I can't help but enjoy it even though I'm no closer to grasping the controls. It's not hard to figure out, it's just very hard to master. I'm very impressed by the smooth graphics and the HUD is a nice touch, considering that they didn't have a lot of resolution to work with. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6vHgKyFRf4
I played Xain'd Sleena but just could not with that game. So I forgot about it, shelved it, and it comes back to me with a different name. It's...awful.
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8lFNm1NfwU
This is a sequel? I really don't want to find out what the first game is like. This is like...a really creepy man-baby bootleg game that I probably could have advanced further on if it wasn't so freaking weird.
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlapTaq6VBQ
A very nice looking game with a similar look to Mario 3, Kirby, MIracle Baby....pretty much all the good platformers. I just don't like the momentum of the armadillo ball. It's a great idea that probably gets more complex (and fun) as things go on, but controlling things is a bit rough at points. A great game to challenge yourself with.
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4J0p0JbaBw
It's not a direct port, unfortunately, because I do feel that the game could have handled it with the right approach. It does keep a mature graphical feel to it that works well on the Game Boy, but it's not without its issues.
It keeps the same level of difficulty as its siblings, but the difficult here really comes from placement. It's not easy to get your toad into a position where it can cause (or avoid) damage without putting it at serious risk. At first, this game will absolutely make you feel that risk and I feel that even accomplished players are still going to run into that issue. There are no health items anywhere, so that really puts a stress on what you might be willing to try and pull off.
The speeder stages are a pain, but in a different way. Unlike the NES where you're trying to race to where you need to be, this game makes it easier to do that...but if you move too SOON you get spanked and when things are flying, you're not going to hit a wall so much as trip over the last one.
There are other stage types as well, but it's late and my eyes are not keeping up with the visuals and there are no cheats that I'm aware of other than Game Genie codes.
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FeHtnzqVKE
It took me a while to figure this one out, because unlike the even numbered stages, the first stage didn't feel like a puzzle at first and I couldn't quite figure out the point of it all. Now that I've experienced it a bit, I get it. The first stage is about bolting things down in a way that allows you to return to the elevator, and the second is actually tougher because you need to match the platforms to the map and still get back to the start. Once you get used to it, it's a pretty nice, relaxing puzzle game that I think anyone could enjoy. One thing is nice about SG-1000 games...they look and play like early arcade games. You find one that is fun, it doesn't matter how primitive everything is...it just works.
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEWciWb5Bh8
It looks promising at first but then it just turns out to be super boring. At least at first, but considering I'd have to fight the same fight 4 more times just to buy an upgrade....yeah, not willing to put that kind of time in.
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGO2A136IKA
I'm going to end up having 10% of these demo reels dedicated to versions of Pac-Man and Donkey Kong, I swear. It's an easy game to throw on because it's mindless fun....well, hopefully....but also a good indication of what the console is all about. Or at least, it lets you know what the devs were working with at the time. The Intellivision handles it quite well, but you can clearly see some issues. Graphically, it's still nowhere near the arcade. There's also a slighly off feeling throughout the whole thing. Nothing that ruins the experience, but you notice the limited animation, where the hitboxes are, the smoothness, the slight difference in ghost AI....it's mostly all there, but I feel like those tiny differences tell you a lot about the hardware.
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIp7VJvxt-0
Fun fact that gets overlooked: This was released in JP the same month the US version of Mario 2 came out. The differences between the Famicom and the NES libraries are staggering and it's crazy to think that at one point the two countries were dealing with entirely different libraries and timelines.
I also didn't realize until yesterday...yes, YESTERDAY...that the 3 in the title screen had a tail and ear in the shadow. That's how much I took title screens for granted even though it's one of the title screens I paid the most attention to.
So yeah, it's Mario 3. Have some classic sound on your playlist.
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ylzh2L8N8YQ
3 buttons to pick left, center, or right to shoot. It's not as easy when you have something less than 3 buttons in a line to play whack-a-mole, so be aware you will want a true arcade stick or gamepad with the 6 button layout. Once you get used to it, it's pretty fun. There's a Master System or SG-1000 game that this reminds me of but with a Western theme...I'll need to find it and post it.
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uzUIz9xujA