showing 3 games
| name | publisher(developer) arrow_downward | year | tags | description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contra: Hard Corps | Konami | 1994 | 2640s 27thcentury 6buttonarcadepad branchingstory censored consoleclassix contra cyborgs future marketingbuzzwords militantprotagonist mp-cooperative multipleendings premadecharacters rating-elspa-3 rating-vrc-ma13 robots runandgun versionvariations | [media=youtube]https://youtu.be/Pz9ah1erYJk[/media]***The vaunted CONTRA series finally makes its way to the Sega Genesis with CONTRA: Hard Corps. Picking up five years after the first game ended, the world is under attack by an army of biogenetic experiments gone bad, and it's your duty to put things right and wipe out the mutant armada. Playing as one of four gun-toting warriors, you'll be confronted with 10 grueling levels of scum-blasting action as you try to save the planet. Take advantage of the high-powered weapons at your disposal, like the homing gun, crush gun, needle laser, and mine setter, to deal out the damage. As the game progresses, you'll face many boss characters and choices, which will affect the game's ending, should you get that far.***Probotector (European version) [26]*** [29]*** [27]*** [20]***Genesis version of Contra. You can play as 4 different characters, all of whom have their special weapons. You can also slide in this game.***Additional info: This game was called Contra Hard Corps in USA and Japan, but its name was changed to Probotector in Europe (as most Contra titles were). The characters were also changed into robots and certain sequences and gfx was censored/edited (apperantly, the original was too violent for the german audience). The japanese version is also much easier (you get an unlimited number of credits and more health). There are more differences, but nothing too severe. [zinger] | labelimagesubject |
| Sonic the Hedgehog | Sega | 1991 | anthroprotagonist bonusstages bossbattles consoleclassix deadlydecor femaleauthor harmfultouch heroprotagonist hopandbop idleactivity killerapp lives lutris multipleendings nonlethal packin rating-esrb-ka redeemingbeatdown rescue robots sonic spinninglevels timelimit titularcharacter underwaterwalking uvl-confusable wiivirtualconsole | [22]*** [26]*** [63]*** [52]*** [37]*** [27]***Also included in Mega Games 6 Vol. 3 (aka Mega 6 Vol. 3), released in 1995 in Europe and published by Sega, rated ELSPA-3, that included [game=#10306]Super Monaco GP[/game], [game=#10455]Sega Soccer[/game], [game=#20418]Sonic the Hedgehog[/game], [game=#10281]Streets of Rage[/game], [game=#10161]Revenge of Shinobi[/game] and [game=#9667]Columns[/game]. Also included in Sega Top Ten, released in Brazil and published by Tec Toy, that included [game=#10455]World Cup Soccer[/game], [game=#10298]Super Hang-On[/game], [game=#9667]Shapes and Columns[/game], [game=#10281]Streets of Rage[/game], [game=#9832]Golden Axe[/game], [game=#20418]Sonic the Hedgehog[/game], [game=#10203]Shadow Dancer[/game], [game=#9802]Flicky[/game], [game=#10306]Super Monaco GP[/game] and [game=#9628]California Games[/game]. Also included in Sonic Compilation (Sonic Classics in the USA and Brazil, 소닉클래식 in Korea, Sonic 3-in-1 in the New Zealand), released in 1996 and 1997, published by Sega, rated ESRB K-A, that included [game=#20418]Sonic the Hedgehog[/game], [game=#10244]Sonic the Hedgehog 2[/game] and [game=#10139]Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine[/game].***Bust the video game speed barrier wide open with Sonic The Hedgehog. Blaze by in a blur using the Super Sonic Spin Attack. Loop the loop by defying gravity. You can even spin around in a 360° rotating maze. You've never seen anything like it! [spoiler=Stage Select;Close]On the title screen, quickly press ↑ ↓ ← → A+Start[/spoiler] [anonymous]***I'll admit, I was wowed by the graphics, sound and speed of this game when I first seen it. The fast paced music matches Sonic's speediness well (and is an amazing accomplishment since the music itself is only 8-bit and not 16-bit). The sound effects don't sound nearly as artificially generated as the one's on 8-bit systems. So far so good. But then story falls short, presented as one small paragraph in the game manual. The levels have lots of rings to collect and having at least one acts as a hit point so enemies, flames