A new edition of Sacred Reviews is up, and we tackle a hacked EarthBound just in time for Halloween. The thing about rom hacks is these fan programmers make it harder than the vanilla games. An example of this is from Zelda: Parallel Worlds that despite being based on A Link to the Past — a game known for its easy difficulty — is actually challenging with cheap level designs. Now, the EarthBound fan games on the other hand are programmed with fair difficulty on most instances. Except for Toby Fox’s Halloween Edition, there are often not that many riddled with cheap gameplay that tests a player’s patience rather than their skill. Another thing these change up is the theme and aspects of the story by providing us a “else-world” type plot. Think of these hacks as their version of Marvel’s What If series where things play out differently than the usual tale is told.
Now, Hallow End was developed over a decade ago at a point where the supposed armchair analysts claimed how rare the game was. In truth there is nothing rare about these cartridges especially the second one that this niche fandom made it out like during the 2000s. While it is also true for internet sellers to overcharge these games — plastic wrapping the whole package when these releases never were originally — that doesn’t necessarily mean, they were rare. Due to Nintendo taking so long to bring the series to the Virtual Console from the late 2000s to the early 2010s might be the reason so many hacks came out. The Halloween theme hack follows a vastly different story while keeping the true nature of what makes EarthBound. On one Halloween night a trio of kids named Sally, Craig and Clyde were doing their usual yearly trick or treating. Then after entering one house on the edge of town and leaving after finding no one there, the townspeople act indifferent towards them. That is when they see actual zombies and ghosts wandering around and coming from a tunnel leading out of Maysville. That causes the trio to investigate why monsters have appeared and adventure to find out why people in their town don’t recognize them. EarthBound: Hallow’s End Review
0 Comments
Welcome to a new edition of Horror Gaming and it is that time of the year again for the Halloween season. I do tend to read more horror than watch those marathons during the Autumn months. It seems reading these campfire tales engage my imagination more than the usual popcorn flick that does jump scares. However, just like films that produce Troll 2 and Good Will horror flicks, Creepypasta are no strangers to this either. Now, gaming CPs are still notorious for producing crappypastas despite the quality today being in a much better position. The Godzilla NES 2 and Friday the 13th NES horror tales are the recent stories to continue the quality standard. While those written using Mario games continue down a hellish path of terrible plots that could test one’s patience.
Now, I hate bringing bad news but an actual MaRIo III was published a couple of years ago. You heard that right as the sequel that wasn’t needed has become a reality. The sad thing is when I wrote that last part in the double review of the first two stories it was a joke based on no cliffhanger. However, now that there is an actual MaRIo III, you know this isn’t going to lead to good storytelling. The Trilogy is the Sonic.EXE of creepypastas based on how poorly both series' first two plots were written. Even though Pokemon and My Little Pony have their own EXE CPs, they weren’t as terrible as these two series. The question is how there exists a third arc when the second ended with no cliffhanger. You’ll be surprised what some will do as an excuse to make an unnecessary sequel. A perfect example comes from the infamous film Troll 2 which not only had nothing to do with the first movie but used that as an excuse. Can the third MaRIo redeem itself by being a decent tale? Or follow the Troll 2 formula without the “it’s so bad it’s good” shtick? MaRIo III Creepypasta Review As the year comes to an end soon, I have one of my old review to show about Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the N64. With the Expansion Pak online being added (despite the ridiculous backlash over the pricing) we finally got N64 games on NSO. If you are wondering I see nothing wrong with the pricing of the Expansion Pak as it was bound to happen. Did people expect this service to stay at twenty dollars a year with more consoles being added? However, unlike the complaining from most armchair analysts, I like to see things both ways to stay objective. Yes, even though the pricing isn’t problem, but Nintendo needs to add more stuff in later on. I have no doubt they will add Game Boy/Color and GBA to the service. The House of Mario probably should also add in DLC from Smash Bros, Luigi Mansion 3 or Zelda: Breath of the Wild to give more value. We all know Splatoon 3 will be added when the second game has its DLC available on the NSO. Now, OOT has been hailed by many as the game of not only its generation but one of the greatest ever made. However, over time better 3D adventure titles would overtake OOT thanks to it slowly aging in nearly 25 years. With that said, it is still a hallmark to both its genre and to the series which stood the test of time. Similar to Mario 64, EAD used the same engine by modifying its program heavily to create unique assets. Truly amazing what Nintendo did with a limiting format as OOT wasn’t even using a 64 MB cartridge but instead utilizes a 32 MB cart. When we think of large games in the 90s, often PlayStation One’s massive RPGs with their three to four disks come to mind. They eventually would use a 64 MB cartridge when developing Majora’s Mask and taking OOT’s concept further. