The SNES featured all sorts of genres and companies and names to their games. Kawasaki got into the mix with two different games, Kawasaki Superbike Challenge and the next game to be reviewed which is Kawasaki Caribbean Challenge. There are some ups and downs to this, mainly more of the latter. As you can tell already, this isn't going to be among the tops of the racing games out there.
Positives: Yes, let's start there.
1. Caribbean feeling- You get the Caribbean feeling in the graphics, which have a lot of beaches, essentially everywhere on every course (three road, three water) there are beaches a plenty.
2. Variety of road courses- One square oval and two twisting road courses feature the road events. There is a significant downside to this after the variety is noted.
3. Game pace- Like the Wheel of Fortune game, which has the same developers, this is a quick paced game. This can be beaten in less than an hour.
Negatives: Plenty more so.
1. The controls are bad- You can't go fast on the road courses. You have to slow down considerably to even make a corner on the road courses, and you risk getting run over. Hey that leads me to..
2. The AI is bad- Yep, getting run over a ton is my impression of motorcycle racing. Even if not getting run over, you then see them just as ridiculous on the track all over the place. GameTek, the designers, really didn't think this through.. and the AI are a massive downside to this game.
3. The random obstacles- Oil and hay and water on the road, whirlpools in the water. This is just straight up laziness to be honest. Not just that, but there is almost no way to avoid about 85 percent of them as they are in the ideal racing line. It's also that they give you a guaranteed wreck about 90 percent of the time, even if slowed down.
4. No sense of real racing- After the first motorbike, you have bikes that have no real sound of an engine. After the first bike, everything sounds so much quieter. The wave-riders are just as meh. They don't have much to them. Controlling them is next to impossible as well most times.
5. Graphics are meh- They aren't great. Yes, I said that you are in the Caribbean and it is noticeable, but that doesn't mean the graphics are good. They are more or less average and pretty grainy in many ways. This is noted more so on the road tracks than the water tracks. The road tracks make it want to feel a sense of speed but instead it is more just the fact it is grainy and just rough.
In all, Kawasaki Caribbean Challenge isn't a great game, nor a good one. On the face, it's a bad game, with not much going for it. Sure the fact it is a quick game is notable, but it's not a very good game by any stretch of the imagination. The controls are bad, as are the graphics, and the AI make it a demolition derby rather than a race. My number rating for Kawasaki Caribbean Challenge is 3.4 out of 10. My all-time ranking is 525th.
Friday, April 26, 2019
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
SNES Game Review: Goof Troop
Everyone has heard of Disney. If you haven't.. well that's honestly something. In the 90's, Disney characters and movies were very prevalent in gaming as well. Movies like Aladdin and The Lion King were turned into SNES games. Same with games with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and everyone's favorite hero, Goofy. Yes, Goofy is in an SNES video game and so is his son Max. The game is Goof Troop, made by Capcom. Capcom made the Breath of Fire series, Aladdin, Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts, Street Fighter and so on. Capcom had a lot, and I mean A LOT, of success in the 90's. Goof Troop can be labeled as a success as well. Below is to why that is.
Positives:
1. Graphics- Goof Troop's graphics are actually quite good. That's not real surprising considering it is Capcom, but the sprites are actually quite well made for the SNES. You can't knock Capcom for Goof Troop's graphics really at all and they add to the game really.
2. Not your original game- This is more of a puzzle sequencing game than a platformer or an RPG. And it takes some solving to get used to it and complete the game. But it is a very fun challenge to be honest and something that Capcom did well to incorporate with their game.
3. Two player co-op: Tired of playing by yourself or got a friend who wants to game up? Outside of the modern consoles, this game here features two player co-op where you can play as Goofy and his son Max. The goals of the game are still the same, but with a co-player you can make the game a lot more fun than it already is.
4. Straight forward story: Essentially the story is straight forward. Pete and his son have been captured by pirates and it is up to Goofy and/or Max to save them from them. There are five levels with boss battles to beat at the end of them. It's also featured on a Caribbean island, so you get to see the different levels of a beach, cave, and a pirate ship.
