Nobunaga’s Ambition — Issue 39

Posted on October 23, 2021 by GI - Lyndsey Beatty

Ambitious guide to greatness

I’m apparently no battlefield general. I learned this fascinating tidbit about myself within a rather rough short season of my gaming life through disastrous decisions and lack of preparation. My troops weren’t ready, I didn’t have enough horses and my crops failed to sustain my garrison. Even my samurai and ninja were taken out quickly. I was outmanned, outmatched and decimated before I knew what hit me. Suffice to say, if I had been Oda Nobunaga, feudal Japan would have been in shambles like my mentions on Twitter these days. That is the way in Nobunaga’s Ambition.

Ambition is not for the faint of heart. It requires serious planning, thoughtful tactical strikes, and good resource management. At its core, Nobunaga’s Ambition is a war simulation that takes you through feudal Japan’s revolutionary period, where unification was the goal and Nobunaga was the man to do it — possibly. While you can choose to be Nobunaga, you can be any other number of generals from different regions of Japan at the time. You’re tasked with raising an army, gathering and maintaining supplies, and defending your region while conquering others in a bid to unify all of Japan under your shogunate.

You roam around the Japanese countryside with your troops and challenge the other generals in a turn-based battle sometimes to the death. If successful, your name will be mentioned in history as a great general and the unifier, much as history played out with Nobunaga’s victory over Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki in 1582 and his successors’ battles after his death.

The premise is unique, though to fully appreciate what it is you’re doing and why, you probably will have to be a history geek or interested in Asian history. It’s niche but fun with a lot of historical education thrown in.

Its niche context aside, the game is fun to play once you fully get into the simulation. It’s a very 1993 presentation. The graphics are small for the maps, but they’re reminiscent of the graphics of the time for the SNES and Windows games. The standout among the graphics, though, are the general portraits. They’re colorful — as are the other graphic elements — but are also beautifully detailed. For a SNES game, the graphics are top notch and still can compete with the big titles of the era.

The music can be a little grating but it’s not overly terrible. There are a few different songs for the menus and battle, and while slightly tinny, they are OK in a short-term play setting.

If you’re into strategy simulations and Japanese history, let curiosity strike and settle in for a rousing battle. Nobunaga’s Ambition is enough to get you started in the genre and is destined to lead to greater things.

Final Fight 2 — Issue 38

Posted on March 27, 2021 by GI - Brandon Beatty

Capcom brawler takes fight worldwide

As a child of the early ’90s, Final Fight not only increased my addiction to arcade games, but also introduced me further to Capcom’s skyrocketing rise as a game developer. I dived into Final Fight 2 to relive my arcade glory days.

In Final Fight 2, time has passed since Mike Haggar, Cody Travers and Cody’s friend Guy defeated the Mad Gear gang, restored peace to the streets of Metro City and rescued Haggar’s daughter Jessica from the Mad Gear’s leader, Belger. That peace is short-lived when the remnants of Mad Gear return under a new leader and kidnap Guy’s fiancée, Rena, and Guy’s sensei, Genryusai.

With Cody away on a trip with Jessica and Guy away on secret training, Haggar is joined by Rena’s sister, Maki, and Haggar’s friend Carlos Miyamoto on a worldwide quest to crush the Mad Gear and rescue Rena and Genryusai. FF2 has a lot going for it; it’s a direct sequel never released in arcades with a lot of new material despite no new general mechanics.

FF2 has an expanded battlefield with Haggar, Maki and Carlos starting their journey in Hong Kong and ending that journey in Japan. The main protagonists make their way through several locales in Europe in their search for Rena, all the while surrounded by improved graphics over the first game. The backgrounds are high quality, and the sprites are well-drawn and crisp for each character with a lot of attention to detail.

The attention to detail also shows up in the controls. Overall, control is simple even though each character has a unique fighting style. Haggar still has his pro wrestling moves, Maki makes use of Ninjitsu and Carlos practices martial arts and sword skills. Though they are generic in execution, it’s fun to see how each character operates during the fight.

Power-ups are still obtained via smashing various objects and range from steamed Chinese buns to a pair of shoes that can increase health or score points. Finding either a Genryusai or Guy doll will give an extra life or invincibility. As for the music, it is arcade perfect just like its predecessor. It’s a nice soundtrack of early Capcom brawler, and it fits the action perfectly in each of the game’s locations.

