Victory Run

~ VICTORY RUN ~

Hudson Soft / NEC

HuCard

1989

I bought this driving game way back in 1989, but it wasn't until many years later that I finally managed to beat it. I didn't play it much when I was a kid because it was pretty difficult for me back then, and I didn't play it at all for a number of years because it just didn't seem like a very good game. When I finally gave it another go as a skilled and determined (and extremely geeky) adult, I not only beat it but also enjoyed it.

Practice is necessary to take a firm grip on the clunky Victory Run vehicle. Of no help at all are the other drivers, who are collision-happy bastards, and the patches of crap that are littered about most of the tracks. Making matters even more difficult is the fact that your car slows down (and loses valuable extra seconds) during the final straightaway in each stage in order to "check in" at the finish line, an element of the proceedings that immediately seemed silly and objectionable to me. There are very few tunes to accompany the initially unenjoyable racing, and the first few levels are visually dull and redundant.

But when I reached the point where I was controlling my car well enough to steer clear of all the crap-patches and bastard-manned autos, I was able to advance past those lackluster early boards, and then things got fun. The final few levels are such a step up visually from the first bunch that it's hard to believe the same designers were involved with both batches. The vast green fields in Stage 6, the cloud-crossed sky in Stage 7, the sun-brightened beach in Stage 8... it's all beautiful stuff.

Appealing latter-half artwork isn't the only thing the game has going for it. Budgeting spare parts, considering terrain type (and the effect it has on gear switching), and overcoming limited visibility during nighttime stretches are enjoyable elements that add a bit of complexity to the basic "beat the clock" formula. And I always get a kick out of the rounds of applause that are given when you complete a stage without using any of your earned/allotted extra time (and it's worth noting that the time limits during the last few levels are really quite lenient). To top it all off, the brief ending sequence is pretty amusing.

Frankly, I'm probably being a little too positive here. The appealing strategy-related aspects of the affair and the late-stage visual heroics don't offset the fact that the actual driving calls for some grueling practice sessions. Still, if you dismiss (or have already dismissed) the game due to early-level boredom (as I once did), I recommend giving it another shot at some point because of the fun that can ultimately be had with it.

Son Son II

~ SON SON II ~

NEC Avenue / Capcom

HuCard

1989

Son Son II's soundtrack caught my attention immediately; it definitely ranks among the catchiest in the PCE library. I was truly surprised by just how awesome the melodies are, as cartoony platformers of SS2's ilk usually feature merry little jingles that just aren't my thing. The first stage's theme is pleasant enough, but then comes Stage 2 with a fantastic hook, Stage 4 with a wonderful bass-heavy number, and the final board with a fast-paced classic that had me pumped for the entire last stretch.

The bright, colorful graphics also pull their weight. They reminded me a bit of Tiger Road's at first, but with emphasis on vibrancy rather than grittiness. In fact, early on I was concerned that the whole affair would come off as just too darn "happy," but the areas are so visually appealing that it's practically impossible not to enjoy them, from Stage 4's snow land and Stage 5's orange skies to Stage 6's cloud castles and Stage 7's grand fortress.

So the superficials are great, but what really makes SS2 not only an extraordinary platformer but also an elite PCE game is its exploration element. Some of the levels are absolutely enormous and offer many different roads for you to travel down. And lethargic sightseeing is unacceptable here, as you'll constantly be leaping, falling, dashing, climbing, and peeking around for secrets (of which there are loads). Those might sound like the genre's traditional actions, but the impeccable stage design propels this experience to an entirely different level. You'll continually need to contemplate your next step or leap. Determine which corridors or niches to approach first to make the going a little easier and more cost efficient, and make wise use of shops and the various spells and items they offer. The way in which you manage your inventory can lead to success or failure here. You must be especially careful when deciding whether or not to swing away with your limited-use block-smashing glove: sometimes it's beneficial to unearth a hidden bonus; other times it's best to save that swipe for a different spot, where it can reveal an even more-precious reward. You'll also have to familiarize yourself with the locations where you can replenish the all-important glove's uses. You can totally see what the designers were thinking with item, shop, and enemy placement; this is one remarkably well-constructed adventure game.