and spikes don't instantly kill Sonic. Sonic needs to be holding a minimum number of rings to access the special stages at the end of each level so he can grab the Chaos Emeralds. No where in the manual does it say what this minimum number is, nor what use the Chaos Emeralds have. Though it does say Sonic must prevent Dr. Robotnic from obtaining them. In fact the manual seems to have been written by someone unfamiliar with the game. It says to look for "secret rooms" when there is nothing that really resembles "rooms" in the game. There are areas difficult to see or access and [spoiler=secret shortcuts;Close]breakable walls that look like normal walls. The manual does not explain or even hint at breakable walls.[/spoiler]The manual says the special zones are traps! (Traps where Sonic cannot lose a life. Traps without time penalties. Traps full of all sorts of great bonuses)! There is no AI to the enemies, they all follow a set pattern and most of them are very simple. The Atari 2600 has better controls, seriously. When I press down on the Atari joystick, my character always take the proper action. But in Sonic, pressing down often causes Sonic to move left or right instead of crouching while standing still, or rolling into a ball when speeding. Actually, I prefer to use an Atari joystick to play Sonic, its compatible with the Genesis game port, and it helps. Sonic only needs one button during play anyhow. The control scheme doesn't not have a 0 learning curve becuse it takes a moment to learn that all three buttons preform the exact same jump. When in a level (an "Act"), Sonic has access to the whole level being able to go forward or backward with only certain spots being difficult to access once passed. This is a bit unusual for platform games at the time. Sonic's main competition, Super Mario Bros, didn't allow this. Like SMB, Sonic cannot go to a previous level. Unlike SMB, there are no shortcuts to higher levels. Sonic is very linear but allows some freedom to explore every nook and cranny of each individual level. There are multiple checkpoints in each level. Without activating a checkpoint, Sonic will restart the level when killed. Otherwise he will start at the last checkpoint he touched. Sonic has lives, and can earn extra lives. There is no way to save progress if the Genesis is switched off. Sonic has an absolute minimum playtime of just under 18 minutes, and a [b]maximum[/b] of about 3 hours. This maximum is because there is a time limit on each level. The challenge comes not from [i]completing[/i] the game, which is fairly easy, but from [i]winning[/i] against Dr Robotnic. Winning the game is somewhat satisfying. The way to win the game is strongly suggested by the ending you get when you don't win and its a spoiler for me to say how. [spoiler=Winning;Close]The story demands that Sonic stop Dr Robotnic before he collects the Chaos Emeralds. Yet it is possible to 'beat' the game without collecting them. In this case, the player actually loses (according to the story), because Dr. Robotnic is seen juggling the Chaos Emeralds and will proceed with his evil plans. Collecting 6 chaos emeralds before beating the game is required to "win".[/spoiler]This element of beating the game with or without winning kinda rescues the story a bit, but doesn't save it. Along the way, Sonic does not gain any permanent abilities nor is the story advanced during the game. Sonic 1 is simple, this has a certain appeal I suppose. But it doesn't lend well to social interaction revolving around the game. There are some hidden things that can be shared with other players. There are subtle details in the character's animations and extras in the graphics like shadows. But very little gameplay details. Piratically all the innovation in this game has to do with the sound and graphics, which were great improvements for games but not quite full innovations. They take good advantage of the Genesis hardware, which is the actual innovation. Sonic can be a bit destructive to his environment and the robots sent to attack him. On the other hand, he's destroying robots instead of actually killing as most platformer protagonists do. And he's simultaneously rescuing animals that are imprisoned in the robots. Their's no bad language, addictive substances, or sexual themes at all in the game. Later