As much as I enjoyed FF2, the game does have some flaws. While each character has their own awesome special moves, using them does cost health. That’s annoying when you’re trying to use more powerful moves to defeat bosses and trying not to die at the same time. Also, during the timed bonus stages, control is hit or miss when striking objects; if it’s not done perfectly, you lose the bonus points. I also got frustrated when I couldn’t take the weapons I found into other areas. That cheapens the use of the weapon and makes it useless shortly after picking it up. And, the challenge level is ridiculous. I needed a cheat code just to get to the real ending in expert mode. It’s too easy to die and taking hits from off-screen enemies is terrible.

Final Fight 2 placed the series in the ranks of Capcom’s top-tier franchises. While it hasn’t seen the level of push of say, Street Fighter or Resident Evil, the beat-’em-up is fondly remembered as one of Capcom’s crowning achievements.

Super Street Fighter II — 4Q2020 issue

Posted on October 25, 2020 by GI - Lyndsey Beatty

Super fighting fun again

Though I play a lot of fighting game series, I keep coming back to Street Fighter. I don’t know if it’s out of habit or because I’m comfortable with the series’ systems, but I find myself intimately familiar with the Capcom creation. It started with Street Fighter II for SNES, not the arcade. As the series moved along incrementally, so did I and I discovered the upgrade. The home port of Super Street Fighter II for SNES was one of the best and that accolade still stands after nearly 30 years.

Though Capcom still hadn’t learned to count to three and Super Street Fighter II reeks of milking the franchise for all it was worth, it’s technically a good port. This is the best version of the arcade experience before Super Turbo, and the SNES, despite its problems with censorship, is the best version you’re going to get. Super is where you’re introduced to the four new challengers, who add some interesting elements. Each of their fighting styles are already represented in the game with other stalwarts, but they’re fun to play, nevertheless.

The music has hit its peak here, too. It’s the same as the original Street Fighter II and Hyper Fighting, but it’s Street Fighter at peak Street Fighter. That also applies to the controls. It’s the Street Fighter that you know and love but cleaned up just a tad.

My main gripe with the game is the fact that it’s not Street Fighter III, which it would have been if not for the insistence of Capcom not counting ahead. Capcom knew it had a winner on its hands but repeatedly milked the franchise until there was nothing else to wring from it. Super would absolutely have been great if not for the fact that Super Turbo came a year later and there had already been two other incremental iterations of the game previously. That cheapens Super to a degree all around. However, given that Super Turbo did not come home from the arcades for the SNES, Super gets a boost in nostalgic factor.

What you need to take away from SSFII is the refinement of the Street Fighter II experience, and this is where it shines. Everything about Street Fighter II was at peak condition and refined to a tee with this iteration. Yes, this is pre-Turbo super moves and specials but in a way that makes it the last true unspoiled Street Fighter II experience. It was so good that later Street Fighter games attempt to replicate this version with modes that play like Super with no super moves and most, if not all, of its mechanics. That’s how you know it’s a defining moment in a series’ lifespan. It’s a super fighting game for a super system that still holds up.

Batman Returns — 4Q2020 issue

Posted on October 24, 2020 by GI - Lyndsey Beatty

Dark Knight’s second outing a rousing adventure

As a Batman fan, I hold a special place in my heart for most of the big-screen adaptations of the Caped Crusader’s fight to clean up Gotham. Batman Returns, despite its problems, is at the top of the list in terms of favorite aesthetics in a Batman film. That said, I wasn’t sure if I felt the same affection for the game version.

The story is the same as the film: You, as the Dark Knight, battle the nefarious Penguin and his equally foolish partner Catwoman as they join forces to take over Gotham and wreak havoc. Because you are technically superior (and richer) than your foes, you have an arsenal at your disposal that helps you take out the criminal element that is doing the bidding of the meddlesome bird man and troublesome minx. Really, if you’ve watched the superb film, you shouldn’t be at a loss here as to what you need to do. It follows the plot exactly, including the encounters that Batman has with lesser henchmen. Being a game based on a movie property sometimes has its perks.

