HOODEDGE
2021
This review contains spoilers
As someone who's a massive Mega Man X fan and a big Touhou fan too... this didn't exactly do it for me. I don't know if this is something I can recommend to either Mega Man X fans or Touhou fans, and it's definitely a hard sell for any platformer fans.
I think the level design is mostly bland (a lotta flat paths of just dashing through) and doesn't have much to offer other than the enemies that you can fight against. The level structure itself doesn't feel nature and looks a lot more like blocks placed in thin air rather than natural environments that brush through Gensokyo. The enemies just felt like the only challenge in these levels, because the dash never felt like it wasn't put to good use, and the level design was hardly engaging in most situations. Just about every regular stage has these issues, and the only stage that was interesting to me was the Shining Needle Castle stage since it had a gravity flipping gimmick, but that's it, and it's all that stage had that was interesting to me.
The bullet hell stages suck! I think they're a drastic genre shift and too hard to be put into a game that's primarily a platformer. Junko's stage especially frustrated me to the point where I had to turn off the game and take a break for a day, and I usually don't get frustrated like that. I don't think genre shifts are necessarily bad in games (Yakuza 5 is arguably a good example of doing it well), but they can't be too difficult. I get it's a reference to the mainline Touhou games, but as someone who came into this expecting a platformer and am thrown a curveball like this, a genre that I'm hardly even good at, it's frustrating. It's not like it even appears much. It's in 1/7 main boss stage, and it's the 2nd fortress stage.
The music isn't that great either, honestly. I'm someone who actually does make SNES music (using real hardware... subscribe to my YouTube channel "Hooded Edge" lmao), and this did not cut it for me. It felt like the composer was going for a style similar to that of Mega Man X2 / X3 (soundtracks that I think had major flaws in their instrumentation), but it suffers from basically using 2-3 of the same samples for most songs. It also sounds very much like MMX midi-slaps rather than actual SNES music. Songs sound like there's hardly any real depth to them, and they have to use. As not only a soundtrack that fails to emulate the classic MMX music, it just does not sound that pleasing at all and fails to understand what made classic MMX / SNES music great.
On a positive note, I think the art style is pleasant. I love the graphics of the SNES Mega Man X trilogy, and this feels almost in-line with those games.
The shop system is nice too. I think having the currency be handled more like how Mega Man 8 did it (more like collectables that you can spend rather than regular currency) alongside with it being an unlockable from bosses is a really great way to encourage exploration (which there isn't much tbh) and upgrading Reisen's abilities. Although, I didn't think most of these were that difficult to find, some I remember being in plain sight.
The controls also feel good. Nothing else to say here.
Adding an easy mode for players who aren't good at platformers is really nice too. I'm a sucker for accessibility whenever its added (never necessary, but mostly appreciated), so its nice to see players of different skill levels be able to experience this game.
Lastly, the bosses are easily the best part of the game. Their patterns not only match that of their mainline Touhou game counterparts, but they fit in well with the MMX-style gameplay and feel incredibly unique. Yorihime is probs the only boss I didn't necessarily like only because she can instantly heal herself, and Reisen cannot interfere in any way.
Overall, I think this game is somewhat mediocre. It's a game I find hard to sell to Mega Man X fans if they're looking for something good, and Touhou fans will primarily be there for the music and characters. Even as a game on its own, it's rather both boring and frustrating with the bland level design and frustrating bullet hell sections for those not good at bullet hells. Perhaps you'll enjoy it more than me, but I found myself underwhelmed by the end of this adventure.
I think the level design is mostly bland (a lotta flat paths of just dashing through) and doesn't have much to offer other than the enemies that you can fight against. The level structure itself doesn't feel nature and looks a lot more like blocks placed in thin air rather than natural environments that brush through Gensokyo. The enemies just felt like the only challenge in these levels, because the dash never felt like it wasn't put to good use, and the level design was hardly engaging in most situations. Just about every regular stage has these issues, and the only stage that was interesting to me was the Shining Needle Castle stage since it had a gravity flipping gimmick, but that's it, and it's all that stage had that was interesting to me.
The bullet hell stages suck! I think they're a drastic genre shift and too hard to be put into a game that's primarily a platformer. Junko's stage especially frustrated me to the point where I had to turn off the game and take a break for a day, and I usually don't get frustrated like that. I don't think genre shifts are necessarily bad in games (Yakuza 5 is arguably a good example of doing it well), but they can't be too difficult. I get it's a reference to the mainline Touhou games, but as someone who came into this expecting a platformer and am thrown a curveball like this, a genre that I'm hardly even good at, it's frustrating. It's not like it even appears much. It's in 1/7 main boss stage, and it's the 2nd fortress stage.