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64) Review A new edition of Retro Corner Reviews is up, and it is time to review a game I play every Autumn. The game is Donkey Kong Country 2 for the Super NES and for some odd reason it reminds me of the Autumn season. Maybe it has something to do with the setting being in dingy areas like a swamp or a haunted forest. The funny thing for me is it’s not the only game to give this feeling just take Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. Super Metroid also gives me those vibes oddly enough as its dreadful atmosphere played up to that. Even then DKC2 isn’t the only seasonal style game present as DKC3 had more of a wintery appearance. These types of games centered around these holidays is always something I play traditionally every year.
Now, DKC2 is among my favorite games to play not only because of the season but due to being a fantastic classic. It took everything great about the first DKC and multiplied this by ten times. That is what Nintendo did with Super Mario Bros 3 by taking the first game’s format and bringing the series to new heights. The jump between DKC1 and its sequel is nearly the same as the gameplay mechanics and broader visuals were tweaked here. The theme this time is about K. Rool turning to a life of a pirate captain as now the Kremlins have become that. However, Captain K. Rool seeks revenge on the Kong family by kidnapping Donkey himself and taking him to Crocodile Island. Now, Diddy and his girlfriend Dixie must go to Crocodile Island — the Kremlins’ stronghold — to save Donkey from K. Rool and his gang of pirates. Unlike the last entry, the stakes were raised higher beyond trying to save a banana horde that oddly enough doesn’t mold. Donkey Kong Country 2 (Super NES) Review A new edition of Retro’s Blog is up, and we talk about why Sega’s Genesis/Mega Drive was the Ultimate Arcade console. The Genesis/Mega Drive is the most iconic Sega console to see a release in its history. While the Saturn and the Dreamcast were great Arcade home systems, they didn’t have the same iconic appeal. It’s the reason they both sold ten million units each compared to the second console selling forty million. The reason is that Sega during the Fourth Gen was a legit competitor that for once took a good market share from Nintendo. It was also the time when they produced a home run inhouse lineup that fans still remember till this day. Then we factor in the quality third party support is why the Genesis is fondly remembered. The later consoles despite receiving third party titles was nothing compared to the competition in both the Fifth and Sixth Gens. You can list Shenmue, Virtua Fighter 3, Soul Calibur or Resident Evil: Code Veronica all you want. Those games didn’t help Sega sell millions of units due to reaching a niche audience. The topic itself will be broken into two parts with the first one being about genres from Brawlers, tournament fighters and licensing. During the 90s, the beat 'em ups and tournament fighters were the genres to dominate both the consoles and the arcades. You couldn’t go a day without seeing either of these types of games at your local pizzeria or in a laundry mat. It was the same thing for home systems where Sega and the third parties brought them over to the Mega Drive. Another genre that did well as much as on the TurboGrafx was the shoot ‘em ups considering how many the Mega Drive received. Despite not being popular like its Arcade brethren, the shoot ‘em ups still gave the market a variety to choose from. Sega Genesis: The Ultimate Arcade Console A new edition of Horror Gaming is up, and we tackle a unique creepypasta about a strange background character in Paperboy 2. The second month of Summer often reminds us about the traditional fourth of July and other seasonal celebrations. Now, what I mean by seasonal celebrations is your typical BBQs, pool parties and simply going to the beach for a day of relaxation. If it’s not these activities that reminds me of the Summer Days in the US, then the simple things like a paperboy/girl delivering newspapers does that. Just take a look at Stranger Things Season 3 and to an extent the fourth one — despite taking place in the Spring — highlights these things easily. Crossing Souls (an indie pixel style game) also does a good job highlighting those classic 80s American tropes.
