All posts tagged nes

Virtual Console No-Shows – Games Gone Missing Special

No Virtual Console support this week for North America usually translates to me writing a VC No-Shows, but I’ve noticed a disturbing trend as of late. SimCity for the SNES disappeared from the VC the day after New Years, joining several other games that have been removed from the service over the last couple of years. I’d like to list all of these titles and keep this post as a running tally of what games used to be a part of the VC library and posit why they were removed.

NES

tmnt-1

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Konami)

Date Removed – 1/26/2012
Why is it Missing Now? – When Konami and UBI Soft reached a deal to release Konami’s TMNT titles on various DL services, it signaled a hopeful flood of Konami’s classic TMNT lineup for the Virtual Console. Only Konami’s first NES effort made it onto Nintendo’s services, and all of the games issued across all consoles as part of that agreement are now no longer available. Tragic, as this game is easily the weakest of the bunch, and seeing the others would have been a boon.

Super NES

simcitysnes

Simcity (Nintendo)

Date Removed – 1/2/2013
Why is it Missing Now? – I can only presume that Nintendo had some sort of arrangement with Electronic Arts to re-release their take on Maxis’ classic, and perhaps 1/2/2013 was the end of their agreement. Otherwise, I’ve got no idea! It’s apparently still available in Europe as of this writing.

dkc1

Donkey Kong Country series (Nintendo/Rare)

Date Removed – All were taken down 11/16/12
Why are they Missing Now? – The sudden disappearance of one of Nintendo’s SNES stalwart franchises was a surprise last November. They did at least announce their removal in advance (unlike SimCity above). Screwattack posits that Nintendo has to work out a licensing deal with Rare (despite owning the franchise and characters) every time they re-release the SNES games, and they chose to let the Wii VC license expire. Hopefully, once the WiiU VC is established, these will return.

srt

Super R-Type (Irem)

Date Removed – 3/30/2012
Why is it Missing Now? – Simple explanation here; Irem pulled all of their DL titles from Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft in March 2012 due to financial hardships and company restructuring.

Master System

rtypems

R-Type (Irem/Sega)

Date Removed – 9/30/2011
Why is it Missing Now? – This was the first game to be dropped from the VC, and I imagine it was due to Irem’s monetary difficulties much as the later removals were.

TurboGrafx-16

rtype_1

R-Type (Irem)

Date Removed – 3/30/2012
Why is it Missing Now? – Try not to mind the parroting, but it is the same as Super R-Type above; Irem pulled all of their DL titles from Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft in March 2012 due to financial hardships and company restructuring. Expect to see it some more…

vigilante

Vigilante (Irem)

Date Removed – 3/30/2012
Why is it Missing Now? – Irem pulled all of their DL titles from Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft in March 2012 due to financial hardships and company restructuring. *squawk*

ns

Ninja Spirit (Irem)

Date Removed – 3/30/2012
Why is it Missing Now? – Irem pulled all of their DL titles from Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft in March 2012 due to financial hardships and company restructuring…*Wildcat wants a cracker!*

loht

Legend of Hero Tohma (Irem)

Date Removed – 3/30/2012
Why is it Missing Now? – Irem pulled all of their DL titles from Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft in March 2012 due to financial hardships and company restructuring…and that’s the last time we should see that! (sorry for the bad parrot puns :p )

sd

Silent Debuggers (Data East/G-Mode)

Date Removed – 3/1/2012
Why is it Missing Now? – G-Mode pulled three of their Data East-developed titles for the TG-16, but it’s unclear why exactly they did so. The NeoGeo and NES Data East titles remain on the service (Magical Drop 2/3, Street Slam, Spinmaster, Fighter’s History Dynamite and Burgertime [which was just released in December 2012!]), so who really knows what happened here.

bw

Bloody Wolf (Data East/G-Mode)

Date Removed – 3/1/2012
Why is it Missing Now? – Another Data East-developed title yanked for the TG-16 by G-Mode for unknown reasons.

do

Drop-Off (Data East/G-Mode)

