Every Thursday Defunct Games wants to take a moment and reflect on all of the classic games that were given new life. Thanks to video game compilations, Nintendo's Virtual Console, the Xbox Live Arcade and even the PlayStation 3, fans of retro games are able to find all sorts of crazy old games. But what games are good? How well have these games held up? Which ones should you spend your money on? In This Week In Defunct Games we plan on answering those questions in both written and audio podcast form. So without further ado I give you the podcast version of This Week In Defunct Games, followed by our full guide to the best (and worst) classic games of the week.
NOTE: There's no MP3 Podcast this week, This Week In Defunct Games fell on my birthday this year and I decided to take the day off. I'm sure you'll understand. The good news is that we have our usual written installment, so forget about the podcast and let's talk about one great week in Virtual Console news!
Gradius III (Virtual Console)
What Is It?
Nobody is going to dispute that the 8- and 16-bit consoles had a lot of great 2D shooters, perhaps that's why there are so many solid shoot 'em-ups already available on the Nintendo Virtual Console. So far we already have multiple versions of R-Type, Super Star Soldier and Galaga. The newest entry to this prestigious list of high quality shooters is Gradius III, the Super NES sequel to one of the best arcade shooters of all time. Gradius III may not reinvent the shooter genre (you're still flying from left to right shooting down enemies in predictable patterns and picking up power-ups), but it does offer enough new to warrant a few plays. The biggest improvement in this third Gradius is that you now have more control over the way you upgrade your spaceship, something that impacts the game play more than you would think. Other new changes include a whole bunch of cool new levels and bosses. Along with R-Type III, Gradius III was one of the flagship shooters on the Super NES, and it's not hard to see why everybody was so enamored by this game. The game isn't without a few minor hiccups, but there's no denying that this is a solid action game that reminds us of a time when we were complaining about the overwhelming number of shooters being released. Ah the memories.
Does It Still Hold Up?
For the most part the game play has held up well, the controls are responsive and it's easy to see how to level-up your craft. Seeing as this is well over a dozen years old you might have to forgive the somewhat simplistic controls, but all of this is made up for by the extreme difficulty. The real problem with this game is that it suffers from a lot of slowdowns. This is not uncommon with the early Super NES games, the game just comes to a grinding halt when you have a lot of enemies or fire on the screen at the same time. I'm sure there are people out there that believe that the emulation should keep the slowdowns, but I'm of the mind that would rather have those technical imperfections ironed out. Much like I like to see old movies restored (taking out the picture imperfections, fixing the sound, etc.), I wouldn't mind seeing the slowdown issue solved thanks to the superior hardware of the Wii. Unfortunately this is not the case, and as it stands the slowdowns really hurt the game.
Is It Worth The Money?
If you've never played through Gradius III then what are you waiting for. Unfortunately at $8 this doesn't seem like a good deal. It would be better to just buy the $20 PSP collection, which features ports of the arcade games (which don't suffer from the terrible slowdowns). If you don't own a PSP and you want to pick up a classic shooter then you could do a whole lot worse than Gradius III. It's not better than R-Type and Soldier Blade, but it's still worth your $8.
Wonder Boy in Monster World (Virtual Console)
What Is It?
Known as Wonder Boy V Monster World III in Japan, Wonder Boy in Monster World is the Genesis answer to Dragon's Curse. With vibrant graphics, a fun combat system and plenty of variety, this Wonder Boy game is a real treat. When I think Wonder Boy I tend to get flashbacks to Hudson's Adventure Island. Thankfully this game is nothing like that flawed platformer, this is an exploration action game that allows you to run around an open world and find items and kill plenty of weird enemies. In this Wonder Boy game you have a whole story about a guy named who is on a quest to save Monster World from the evil BioMeka. With its cute art style and RPG elements I had a real easy time falling in love with this game, I still find it difficult to believe that this game has been out there all this time and I haven't played it before.
Does It Still Hold Up?
I was surprised at how relevant this game feels. Sure the controls are a little stiff and the game play is very basic, but I couldn't help but be reminded of recent Castlevania and Metroid games. While it's nowhere near that level of sophistication as those franchises, Wonder Boy in Monster World offered a compelling story and a fun action experience. I like some of the ideas Sega had for this game, but it makes me sad that Sega never found a good use for poor old Wonder Boy after the 16-bit era.
Is It Worth The Money?
$8 is also a steep price to pay for a Sega Genesis game, but this is definitely a great experience. This is one of those games that only a handful of gamers have played, which certainly makes this Virtual Console version a tempting deal. While it doesn't have anything to do with the Wii, it would be nice for Sega to release another Sega Genesis Collection with titles like Wonder Boy in Monster World (not to mention Streets of Rage and Sonic 3), I would rather spend $1 for something like this than a full $8. All budgeting aside, this is a solid game that is worth full price, it may look simple but I have a hunch you're going to be impressed with the depth of game play in this little gem.
Battle Lode Runner (Virtual Console)
What Is It?
When it comes right down to it most people fit into three categories - you really love and appreciate Lode Runner for the simple classic it is, you hate it and can't understand why anybody would want to play it, or you've never heard of it and you don't remember what games looked like before the invent of 3D polygons. For many years I fit into that middle choice, I never understood the appeal of Lode Runner and didn't give it much of a chance. But then I realized, I had never played Battle Lode Runner, which takes the classic Lode Runner game play and turns it into an exciting multiplayer experience. In Battle Lode Runner you attempt to trap other players (and computer-controlled bad guys) by digging up holes and letting them fall in. As a puzzle game Lode Runner was slow and boring, but as a multiplayer game it's action-packed and fun on so many levels. Just like Bomberman '93 was the best Bomberman game, Battle Lode Runner is the best Lode Runner game. And best of all, this is a game most American gamers never played. In fact, this game was never actually released on these shores, which makes this Virtual Console entry especially worthwhile.
Does It Still Hold Up?
Going into Battle Lode Runner I was ready to completely write it off, but its fast-paced action and short games really had me hooked. The game is simple to learn and hard to master, and the amount of different types of modes makes for a perfect party game. The controls are a lot better than you would imagine, the D-pad feels good and the two buttons dig holes for you. Once you've mastered the basics you're on your own digging and dodging. Battle Lode Runner offers a number of different options, which means that this game doesn't get old quickly. It's not perfect, but Battle Lode Runner is a fantastic experience that feels good all these years later. Had the game offered online play it would have been near perfect, unfortunately we have to settle for local play only.
Is It Worth The Money?
Forget for a moment that the game is an incredibly fun game that is hard to put down when you have friends over, Battle Lode Runner is also the only Japanese-only game to be released on the American Virtual Console. While this may not seem important, I personally feel that this is a trend that we should embrace and support. There are a lot of classic games that American gamers missed out on, and the Virtual Console is a perfect place for some of these foreign games to make their U.S. debut. I can only hope that this kind of release could get the ball rolling for Mother, Parodius, and a whole lot of other import-only titles. Thankfully Battle Lode Runner isn't just a donation for a good cause, it's also a really good game that is worth all six of your dollars.
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