Now, the creepypasta is unique for a couple of reasons, and it is because the story simply doesn’t focus on a player having a haunting experience. It is the fact someone took the time to use a niche series that not even Golden Age gamers bring up and turn this into a creepy theory. The CP is the only Paperboy one to my knowledge so far as most never write a horror tale about a kid delivering newspapers. That is like trying to turn Mortal Kombat into a CP, but the problem is its already M rated with as much gore as any horror film. The same thing could be said about Paperboy since there is little to go on aside from being a parody of America’s 80s tropes. The theme has the narrator talk about a weird character in the background called the Gray Man. It is simply a man taking his trash to the curb, but things don’t always appear as black and white as we like to think one’s actions are. The narrator has a theory of what the Gray Man might represent based on a family murder that happened in the 90s. A Figure in Gray Creepypasta Review A new edition of Modern Gaming Reviews is up, and we take a closer look at the Mega Man Legacy Collection on the Nintendo Switch. It is nothing new to this industry to release a completion of a company’s legacy backlog. In fact these actually started in the 90s when Namco and Taito would release classic Arcade games from the 80s. These were for the Super NES and Sega Genesis consoles but it’s not surprising that 4 MB cartridges were able to support those older titles at the time. Another thing that was surprising is how some were complaining about releasing “games for their parents when they were babies” back then. Funny how today it’s turned a 180 and now many people want legacy content more than ever. It’s not because many think modern gaming is crap (that is far from the truth) but due to a demand for them. That is why Indie developers are producing games akin to those legacy games such as Axiom Verge.
The collection Capcom put out for the Mega Man Classic series isn’t the first one to release from them. In 2004 they released Anniversary Collection for the GameCube, PS2 and Xbox to celebrate the Blue Bomber’s 15 years. While in the 2000s the completion might have been solid for what they were offering, I mean you were getting ten classic games. However, the emulation for those ROMs wasn’t good because of the way Atomic Planet scaled the Original games. Even the Xbox version — despite its emulation being slightly better — those older titles still weren’t scaled right to the Originals. Now, Digital Eclipse takes on the task from where the defunct Atomic Planet left off. With today’s tools to produce better emulation, can Digital Eclipse do what Atomic Planet failed to do? Mega Man Legacy Collection (Nintendo Switch) Review A new edition of Retro Corner Reviews is up, and we check out what is considered a one off series called StarTropics for the NES. Summer has started as some will prepare for the beaches and pools while others look forward to their BBQs outdoors. We start the Summer off with StarTropics, one of Nintendo’s lesser known games—You can also add that to the list containing EarthBound, F-Zero, Mach Rider and Balloon Fight. It was released under the radar in December 1990 due to the combination of Super Mario Bros 3 and other bigger titles. There are many reasons this game never took off since once 1990 was over people were hyped for the Super NES. Of course by that point most rented the game but it is possible they had a “meh” attitude after their experience. It wasn’t Mario, Zelda or any other big release on the NES so in their minds why would anyone care when most were saving for the Super NES. The gamers I’m talking about are casuals and not us dedicated crowd who would at least rent this at Blockbuster for a weekend. It’s funny how Nintendo continued to support the NES alongside the Super NES. Then again, it’s a good thing they did because plenty of gems came out between 1991 through 1994.