Controlling the Dark Knight is much like you would expect from watching the movie. Batman is easy to guide around, though there are a few spots where the directions and what to do could be a little more clearly pointed out. However, Batman is fluid and moves quickly enough that getting around Gotham to take on the Penguin and Catwoman isn’t much of a problem.

Returns, foremost, is stunning visually. Much like the film, the game’s graphics are top-notch and evoke that well-known Tim Burton feel. The graphics are so well done that it almost appears that they were taken directly from the movie and inserted into the game. The colors are rich and pop when necessary in the game’s color palette, though it doesn’t stray far from the movie’s muted coloring too much.

Much like the graphics, the sound is also spot on and close to the movie’s backing tracks. Of course, there are a few appropriations because you’re not getting a full orchestra with composer Danny Elfman on the SNES chip, but the music is sufficient and gets the job done.

Batman Returns is a decent adventure set to the tune of the popular sequel on the silver screen. It’s a paint-by-the-numbers sequel with gorgeous, rich visuals that somehow manage to do the movie version justice in the 16-bit era. It’s comfortable and easy going, so you’re not missing anything if you’re looking for the best follow up that features Batman. The Bat, the Cat and the Penguin have a good adaptation on their hands with this 16-bit recreation of Gotham.

Cool Spot — 2Q2019 issue

Posted on June 16, 2020 by GI - Lyndsey Beatty

A refreshing platformer

Every so often there will be a licensed game that’s actually worth something. It will have a great soundtrack and decent controls and not be so obnoxiously unplayable that legions of older gamers remember it with a certain hatred that burns deep within their soul to be passed down through generations to come. Cool Spot, licensed from Pepsi partner 7UP, is the exception to the norm. If you’re expecting a half-baked idea of platforming solely because it’s a mascot, think again. This romp to release sentient little red dots is actually not half bad and has genre-redeeming qualities.

Cool Spot starts off innocuous enough. Spot must rescue its friends, who are trapped throughout 11 levels in cages. Why its friends are trapped, we’ll never know but it’s up to Spot to rescue them and lecture you about not drinking dark sodas. Spot’s traversal through these 11 levels is nothing short of amazing despite the rampant product placement. It’s surprisingly good, with solid controls that don’t make controlling Spot a chore, and competent simple mechanics that don’t get in the way: It’s mostly jumping and shooting magical sparks at enemies and barred gates. The life system — hilariously denoted by an ever-peeling and deteriorating picture of Spot — is more than generous and there are helper power ups galore to get through levels. The levels themselves have a lot of depth and are timed just right with enough time to explore or get the bare minimum experience in the search for Spot’s missing friend.

While Spot might be on a product placement-filled journey, it’s a lushly drawn trip. Cool Spot is no slouch when it comes to the audio-visual department. The backgrounds are drawn with Spot moving through an obviously human world at about 25 percent of the size of everything else. It isn’t big at all but the world surrounding it is and it shows in the sheer scale, though my only gripe with the game comes here: The backgrounds, while beautiful, are recycled except for a few stages. At least the first three stages are repeated and reused, just with new stage names and some recoloring in spots.

While you’re soaking up the beauty of it all, however, the soundtrack is rocking in the background. Cool Spot is one of the best soundtracks for the Super Nintendo and should be in every gamer’s library. Magnificent production values, crisp audio and nice, deep bass lines make for some interesting tracks that don’t sound like standard 16-bit audio. Tommy Tallarico, pre-Video Games Live fame, put obvious love and care into the audio and it shows. It’s one of the best soundtracks for its time.

Cool Spot has a lot to offer in the way of good ’90s platforming. If you can work around the product placement and shilling for the 7Up brand, you’ll find an uncomplicated hop-and-bop with depth and a banging soundtrack that’s surprisingly refreshing.

Bust-A-Move — 1Q2017 issue

Posted on June 15, 2020 by GI - Lyndsey Beatty

Puzzle Bobble’s breakout hit

Bubble Bobble isn’t super famous last I checked, but I learned who Bub and Bob were by the time I finished their first puzzle effort for the Super NES, the mid-90s appropriately named Bust-A-Move.