Date Removed – 3/1/2012
Why is it Missing Now? – Another Data East-developed title yanked for the TG-16 by G-Mode for unknown reasons. *cough*

That’s all of them as of January 5th, 2013. Let’s hope the purging ceases or that the Wii U VC opens up and brings back some of these along with it.

by WildcatJF on January 5, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Features, Games, Virtual Console No-Shows
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Posted by WildcatJF on January 5, 2013

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2013/01/05/virtual-console-no-shows-games-gone-missing-special/

Famicom Females – Arkista’s Ring

This is a new feature series I’ve been contemplating doing for a while. I want to explore gender and sex topics on LVLs., more than just merely reporting on what other people say. I’d like to build up some content on gender and sex in relation to games, and one way of tackling that is to look at how women have been conveyed in gaming. To begin with, I’d like to examine all of the heroines (and lady villains) that have appeared on the NES. There may be some overlap with Cultural Anxiety, but I’ll be writing each article specifically tailored around the women it features. I’ll talk briefly about the game, and spend time analyzing the character’s design and abilities. I’ll conclude with a brief synopsis of how effective I feel she is as a female avatar.

ar-box

Study 1: Arkista’s Ring (American Sammy)

Arkista’s Ring is a bit of an odd duck. Sammy, a Japanese company, developed this game specifically for American audiences. It never had a domestic release in Japan. Despite that, it seemingly wanted to aim for Japanese audiences, given its box. The anime stylings of heroine Christine and her antagonist are hard to miss.

Christine is an elven archer, utilizing her bow to slay various creatures in a Zelda-esque action/puzzle game. The plot is fairly standard for the time; the realm of Arkista (thus “Arkista’s Ring”) has been plagued by a wicked Shogun who has stolen all of their treasures and plunged their land into chaos. Christine, a young warrior, offers her assistance to retrieve the stolen valuables and defeat the Shogun’s ninja army. She sets out to the Forbidden Castle, but first must make her way through the ruins of Arkista, a volcano, and the Ninja Dungeon. After defeating Shogun on Stage 31, the game loops. With Arkista’s Ring in hand, Christine can recover her health as she walks. This is good, as the game’s repeated levels are much more challenging to our heroine than before. Once 125 stages are conquered, you’ll see the ending…which isn’t much. I’ll cover that in a bit.

How does she accomplish that goal? She needs to clear out each map from the various foes before a key appears, which will grant her access to the next area. Plucky players can find hidden exits strung throughout the game. There’s a bevy of items to pick up that help Christine by boosting her arrow strength, armor, and other attributes, as well as expendable items such as potions, but ultimately it’s her versus the evil Shogun’s horde. Later levels will challenge players with extreme prejudice; enemies become more erratic, quicker on their feet, and can shoot through walls, making Christine’s efforts to succeed quite difficult. You’ll need to be quick with your reflexes and with your smarts if Christine is to survive.

Christine’s design on the cover isn’t the most flattering female design in gaming history. While her upper body is mostly covered (save an exposed midriff), her legs seemingly are barely protected by any sort of armor (from what I can tell). I’m not really sure what she’s wearing on her hips; is it a bikini bottom of some kind that features two layers, or is it a cloth that dangles in front of her “armor”? I can’t fully answer that, and the game’s chibi sprite doesn’t offer any further answers. Overall, I’d say that she’s not really challenging the status quo of pandering woman designs all that much. In-game, she’s silent as a mouse until the very end, where she declares “thanks for helping me save Arkista’s Ring”. Appreciative, sure, but that’s not much of a personality.

Ultimately, in my opinion, Christine is a respectable early female avatar. Her outfit is a little dubious, but she is a very strong character that builds up her talents as she plunges deeper into the labyrinths. She emerges as an accomplished heroine who can handle herself, and proves that she is able to rise up to a difficult challenge and protect her people. All and all, she is a character that showcases her power through her actions. A more than decent effort.

