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Games Beaten In 2018!


Charlie Cat

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Over the past two weeks I've wached my spouse play and beat Sonic 1, 2, 3, Sonic & Knuckles, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and Sonic 3D Blast to boot so I decided to spend a little time with a few Sonic games myself. Ever since Sonic 2 came out Tails has always been my favorite Sonic character (and one of my favorite video game characters period). so I had to play some games with that fantastic little fox in them. :)

 

 

15. Tails Adventure (Game Gear)

 

This one I had actually never played before, due to having a Game Boy rather than a Game Gear growing up. I was planning on playing Tails Adventure some day when I eventually got around to buying a copy of Sonic Gems Collection for the GameCube, but when I saw it for $5 on the 3DS's eShop I decided to spend the few dollars to give it a try. What I discovered was an extremely un-Sonic-like but surprisingly good game! Tails Adventure is actually a Metroidvania style game, and a darn challenging one at that. The game is divided up into 8 main levels, which may sound small but you'll be revisiting each of those levels over and over again to explore new areas that can only be accessed by using items that you'll find in other levels. And of course exploring those new areas will lead you to more new items that you can take to other levels to gain access to yet more new areas.

 

I could go on and on about how much I enjoyed this game and all the excellent design choices that the developers made, but for the sake of brevity I'll just say that if you like Tails as a character and you like Metroidvania style games then absolutely give Tails Adventure a try on any system you can play it on. It's adorably cute, very challenging, and just an all around great time! This game really made me want to run out and buy a real Game Gear to play it on, though I am resisting that urge... for the time being. :lol:

 

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16. Sonic 3 & Knuckles (Sega Genesis)

 

The second game I played with Tails this week was what is actually my all time favorite Sonic game: Sonic 3 & Knuckles! I've always thought that Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles were the two best Sonic games, and they get even better when you connect them together. Outside of the astoundingly good level design, awesome music, and all that other good stuff that make these two games so great I think my favorite thing about them is that when connected together Sonic 3 & Knuckles is one of only two games that allow you to play as Super Tails! Of course that does require you to collect all 7 chaos emeralds and then all 7 super emeralds as well, but the special stages in Sonic 3 & Knuckles are pretty easy so that isn't too much trouble. All in all Sonic 3 & Knuckles just a masterpiece of a game and an absolute must play for Sonic fans of any age.

 

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Now that I've finished Tails Adventure and Sonic 3 & Knuckles I think I'm going to have to track down a copy of Sonic Heroes for the GameCube (since that's the only game other than Sonic 3 & Knuckles that lets you play as Super Tails) and probably pick up the Sonic Gems Collection for the Cube as well just to try Tails' Sky Patrol. More Tails is needed! :D

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17. Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball (Game Gear)

 

It's been all Sonic all the time around my household the past few weeks so I decided to give the Game Gear port of Sonic Spinball a go via emulation on the Wii. I always liked the Genesis original, though I could never beat due to the difficulty spiking to an insane level on the 4th and final stage. I wasn't sure what to expect going into the Game Gear port, since it did have pretty awful reviews on GameFAQs an I couldn't imagine an 8-bit Sonic pinball game having the depth and interest of the Genesis version, but I was really pleasantly surprised when I sat down and played it. The hedgehog-ball physics weren't quite as good as the Genesis version but such is to be expected for an 8-bit pinball game and it still controlled fairly well. What I was really happy about though is that the difficulty level was toned down significantly on the final level in comparison to the Genesis version and I ended up beating the game in about an hour and a half altogether.