It's a good thing that thorough level investigation is so enjoyable here, as it's absolutely essential. "Exploration" in many mascot-type run-and-jumpers means strolling around as you find your eighty-second extra life or forty-seventh bonus round, but Son Son II rewards you with necessities, such as keys to new areas, significant upgrades for your weapon, and trinkets that can be traded for valuable pieces of equipment. Many of these important objects are cleverly hidden, so you'll have to be extremely attentive as you poke around. The game keeps you constantly active and constantly thinking. Memorization isn't a chore at all here; it comes naturally as you have a blast with the action and secret uncovering. You're awarded extra cash at the end of a board if you complete it quickly, so there's additional incentive to really know the ins and outs of every expansive stage. Conversely, if you spend too much time blundering about a single level, a rather mean enemy will show up to annihilate you.

Actually, the enemy cast on the whole is a rather tough lot. You'll face all sorts of bad guys, including bouncy blobs, reptilian ogres, odd Octorok-like things, sneaky flytraps, Castlevania-type bone throwers, and drifting ghosts who can shove you off platforms or knock you around endlessly. You must learn when each breed is coming and figure out which countermeasures work best in each situation. Perhaps you'll know that three blobs are about to bound towards you at once, so you'll need to position yourself for an optimal initial strike and then have the wherewithal to change your position and finish them off. Thankfully, you have cool spear-like weapons and a bit of magical power with which to combat your strong, skilled adversaries. You'll probably need to resort to sorcery to defeat a brutal fan-wielder who loves to slam you into walls. Elsewhere, you might find yourself hopping atop a cloud, gaining the ability to soar about the playfield in the process, as you deal with a giant axeman.

And at the end of it all, you'll feel awfully good, as this is a very tough game. It's also one of the greatest HuCards ever made.

Bloody Wolf

~ BLOODY WOLF ~

Data East / NEC

HuCard

1990

Amidst comparisons to Contra, Last Alert, and the like, Bloody Wolf has seen its essence grow increasingly obscured over the years. Stone-faced scribes have shrouded the game’s true nature with flimflam-filled articles detailing the “solid action” and “cool graphics” that it flaunts. We must assume that these apocryphal assessments resulted either out of ignorance or an unwillingness to accept the adventure for what it is--which, of course, is an examination of the romances of chivalry.

Believe it. Bloody Wolf, an apparent overhead shooting game, pays homage to heroes who cherished only their reputations for magnanimity over their talent with weaponry. Admonishing those who tread down dishonorable paths, slaying giants in the names of the damsels they adore, and generally transforming wrongs into rights were the duties of these chivalrous warriors, all of which they went about while unleashing the most noble and eloquent of speeches, never to be forgotten by those who were privy to their beautiful melodies.

Select your knight errant from two soldiers reminiscent of Rambo. The fellow who goes unchosen will not be left out of this history entirely--he will merely be relegated to the role of squire. Our brave knight won’t quest for the sake of a lady--rather, the apple of his eye will be the beloved president of our country. He'll come equipped with the requisite stilted lines of dialogue, however, the delivering of which he undoubtedly practiced for hours in front of a mirror before nobly setting off on his mission.

Have you ever had the honor of hearing such mellifluous brilliance as the poetry our hero delivers upon acquiring a healing item?

MEDICINE. THE PAIN IS GONE.

Calm your racing heart and witness the glory that is our knight errant’s assessment of the situation at hand:

THE PRESIDENT IS IN THE ENEMY CAMP. HE IS A TROUBLEMAKER.

Well, at least we know what he means. Bless the oaf’s heart; he's trying.

Perhaps we’d do better to take a listen to our hero’s eloquence while he's in the midst of battle, when he feels at home and in his element. Perhaps the perfect instance would be when he encounters his knife-wielding rival in a dense, foreboding jungle:

Knife Guy: HA. I’LL SLICE YOU TO RIBBONS.

Our Hero: A-HA.

Knife Guy: WOWWWWW...

Noble intentions aside, this could be very well be the goofiest, most laughable dialogue to be witnessed in a game since the awful exchanges that took place in Captain America and the Avengers. Bloody Wolf doesn’t stop there, though; while paying homage to crap, why not give a nod to the infamous Sword of Sodan? One grateful young man does just that when he grants your knight errant a little advice as a reward for his chivalrous deeds:

WATCH OUT FOR BRIDGES.

Thank you, sir. Bridges are easy to miss, after all, when one isn’t WATCHING OUT for them--even if one is a knight errant.