5. Quick game: It's a game that will take you only at most three hours to beat. Most averages are about two hours so it isn't a game that will take all day to win or multiple days or an all-nighter. It's overall a solid game that doesn't last too long.
Comical: I feature a new part to my reviews for really just a few select games. There is one comical thing to this game.
1. Listen to when Goofy or Max hit a pirate with a barrel or something, because they usher out some sort or wacky yell or yelp. It made me laugh and should be the same for you as well.
Negatives:
1. The controls are slippery- A lot of the times I felt the controls were very slippery to deal with and you had to concentrate to walk with Goofy. He seems to slide all over the place at times and it makes it difficult to finish some levels without running out of lives.
2. No real competition except bosses- Like I said above, it's a quick game. That's because mostly the only meaningful fights are the bosses and even then at least two of them are simplistic. Three of the bosses reach the above average difficulty.
Neutral:
1. Likely a kid game- If you want a quick game for a young kid, this would be it as well as it likely is a game built for a young kid. It's not too difficult and it won't be a bothersome game for a youngster. This is a puzzle game for a kid to figure out. They would have fun with it I feel.
Overall, Goof Troop is a pretty good puzzle game that would be good for a young kid to figure out and do well with. If they want your help, a two-player co-op would be fun for them as well. If I had to give a number grade, let's go 8.1 out of 10. The easier difficulty does knock it down a bit, but that's not the main reason. The controls being slippery knocks it more so, but something that still makes this a pretty good game. If I had an all-time rating, Goof Troop isn't in the Top 50, but it is in the top 100. I would put this game 74th out of 100.
Positives:
1. Graphics- Goof Troop's graphics are actually quite good. That's not real surprising considering it is Capcom, but the sprites are actually quite well made for the SNES. You can't knock Capcom for Goof Troop's graphics really at all and they add to the game really.
2. Not your original game- This is more of a puzzle sequencing game than a platformer or an RPG. And it takes some solving to get used to it and complete the game. But it is a very fun challenge to be honest and something that Capcom did well to incorporate with their game.
3. Two player co-op: Tired of playing by yourself or got a friend who wants to game up? Outside of the modern consoles, this game here features two player co-op where you can play as Goofy and his son Max. The goals of the game are still the same, but with a co-player you can make the game a lot more fun than it already is.
4. Straight forward story: Essentially the story is straight forward. Pete and his son have been captured by pirates and it is up to Goofy and/or Max to save them from them. There are five levels with boss battles to beat at the end of them. It's also featured on a Caribbean island, so you get to see the different levels of a beach, cave, and a pirate ship.
5. Quick game: It's a game that will take you only at most three hours to beat. Most averages are about two hours so it isn't a game that will take all day to win or multiple days or an all-nighter. It's overall a solid game that doesn't last too long.
Comical: I feature a new part to my reviews for really just a few select games. There is one comical thing to this game.
1. Listen to when Goofy or Max hit a pirate with a barrel or something, because they usher out some sort or wacky yell or yelp. It made me laugh and should be the same for you as well.
Negatives:
1. The controls are slippery- A lot of the times I felt the controls were very slippery to deal with and you had to concentrate to walk with Goofy. He seems to slide all over the place at times and it makes it difficult to finish some levels without running out of lives.
2. No real competition except bosses- Like I said above, it's a quick game. That's because mostly the only meaningful fights are the bosses and even then at least two of them are simplistic. Three of the bosses reach the above average difficulty.
Neutral:
1. Likely a kid game- If you want a quick game for a young kid, this would be it as well as it likely is a game built for a young kid. It's not too difficult and it won't be a bothersome game for a youngster. This is a puzzle game for a kid to figure out. They would have fun with it I feel.