The music isn't that great either, honestly. I'm someone who actually does make SNES music (using real hardware... subscribe to my YouTube channel "Hooded Edge" lmao), and this did not cut it for me. It felt like the composer was going for a style similar to that of Mega Man X2 / X3 (soundtracks that I think had major flaws in their instrumentation), but it suffers from basically using 2-3 of the same samples for most songs. It also sounds very much like MMX midi-slaps rather than actual SNES music. Songs sound like there's hardly any real depth to them, and they have to use. As not only a soundtrack that fails to emulate the classic MMX music, it just does not sound that pleasing at all and fails to understand what made classic MMX / SNES music great.
On a positive note, I think the art style is pleasant. I love the graphics of the SNES Mega Man X trilogy, and this feels almost in-line with those games.
The shop system is nice too. I think having the currency be handled more like how Mega Man 8 did it (more like collectables that you can spend rather than regular currency) alongside with it being an unlockable from bosses is a really great way to encourage exploration (which there isn't much tbh) and upgrading Reisen's abilities. Although, I didn't think most of these were that difficult to find, some I remember being in plain sight.
The controls also feel good. Nothing else to say here.
Adding an easy mode for players who aren't good at platformers is really nice too. I'm a sucker for accessibility whenever its added (never necessary, but mostly appreciated), so its nice to see players of different skill levels be able to experience this game.
Lastly, the bosses are easily the best part of the game. Their patterns not only match that of their mainline Touhou game counterparts, but they fit in well with the MMX-style gameplay and feel incredibly unique. Yorihime is probs the only boss I didn't necessarily like only because she can instantly heal herself, and Reisen cannot interfere in any way.
Overall, I think this game is somewhat mediocre. It's a game I find hard to sell to Mega Man X fans if they're looking for something good, and Touhou fans will primarily be there for the music and characters. Even as a game on its own, it's rather both boring and frustrating with the bland level design and frustrating bullet hell sections for those not good at bullet hells. Perhaps you'll enjoy it more than me, but I found myself underwhelmed by the end of this adventure.
2019
A massive step up from Yakuza 3 and easily a much bigger title than before (before Yakuza 5 would shit on this game and double its size).
The story may feel a bit wonky in some areas, but overall, it's still a really solid game and one I can recommend to anybody.
The story may feel a bit wonky in some areas, but overall, it's still a really solid game and one I can recommend to anybody.
Honest to god, Donkey Kong Country 2 is what I, personally, consider to be the peak of platforming.
The terrific level design, the animal buddies (and how they're implemented this time around), the godly soundtrack (God Bless David Wise!!!), the gameplay, etc.
There's so much here that makes it amazing, and it's a game everybody should pick up and play.
The terrific level design, the animal buddies (and how they're implemented this time around), the godly soundtrack (God Bless David Wise!!!), the gameplay, etc.
There's so much here that makes it amazing, and it's a game everybody should pick up and play.
2018
Honest to God, despite jumping into this after playing Yakuza 0 and Kiwami 2, I just found this one to be very underwhelming as an entry.
The combat was fine, even though it's not as fleshed out as future entries, but the side content and the story (especially) were very underwhelming.
Sucks 'cuz Yakuza 3 had an amazing villain, Mine, that was arguably just as good, if not better than Ryuji Goda from Yakuza 2, but Mine was put into a plot that barely had any room for him.
Despite this, though, I do think everyone should at least experience this game once.
The combat was fine, even though it's not as fleshed out as future entries, but the side content and the story (especially) were very underwhelming.
Sucks 'cuz Yakuza 3 had an amazing villain, Mine, that was arguably just as good, if not better than Ryuji Goda from Yakuza 2, but Mine was put into a plot that barely had any room for him.
Despite this, though, I do think everyone should at least experience this game once.
1993
One of the best platformers I have ever played and my favorite Mega Man game by far.
It has some of the best level design the franchise has seen yet, amazing gameplay that flows incredibly well with the game, a fantastic soundtrack that really showcases what the SPC700 (SNES soundchip) is capable of, outstanding visuals, and a great story.
Even if you've never played a Mega Man game before, you should definitely pick this up!!!
It has some of the best level design the franchise has seen yet, amazing gameplay that flows incredibly well with the game, a fantastic soundtrack that really showcases what the SPC700 (SNES soundchip) is capable of, outstanding visuals, and a great story.
Even if you've never played a Mega Man game before, you should definitely pick this up!!!