Sources and Of Interest:

Joystiq Virtually Overlooked Article – http://nintendo.joystiq.com/2007/03/29/virtually-overlooked-arkistas-ring/

The Cutting Room Floor Page - http://tcrf.net/Arkista%27s_Ring

Nintendo Complete Page – http://www.nintendocomplete.com/arkistas-ring/

by WildcatJF on December 22, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Features, Games
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Posted by WildcatJF on December 22, 2012

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/famicom-females-arkistas-ring/

Cultural Anxiety – Kirby’s Adventure/Hoshi no Kirby: Yume no Izumi no Monogatari

Study 25 – Kirby’s Adventure/Hoshi no Kirby: Yume no Izumi no Monogatari (NES/Famicom, Nintendo/HAL Labs)

Kirby’s Adventure, or Hoshi no Kirby: Yume no Izumi no Monogatari in Japan, was a pivotal game in the budding Kirby franchise. Its predecessor, the Game Boy Kirby’s Dream Land/Hoshi no Kirby, was a cute platformer that featured a gray ball-shaped blob named Kirby. He could suck up enemies and spit them out as stars as his main form of attack. In Kirby’s Adventure, the blob became pink, and his inhaling capabilities gained an upgrade! He could now gain powers from his foes if he swallowed them over spitting them out, and developer HAL Labs came up with 20 fairly unique abilities for Kirby to balance throughout the game. The quest also was a much larger endeavor, and all of those new skills would come in handy!

Localization changes on Kirby’s Adventure were rather minimal. However, there are a few small changes that make it worth doing an article on this (and help get me back into the swing of doing these features more regularly). Let’s begin, like we usually do, with some box art.

fami-ka

The Famicom box is almost a dead ringer for the title screen, with it displaying several of Kirby’s new powers as a background. Quite representative of what awaited players!

nes-ka

The NES box is quite nice, too, although there’s a menacing aspect to the underlying darkness that is usually absent from Kirby games. Still pretty cute, though.

Onto the screens! The Famicom version will be on the top, NES on the bottom.

hnk-titleka-title

For the title screens, the logo is drastically different, and the North American background seems a little less colorful (and more purple).

The second major change is in the name of one of Kirby’s powers. We know his dashing burst of flame as “Fireball”, but in Japan it was titled “Burning”.

hnk-burningka-fireball

The remaining alterations are pretty minor.

hnk-stageendka-stageend

When Kirby beats a stage in Hoshi no Kirby, an exclamation in Japanese (as I don’t readily know Japanese, I’m not sure what exactly it means) is under the victory tape. In America, it reads GOAL.

hnk-icika-ici

Ice Cream Island was IceCream Island in Japan.

hok-fodka-fod

The Fountain of Dreams is also slightly different in Japan, lacking the “s” in Dreams. Sensible given the lack of plurals in Japan. You can also see here that the logo is different for the two cutscenes.

Nothing too drastic here, but I feel that looking even at the minute can lead to interesting things. For example, why was Kirby’s fireball move called “Burning” in Japan? It’s appropriate I suppose, given that he is literally “burning” when he uses it. It easily flows from the tongue when you refer to the power as “Burning Kirby”. However, I suppose Nintendo of America didn’t want to associate that power with that particular word; maybe they felt it would be a drug reference or something. :p Next time, I’ll pick something a little more elaborate. And egads, I need to stop taking three month hiatuses! XD

Sources:

The Cutting Room Floor page for Kirby’s Adventure – http://tcrf.net/Kirby%27s_Adventure

Vizzed page for Hoshi no Kirby: Yume no Izumi no Monogatari (note: emulation page!) – http://www.vizzed.com/playonlinegames/game.php?id=13228

GameFAQs page for Kirby’s Adventure – http://www.gamefaqs.com/nes/563432-kirbys-adventure/images

SauseandPepper blog entry for Hoshi no Kirby – http://sauseandpepper.blog63.fc2.com/blog-entry-204.html

Box vs Box entry for Kirby’s Adventure – http://boxvsbox.tumblr.com/post/23545592566/kirbysadventure

by WildcatJF on December 15, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Cultural Anxiety, Features, Games
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Posted by WildcatJF on December 15, 2012

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/12/15/cultural-anxiety-kirbys-adventurehoshi-no-kirby-yume-no-izumi-no-monogatari/

Virtual Console Recommendations – 12/9/2012

Wow, G-Mode managed to sneak Burgertime out onto the Wii Virtual Console this past week! I didn’t think we’d see anything beyond NeoGeo games on the service following the Wii U launch. Way to surprise me!

