The best way to approach this rather difficult 3D platformer is to remember that it actually began development on the Nintendo 64 despite being a PS2 game. Yes, the camera is admittedly pretty crappy and you'll need to get used to tapping the shoulder button to re-center it, but there's a fun time to be had here once you get used to that. Although the hero is different, this is quite literally Ghouls n Ghosts in 3D and considerably more forgiving.

One other criticism commonly brought up with this game is that you have to pay coins to save your game. I thought this was stupid when renting the game as a kid, and I still don't think it was a smart design choice. That said, the game rewards exploration in a way few in the genre do. As long as you're not bum rushing, you'll be able to find plenty of armor as well as perks and coinage.

One other thing- don't forget to "lock" the perks you like. You can store up to three to hang onto upon death from the start, and you'll be able to save more as you rescue the maidens at the end of each world. This is one thing I really, really wish I would've paid more notice to on my first run!

The best of the classic Shinobis , bar none. Although the janky double jump from the previous installment persists, almost everything else has been improved for the better. Running, wall jumping and the dive kick are incredibly satisfying to use. Although levels are super linear this time around, there are a few added nooks and crannies to seek out. The bosses here are unforgettable- the highlight being a monster that attacks you from the background for a stage before finally rearing its ugly face in a one on one at the end of the round.

Perhaps the biggest improvement here from Revenge is how the final stage is handled. In Revenge, you're up against a crappy looping "pick-a-door" scenario. Even after replaying that game many times, I still find it to be kind of stupid. Here, you're in for a platforming gauntlet that tests all of your skills that caps off with an intense climb to the top of a tower before you're crushed. I absolutely loved it and look forward to it every time I revisit this game.

Oh yeah...and the music is also peak Genesis. I'm not sure if I'd say it's better than Revenge of Shinobi's tracks, but they are definitely on the same level at least.

This is the most fun I've had with a 3D platformer since I was a kid, and I'm not one to exaggerate or overhype anything. The movement does have a steep-ish learning curve, but I found myself getting acclimated to it far sooner than I did with Pizza Tower (which I honestly felt like I never got the hang of). There is definitely some jank going on as others have commented, and I think the QTE-fest at the end of each level was super unnecessary. Other than that, this is fantastic for the newly formed Evening Star's first stab at the genre.

This was among the first Genesis games I ever played- summer of 2003 when I was 7 years old and at the absolute peak of my Sonic the Hedgehog obsession. To this day, it is still my favorite entry in the series as it strikes the best balance and has some of my favorite setpieces.

Don't get me wrong- it's still a Ghosts n Goblins game and is still very challenging. However, being able to shoot up (as well as down) makes a huge difference in how the game can be approached and is a bit more forgiving because of it. It's also not "game breaking" in the way that Super Castlevania IV's multi directional whip allegedly is, as the level design and boss encounters definitely account for this nuance. Case in point- the barfing pigs at the end of stage 1 and the giant slug you take on before entering Lucifer's castle.

I also don't think people talk about the psycho cannon. It's the game's mandatory second loop weapon this time around, and it is awesome. It genuinely feels great to use in nearly every situation once you're able to obtain it. When wearing golden armor, it does not grant you any sort of magical ability (like the other weapons) but is able to cancel out projectiles which is very helpful. I'm bringing this up because, in Super Ghouls n Ghosts, the magical bracelet was awful and made the game harder if anything due to its gimped range and lack of any special traits.

Definitely give it a go- you might enjoy this game even if you didn't care for the others in the franchise. I'd consider this, Forgotten Worlds and Mega Twins to be some of the most enjoyable of Capcom's arcade-to-Genesis conversions.

This is one of those games I beat a couple years ago legitimately just to say I did it. The cutscenes hold up incredibly well, the music is outstanding, and the first couple of stages are fun. Even the movement is really good. It's just a shame that the level design completely breaks apart halfway through and completely sours the experience.