Goofiness isn't confined to the charming dialogue; there are plenty of chuckles to be had when action is actually taking place. Let’s say that you nail an advancing soldier with a machine-gun shot right to the stomach--watch as blood pours out of his abdomen and he writhes in pain. Pretty cool, eh? Now, let’s say that you decide to annihilate your next foe with the toss of a grenade. Watch as your enemy rises up into the air, spinning all the while, and goes flying off the screen--perhaps the goofiest darn death sequence since similar misadventures took place in Last Battle.

And now we’re arriving at the essence of Bloody Wolf. Sure, it’s an intense study of chivalry and the heroes who subscribed to those ideals. Even more importantly, though, it represents the unholy alliance of Last Alert and a multitude of the silliest kitsch classics ever released.

Well, if you’re going to get any enjoyment out of this adventure, you’d best be of the ilk that finds amusement in such classics, as Bloody Wolf struggles a bit with its fundamentals. Gameplay-wise, it doesn't fare well in comparison with the similar (and much deeper) Last Alert. It lacks LA's varied mission objectives; instead, it delivers fairly straightforward run-and-kill stuff along with occasional hostage-rescue missions. Its control scheme is rather cumbersome (you can make use of two different weapons at once, but the second is triggered via the Run button) and doesn't feel as refined as LA's (forget about strafing). And your knight errant's adventure comes to an end much more quickly than Guy Kazama's does.

BW's cast of enemies also fails to impress; these certainly are not the kinds of villains that an aspiring knight errant could make history doing battle with. There is an unlimited quantity of dull-witted soldiers to destroy, most of whom appear in generic green garb and offer so little in the way of challenge that you might as well be dueling with windmills. These cretins are often accompanied by troops of red and blue varieties--the red fellas are a bit quicker than the greens, while the blue guys make use of spread guns. Prepare to run into these three types of adversaries quite often. Sure, to break up the monotony, you’ll be allowed to battle “armored” soldiers who can be defeated only if you attack them with certain types of weapons, but this remains a crew that falls far short of being exemplary.

Nonetheless, the situations you’re thrust into are occasionally interesting. Scaling the side of a mountain while dodging bullets is pretty enjoyable, even if you’re being shot at by those dull green folks (who temporarily assume the guises of paratroopers). River rafting while annihilating soldiers who launch missile attacks from the bank and dodging lunatics who lunge towards you in kamikaze fashion can be an engaging experience, as can zipping through an enemy base on a motorcycle, running over your enemies as you go.

Bloody Wolf adorns its hit-or-miss gameplay with colorful visuals and large, impressive sprites. Unfortunately, the characters seem to be a little too huge for their own good, as the screen often gets murdered by slowdown and flicker (which is particularly irritating when you consider that there isn’t all that much actual action going on). The game’s audio travels down a similar path: while the tunes are all quite melodic and should make for great listening, they're way too tinny and percussive in their execution. It’s the type of cacophony that usually only the horrible Genesis sound chip is capable of producing. The intense boss tune is the one track can be heard repeatedly without becoming annoying (which is a very good thing, as you’ll undoubtedly have to face a few of the ruffians more than once before you'll be able to annihilate them).

Speaking of the boss encounters, you’ll spar with helicopters, tanks, and other assorted giants as you attempt to prove your valor.

The battle with the “Knife Guy” alluded to above is interesting in that you and he are limited to stabbing and parrying with handheld weapons--which makes no sense, as you’ll have plenty in the way of guns and ammo by the time you reach that point, but it does make for a great fight. Also interesting is the showdown with the aptly named “Boss,” which takes place as you’re on the verge of rescuing the president. Somehow, this fellow uses a boomerang to nab all your weapons except for a small blade.

He won’t play fair like the Knife Guy does, however; instead, he’ll hurl a plethora of those lethal projectiles about the room as he fires away at you with his cannon.

Defeat him and you’ll have the privilege of witnessing one of the goofiest sequences in action-gaming history. With the president by your side, you’ll have to make a mad dash past dozens of enemy troops to reach the point where your rescue ‘copter is waiting. So off you go, wary but confident, when you suddenly remember that you still can only make use of your knife. As you hack and slash your way through fools who somehow can’t seem to kill you even with all their fancy spread guns and grenades, the president waddles along behind you, hands still bound (you’d think that while your knight is making so much use of his knife, he’d bother to cut the president loose). Not only will all those villains most likely fail in their attempts to stop you, but not one of them will actually think to grab the helpless president as he huffs and puffs his way to freedom.