 

In spite of the overwhelmingly negative reviews it received from other fans I thought Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball on the Game Gear was a ton of fun, and probably my new favorite 8-bit pinball game. If I had to choose between Kirby's Pinball Land or Revenge of the Gator on the Game Boy or Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball on the Game Gear I'd go for Sonic just about every time. :)

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20. Mega Man X5 (PlayStation) - I finished this today for the first time since it came out. I started up a new game immediately after and tore through the initial eight stages without a hitch. Originally when it was new I didn't care for it much. However, now I'd say the game is better than I originally gave it credit. It absolutely has some pacing issues. Having multiple sets of armor is redundant especially when they are required to find some of the hidden items (it feels like padding), and having to use special items to access capsules is annoying as well. There was an instance where I had to play a stage three times in order to access the capsule and heart tank, simply because of how illogically things are set up. It was an auto-scroller level too, so it's not like I could blaze through it at my own pace. The presentation is also a big step back from X4. The dialog is immense in this game and it really stops the flow, not just outside of the gameplay, but during it. There are really bad instances of in-game pop-up text and hand-holding, like, "Hey, shoot the door coming up!" (when the door is just off the screen). What's the point of that, and did the developers really feel the player base was that dense? That said, once you figure out the armor and power-up locations and get good at mashing away the text boxes, I think the game is enjoyable enough in repeat playthroughs. Lots of "unghhhh" moments on a first play, but it's pretty smooth sailing on repeats.

 

21. Mega Man X6 (PlayStation) - Unghhhh... THIS GAME. Words cannot possibly describe how ridiculous this game is. I'll have more words after I do a second playthrough (I played through as unarmored X, which apparently is a really bad idea, so I'm going to do it again with the Falcon armor and see how my experience fares).

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21. Mega Man X6 (PlayStation) - Unghhhh... THIS GAME. Words cannot possibly describe how ridiculous this game is. I'll have more words after I do a second playthrough (I played through as unarmored X, which apparently is a really bad idea, so I'm going to do it again with the Falcon armor and see how my experience fares).

21b. Mega Man X6 (PlayStation) - All right, so I finished my second playthrough of this today. Overall I had a MUCH better time with the game on the second attempt than I did the first, for many reasons. For one, the game is not designed to be played with unarmored X (even though they give you the choice), so this time I played with the Falcon armor instead (air-dash ability, better defense, charging of boss weapons) and the game was significantly easier. It also helped that I was familiar with everything by this point and was able to formulate a real game plan: I thought about the nightmare effects that might be in play on a level, experimented more with boss sub-weapons (some of them can really do some serious damage), used more glitches/exploits to get items and capsules early and saved the hardest bosses/levels for last. The playthrough was so much smoother and I actually had a good bit of fun this time around. I do enjoy the game (and might prefer it over X5 due to it not having pacing issues and constant interruptions in-game), but I will say that it is not kind to first-time players. There is a lot to learn and understand about the game and it requires experimentation without a guide. If you are going to give this game a try for the first time, have a walkthrough up next to you to refer to, otherwise you'll be in for some hell for a while.

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18. Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble (Sega Game Gear)

 

After playing through Tails Adventure and Sonic 3 & Knuckles as Tails I was in the mood for another Sonic game that would let me play as my favorite two tailed fox, and with how impressive the emulation and graphical quality was in the 3DS Virtual Console port of Tails Adventure I decided to spend the $5 to download Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble from the 3DS Virtual Console as well. The graphics looked just as sharp and the emulation was just as perfect in this one as it was in Tails Adventure, and I'm pleased to say that the game was just as enjoyable to play.

 

Taking big cues from the level design color palettes of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 on the Genesis, Sonic: Triple Trouble on the Game Gear felt remarkably similar to it's home console counterpart. Much like Sonic 3, Triple Trouble turned out to be a fairly easy game; aside from the special stages where you collect the chaos emeralds which were fairly challenging. The final special stage in particular was really tough, so much so that I actually had to play through the game twice before I was able to finish it with all the chaos emeralds and see the true ending and watch the credits roll.

 

All in all I felt like it was $5 very well spent, and I'd definitely recommend Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble to any Sonic fan with a system that can play it. It was a great high speed platforming adventure that I'm sure I'll return to many times in the years to come.

