"


CLOSING THOUGHTS

It's essentially COLUMNS with a medieval fantasy battle theme. Dossun really grew on me and I literally said "1 more game" several times. It's amazingly addicting. Sure the graphics and music are nothing to write home about, but the gameplay is largely enjoyable

Sweet game


Dossun (1:40)

SFC = best ever



had no idea there were so many cool looking SFC titles.


SHOUNEN NINJA SASUKE looks a lot like mystical ninja/goeman.