Burgertime (DEAC)

bt

PROS – Novel spin on the maze genre. Challenging level design that pushes the player’s forethought. Amusing premise.

CONS – Controls are a little on the loose side, which can lead to accidental deaths. The NES port is not as good as the arcade original…which is on an inexpensive comp for the Wii!

OVERALL – Fans of quirky arcade games may want to look into this…if Data East’s Wii comp doesn’t otherwise interest them. I personally am a fairly big fan of the game.

 

by WildcatJF on December 9, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Features, Games
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Posted by WildcatJF on December 9, 2012

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/12/09/virtual-console-recommendations-1292012/

Wildcat’s Gaming Collection – November 2012

I’m finally sharing my up-to-date photos of my gaming collection! Woo! A lot has shifted around since I did this nearly a year ago. I’ll talk about what I’ve picked up the last year, why I got rid of some things, what I still would like, and any other comments I can dredge up. :) I’ll also be including my screenshots on my Complete Game List in the near future for a visual representation of what I actually have. I’m sure the upcoming Christmas/birthday will render these obsolete, but they’ll work for now. :) Due to the high frequency of photos, I’ll force a jump to actually showcase what I have. (more…)

by WildcatJF on November 17, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Books, Editorial, Games
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Posted by WildcatJF on November 17, 2012

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/11/17/wildcats-gaming-collection-november-2012/

Fan Art Fridays – Bleed by AliceXZ/Gamer’s Playlist – “A Different Kind of Dream” by TheGuitahHeroe

This week I decided to do an anime fan art, and this one is really, really emotional. Spirited Away is a stellar movie, and artist Alice XZ rendered one of the pivotal scenes from said film in a gripping fashion, delivering chills and powerful memories…at least in my mind. She’s a frequent contributor to Threadless as well, and Grace has a shirt with one of her designs. Imaginative, that she is.

As for our Gamer’s Playlist selection this week, I’ve decided to go with one of my favorite NES track remixes. TheGuitahHeroe has been on an OC Remix spree lately, but my favorite mix of theirs thus far hasn’t popped up on OC yet (nor do I know if it will). Luckily, this sensational Kirby’s Adventure mix of its stirring ending theme did get the Remix:ThaSauce stamp of approval, and it also has mine. Faithful to the original yet full of the remixer’s chiptune-heavy style, this is a great tune to enjoy upon completing some sort of project to congratulate yourself. Give it a shot!

by WildcatJF on November 16, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Anime, Art, Features, Gamer's Playlist, Games, Music
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Posted by WildcatJF on November 16, 2012

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/11/16/fan-art-fridays-bleed-by-alicexzgamers-playlist-a-different-kind-of-dream-by-theguitahheroe/

Stripping Away Silence: Donkey Kong: Special Edition

Nintendo of America’s Club Nintendo is offering 3DS owners a chance to download a unique NES game never before seen in America, a “complete” version of Donkey Kong that includes the “Pie Factory” level, its key selling point. To get this game, however, Nintendo is not offering it on the 3DS eShop or on the Wii Virtual Console for people to buy. Nope, that would be too nice. Instead, you have to buy one of five 3DS games, redeem it on Club Nintendo, sync your 3DS account to it, and then wait 3 – 4 weeks in order to be sent a code to be able to access the game. Seems a little convoluted, don’t you think? And what about Wii owners who have pined for the full featured Donkey Kong? Tough. What if those five games fail to interest you? No dice. What if you’re poor and can’t afford any of those games until after the expiration date of 1/6/13? Oh well! Gah. I would pay $5 to own this. Hell, even $6 at import pricing. I love the original Donkey Kong. I’d like a way to play it in full on the big screen. The Game Boy Donkey Kong ’94 has it, but it isn’t quite the same. I’m sure a lot of people would follow my lead, too. Alas, it’s been dangled as a bonus for a certain market, and with my funds being pretty damn low right now, I don’t foresee a 3DS or any of those games landing in my lap by January 6th.