Well, that sure is bad, but the worst is yet to come.

You see, when you finally do reach the helicopter, a soldier jumps out and tells you that there is room on board for only one more passenger.

For crying out loud, people, squeeze in! Have the president sit on someone’s lap! Do something so that everyone can go home safe and sound.

But no, it wouldn’t be proper for a knight errant to force his president to take a trip in discomfort. So the hero stays behind and gets captured by the enemy troops, who finally manage to catch up to him.

Here’s where the fellow whom you didn’t choose to play as enters the picture. As Sancho Panza would for Don Quixote, your squire comes running to the rescue. For most of what remains of the adventure, you’ll play as the “other fellow,” who raids the enemy headquarters in an effort to rescue our beloved knight errant. You’ll reassume your role as the true hero when the time comes for the final battle--and what an incredible battle it is!

Boss and his boomerangs show up for another duel, but this time, the fiend exhibits some newly learned “holographic powers.'' You know the deal: avoid the fakes and hit the "real one.” But it’s tough; Boss is one speedy villain, and he’s powerful enough to kill you before you even realize what it is you’re supposed to be doing.

Being a poor man’s Last Alert is nothing to be ashamed of. But even when considering Bloody Wolf’s own distinct merits, I feel that it has been overrated in the past. This is not a great game. Still, you’ll complete the adventure with a feeling of accomplishment and a smile on your face (as the ending sequence actually contains a good dose of effective intentional humor). Certainly, most knights errant would be content to retire in such a state.

Wonderboy in Monsterland (Bikkuriman World)

Westone/Hudson Soft - 1987 - Japan
HuCard

I have a strong sentimental attachment to this one, so it’s hard to know if nostalgia is clouding my judgement. Wonderboy in Monsterland (otherwise known as Bikkuriman World) is a game I’ve had for many many years, and it also happened to be my first-ever Japanese import for the Turbo.

The second game in an extremely confusing series, this is the only entry of all the titles ported to the Turbo that didn’t get an official US release. Despite this, an independent party released a translation at some point so the game is playable in full English if you’ve got a flash cart.

This guy bears an uncanny resemblence to the hero of the fifth adventure, Dynastic Hero.

As if this all wasn’t enough, Monsterland also happens to be the very first game ever released for the console and sure did a lot to pave the way for many more arcade-accurate ports down the road. Wonderboy in Monsterland saw an almost pixel-perfect port to the home system, and if it wasn’t for the changing of a few bosses due to licensing issues with SEGA, I’d say it’d rank in the top 3 arcades ports in the vast Duo library. But Monsterland’s blessing is also it’s Achilles' heel.

The quarter-eating arcade gameplay mechanics of the time were left unchanged for this home version, and it’s very very evident after playing for only a short time. You have only one life; when your “heart meter” runs out, you might as well stick the fork in-- you’re done. This makes the game feel a little difficult at first, but after a few runs you’ll get the hang of things.

One of the cooler looking bosses, despite being stupidly easy.

Monsterland expands on the mindless platforming of its predecessor by adding shops & RPG elements to the gameplay. (The original Wonderboy was a vanilla run-and-jump affair, see New Adventure Island for a psuedo-port of that one.) You upgrade your boots, weapons, and armor bought with money you acquire from the skeletons you slay and the snakes you slice. You’ll go from town to island to town, visiting shops and talking with the locals. Listen to what they say-- they’ll give you hints about secret items that will make the final battle quite a bit easier.

Curious how your hair mysteriously turns from brown to blonde as soon as you acquire the Legendary Equipment.

The late ‘80s were a transition time for video games-- 16-bit graphics were new on the scene, but the gameplay remained strictly 8-bit. Monsterland is a perfect specimen from this era. Aesthetics are primitive by an 16-bit standard, but still better than anything an 8-bit system could crank out, with shading much too deep for a paltry 16-color pallete. The music in Monsterland ranges from average to excellent. Two tunes here will be very familiar for anyone who’s played the fourth game in the series (Dragon’s Curse). Most of the stuff is really good, but there is one song in particular that can be a little grating.