games, but not this one, added slot machine elements. Bottom line: Its not very good. Its all about the speed, graphics and sound. Sonic 1's SG&S were amazing at first, and it was a pioneer game for SG&S. But SG&S competition among game manufacturers would eventually devastate game quality as they were given top priority and all other aspects of the game, especially gameplay, became lesser priorities or even ignored. Playing Sonic 1 now just makes me sad. I do note however, that the later games in this series did improve tremendously. [Zerothis]***Rocket Sonic, the fastest blue hedgehog on earth, through hair-raising loop-de-loops and dizzying dives past bubbling lava, waterfalls and on as you gather up Rings and stop Dr. Eggman's (AKA Dr. Robotnik) schemes for world domination!***Some people like it... in fact, 90% of people like it. Side scroller where you jump on bad guys at really high speeds. p.s. if you're an RPG fan, chances are you won't like this game... all you can do is run, jump and spin. | labelimagesubject |
| Streets of Rage | Sega;Tec Toy;Samsung (AM7;H.I.C.) | 1991 | beltscroller bossbattles consoleclassix difficulty difficulty-players lives mp-cooperative multipleendings streetsofrage wiivirtualconsole | [media=youtube]https://youtu.be/p7-xlFDtfPE[/media]*** [22]***Score shown on Mega Force #27 (Apr. 1994) [26]*** [64]***Included in Sega Mega Drive Classic Collection (Steam version)***Un beat'em up entretenido, de controles sencillos pero realmente complicado por lo escurridizo de los enemigos. Merece la pena usar el especial para ver a un policía con un lanzamisiles. 6 de 10*** [37]*** [32]*** [29]*** [27]***Also included in Mega Games 6 Vol. 3 (aka Mega 6 Vol. 3), released in 1995 in Europe and published by Sega, rated ELSPA-3, that included [game=#10306]Super Monaco GP[/game], [game=#10455]Sega Soccer[/game], [game=#20418]Sonic the Hedgehog[/game], [game=#10281]Streets of Rage[/game], [game=#10161]Revenge of Shinobi[/game] and [game=#9667]Columns[/game]. Also included in Mega Games 6 (aka m6 or Mega Games 6 Vol. 1), released in Europe in 1995 and published by Sega, rated ELSPA-3, that included [game=#10455]World Cup Italia '90[/game], [game=#10298]Super Hang-On[/game], [game=#9667]Columns[/game], [game=#10281]Streets of Rage[/game], [game=#10161]The Revenge of Shinobi[/game] and [game=#9832]Golden Axe[/game]. Also included in Mega Games 2, released in Europe in 1993 and published by Sega, that included [game=#10281]Streets of Rage[/game], [game=#10161]The Revenge of Shinobi[/game] and [game=#9832]Golden Axe[/game]. Also included in Sega Top Ten, released in Brazil and published by Tec Toy, that included [game=#10455]World Cup Soccer[/game], [game=#10298]Super Hang-On[/game], [game=#9667]Shapes and Columns[/game], [game=#10281]Streets of Rage[/game], [game=#9832]Golden Axe[/game], [game=#20418]Sonic the Hedgehog[/game], [game=#10203]Shadow Dancer[/game], [game=#9802]Flicky[/game], [game=#10306]Super Monaco GP[/game] and [game=#9628]California Games[/game].***A top secret crime organization has taken over what used to be a happy, peaceful metropolis and now no one is safe. Rampant crime and violence are commonplace after the syndicate bought off government officials and the majority of the police force with lucrative bribes. Frustrated by the corruption on their force, a group of young officers quits with a plan to take back the city in their own way. With special hand-to-hand combat abilities, Adam Hunter, Axel Stone and Blaze Fielding step onto the Streets of Rage to risk it all to save their city, even if it means putting their lives on the line. [Sega]***The city was once a happy, peaceful place...until one day, a powerful secret criminal organization took over. This vicious syndicate soon had control of the government and even the police force. The city has become a center of violence and crime where no one is safe. Amid this turmoil, a group of determined young police officers has sworn to clean up the city. Among them are Adam Hunter, Axel Stone and Blaze Fielding. They've decided to put their lives on the line and take back their city through their special hand-to-hand combat abilities. They are willing to risk anything, even their lives, on the Streets of Rage.***Both Japanese (Bare Knuckle) and US/European version on same cartridge | labelimagesubject |
