Part 2 of my reviews:
12. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time (SNES): I was on a bit of a beat em' up kick today and after seeing an overpriced copy of Turtles in Time at a local game store, I became inspired to go home and play this game. Being born in the late 80s, by the time I was of the right age to really get into TMNT the franchise was starting to lose steam and I wasn't able to get into the series as much as I could have if I had been born a couple ears earlier. Regardless, I remember thinking TMNT was really cool, with my favorite contribution from the franchise being the 2nd live action movie, Secret of the Ooze. Unfortunately I never got to play any of the video games until many years later, which sadly included Turtles in Time, the seminal TMNT video game. TMNT is definitely one of those games that deserves its reputation as being one of the great beat em' ups and definitely one of the coolest games on the SNES. The game perfectly captures the feel, sound, and look of the cartoon, and I can only imagine how freakin blown away by this game I would have been if I had gotten more into TMNT as a kid and played this at the right time, either in the arcade or the SNES. Either way, the graphics are colorful and vibrant, and while the enemies are fairly repetitive, with only minor changes to appearance or color between them, this does little to distract from the visual charm of this game. Speaking of visual charm, the bosses in Turtles in Time are all awesome with every single one ripped from the TV series; I honestly cannot think of better villains from the show they could have used for this game. Likewise, the music in this game is phenomenal! Probably the weakest part of this game is the gameplay which is partially the result of the genre and it's very repetitive nature, but also because the controls in this game just don't seem to be as consistent as they should be, which can result in some fairly frustrating situations throughout the game. Still, the game is a blast from start to finish and I mostly enjoyed every minute of it. This game is not just a must play for fans of beat em' ups or TNMT, but anyone who owns an SNES. (2/10/19) [39/50]
13. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Hyperstone Heist (Genesis): After playing Turtles in Time I was curious to see how its Genesis counterpart, Hyperstone Heist, stacked up against it since I've heard varying accounts about which game is better. After playing both a day apart, and also looking at footage of the actual arcade version, there is no question that Turtles in Time is the superior game, at least when comparing the two console ports. Turtles in Time barely feels like it was compromised when it was ported to the SNES; sure the game doesn't look at nice and is missing various sound and graphic flourishes present in the arcade version, but 95% of that experience is retained and it shines through the entire game. However, Hyperstone Heist feels heavily compromised compared to the arcade and even the SNES version. While not a bad game by any means, the game feels like it was shoehorned onto a console like so many other arcade games of the time that got console ports. The sound, graphics, and even the gameplay feel inferior to Turtles in Time on the SNES, but perhaps the worst part about it is how the game itself was changed. Hyperstone does offer some cool, unique features such as a few new bosses, Tatsu being the coolest, and some variations to the stages to make them feel unique, including one stage that is mostly all unique, but overall there are so many things that are tweaked that it changes the essence of what my made the SNES and arcade version so amazing. There is also a very annoying filler stage that is essentially a giant boss rush mode that I found incredible annoying since you literally just fight all the bosses you've already fought instead of playing against cool, new bosses like in the SNES version. Bottom line, just play Turtles in Time on the SNES, or if you have access to the arcade version play that. This game is little more than Konami throwing Sega owners a bone back in the day, even if that bone was half as good as the others. (2/11/19) [32/50]
14. Panzer Dragoon (Saturn): I'm a pretty big fan of rail shooters and the Panzer Dragoon series has always been an enigma of the genre for me, at least until recently. I had played the original Panzer Dragoon numerous times, but mostly just to try it out. However, recently with my longing for Panzer Dragoon Saga, I decided to scratch the itch slightly by playing other titles in the now dormant franchise, and what better place to start than the first one. Panzer Dragoon is definitely a fun rail shooter, but being a relatively early example, it doesn't have much of the refinement that titles like Star Fox 64 or even Panzer Dragoon Orta have. The 360-degree rotating perspective is a really cool idea, however its actual execution is alright at best. This also effects the games balancing and aiming as well, which is mostly good, but leaves a lot to be desired. The game's soundtrack is pretty good as well, although I never found it to be particularly memorable at any given point. This game's biggest asset is its graphics and art direction; the game takes place in a distant post-apocalyptic setting filled with vast ruins, desolate landscapes, and ancient technology that is both familiar and alien looking at the same time. The world of Panzer Dragoon really draws you in and is fascinating to say the least. Despite this, some of the levels, of which there are only 6, can be a bit plain at times and the very pixelated graphics have not particularly aged well despite being fairly impressive back when this game came out in 1995. Overall though, Panzer Dragoon is a pretty fun game and certainly a game worth checking out not just on the Saturn, but as one of the cooler rail shooters out there.(2/20/19) [34/50]