1985
Super Mario Bros. 1 is honestly a really great game. Probs my 2nd favorite in the SMB quadrilogy, despite it not having much in terms of variety, its graphics being very aged (although charming to some of us). I've mostly played the All-Stars version the other three games, but I did end up playing the NES version of this game just as much as the SNES one.
This game isn't too long, which is great for a game that doesn't have a save feature, and levels feel properly length. Even with Mario's very heavy movement, the game is very much designed around that and rarely did I ever feel like the game punished me for something that was out of my control.
My only actual gripes are the fortress levels that force you to guess a path to progress (it's just tedious) and the repeated athletic stages (except bullet bills come across the screen... ooooooh scary!! -_-).
My other gripe (that isn't really anything against the game itself, but rather Nintendo) is that Nintendo seems to give this game way way way too much attention compared to other 2D Mario games. Seriously, play any NSMB game past DS and count the amount of SMB1 references in those games. I mean, hell, even every underground stage after Mario Land 2 would just be some variation of the SMB1 underground theme and nothing new or unique. It wouldn't be an issue if it weren't for the fact that I hardly see any other 2D Mario game get as much attention as SMB1. I mean, when was the last time Nintendo mentioned Super Mario Land 2? I can understand why some people might hold a grudge against this game, because it's become an excuse for Nintendo to be lazy and pander nostalgia like it's nobody's business.
But other than that, this is still a really great game on its own, and what I said about Nintendo milking this game to death doesn't affect the quality of this game.
This game isn't too long, which is great for a game that doesn't have a save feature, and levels feel properly length. Even with Mario's very heavy movement, the game is very much designed around that and rarely did I ever feel like the game punished me for something that was out of my control.
My only actual gripes are the fortress levels that force you to guess a path to progress (it's just tedious) and the repeated athletic stages (except bullet bills come across the screen... ooooooh scary!! -_-).
My other gripe (that isn't really anything against the game itself, but rather Nintendo) is that Nintendo seems to give this game way way way too much attention compared to other 2D Mario games. Seriously, play any NSMB game past DS and count the amount of SMB1 references in those games. I mean, hell, even every underground stage after Mario Land 2 would just be some variation of the SMB1 underground theme and nothing new or unique. It wouldn't be an issue if it weren't for the fact that I hardly see any other 2D Mario game get as much attention as SMB1. I mean, when was the last time Nintendo mentioned Super Mario Land 2? I can understand why some people might hold a grudge against this game, because it's become an excuse for Nintendo to be lazy and pander nostalgia like it's nobody's business.
But other than that, this is still a really great game on its own, and what I said about Nintendo milking this game to death doesn't affect the quality of this game.
1988
Super Mario USA is really weird for me. It used to be a game I loved the most out of the first three games because of its unique gameplay, but as the years went on, I started seeing more and more flaws that makes this my least favorite game in the SMB quadrilogy.
Levels can drag on for too long and setpieces tend. Some levels can also be tedious, such as World 6-1, which forces you to search inside 20+ vases in order to find the key to progress, or another example being any desert underground section that forces you to dig below, which is long and boring (this is one of the few reasons why Toad is my main in this game). Sometimes, stage themes can get really repetitive like the usage of two desert worlds.
Enemy & stage hazard placement can also be pretty devious for first time players, such as snifits sniping you once you enter a new room, or falling into a pit of unseen spikes.
You can give the excuse that it's because it's not a Mario game and a reskin of Doki Doki Panic, but I ain't falling for that. Nintendo brought it over to the United States as a Mario game, and I will review it as such.
It's not a bad game by any means, but I've heard people say this game is overlooked or underrated, and I don't see how that is. If anything, the Super Mario Land games are more underrated and underappreciated than SMB2.
Levels can drag on for too long and setpieces tend. Some levels can also be tedious, such as World 6-1, which forces you to search inside 20+ vases in order to find the key to progress, or another example being any desert underground section that forces you to dig below, which is long and boring (this is one of the few reasons why Toad is my main in this game). Sometimes, stage themes can get really repetitive like the usage of two desert worlds.
Enemy & stage hazard placement can also be pretty devious for first time players, such as snifits sniping you once you enter a new room, or falling into a pit of unseen spikes.
You can give the excuse that it's because it's not a Mario game and a reskin of Doki Doki Panic, but I ain't falling for that. Nintendo brought it over to the United States as a Mario game, and I will review it as such.
It's not a bad game by any means, but I've heard people say this game is overlooked or underrated, and I don't see how that is. If anything, the Super Mario Land games are more underrated and underappreciated than SMB2.