 

 

 

19. JagDoom 32X (Sega 32X)

 

Next up is one of the biggest reasons I was looking forward to getting a Mega EverDrive X5 for my Sega Genesis / Sega CD / 32X setup. As the name suggests, this rom hack takes Doom for the 32X and adds in the 8 levels that were present in the Atari Jaguar version of Doom but missing in the 32X port and the BFG 9000 weapon as well; which was also originally missing from the 32X port. The new levels play wonderfully and really complete the previously lackluster 32X version of Doom, making it nearly as good of a Doom port as the one that the Atari Jaguar received.

 

I say "nearly" because the only downside of JagDoom 32X is that to play the 8 missing levels that were added in you have to use the level select option from the title menu and scroll over to level 16, then you can play through all the missing levels in their proper order. If you just start from the first level (or any level between 1 and 15) and play through the game will still end after level 15, so unfortunately you'll never be able to go into the new levels with all the weapons and ammo you collected in the original 32X Doom levels.

 

Other than that minor gripe it's a fantastic rom hack, and definitely a "must download" for anyone with a Mega EverDrive and a 32X to play it on. :)

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14. Juuouki (Altered Beast) (Famicom)

 

Like its cousin on the Genesis, this game annoyed me until I practiced it a bunch and basically memorized it -- whereupon it became kinda fun and almost easy. The extra levels have their charm, but the game could use a little extra something. C.

 

15. Penguin-kun Wars (Famicom)

 

Won one tournament/one loop in this, so I'm calling it done. The premise is charming, but the execution middling. I've read the MSX2-exclusive sequel is frustrating as hell; this one certainly has its moments, as unless you get a quick kill, matches tend to randomize in favor of the CPU. And why not have a proper ending? C.

 

16. Chack'n Pop (Famicom)

 

This shoddy port of a pretty decent game -- based on the MSX version, I think? -- drops several levels, ruins the music, and removes the game's ending, instead just looping after Maze 9 (which is where I'm calling it done, though I made it to Maze 11).

 

The SG-1000 version is vastly preferable, but this one's more playable than I initially thought. Going pacifist in the first two mazes -- which may be easier in this version than on the SG-1000 -- is the key to racking up the extra lives and points you need to clear those nasty last few mazes. C-.

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20. Ristar (Sega Genesis)

 

Ahhh Ristar, that one non-Sonic game that Sonic Team made during the 16-bit era that was absolutely amazing but no one ever seems to remember. Well, no one except for the folks behind CGR Undertow at least; and their decision to name their show after a level in Ristar speaks volumes as to the quality of this game.

 

All the tried and true Sonic Team design conventions are present and accounted for in Ristar. Each world is divided up into two gorgeously rendered levels that squeeze the absolute maximum amount of bright and vibrant color out of the Genesis' graphics chip, with a mini-boss fight after the first level and a big boss fight after the second. Each level has multiple branching paths to explore and a hidden special stage exit to find, with some wonderfully catchy music to accompany you as you hunt around for it.

 

Where Ristar differentiates itself from the Sonic the Hedgehog games is that rather than speed, Ristar's focus is on carefully timed precision platforming and light puzzle solving. Every level presents it's own unique challenges to overcome, and while many of the later levels can get quite difficult they're almost never frustrating due to the game's generosity with checkpoints, extra lives, and continues.

 

With just 6 worlds in all to venture through Ristar is a rather short game, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing since it lacks any sort of save system so if you want to beat the game you'll have to spend a couple hours playing it through in one go. If you've got the time to spare and a Sega Genesis to play it on then I give Ristar my highest recommendation. It is truly a hidden gem of the 16-bit era.

Edited by Jin
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17. The Need for Speed (3DO) - Not really a tough one to "complete" as it only has three courses with two sections each. Still, I haven't run through it in years and on this playthrough I ended up really enjoying it. I think the game has aged pretty well when it comes to things like the sense of speed and realistic handling. Shame there aren't any unlockable courses as seen in the later PC conversions. Still, I'd say it's a must-own on the 3DO if you prefer the more oldschool-style Test Drive type of gameplay.