It’s great Nintendo’s making it available somehow, but it would be nicer if it was purchasable AND as a bonus. My two cents.

by WildcatJF on October 1, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Editorial, Games
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Posted by WildcatJF on October 1, 2012

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/10/01/stripping-away-silence-donkey-kong-special-edition/

How to Maintain Your NES, by HG101′s Ike

HG101 forum-goer Ike has shared his secrets on how to clean your NES hardware and software to keep them running for longer. I’ll let him do the teaching, but I found it fascinating how blowing into the cartridge is actually detrimental to the game because it promotes all kinds of wonderful microbes to take root in your cartridge and NES! Or, as he put it:

There are a few things that contribute to a dirty console, the biggest one being people blowing in the cartridge. DON’T DO THAT. Your mouth is a disgusting, wet hole filled with bacteria and digestive enzymes that aren’t meant to be found culturing in a Nintendo.

The thing of it is, blowing does work. It works because you blow moisture onto the brass contacts of the cartridge, thus increasing the conductivity between the console and game. However, when you wet the cartridge and then shove it into a damp, dark environment to sit for possibly decades, corrosion will occur.

This is a well-written, clear and entertaining way to make your NES last. Definitely worth a lookover!

by WildcatJF on September 18, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Games, News
Tagged , , , , ,

Posted by WildcatJF on September 18, 2012

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/09/18/how-to-maintain-your-nes-by-hg101s-ike/

Wildcat’s 100 Favorite Game Tunes (2012)

Last year, I put up 100 tracks from gaming that I absolutely loved. However, as the year has rolled by, I think that I’ve cooled off on some of those songs and fell in love with others I had omitted. With that in mind, I feel that it’s a good time to revisit that idea and update the list. This year’s edition will increase the Top choices to ten. I will continue to operate under the rules set last year by keeping the list diversified through not picking all of, say, Mega Man 3′s soundtrack. Only two tracks per game will be allowed. Youtube clips are provided so you can sample the music, however, I can not constantly update this page with new links as Youtube users or copyright owners shut clips down! I’ve done quite a few Song Highlights on these tunes if you’d like to dig through and read why I like some of these songs. Enjoy!

TOP 10


Mega Man 3, Protoman’s Whistle Concert, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uikEuigprFE


Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Midna’s Lament, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7GWf3e_I3w


Chrono Trigger, Memories of Green, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr9-OcPLO3M


Beyond Good & Evil, Home Sweet Home, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTdcJWDNsao


Castlevania, Wicked Child, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7PFm7mrdVY

rdr1
Red Dead Redemption, Far Away, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IkvAb6THQY

Okami, Shinshu Plains (1 and 2), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yKG-Qu4WvM

Silent Hill 3, You’re Not Here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz3ufaZCoVw

Secret of Mana, Into the Thick of It, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3N9lrq-rks

Skies of Arcadia, Lower Valua, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlJxG1FmMOU