1988
It's a solid entry in the series, but the big thing I see in this game is its variety compared to SMB1. There's a lot more enemies, a lot more levels, a lot more items, etc.
But variety doesn't automatically make a game better in my book, and I think what SMB3 does well in adding variety to the table, fails to execute most of the ideas in interesting ways. Some ideas are undercooked, for example, the kuribo boot, which is only used in one level, and even some of the enemy placement feels a bit cheep.
The level design feels all over the place in terms of difficulty. I found some of the levels to either be too easy (and short) or way too difficult or tedious. I especially found World 4 to be the 2nd easiest world in the game compared to 2 & 3, and World 7 was easier than World 6.
World 8, especially, has a massive difficulty spike that doesn't feel fair for first time players first experiencing the world. You could make the excuse that it's supposed to be hard 'cuz it's the last world in the game, but levels ask too much of the player, requiring them to deal with obstacles you never experienced early on, and the mid-fortress... my god. It has to be one of the most frustrating levels I've ever experienced in a 2D Mario game. It's maze-like, which doesn't work well with the fact that this game has a timer for each stage.
Despite mosty being really negative to this game, I don't want to write it off as a bad game. It's still fine for what it is and is definitely better than SMB2, but I personally fail to put this above SMW or even SMB1, which despite being a game with very less variety, still manages to be an exceptional platformer that works around the controls and has a proper difficulty curve, even if the game has a more arcade-like structure to it.
But variety doesn't automatically make a game better in my book, and I think what SMB3 does well in adding variety to the table, fails to execute most of the ideas in interesting ways. Some ideas are undercooked, for example, the kuribo boot, which is only used in one level, and even some of the enemy placement feels a bit cheep.
The level design feels all over the place in terms of difficulty. I found some of the levels to either be too easy (and short) or way too difficult or tedious. I especially found World 4 to be the 2nd easiest world in the game compared to 2 & 3, and World 7 was easier than World 6.
World 8, especially, has a massive difficulty spike that doesn't feel fair for first time players first experiencing the world. You could make the excuse that it's supposed to be hard 'cuz it's the last world in the game, but levels ask too much of the player, requiring them to deal with obstacles you never experienced early on, and the mid-fortress... my god. It has to be one of the most frustrating levels I've ever experienced in a 2D Mario game. It's maze-like, which doesn't work well with the fact that this game has a timer for each stage.
Despite mosty being really negative to this game, I don't want to write it off as a bad game. It's still fine for what it is and is definitely better than SMB2, but I personally fail to put this above SMW or even SMB1, which despite being a game with very less variety, still manages to be an exceptional platformer that works around the controls and has a proper difficulty curve, even if the game has a more arcade-like structure to it.
1990
Probably one of the best and most unique platformers ever made. I could be biased here given this is a game that I hold very close and is a big part of who I am. It was the first video game I ever played, and 20 years later, I'm heavily involved in the SMW romhacking community.
But even analyzing this game without some rose-tinted goggles on, there's a reason why this game still holds up 30 years later, why many have considered it the peak of Mario games, and why it's the game that defined the Super Nintendo.
The emphasis on secret exits gives this game a more open "Metroidvania-like" experience where you're not only going from point A to point B, but you're exploring the levels (with a red dot on the map) to find a point C that leads.
Other 2D Mario games in the future would include secret exits in their levels, but they weren't like how SMW handled them. They mostly just either opened up a new level that'd lead back to the regular path or were just a shortcut.
The only real issues with this game are the bosses (because they're borderline easy), and powerup balancing (the cape can break some of the game's challenge), but those are the only two I can really think of compared to the many great things this game has to offer.
It is a game that I think everybody should experience at least once and one I'm sure both newcomers and veterans can enjoy.
But even analyzing this game without some rose-tinted goggles on, there's a reason why this game still holds up 30 years later, why many have considered it the peak of Mario games, and why it's the game that defined the Super Nintendo.
The emphasis on secret exits gives this game a more open "Metroidvania-like" experience where you're not only going from point A to point B, but you're exploring the levels (with a red dot on the map) to find a point C that leads.
Other 2D Mario games in the future would include secret exits in their levels, but they weren't like how SMW handled them. They mostly just either opened up a new level that'd lead back to the regular path or were just a shortcut.
The only real issues with this game are the bosses (because they're borderline easy), and powerup balancing (the cape can break some of the game's challenge), but those are the only two I can really think of compared to the many great things this game has to offer.
It is a game that I think everybody should experience at least once and one I'm sure both newcomers and veterans can enjoy.