I'll die on the hill that most of the Shinobi games are better and that, if it weren't for the (at the time) groundbreaking presentation and notorious difficulty level, most wouldn't care about this game. Sue me and tell me I suck...but at least I beat the thing the way the sadists at Tecmo intended before sharing my opinion online.

One of those games that a lot of hipsters will tout as a "hidden" gem, and while it does have some great ideas (such as the dragon companions and light RPG elements) and a decent story for the time (you're basically out for revenge for the death of your father) it's very janky. I still enjoy running through the game on normal from time to time, but the lock-on shooting mechanic has never felt comfortable and level 6 has never not felt like a matter of damage racing because it is legitimately easier to just go fast and tank hits than lose all of your health trying to fight everything.

It's worth playing, but please don't go in expecting the level of quality that games such as Shinobi III have.

I think the concept behind this game is sound and, in some ways, better than Pac Man 99.

That being said...I can't really recommend the game as it stands.

I played several hours in early access and some once the game was officially out on May 8, and almost every game was completely filled with bots. Let me tell you, these bots are even more brainless than your average Reddit moderator. They'll constantly run into ghosts and any kind of trap you set up for them, guaranteed. Normally I'd be okay with bots since the game is new and the cross play functionality may or may not take off, but they offer zero challenge. I'm almost certain even a five year old could put up more of a fight.

The game is fun when there's at least a few other human players involved, but it doesn't seem to be guaranteed at this time. This could have been alleviated if there was some sort of offline/bots only mode with a difficulty scaler, or (heaven forbid with a modern game) local co-op...but Bamco has omitted both.

The final nail in the coffin for most will undoubtedly be the price. 20 dollars is a lot to ask for what is essentially an online only game that may or may not develop the kind of player base Pac Man 99 had. If I wasn't a huge fan of the IP, I likely would've passed and honestly can't blame anyone else for doing so at the moment.

I walked away enjoying this far more than Golden Axe and the first SOR. It's a bit faster paced and you have the ability to run as well as dodge roll which makes it feel surprisingly modern for an early brawler. The on-rails shooting sections also help break up the monotony that plagues even the best in the genre- the final boss being set up this way really took me by surprise.

It can still play a little dirty in some spots as it is a port of an arcade quarter muncher (I just like saying that because I know it triggers elitists like Mark from the electric underground haha). For instance, there were spots in those aforementioned shooting sections where taking damage seemed inevitable as you're using a slow moving cursor. At least there aren't bosses who can one shot or chop your life bar in half like SOR or anything remotely close to the bullshit that is Golden Axe's magic spamming final boss.

Despite its problems, I think this may be one of my favorite early titles on the Genny alongside GnG and the fantastic port of forgotten worlds.

It's a platformer on the NES based off a licensed IP where the developers actually understood that the target audience would be younger kids. Surprisingly, most of the game seemed to be based off the 50's version of the Felix universe and not the trippy late 80's movie that might have still been relevant when this was released. It's a simple-yet-charming A to B platforming affair that may even be breezier than Kirby's Adventure (often described as one of the easiest NES games in many lists), but still a very good time. In terms of Taito's platformer output on the console, I'd put it above the Flintstones and Jetsons games but just below Panic Restaurant (which is top dog in my opinion).

I've also finished the Game Boy version at some point, but from what I can remember, it's the exact same game with minor alterations to the sprites.

It's Drill Wisp- The Game.

In all seriousness this is a serviceable bite sized platformer with pacing similar to that of DKC. Like Ristar, it takes one primary mechanic (being the drilling in this case) and stretches it to its absolute limit. Some of the things this game does with the mechanic are pretty fantastic. The game is at its best when you're using the thing to blast through chunks of ice to scale a waterfall or powering up a giant robot to plow through obstacles.

Unfortunately, the game's combat is just not fun and it just so happens that two of the major levels (bear in mind this game is only four worlds long and personally took me 3.5 hours to finish) decide to focus on this aspect. 4-4 was absolutely fucking miserable as it crams in an overly long elevator sequence and a mini-boss with no checkpoint in between.