Overall, Goof Troop is a pretty good puzzle game that would be good for a young kid to figure out and do well with. If they want your help, a two-player co-op would be fun for them as well. If I had to give a number grade, let's go 8.1 out of 10. The easier difficulty does knock it down a bit, but that's not the main reason. The controls being slippery knocks it more so, but something that still makes this a pretty good game. If I had an all-time rating, Goof Troop isn't in the Top 50, but it is in the top 100. I would put this game 74th out of 100.
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
SNES Game Review: True Golf Waialae
The SNES was full of sports games. Golf was no exception to this, as many different companies in one sequence or another tried their hand at a golf game throughout their time on the SNES. However, most were pretty rough at this. If you count Kirby's Dream Course, which is far and away then the best golf game, then the rest of the games are at best below average and at worst just terrible. True Golf Waialae is one of those that goes in the bad pile. There are some upsides to it, but overall not enough to shake the label of being bad.
Positives:
1. Graphics of the course- This is actually a good plus side to it. Waialae's golf course was very finely done. This is true for the other True Golf games of Pebble Beach or Wicked 18. So they did well with the layout of the course and showcasing it.
2. Four player compatibility- This is also another plus. The game has four-player compatibility. However, that is pretty much where the positives end.
Negatives:
1. Frame rate- Yeah, this game is awful for frame rate. It is so slow, so choppy that good luck if you get anything done in a reasonable time. One hole can take upwards of five minutes if you are lucky to get it done by then.
2. Hitting is nearly impossible- You can't hit the ball seemingly without it slicing all over. I mean I know I am terrible at golf in real life, but this is just brutal from a video game. That is just something that drags this down so much.
3. Same thing goes with putting- First you have a 100 foot putter.. for like a 3 foot putt. Yes that doesn't make sense. So regardless putting is a disaster anyway. You will not make many and when you do, you should celebrate it greatly.
With that, and there aren't many on each side due to it being a golf game, that recaps True Golf Waialae. The best rating I can give it is 2.2 out of 10. When you have a graphically sound game, that gives you plus points, but when the main things of frame rate, hitting and putting are just so bad, it won't give you a great game. If I had an overall rating going for the 721 games on SNES, I'd have a hard time going anything higher than 620th. It's one of the bottom 125 games on the SNES.
Positives:
1. Graphics of the course- This is actually a good plus side to it. Waialae's golf course was very finely done. This is true for the other True Golf games of Pebble Beach or Wicked 18. So they did well with the layout of the course and showcasing it.
2. Four player compatibility- This is also another plus. The game has four-player compatibility. However, that is pretty much where the positives end.
Negatives:
1. Frame rate- Yeah, this game is awful for frame rate. It is so slow, so choppy that good luck if you get anything done in a reasonable time. One hole can take upwards of five minutes if you are lucky to get it done by then.
2. Hitting is nearly impossible- You can't hit the ball seemingly without it slicing all over. I mean I know I am terrible at golf in real life, but this is just brutal from a video game. That is just something that drags this down so much.
3. Same thing goes with putting- First you have a 100 foot putter.. for like a 3 foot putt. Yes that doesn't make sense. So regardless putting is a disaster anyway. You will not make many and when you do, you should celebrate it greatly.
With that, and there aren't many on each side due to it being a golf game, that recaps True Golf Waialae. The best rating I can give it is 2.2 out of 10. When you have a graphically sound game, that gives you plus points, but when the main things of frame rate, hitting and putting are just so bad, it won't give you a great game. If I had an overall rating going for the 721 games on SNES, I'd have a hard time going anything higher than 620th. It's one of the bottom 125 games on the SNES.
Monday, April 22, 2019
SNES Game Review: Final Fantasy VI
Depending on what version you believe this to be, Final Fantasy 3 is Final Fantasy 6 actually in the US of A. Yes, the wacky separation of the numerical Final Fantasy games aside, Squaresoft birthed their dynasty with not just Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest, but then Final Fantasy 2 (FF IV) and then this game after that. Yes, Squaresoft also got on the map with FF7, but LET ME REVIEW THAT GAME AT A DIFFERENT TIME! Anyway, when I mentioned in my Super Metroid review that my #2 game was still ongoing and needless to say it is this one. What do I think of this game? Well let's detail!
