I’m still fairly new to shmups, but one series has really managed to grip me, even this early on: Fantasy Zone. Sega’s main take on the genre has clicked with me a ton for whatever reason, which I think mainly boils down to the unique format and general lack of bullet hell sections, at least until the boss fights. The original’s a fun little time if rough in places, Super Fantasy Zone on the Mega Drive is brilliant, but my favourite in the series (and funnily enough, the only one I’ve managed to complete) is this game right here, the System-16 remake of Fantasy Zone 2! Developed by M2 and first released in their FZ collection on the PS2, I first played it through the 3DS port, and always have a blast whenever I pick it up again for an occasional run. It does so much right and absolutely perfects the formula, so I’m gonna talk about it for a bit!
The original Fantasy Zone 2 was released as a Master System title, and appropriately changed the format to better suit a home console. By comparison, the remake sticks a lot closer to the original game’s formula, but polishes it to near-perfection. For starters, Opa-Opa feels way more fluid to control; he doesn’t skid across the screen anywhere near as much when using the stronger engines, meaning I actually feel incentivized to use them instead of sticking to the Big Wings. There’s also some small additions that go a long way, like being able to take a hit whilst using a weapon at the cost of losing it, that make the game feel a lot more modern and approachable, especially if you suck at shmups like I do.
And to make up for the lack of multiple sections the original FZ2 had, this remake introduces Bright and Dark areas for each stage that have different benefits; Bright is generally easier but you gain less money from defeated bosses and bases, whereas Dark rewards you with more cash for defeated foes, but is a lot harder. I really enjoy how much replay value and strategy this adds, as you can make the game more challenging for yourself, but gain extra rewards in return. It also changes what ending you get, so be sure to keep that in mind (the only thing that changes is the ending cutscene, but there are some features locked behind it in the 3DS release).
But honestly, the thing I really love about Fantasy Zone 2 DX is the presentation. I absolutely adore 16-bit graphics and music, and this is easily one of the best in both those categories! To start with the former, this game looks beautiful! The environments and enemies are all so colourful and vibrant, it really makes the world feel alive. The soundtrack’s incredibly good as well, with each of the main stage songs being super catchy and also surprisingly emotional at points. It makes the events of the game feel fairly dire, which does make sense considering the subtitle’s “The Tears of Opa-Opa”.
So yeah, that’s all I wanted to say; I just replayed this game earlier, and wanted to ramble about it! Fantasy Zone 2 DX is a wonderful entry in an underrated series, and definitely worth a try if you like the previous games or have a 3DS. In fact, it might be my favourite 3DS title period!
I just hope M2 rereleases it on a more accessible platform someday, because more people really need to give this one a go.
The original Fantasy Zone 2 was released as a Master System title, and appropriately changed the format to better suit a home console. By comparison, the remake sticks a lot closer to the original game’s formula, but polishes it to near-perfection. For starters, Opa-Opa feels way more fluid to control; he doesn’t skid across the screen anywhere near as much when using the stronger engines, meaning I actually feel incentivized to use them instead of sticking to the Big Wings. There’s also some small additions that go a long way, like being able to take a hit whilst using a weapon at the cost of losing it, that make the game feel a lot more modern and approachable, especially if you suck at shmups like I do.
And to make up for the lack of multiple sections the original FZ2 had, this remake introduces Bright and Dark areas for each stage that have different benefits; Bright is generally easier but you gain less money from defeated bosses and bases, whereas Dark rewards you with more cash for defeated foes, but is a lot harder. I really enjoy how much replay value and strategy this adds, as you can make the game more challenging for yourself, but gain extra rewards in return. It also changes what ending you get, so be sure to keep that in mind (the only thing that changes is the ending cutscene, but there are some features locked behind it in the 3DS release).
But honestly, the thing I really love about Fantasy Zone 2 DX is the presentation. I absolutely adore 16-bit graphics and music, and this is easily one of the best in both those categories! To start with the former, this game looks beautiful! The environments and enemies are all so colourful and vibrant, it really makes the world feel alive. The soundtrack’s incredibly good as well, with each of the main stage songs being super catchy and also surprisingly emotional at points. It makes the events of the game feel fairly dire, which does make sense considering the subtitle’s “The Tears of Opa-Opa”.
So yeah, that’s all I wanted to say; I just replayed this game earlier, and wanted to ramble about it! Fantasy Zone 2 DX is a wonderful entry in an underrated series, and definitely worth a try if you like the previous games or have a 3DS. In fact, it might be my favourite 3DS title period!
I just hope M2 rereleases it on a more accessible platform someday, because more people really need to give this one a go.
Of all the games in the (fairly small) Fantasy Zone series, this right here is the best one! It takes everything from the Master System Fantasy Zone II and makes them, uh, gooder!
Levels are no longer segmented; warpgates still exist, but you don't have to go through them if you don't want to. If you do, though, you'll be taken from the Bright Side to the Dark Side and vice versa, with the latter having a few unique enemies to put up with and noticeably harder bosses. Despite this, it's not like it's punishing; it's entirely possible to go through the game without dying or leaving the Dark Side once, and it's hella fun to do so.
This is the second game where special bombs and normal bombs are seperate. This time, the former is a charge input that can be used as long as you like as long as you don't die. This means I've been able to find a lot more ways to experiment with them than usual, and both stages and bosses go by quickly once you've figured out which ones they're most effective in.
On top of these things are fun things that none of the other games have! The Engine Parts Shop so you're not at your slowest after dying to a boss, being able to actually see whatever weapons you're holding instead of having to look at the timer bar, and the fact that Opa-Opa's "personality of vice" happens to have an influence on gameplay unlike before, among other things, are all things that help this game be a bit more distinct, and all the better for them.
Beautiful game. It's the only one in this series I've went 4 loops through.
One more thing: If you get the worst ending (by not beating at least 4 of the first seven bosses in their Dark Side versions), the game punishes you by not only not letting you move on to the next loop, but not letting you save your high score (if you got one.) Keep that in mind!
Levels are no longer segmented; warpgates still exist, but you don't have to go through them if you don't want to. If you do, though, you'll be taken from the Bright Side to the Dark Side and vice versa, with the latter having a few unique enemies to put up with and noticeably harder bosses. Despite this, it's not like it's punishing; it's entirely possible to go through the game without dying or leaving the Dark Side once, and it's hella fun to do so.
This is the second game where special bombs and normal bombs are seperate. This time, the former is a charge input that can be used as long as you like as long as you don't die. This means I've been able to find a lot more ways to experiment with them than usual, and both stages and bosses go by quickly once you've figured out which ones they're most effective in.
On top of these things are fun things that none of the other games have! The Engine Parts Shop so you're not at your slowest after dying to a boss, being able to actually see whatever weapons you're holding instead of having to look at the timer bar, and the fact that Opa-Opa's "personality of vice" happens to have an influence on gameplay unlike before, among other things, are all things that help this game be a bit more distinct, and all the better for them.
Beautiful game. It's the only one in this series I've went 4 loops through.
One more thing: If you get the worst ending (by not beating at least 4 of the first seven bosses in their Dark Side versions), the game punishes you by not only not letting you move on to the next loop, but not letting you save your high score (if you got one.) Keep that in mind!