 

17b. OK, so I went back to this, put it on Professional mode for the first time, and to my surprise there was an extra section to each course. Whoops! Now I've run through the game multiple times on this mode (the only way to play now, honestly--more traffic, more speed, more road), I think I can now call the game "beat".

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22. Rockman X3 (Mega Man X3, Sega Saturn) - With having finally finished X5 and X6, I am working my way back to X3, one I had never finished. I have owned it multiple times over the last couple of decades but it just never resonated with me. I dedicated time to it this past weekend and finally finished it for the first time, and today I ran through it a second time. Overall I am very lukewarm on the whole thing, even after a second playthrough. It just doesn't feel like a lot of care, attention and passion was put into this entry. Stage designs feel basic, level themes feel uninteresting and uninspired, enemy designs are mostly of the nuisance kind (mostly turret-based, many with shielding abilities, almost all taking way too many hits to destroy), the soundtrack is just "okay" (to my ears), and the upgrade system is convoluted and unnecessary. The added FMV to this (and the PS1) version is charming and the ability to save to memory is nice, but other aspects of the package can be considered a step back (load times, "remixed" music that may or may not be the definitive versions to your ears, a large border around the gameplay screen). I do have the Super Famicom version coming in the mail so I will be making a run through that to draw comparisons, but I'm guessing my experience will still be about the same (I am looking forward to it taking up my entire TV screen as opposed to the 85 or 90% the Saturn and PS1 versions do).

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22. Rockman X3 (Mega Man X3, Sega Saturn) - With having finally finished X5 and X6, I am working my way back to X3, one I had never finished. I have owned it multiple times over the last couple of decades but it just never resonated with me.

 

I'm waiting for the X collection to arrive. Hopefully it's not split into two halves and getting a disc release. I'm interested in X4-X6, since these saw very limited distribution in Europe and go for insane prices nowadays.

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21. Solar Striker (Game Boy)

 

Whenever I get a new Game Boy compatible system the first thing I always do to test it out is play through my favorite Game Boy game, Solar Striker. Today I tested out the AGS-101 screen modified original Game Boy Advance that I have up for sale in the Marketplace forum by doing just that, and it half an hour well spent. Even when I'm feeling kinda burnt out on retro gaming I still enjoy Solar Striker, and it was a good way to break in the silicone button contacts on the new system. :)

Edited by Jin
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Not sure if this counts because I started in November, but:

 

#4: Final Fantasy III (SNES)

Another one of those games I play through every so often because it's amazing, and at this point I have every step needed to get everyone back in my party in WoR memorized. It's more about a beloved story at this point than anything else.

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22. Tomb Raider: Anniversary (Nintendo Wii)

 

I remembered really enjoying this game last year so I decided to go back and play through Tomb Raider: Anniversary again this year. The first Tomb Raider on the original PlayStation is one of my all time favorite games and I think overall the Anniversary remake of it is a fine game that improves on the original in a number of ways, though sadly the Wii version does have quite a few really annoying collision detection bugs that hamper the experience a bit. When I played through Tomb Raider: Anniversary last year I encountered almost no bugs at all, but this time around I got stuck several times throughout the game when Lara just wouldn't grab a ledge that she was supposed to grab no matter how many times I flung her at it. There were a few occasions that made me just want to throw down my Wii remote and nunchuck in frustration when I thought collision detection issues were going to leave me completely stuck and unable to complete the level, but after enough tries Lara would always (finally) grab the ledge that she needed to. I had similar problems with a few of the motion control based quicktime events.

 

All in all I still enjoyed Tomb Raider: Anniversary and think it's a great game, I'd just recommend playing the Xbox 360 version instead of the Wii version if you have the option. If the Wii is your only console to play it on though I'd still say give it a try, just expect a few moments of frustration throughout this otherwise wonderful remake of a timeless classic.