Positives:
1. The music- Let's face it, any game named Final Fantasy is going to have absolutely kickass music. FF VI is really no different. The levels, the battles, the towers, everything about this game with music is the absolute best that you can offer.
2. The challenge- This game is a good level of challenging without being too difficult that it makes you super frustrated. You can die a couple of times in this game but then you get better and get back at it again. The boss battles are actually quite well thought out, with you needing to be strategic to win the battles, especially later on in the game.
3. The Storyline- It's a massive story that Squaresoft wanted to provide and they did very, very well in telling it. It's a fantastic job from start to finish in how this storyline is told throughout the game. If you haven't played this game, I would recommend doing so for this storyline.
4. The central cast of characters- Yes you can 14 characters in total (more on that later) but the central characters are Terra, Edgar, Sabin, Locke and Celes. Though you could probably add in Cyan, he's not one of the first five introduced to this. These five are the strongest of the bunch and they are your biggest keys to beating the game. Each are their own skill sets and each have the best weaponry to get you through every part of the game.
5. The worlds- Yes I said worlds. Two different worlds to navigate. You go on foot, airship and can go also by chocobo if that is your thing too. The second world, the World of Ruin, is a lot more different to navigate because it is broken up so much from the first world you encounter. You'll definitely feel a difference in skill level, battle level, boss level and so much more.
6. The sidequests- These are actually pretty good. The main reason is a lot of them involve the storyline in some way. The main one is the dragon sidequest. You have to beat eight of them. But the benefits are a lot of good items and summons to make the game easier on yourself. It also helps for the exploration factor of the game and the leveling up (more on that in a bit as well.)
7. The Opera Scene- Personally, I wanted to put this in neutral but I really couldn't find myself to do it. Overall it is something completely different than most Final Fantasy games. Like that of the play in FF7, the plays in FF9, etc. Also, as above, the music is absolutely incredible. Celes' part in this is absolutely awesome and well worth the small part to what you have to accomplish later.
8. Active Time Battle- The best strategic move that any company made was an RPG with Active Time Battling. FF6 has this, brought it up and Chrono Trigger perfected it while FF7 popularized it. FF6 did superior on this, and Square took note and progressed it further. I believe this game and Chrono Trigger made things a lot easier for them on the PlayStation.
Neutrals:
1. The grindfest that is this game- Look, this is the SNES, and the fact that you have to grind in some games are just a thing of this console. The same goes for Chrono Trigger, Super Metroid (unless you are a super awesome Speedrunner) FF2, The 7th Saga and you get it with RPG's. You have to grind it out and spend time on the game to do the best you can for it.
2. The cast of characters- A lot of different gamers wonder why there are 14 characters in this game. There are some parts to this I agree with their concerns on and some I don't agree. I agree that it is a vast amount and about 3-4 too many. The most notable are Umaro and Gogo. They may be the two characters you least need in the story, but it is good at least to bring Umaro along for the final battles. He has a good offense and his defense isn't too bad. Gogo has the ability to use all skills.
3. Is it too big a storyline?- I thought this was an interesting one. I overall thought the storyline was terrific, but is it too big? To me, I don't think so because Squaresoft was looking to produce FF7 with the PlayStation and in 1994, they needed a big game to set that up. This was that game and it produced big-time for Square and their future games. It essentially set the stage for the future of Squaresoft on the next consoles.
There you have it for Final Fantasy VI. It's one of the best on Super Nintendo. It's one of the best, if not the best, Final Fantasy games of all-time. The massive storyline plays right into Squaresoft's idea of going forward with FF7 for the PlayStation. The music is nothing but spectacular. The characters, while a bunch, are all very well drawn out. I'd give the game a numerical rating of 10 out of 10 (by the way, my four best games are all 10 out of 10) and in terms of all-time rating I would place it #2 behind Chrono Trigger.