StarTropics falls under the action/adventure or dungeon romper (to those who play Zelda Classic) based on the game’s mechanics. Today most don’t appreciate clones like they used to, and it should come off as a form of flattery then an insult. However, ST isn’t the usual adventure game as its level design is structured differently from Zelda—Sometimes a studio needs to do things different from the usual. Take Mario and Donkey Kong and even though they are from the same genre however, these series do not play the exact way. The theme is about an American teenager named Mike Jones who visits his uncle Dr. Steven Jones at his lab on C-Island within the South Seas. However, when he arrives at the island’s local village where his uncle’s lab is stationed, he finds him missing. It turns out aliens led by Zoda have kidnapped his uncle and now Mike has to brave the challenges of the South Seas to save him. Does StarTropics hold up after more than three decades especially against Nintendo’s elite series? StarTropics (NES) Review A new edition of Horror Gaming is up, and we tackle an Earthbound CP called Crypt of the Ancients. The series is the textbook definition of a niche series at its core as till this day not many people know this exists. Each game follows a different story set in certain eras where a group of young heroes face an alien overlord named Giygas. However, the third game takes place in a completely different era of Earth where human civilization was reduced. I might understand why some love the series, but it is another Dragon Quest with pop culture references. Most of this niche fandom will get annoyed by that take but it is obvious why this is a niche series. The thing is EarthBound is often hindered by dated mechanics that don’t evolve the gameplay enough. Even Lufia II changed up several things from the original that actually made this a unique sequel. While the first two entries stayed true to the Old Guard’s format of Ultima and Dungeons & Dragons from the mid-80s.
The CP itself was the first time I listen to a horror theme EarthBound tale as this was years after the Giygas Theory was known. Now, Crypt of the Ancients is a tale about a guy named Nick who borrows a copy of EarthBound after enjoying what he saw. However, after the game was accidentally broken and he rushes to the local game store to get it fixed, the guy discovers once getting it back the RPG plays vastly different. That is when Nick learns of the Crypt that is mentioned often through his second play through. You are wondering how anyone can turn this into horror despite the backstory already being morbid. That is what makes this a little interesting at face value since this Crypt is another Lost Level CP. So how different and strange will Nick’s playthrough become? EarthBound: Crypt of the Ancients Creepypasta Review A new edition of Retro Corner Reviews is up, and we take a look at the Original Earthbound game on NES. After nearly two years Nintendo finally brought the Earthbound series to the NSO. Originally, both games were released on WiiU in 2015 after being absent for years on the Virtual Console. While the second title got a US release in 1995, the first one however was in a weird situation. It turns out the first game was already translated and ready to hit store shelves in 1991. Unfortunately, Earthbound NES — its original title before being renamed Beginnings as a subtitle — was never giving a reason as to why this was canceled. We can only assume Nintendo was worried about low sales considering RPGs weren’t as popular as they were in the later generations. I mean, it is the only conclusion that makes sense when the series is one of the company’s niche games. For the game itself, like most RPGs from the 8-bit era, never age well compared to those on the 16-bit and 32-bit systems. Beginnings falls under this as time has not been nice to it with outdated mechanics. Now, that also could’ve been the reason for Nintendo to not release Beginnings when they thought it was probably too hard for American gamers. I mean, Nintendo did the same thing to the Famicom Super Mario Bros 2 only to replace this with an easier non-Mario title. Of course, EEB also had controversial visuals for the time as they removed some features and dialogue. An example being gore and cigarette smoking was present in the Japanese version from the enemies. Yet, the US port has removed these features altogether due to censorship laws. Sometimes censorship is used to remove things that shouldn’t be in a kid’s game as this was used properly here. Then there’s censoring games like Doom despite the M rating to appease angry pearl clutchers in the 90s. Earthbound: Beginnings (NES) Review |
WelcomeIf you are looking for Retro Gaming blogging and My Little Pony reviews then you came to the right place. I am Retro Gamer and on this site we are on a never ending quest to call it down the middle. Archives
February 2024
The social media icon images and Vector Designs by Vecteezy, Medium and Onextrapixel
For More Please Click Below |