As mentioned before, this is also a really short game. Typically, I don't have a problem with this but it left me wanting more in a bad way. It feels more like a demo or early access edition. Baffingly enough, the game apparently took eight years to make. You'll most definitely get more than I did out of it if you happen to be apart of the speedrunning niche, as there are time trials and the par times are pretty unforgiving. Even then, it's still kinda anemic in content.

As one other reviewer has suggested- wait for a sale. (Unless you're obsessed with speedruns)

Somehow, they managed to make this sequel more redundant and more frustrating than the arcade original- and this was supposedly designed with home consoles in mind. It's literally the same game with a few different backdrops, two different enemy types and quite frankly it starts recycling enemies even sooner than the first.

I finished the game with an A ranking as Thunderhead, and I don't care to play it again. Even if GA1 is far from the masterpiece the pre-Sonic genesis crowd claim, it's still far more enjoyable.

As was the case with Tanuki Justice, I'm surprised people on here seem to dislike this game.

Flying Hero is a vertical cute 'em up with an aesthetic that reminds me of Kirby above all else. You get three different power ups (although one of them is pretty much useless), bombs and homing missiles on top of the ability to curve your blasts by tapping the shoulder buttons. In addition, you have a hit point system similar to some Compile games where getting hit will just take you down a level with death occurring if struck holding a tier 1 weapon.

The way powering up actually works in this game is a bit confusing. Unlike most other shmups, collecting the same weapon two or three times will not increase its strength. Instead, you need to collect three cupcakes for level 2 and another three to be at full power. It sounds confusing, but even an idiot like me was able to adjust. It's also quite easy to manipulate this system- just avoid the cupcakes if you have two (kept track of in the right hand corner of the screen) and full power. Next time you get hit, you can just snag the third one and be back at the tier you were on before.

Design wise, flying hero really doesn't do anything too unique other than the curving shot trick but it more than makes up for it in charm. The whole time I was playing...it felt like something I would've loved as a kid had I discovered it in the early 2000s around the same time I was enamored with Kirby, monkey ball and klonoa. Sure, Twinbee is better, but I still found a lot to like here in the seven stages presented.

I do have two grievances to bring up other than the somewhat odd powerup system. First, your character sprite is pretty damn big for a shmup. It's a good thing that the bullet density is kept pretty low or else this would've made the game frustrating. It also explains why the health system is so forgiving- this would not have bode well under normal shmup rules. Second is that none of the three speeds really felt right. Speed 1 was a bit too slow, speed 2 is zippier than I would've liked, and I only used 3 on the final boss' last phase since he charges at you incessantly.

That said, the game is still worth playing especially if you're looking for an easier entry in the genre to play and finish in under an hour. Just don't expect it to be among the best of the best or brimming with originality.

Peak Adventure Island. The NES game is known for being difficult to the point of being absolutely fucking broken by the time you reach its eighth world. I should know because I actually beat the stupid thing as a teenager before shelving it and never touching it again.

This game is basically what the NES original should've been. It's easy on the eyes (you even get to see Master Higgins make an ass of himself in little intermission cutscenes after finishing a world), has decent music and manages to be tough-but-fair instead of a tedious trial and error gauntlet. It's very doable on one continue, but it's worth noting that you get infinite credits. (No need to be aware of a stupid ass cheat that demands a prerequisite item to even work- Hudson really learned their lesson)

The controls still feel a little bit off, and that's really my only gripe. Higgins can still slip and slide on most terrain, but I will say the skateboard feels infinitely better to control than it did in any of the other games. Getting to the end of the stage with it also grants a big points bonus (which matters when it comes to racking up extends), and you will feel like a badass for doing so.

If you're going to play any Adventure Island, this is the one to go with. Super Adventure Island comes as a close second.