Positives:
1. The music- Let's face it, any game named Final Fantasy is going to have absolutely kickass music. FF VI is really no different. The levels, the battles, the towers, everything about this game with music is the absolute best that you can offer.
2. The challenge- This game is a good level of challenging without being too difficult that it makes you super frustrated. You can die a couple of times in this game but then you get better and get back at it again. The boss battles are actually quite well thought out, with you needing to be strategic to win the battles, especially later on in the game.
3. The Storyline- It's a massive story that Squaresoft wanted to provide and they did very, very well in telling it. It's a fantastic job from start to finish in how this storyline is told throughout the game. If you haven't played this game, I would recommend doing so for this storyline.
4. The central cast of characters- Yes you can 14 characters in total (more on that later) but the central characters are Terra, Edgar, Sabin, Locke and Celes. Though you could probably add in Cyan, he's not one of the first five introduced to this. These five are the strongest of the bunch and they are your biggest keys to beating the game. Each are their own skill sets and each have the best weaponry to get you through every part of the game.
5. The worlds- Yes I said worlds. Two different worlds to navigate. You go on foot, airship and can go also by chocobo if that is your thing too. The second world, the World of Ruin, is a lot more different to navigate because it is broken up so much from the first world you encounter. You'll definitely feel a difference in skill level, battle level, boss level and so much more.
6. The sidequests- These are actually pretty good. The main reason is a lot of them involve the storyline in some way. The main one is the dragon sidequest. You have to beat eight of them. But the benefits are a lot of good items and summons to make the game easier on yourself. It also helps for the exploration factor of the game and the leveling up (more on that in a bit as well.)
7. The Opera Scene- Personally, I wanted to put this in neutral but I really couldn't find myself to do it. Overall it is something completely different than most Final Fantasy games. Like that of the play in FF7, the plays in FF9, etc. Also, as above, the music is absolutely incredible. Celes' part in this is absolutely awesome and well worth the small part to what you have to accomplish later.
8. Active Time Battle- The best strategic move that any company made was an RPG with Active Time Battling. FF6 has this, brought it up and Chrono Trigger perfected it while FF7 popularized it. FF6 did superior on this, and Square took note and progressed it further. I believe this game and Chrono Trigger made things a lot easier for them on the PlayStation.
Neutrals:
1. The grindfest that is this game- Look, this is the SNES, and the fact that you have to grind in some games are just a thing of this console. The same goes for Chrono Trigger, Super Metroid (unless you are a super awesome Speedrunner) FF2, The 7th Saga and you get it with RPG's. You have to grind it out and spend time on the game to do the best you can for it.
2. The cast of characters- A lot of different gamers wonder why there are 14 characters in this game. There are some parts to this I agree with their concerns on and some I don't agree. I agree that it is a vast amount and about 3-4 too many. The most notable are Umaro and Gogo. They may be the two characters you least need in the story, but it is good at least to bring Umaro along for the final battles. He has a good offense and his defense isn't too bad. Gogo has the ability to use all skills.
3. Is it too big a storyline?- I thought this was an interesting one. I overall thought the storyline was terrific, but is it too big? To me, I don't think so because Squaresoft was looking to produce FF7 with the PlayStation and in 1994, they needed a big game to set that up. This was that game and it produced big-time for Square and their future games. It essentially set the stage for the future of Squaresoft on the next consoles.
There you have it for Final Fantasy VI. It's one of the best on Super Nintendo. It's one of the best, if not the best, Final Fantasy games of all-time. The massive storyline plays right into Squaresoft's idea of going forward with FF7 for the PlayStation. The music is nothing but spectacular. The characters, while a bunch, are all very well drawn out. I'd give the game a numerical rating of 10 out of 10 (by the way, my four best games are all 10 out of 10) and in terms of all-time rating I would place it #2 behind Chrono Trigger.
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