The Rest:
A Boy and his Blob (Wii), Forest, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC_u7bmVsSc
A Boy and his Blob (Wii), Plains, http://youtu.be/pfmiI9AttYc
Age of Empires III, A Hot Meal, http://youtu.be/jB1R5s3PVEM
Age of Mythology, Suture Self, http://youtu.be/KhvklZT0LMg
Age of Mythology, Chocolate Outline, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBpz9S6I07g
Batman (NES), Stage 1/5, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlGDKfgz4fA
Batman (NES), Stage 3, http://youtu.be/zERK-4IgQAg
Beyond Good & Evil, Hillyan Suite, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p48dpXQixgk
Bionic Commando (NES), Area 1, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hl5UCCBCXI
Bionic Commando (NES), Area 2, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIvcYCbWMfY
Blast Corps., Angel City, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2eRyyj_NCo
Blaster Master, Level 1, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUnwRFMo6D0
Blaster Master, Level 2, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIjIUyXrBJg
Body Harvest, Outdoors (Violin), http://youtu.be/pC41_–XeqQ
Body Harvest, Indoors (piano), http://youtu.be/wURLANzjDLk
Breath of Fire, Deep Forest, http://youtu.be/1iCbSLFrqrU
California Games (NES), Flying Disc, http://youtu.be/5iYMN2FKkoY
Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest, Bloody Tears, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjazC45Qkww
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, Jail of Jewel, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtRdjcXfXsc
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Dracula’s Castle, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgF0uBjCds0
Cave Story, On to Grasstown, http://youtu.be/VlmOhXoKmoQ
Chrono Trigger, Wind Scene (Yearning of Wind), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqZaFDA7PXY
Contra (NES), Level 3, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U58a-svZok8
Deus Ex, Hong Kong Streets 1, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzvw8uSWucM
Diablo, Tristram Village, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8jJJXgNLo4
Dragon Quest IX, Heaven’s Prayer, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myjd1MnZx5Y
Dragon Quest VIII, Strange World, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN9Up_0zuUs
Dragon Quest VIII, Heavenly Flight, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taVdFgxvhRg
Ducktales, Transylvania, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UuHesrJROw
Final Fantasy, Temple of Fiends, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hW56QbT0lrM
Final Fantasy VI, Terra’s Theme, http://youtu.be/W7RPY-oiDAQ
Fire Emblem (7 in series order), Wind Across the Plains, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFWOvIrBCgc
F-Zero GX, Captain Falcon’s Theme, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L0pW3Eol6k
Grandia II, Mirumu, http://youtu.be/ZG_oW5XH71Y
Heroes of Might and Magic IV, Swamp Lands, http://youtu.be/Cffc_s0eN5Q
Hotel Dusk: Room 215, The Last Sleep, http://youtu.be/BwdCg8Gqqfk
Jet Grind Radio, Magical Girl, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h9f939bW3c
Kirby’s Epic Yarn, Butter Building, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfdJbaCfXjQ
Kirby’s Adventure, Ending, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OVKyjZs-nU
The Last Ninja, Stage 1, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiLvoMpLQFA
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Forest Temple, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4o3EMdYaKw
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Spirit Temple, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0PVz2pIEcw
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Kakariko Village, http://youtu.be/LdERRFGaUjY
Mario Kart 64, Credits, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYwZT3CvpMw
Mega Man 2, Air Man, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FINefcN9pPc
Mega Man 3, Snake Man, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM-Fub7Oc_A
Mega Man 5, Wave Man, http://youtu.be/Nd2O6mbhCLU
Mega Man 6, Flame Man, http://youtu.be/qdWeTin2mho
Mega Man 6, Mr. X stages, http://youtu.be/uhJ7Ss-puVY
Metroid, Ending, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQeUkUp4uRc
Metroid Prime, Phendrana Drifts (second version), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbbUv1hz6mE
Metroid Prime, Tallon Overworld, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mziw3FQkZYg
Monster Tale, Ancient Ruins, http://youtu.be/iQ1D6UJW5Jg
M.U.L.E., Main Theme, http://youtu.be/VI2e-jwjhN4
Muramasa: The Demon Blade, Seifu Meigetsu A, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUF1lkbvoUs
Muramasa: The Demon Blade, Bosyoku Souzen A, http://youtu.be/c9qBwD4bxO8
Ogre Battle 64, Premonition, http://youtu.be/Rel-IOyQTX0
Ogre Battle 64, The Sensational World, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSnlp1YAUJ0
Okami, Reset, http://youtu.be/zpuGNH75pUc
Perfect Dark, Chicago – Stealth, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJbwLjKhVGw
Persona 4, Your Affection, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ChrBp1pEGM
Persona 4, The Almighty, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNVMKpk__HQ
Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations, The Dark Fragrance of Coffee, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxzTrWUajZg
Portal, Still Alive, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6ljFaKRTrI
Portal 2, Want You Gone, http://youtu.be/jBdRaGSI4jU
Power Blade, Level 4 – Tower, http://youtu.be/c-R6Zp3n608
Rayman Origins, Sea of Serendipity – Panic at the Port!, http://youtu.be/5UVPJxSmt54
Rayman Origins, Sea of Serendipity – Lums of the Water (“Glou Glou”), http://youtu.be/oNV2uakCtzs
Secret of Mana, A Wish, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLK8IrYrZxA
Shadow Hearts: From the New World, Dead Fingers Talk, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5clzlxOZQeU
Shadow Hearts: From the New World, Adios, http://youtu.be/-lkRjV7Zp-k
Silent Hill, Silent Hill, http://youtu.be/_EN-_1OGtUY
Silent Hill 2, Laura, http://youtu.be/6LB7LZZGpkw
Silent Hill 3, Breeze ~in monochrome light~, http://youtu.be/OneUwrYiGIw
Skies of Arcadia, Kingdom of Ixa’taka, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F-hJjD3XAs
Sly 2: Band of Thieves, Dmitri’s Nightclub, http://youtu.be/RCX3tV7lSdk
Sonic CD, Sonic Boom, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJXKoubh9sQ
Super Ghouls and Ghosts, Ice Forest, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4URokdL-dfM
Super Mario 64, Koopa’s (Bowser’s) Road, http://youtu.be/0rygsWPCjNQ
Super Mario 64, Water Course Theme (Dire Dire Docks), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqcPSbkS9TQ
Super Mario Galaxy, Gusty Garden Galaxy, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z2kxFCQ_mQ
Super Metroid, Maradia, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxobPQMNY_w
Super Metroid, Brinstar (Plant Overgrown), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ULlqfeNLWY
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Bramble Blast, http://youtu.be/G3rnyqI7dFc
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Metroid Theme, http://youtu.be/3MRznLSFGFQ
Tales of Symphonia, Like a Glint of Light, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFWadiZkA_8
Xenoblade Chronicles, Guar Plains, http://youtu.be/xweRl4LZlmo
Xenoblade Chronicles, Title Theme, http://youtu.be/nNR-wsFAfiU
Zoda’s Revenge: Startropics II, Dungeon Theme #2, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF-30Dg9Xs4
Zoda’s Revenge: Startropics II, Dungeon Theme #6, http://youtu.be/22ATqffTkIk