There’s much fun and mirth to be had in the bubble-popping title. There’s not much story other than Bub and Bob are popping bubbles to save a friend, who is trapped at the end (level 100). Once their friend is saved, that’s it. But, that’s assuming you can make it that far.

Bust-A-Move is incredibly simple to play but hard to master. The concept is easy to understand: aim a launcher and match three like-colored bubbles. The bubbles will fall off the playing field, clearing space and rows so that you can work toward clearing further bubbles. After a certain number are cleared, the ceiling of the well lowers, inching closer to a visible line. Once the line is crossed with a bubble, the game is over. Basically, it’s reverse Tetris with bubbles instead of lines. The trickiness in mastering the game comes in popping the bubbles. There are different techniques to achieving the results that you want, but it really comes down to knowing how to aim and learning the fabled bankshot off the side of the well.

With its simplicity in learning, Bust-A-Move quickly distinguishes itself as fun to play. I requested the game for my 14th birthday, and I’ve had a blast playing the original since. There are other games in the series, but this one is the best out of all of the sequels and spinoffs of the series. The controls aren’t too stiff, though sometimes I have complaints about the particular way a bubble bounces or sticks a little too easily to the first bubble it comes close to. Yet, the controls aren’t horrible.

The simple theme also shows in the graphics. Bust-A-Move is one of the brightest and cutest games I’ve ever played. The colors pop and while you’re using colored bubbles, they don’t necessarily interfere with the background graphics, which could make for a confusing play field.

Bust-A-Move also gets a nod for its attention paid to other modes such as Challenge and the two-player bubble popping. Challenge is fun and a good test of skills: You’re tasked with popping as many bubbles as you can before it’s game over. It’s hard to pop a lot if you’re new to the game, but as your skills progress, you can and will see a difference in how long you manage to last. The two-player mode is fun also, because you can either play against the computer or against another human player. Any game that gives me the option to play two-player against the computer automatically gets a nod because that injects longevity into a title immediately.

There’s a decent amount of depth to Bust-A-Move and it certainly makes for an interesting puzzle distraction on the SNES. It’s worth exploring the bubble-popping world with the original bubble eliminator.

NBA Jam — 3Q2014 issue

Posted on July 5, 2014 by GI - Lyndsey Beatty

Photo courtesy of Gamefaqs.com

The old king of the court

NBA Jam was — and still is — an experience. No, that’s not some preposterous fluff dreamed up by an National Basketball Association maven like yours truly. It was truly an experience because if you were around at the time that Jam hit the streets, you’d remember the sheer amount of hype that surrounded the arcade release. You’d also remember the hype that came home with it. Was it justified hype? Yes and no.

You see, Jam represented the start of the exaggerated sports game era, the type of game where the player animations were over the top and the action just as extreme. Throw in a plethora of secrets — like playing as President Bill Clinton — and the hype went into overdrive. The game isn’t bad and it mostly lived up to its billing. The simple setup of two-on-two basketball and fast-break basketball helped certainly, and the animation isn’t bad at all. The player interaction is where it mostly succeeds, actually. At the time,

Photo courtesy of NIntendolife.com

there was no other place to get the kind of play that Jam offers: Crazy dunks, the ability to be on fire from great shooting and street ball-type rules. It’s that offering that made it a phenomenal success.

Jam doesn’t stumble in its race to be an in-your-face baller experience. That street ball player interaction means you don’t have to learn much about the game to succeed and play well. The control is simple yet has a layer of depth that means anyone can do well at any skill level. The atmosphere could be a little better with a better soundtrack, but what will make you take notice is the announcer. If there’s anything you will remember about the game, it’s Tim Kitzrow shouting to the top of his lungs that a man is “on fire” or “BOOMSHAKALAKA.”

The graphics, like the soundtrack, are nothing to get excited about. There’s a static crowd except for the courtside folk, and then there’s the players. Jam popularized the over-exaggerated look for players, and it certainly had its uses. It’s not out of place for Jam, and it brings a certain atmosphere to the action that Jam benefits from.

If there’s ever a reason to play NBA Jam, find it in the cartoonish action, sound and look. That’s where the fun is, and the main reasons why the game succeeded in living up to the hype (mostly) that broke backboards in the olden days of 1993.

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