15. Panzer Dragoon Saga (Saturn): My full review of this game in on page 5 of this thread. (3/2/19) [36/50]
16. Tetris (Gameboy): There is no denying that Tetris is truly a classic and a pioneer in the puzzle game genre. It's simplicity it perhaps its biggest strength, but also its biggest weakness as the game is fun, for a time, before it gets repetitive given the lack of depth and variety in the gameplay. Speaking of repetitive, the music is limited to a handful of tracks that you can only play one at a time, and no matter what track you listen to its the same under one-minute loop of that song over and over again until the game ends. Despite these criticisms I did find this game hard to put down for about a day, but eventually I did get burnt out on it and felt okay with shelving it for another decade before I got the urge to play it again. Tetris is a great puzzle game to this day, however there are far better, more interesting puzzle games these days that I'd rather play. (3/7/19) [35/50]
17. Thunder Force IV (Saturn): I reviewed this game either last year or the year before, but I never felt satisfied with my initial assessment of this game. I recently purchased Thunder Force Gold Pack 2 which includes both this game and Thunder Force AC which is an arcade port of Thunder Force 3, and I was immediately impressed with the visual upgrades to the game on the Saturn. Before I get into my re-review of Thunder Force IV I have a couple of confessions. One, I didn't beat the game, in fact I'm only able to get through about half of it; this is a hard ass game, and while it is fun (spoiler!) it's a game I'm okay saying that I'll probably never see the end of given how difficult it is. My other confession has less to do with the game and more to do with something I did while playing it; I destroyed one of my Sega Saturn controllers. I don't controller rage often and to date I've only destroyed one other controller (a Dreamcast controller while playing Marvel vs. Capcom when I was about 13), but there was one level that seriously pissed me off hardcore and I casually chucked one of my Saturn controllers at the floor, but instead hit the base of my TV stand. This literally broke the D-pad clean off the controller. I guess it's nice that Saturn controllers aren't too expensive. But with that out of the way, let's talk about the game again shall we. My enjoyment of Thunder Force IV improved quite a bit since I last spent a decent amount of time with the game, mostly due to me giving the gameplay more credit than I had originally; as mentioned the game is ridiculously hard and will truly test your reflexes and memorization. Other than that the game uses a power up system where you collect power ups that give you additional shot types, shields, and 1-ups. This is all fine and dandy except when you get shot down you lose most if not all your power ups and are left with your basic front and rear shots, which if forced to use these are certain parts of the game, particularly during the boss fights, you are essentially marooned and will be lucky to survive to see the end of the stage. This gameplay mechanic does diminish my enjoyment of the game about the same as it did before, however I do feel like the balancing in the game is better than I originally gave it credit for. Likewise, I praised the visuals and sound when I first reviewed Thunder Force IV, but I feel like I didn't give these aspects the recognition they deserved. Both the soundtrack, fx, graphics, and art design are excellent and among the best out there for shooters, especially during the era this game came out. Everything considered, I definitely place Thunder Force IV in my top 20 shooters of all time, albeit it is a lot closer to #20 than #1; the gameplay is flawed, but has enough redeeming qualities along with an outstanding presentation to bump it up the list. (3/17/19) [37/50]
18. Motorstorm (PS3): The first game I ever played for the PS3 when it first came out was Motorstorm which I played on a PS3 kiosk at a local Best Buy back when the console and game were brand new. I remember thinking how awesome and impressive the vehicle damage and explosions were and ever since then I lusted over this game. In fact, when I finally would get a PS3 a couple years later the two games I got with it were Skate 2 and Motorstorm Pacific Rift. But years later after the original Motorstorm came out it is still a great time to be had and one of the most fun racing games I've ever played. It's still great to see your driver and vehicle get filthy from dust, mud and dirt and also take damage from the other racers, stage hazards, and nature itself. It's just too bad there are so few stages in this game and all take place in a very deserty area that does get old after a while. The gameplay is mostly good, with racing controls being responsive and dynamic depending on which vehicle you're using and what sort of terrain you find yourself on. Also the boost mechanic creates a fun depth to the racing, and can make or break your ranking in a race depending on when and how much you use it. My only real complaint with the game has to do with the game's physics engine going crazy at times where approaching a jump to fast or barely touching a small rock can make your vehicle explode on impact as if C4 was just detonated inside your car. However, this complain is minor, and overall the ridiculousness of your care exploding so easily makes this game more entertaining than frustrating most of the time. The music is a combination of original rock and EDM music, as well as various licensed music which varies in quality. The sound Fx of the vehicles sound cool and believable as well. This is definitely a great game and I can't wait to spend more time with its sequel as well as the third game, Apocalypse which I've actually never played. (3/29/19) [36/50]