Edited by Jin
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22a. Rockman X3 (Mega Man X3, Sega Saturn) - With having finally finished X5 and X6, I am working my way back to X3, one I had never finished. I have owned it multiple times over the last couple of decades but it just never resonated with me. I dedicated time to it this past weekend and finally finished it for the first time, and today I ran through it a second time. Overall I am very lukewarm on the whole thing, even after a second playthrough. It just doesn't feel like a lot of care, attention and passion was put into this entry. Stage designs feel basic, level themes feel uninteresting and uninspired, enemy designs are mostly of the nuisance kind (mostly turret-based, many with shielding abilities, almost all taking way too many hits to destroy), the soundtrack is just "okay" (to my ears), and the upgrade system is convoluted and unnecessary. The added FMV to this (and the PS1) version is charming and the ability to save to memory is nice, but other aspects of the package can be considered a step back (load times, "remixed" music that may or may not be the definitive versions to your ears, a large border around the gameplay screen). I do have the Super Famicom version coming in the mail so I will be making a run through that to draw comparisons, but I'm guessing my experience will still be about the same (I am looking forward to it taking up my entire TV screen as opposed to the 85 or 90% the Saturn and PS1 versions do).

 

22b. Rockman X3 (Super Famicom) - I received my SFC copy of this in the mail yesterday and spent a couple of hours running through the game today. While the Saturn version was underwhelming to me, the SNES version felt much more enjoyable and it really mostly came down to audio. The soundtrack features that guitar-heavy, grunge-like sound the first two games on the system share and it fits the feel of this game much more appropriately than the elevator music style of the Saturn, PS1 and PC versions. Many of the tunes are faster and more aggressive, making the gameplay feel more exciting. The sound effects also feel more at home, basically being the same as what you get in the first two games, thus making the jump from parts one, two then three feel more consistent. It's also nice that the game is full screen and stretched to the proper aspect ratio. As a result the game feels faster overall. Not having load times between stages and cutscenes is a huge bonus as well and helps with pacing, and some of the in-game "cinematic" moments just feel more appropriate as opposed to it switching to anime cutscenes in the 32-bit versions (this worked well in X4 thanks to its art style being much more anime inspired, but not so much in X3--the change was more out of place there). All in all, I say if you are going to play this game, play it on the SNES (either via a SD2SNES, or the Japanese carts--those are still reasonably priced). Only play the 32-bit versions if you are a big fan of the game and are curious to see what aesthetics have been adjusted.

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5. The Oregon Trail (LCD Handheld)

 

​Yeah, I got ahold of that handheld Oregon Trail game the internets have been on about recently. I just did a quick 'easy' run (banker, left in May), and much to my surprise got to Oregon without much going on (just a couple broken legs.) Maybe as a kid I hunted too much? I don't remember ever beating it back in the day.

 

 

20. Ristar (Sega Genesis)

Where Ristar differentiates itself from the Sonic the Hedgehog games is that rather than speed, Ristar's focus is on carefully timed precision platforming and light puzzle solving. Every level presents it's own unique challenges to overcome, and while many of the later levels can get quite difficult they're almost never frustrating due to the game's generosity with checkpoints, extra lives, and continues.

 

Unless you're like me & used to old-school game bosses having super specific patterns. This one is kinda putting me through the ringer, oddly. (Any last boss tips? I keep dying to those stupid orbs right at the beginning!)

Edited by HoshiChiri
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Unless you're like me & used to old-school game bosses having super specific patterns. This one is kinda putting me through the ringer, oddly. (Any last boss tips? I keep dying to those stupid orbs right at the beginning!)

That last boss fight is a real tough one! The best advice I can give is to remember that you can't be hit while in the middle of doing a grab. You're essentially invincible while grabbing so as soon as they appear jump up and grab the lowest orb, then while still in the air grab the next closest orb immediately after destroying the first one, and so on until they're all destroyed.

 

Once the orbs are gone it's all about staying below the boss and grabbing him as many times as possible as fast as possible. He'll frequently try to warp above you and throw lighting down on you that's very difficult to avoid, so all you can do is give no quarter and try to get damage in on him faster than he can on you and keep your fingers crossed. He takes a ton of hits to bring down so it isn't going to be an easy fight by any means.