 

Dropped from last year:
Banjo-Kazooie, Click Clock Wood (spring)
Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, Aquarius
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, Hail from the Past
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Crystal Teardrops
Contra (NES), Level 1
Donkey Kong Country, Theme (Simian Segue)
Dragon Quest IX, I Won’t Lose
Grandia II, Carbo
Hotel Dusk: Room 215, Big Dreams
Kirby’s Epic Yarn, Outer Rings
Legend of Zelda, Death Mountain (Final Dungeon)
Mega Man 2, Wood Man
Mega Man 5, Charge Man
Persona 4, Reach out to the Truth
Resident Evil 4, Sorrow
Super Mario Galaxy 2, The Tico and the Hat
Super Mario RPG, And My Name’s Booster
Tales of Symphonia, Dry Trail

Modified on 12/26/2012, JF

by WildcatJF on September 9, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Editorial, Games, Music
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by WildcatJF on September 9, 2012

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/09/09/wildcats-100-favorite-game-tunes-2012/

Cultural Anxiety – River City Ransom/Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari (NES/Famicom)

Study 24: River City Ransom/Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari (NES/Famicom, Technos)

The Kunio-kun series, in Japan at least, rivals Mega Man and Mario’s Famicom exploits in terms of sheer quantity. Kunio began his career in Renegade, an early beat-em-up that led to both Double Dragon and later Kunio-kun adventures like the one I’m spotlighting today. Renegade will be covered down the road. Technos would revisit the Kunio-kun world in many spin-offs, including Nintendo World Cup, Super Dodgeball, Crash n’ the Boys: Street Challenge, and a myriad of other games we didn’t see on our shores. Hell, one of them became the American Double Dragon 2 for the Game Boy. XD

Anyway, Technos did do other games beyond Double Dragon and the Kunio-kun series. For example, Karate Champ was made by them, which helped launch the one-on-one fighter. They also did some WWF arcade games. The good times came to an end in 1996 when the company closed down. After their demise, Million acquired the rights to Technos’ properties and have done a fairly good job at keeping the Kunio-kun and Double Dragon franchises alive with new releases and re-releases on digital platforms like the Virtual Console.

Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari’s localization into River City Ransom saw some pretty severe shifts. We’ll get into those momentarily. Let’s examine the boxes first.

Here’s the Famicom box. A chibi approach, completely appropriate for the game’s spritework. The pink background with one of the girls looped in the background is a nice touch. America, meanwhile…

…got this. I’ll let my Artistic Discussion detail out what’s wrong:

The best thing this box has going for it is its logo.  That’s pretty decent.  The proportions and ability to draw decent human beings isn’t bad either compared to other NES boxes, but what made this such a sour box art for me is the poses. Our hero on the left is combining two styles of fisticuffs; the fist and the chop, which I believe don’t often go hand and hand (punny). The hero on the right doesn’t have the dashing good looks of our other protagonist, but he’s got a pipe! He’s scratching his head with it, but it’s at least a weapon! The punks in the background are sort of amusing, trying to look tough with minimal detail (only the frontrunner can pull it off…maybe it’s the knife). The dude behind him is channeling his inner geek or something…not quite sure what that pose signifies. But the key reason, even beyond the goofy poses, I picked this box is the sign toward the right that reads “River City High School”. HIGH SCHOOL. Do any of these guys even suggest that they are high schoolers? They all seem to be ripping off of Jimmy Dean’s wardrobe if you ask me style-wise, and not a single face or body teases the thought of youthful lads. So, we either have a mix-up on age or some of the oldest high schoolers ever pounding each other into BARF, and I don’t think that was Technos’ intention.

So, from the boxes alone we can see a shift in design. Japan sees school uniforms and schoolgirls, while Americans get middle-aged men pretending to be young Jimmy Dean types. XD Luckily, the chibi style was mostly left alone for the game itself. Let’s take a quick look at some screen comparisons. Japan is on the left, America in the right.

Pretty simple localization there. Kanji for Japan, a revisiting of the box logo for America. The background color in both isn’t that great, though. Black may have looked better.

Here’s some in-game comparisons. Japan has kanji text and the wall is sectioned differently, for one. The real noticeable change however is the sprites. Kunio’s morph into Alex transformed his clothes as well. It’s more appropriate for Alex to wear jeans and a t-shirt for America, but I admit that I prefer the original Japanese uniform look. Perhaps I’ve played EX too much?

As of press time, I’ve yet to discover more significant changes beyond remolding the sprites into more Americanized clothing and some text editing, but I’ll be on the lookout for more alterations. However, there is one bit of questionable content that escaped censorship at the hands of Nintendo’s conservative age:

Ah, naked butt. How in the world this slipped through Nintendo’s QA is astounding. Maybe they failed to visit the sauna. Definitely one of the more notable cases of nudity making its way into the hands of Americans.

River City Ransom kept the core gameplay of its Kunio-kun original, but shed its Japanese heritage in localization in order to do it. The sprites swapped their clothes to look more American, mainly, which is a pretty big change from the Japanese uniforms Kunio and Co. wore in Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari.

Sources:

Kunio-kun Wikia Page on Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari – http://kuniokun.wikia.com/wiki/Downtown_Nekketsu_Monogatari

HG101 Article on Kunio-Kun – http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/kunio/kunio.htm

Wikipedia Page on River City Ransom – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_City_Ransom

GameFAQs Image Page for River City Ransom – http://www.gamefaqs.com/nes/563453-river-city-ransom/images

by WildcatJF on September 1, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Anime, Cultural Anxiety, Features, Games
Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Posted by WildcatJF on September 1, 2012

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/09/01/cultural-anxiety-river-city-ransomdowntown-nekketsu-monogatari-nesfamicom/

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