19. Motorstorm: Pacific Rift (PS3): Compared to the first Motorstorm, this one improves upon it in nearly every way; more vehicles, more tracks, and more race modes. The end effect is a game that is definitely more enjoyable overall. It's also set in a very Hawaiian-esque location complete volcanos, tropical beaches, and sugarcane fields. While it isn't significantly more interesting than its predecessors tracks, there are more of them and the inclusion of manmade obstacles and structures also adds a nice touch to the game. The only area of the game I felt wasn't as good as the first Motorstorm was the music, which to be honest it wasn't incredible in the first one, but the inclusion of licensed music made it a bit more enjoyable. The OST in Pacific Rift is mostly original music that doesn't inspire or get you pumped, but it does fit in the game. The sound Fx on the vehicles are pretty cool though with each vehicle, even of the same class sounding at least a little different. Definitely better than the first Motorstorm game. I look forward to seeing how Apocalypse compares to this game. (4/5/19) [38/50]
20. Uchan Nanchan Honoo no Challenge: Denryuu Iraira Boi (N64): This is essentially the N64 port of Irritating Stick which was released in the US on the PS1. Like the PS1 game you guide a small circle through a maze and are unable to touch the walls or else you get a manic announcer scold you and then you have to start the stage over. While it sounds simple it's actually pretty challenging and enjoyable, for a little bit at least. This is probably one of the laziest, cheapest looking games I've ever played, with the backgrounds essentially being dark rooms with random objects like stage scaffolding to occupy it. The music is also not very memorable, however that's not the worst thing about the sounds that come from this game. The game offers commentary from a manic Japanese announcer who says, rather screams, things in Japanese as you progress though each stage. At first this is entertaining, however after playing a few minutes you'll essentially hear everything this guy has to say and this repeats during the entire time you play. To say it gets old is an understatment. And then finally is the lack of variety in stages, with only 5 being available in single player. In other words the appeal of this game is short lived and has major drawbacks. (4/9/19) [25/50]
21. Tekken Tag Tournament (PS2): Last year I replayed most of the best games I'd ever played for the purpose of assessing where they currently stand within my top games of all time. Tekken Tag Tournament was one that unfortunately slipped through the cracks and I was unable to fit it in amongst the many other games I played. While Tekken Tag Tournament would not have made my top top, it would have come very, very close as it is still one of the best fighting games I've ever played to this day. I got this game along with my PS2, and NHL 2001, for Christmas along with my PS2 back in 2000 when those games and the PS2 first came out. I was so excited to get this game and the PS2, I ended up hooking up my PS2 at my Aunt's house where I opened them and ended up playing it there in between mouthfuls of Christmas Eve dinner. It's one of my most cherished memories, largely in part because of how impressed I was with Tekken Tag Tournament. To this day the game holds up very well in every regard. While it in no way holds up to modern games in terms of graphics, it was very visually impressive for the time and is still pleasing to the eyes for a game that is now considered retro. The gameplay especially holds up, as the fighting is both deep and highly accessible at the same time, making this game easy for anyone to play however they want. It would be a crime not to mention all the modes, unlockables, and just crazy amount of content in this game too, which is representative of a bygone time when video games were chalk full of content that came with the game you purchased day 1. Particularly Tekken Bowl, which is a full fledged bowling game built into Tekken Tag Tournament, which you unlock by playing arcade mode, is almost worth the cost of the game alone as it is still the best bowling video game I've ever played.And finally there is the soundtrack which is very memorable and catchy. Combine all this with a huge roster of Tekken characters with lots of costumes and you have a hell of a fighting game. And for me personally, the nostalgia I have for this game only makes it even more special. (4/22/19) [42/50]
22. Captain Toad's Treasure Tracker (Switch): I played this game cooperatively with my girlfriend over the course of several months, not necessarily because it's a long game, but because I just had a very hard time staying engaged and interested in it. As a platformer (sort of) this game is pretty basic, simple, and easy. There isn't much challenge throughout the game, even when doing the stage challenges which are different for each stage, but typically belong to one of about 10 types of overall challenges you can do. As a result, the game is kind of boring and underwhelming. Visually the game is colorful, vibrant and creative, but the levels are all essentially giant, floating cubes in the sky that you have to navigate through, with each level being completely separate from the last. In the end it is mostly a good looking game while also being very plain at the same time. The soundtrack is nothing to write home about, but does feel very Nintendoee so I'll give it that. Sadly, upon finishing this game I was somewhat relieved that I was done despite having fun at times. Unfortunately this will go down as one of the most underrated first party Nintendo titles I've ever played, although Yoshi's Crafted World, which I'm also playing right now, if certainly giving Captain Toad a run for its money. (4/22/19) [29/50]