Edited by Jin
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23. The House of the Dead: Overkill (Nintendo Wii)

 

This is definitely one of my all time favorite light gun shooters, and after all the talk about violent video games in the news over the past week it seemed like a good time to go back and revisit what is probably the most violent, profane, and just plain inappropriate video game I've ever played. Mixing outstanding on-rails shooting action heavily inspired by the Resident Evil Chronicles games with an over-the-top grindhouse horror story, The House of the Dead: Overkill is aptly titled. It's wall to wall blood and gore with exploding zomb—erm, I mean "mutant", heads and severed limbs flying everywhere from beginning to end and more f-bombs in the dialog than any other game I've ever played. To be exact, if you play through the game completely you will hear the f-word a grand total of 189 times over the roughly 3 hour long story.

 

But I think all that excessive violence and profanity is what makes The House of the Dead: Overkill so unique and fun to play. It's not a game I'd want to play every day, but now and again it is a lot of fun to go back and revisit because there's simply no other game like it. It's raucous fun all the way through and it's a game that doesn't take itself too seriously, which makes for a refreshing change of pace once in a while.

 

 

 

24. StreetPass Mii Plaza: Find Mii (Nintendo 3DS)

 

I can't remember the last time it took me 3 months to beat a game, but by golly this one sure did. Find Mii is about as simple as an RPG could get, yet I still enjoyed it a lot and returned to Find Mii to spend my 10 play coins earned from the 3DS's built in pedometer each day. I don't get StreetPass hits from other 3DS users too often so at least 95% of my Find Mii play through was done using wandering heroes hired for 2 play coins each, but it was a fun way to spend them and it gave me incentive to always carry my 3DS with me whenever I went out for a walk or took a trip to a store. Now that I've completed Find Mii I'm not sure what exactly I'll be spending my daily play coins on, but I think I might give Slot Car Rivals a go. Either that or try the second quest in Find Mii, since the first one was a ton of fun. :)

Edited by Jin
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I've been pretty busy this year so far, with not much time for gaming. So, 3 months in, I'm adding my first entry:

 

Super Mario Odyssey (Switch):

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I've never been a fan of 3D Mario games. I have a few of them (Mario 64, Sunshine, Galaxy, etc.) but never could get into them. But this one... oh man, this one is GREAT! It had a perfect mix of challenge, fun, playability, and nostalgia to keep you playing. I loved the nods to past games, especially the 8-bit "2D" parts inside the pipes. I finished the story mode, but am nowhere near being done with the game. There's so much more to do, and more Power Moons to collect. I think I have about 160 of them right now.

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23. Scorcher (Sega Saturn) - Always a favorite of mine to revisit. It's a futuristic racing game that has a high learning curve and skill ceiling, making it satisfying to run through once you are good at it. The jump ability gives a ton of flexibility and I am still finding new ways through the linear tracks thanks to not just being able to drive around things, but go over them too.

 

24. Primal Rage (Sega Saturn) - Solid version of the game, although not quite as nice as I used to give it credit. It's missing quite a few frames of animation, has long-ish load times, features an inconsistent framerate depending on the fight and the CG cut scenes are pretty awful (thankfully, they are optional). Still, it's the best console version from the '90s and if you are going to play a console version from back then, this is the way to do it.

 

25. Toki (NES) - Simple, semi-fun side-scrolling action/platformer. It's nowhere near as complicated or difficult as the arcade game, but it does seem to be pretty faithful to the general level progression of the arcade version. The sound and music aren't terribly impressive, but the gameplay is decent and the light difficulty makes it good for less experienced players or people who just want a relaxing playthrough.

 

26. Mega Man 4 (NES) - Solid entry. Nice visuals, great soundtrack, good gameplay balance with the "new" charge ability, and the length doesn't seem to overstay its welcome.

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