I’ve probably played Monsterland about half as many times as I’ve played Space Harrier, which means that I’ve still played it about 2,803,927,347,623 more times than any other game. One thing that still disappoints me though are the changes they made to the boss characters. To understand the reasoning for this you have to understand what happened with this series of games. The games were initially developed by Westone for SEGA. With the rights to this and the first Wonderboy game, SEGA was feeling particularly stingy but only actually owned the boss characters as intellectual property. So Westone went ahead and licensed the game to Hudson Soft anyway, with the stipulation they had to use different characters to avoid copyright infringement. In almost every case the new boss is entirely inferior to it’s arcade counterpart. The one single exception is this guy who breaths flames of awesomeness all over you:

Wonderboy in Monsterland sure brings a lot more to the table than its predecessor, but I’d be a fool to try and convince anyone it was the best the series had to offer. Newcomers would probably do better to start with the fourth game in the series, Dragon’s Curse, which actually is the direct followup to Monsterland and unquestionably the strongest game in the series (Wonderboy 3: Monster Lair is an unrelated standalone affair.... Confused yet?). Nevertheless, Wonderboy in Monsterland is a game I’ll forever have a fond place for in my heart and one that I’ll return to time and time again because as much as I play it, it never gets old.

Fans of Dragon's Curse might be thinking this looks a little familiar....

...yes, definitely looking familiar...

You probably already know how this battle ends.

Legend of Xanadu II

~ THE LEGEND OF XANADU II ~

Falcom

Super CD-ROM

1995

I've played through this magnificent action-RPG a good five or six times now. It's a grand, beautiful adventure game that is far too easy and criminally short; it doesn't come anywhere close to its predecessor in terms of challenge or scope. However, that might not be a negative for people who don't feel like contending with a daunting language barrier. This episode is quite easy to get into and enjoy, and judging by my own experiences, it has fantastic replay value.

The action is still primarily bump-and-run Ys-style fare, but combat is more entertaining here thanks to the inclusion of actual attack animations. You still send Areios crashing into his foes as if he's a speedy, maniacal linebacker, but now he hacks away with his sword as you do it. Your computer-controlled allies get attack styles of their own: while you're doing your slashing, Lykos may be tossing knives; Pyrra, hurling fireballs; and Media, shooting arrows, with lots of enemies facing the group at once. Field excursions feel extremely exciting and chaotic with all that action going on, even though the gameplay is still a matter of bumping at heart.

While the first game places much of its focus on puzzles and fetch-quest-type tasks, this one concentrates on elements of combat and exploration. It plops you down in vast, beautiful locations and has you hack your way across the land, enjoying the amazing scenery as you go. I must emphasize that "beautiful" part, as these are amazing visuals that set the standard for PCE action-RPGs.

The music, though mostly chip fare just as before, is also brilliant, especially the dramatic final-dungeon track. I usually don't turn up the volume very high while I'm playing video games, as I'm a mild-mannered fellow and all, but I definitely cranked it for some of these tunes.

Now, the lack of puzzles is disappointing, as there are so many cleverly constructed ones in the first game. Here, the most puzzling conundrum is how exactly Pyrra suddenly became hot. (Even Areios seems baffled by this.)

Also a little disappointing is the omission of full-length side-view stages, as only the boss fights are played from such a perspective. The artwork on display during these fights actually doesn't live up to the visual standards set by the action strips in the first LoX, but there's a fantastic gauntlet at the very end here.

Most of what I'm citing as disappointments are things that bother me only because I'm comparing this game to its predecessor; if you haven't played the first one, you'll of course be judging this episode on its own strong merits.

Among those merits is town design. LoX2 features some gorgeous, enormous towns, very atypical in design for 16-bit metropolises. Now, milling around these gargantuan villages will be anything but enjoyable for folks who want to get right to the action, but if you're the type who likes a leisurely pace and you enjoy taking in the sights on offer as you stroll about fantasy towns, you'll love this for sure, as everything from a humble hut in the woods to a giant urban seaport looks absolutely wonderful.

I'm somewhat fickle when it comes to my view on how the two LoXs compare. When I've played them back to back, I've found the first to be the more impressive game, as it's so much more challenging and rewarding. But over the years I've generally held LoX2 in higher regard because I'm a sucker for its visuals, tunes, and chaotic combat and I've been enticed to return to it twice as often. But now more than ever I realize that it's pointless to compare the two. They are both brilliant and constitute a significant reason the Duo is undoubtedly the best system ever for action-RPGs. Buy them both, unless you really don't want to deal with the language issue in the first one, in which case you should still acquire the second.