L-Dis

~ L-DIS ~

NCS/Masaya

CD-ROM

1991

Sunny skies lend to the wonderful sense of freedom our two heroes experience as they break free of the bondage that is junior high. The final bell of the day brings limitless possibilities, homework a trifling matter when the weather is so beautiful and the trial that was the school day has been left conquered and forgotten. But youth goes hand in hand with recklessness, and in accordance with this proven rule, the newly freed students decide to shun the potential for constructive activity, instead opting to duck into a dreary alley and smear a complacent brick wall with all sorts of wacky illustrations.

And so they doodle away the late afternoon, taking pride in their ability to contribute to the neighborhood’s desecration, until a scrawny sorcerer comes along and brings their creations to life, transforming the products of their imaginations into ruthless beasts of destruction. Of course, the evil sketch-animator abducts the female member of the duo as well. You know what comes next. One’s woman must be rescued, and vengeance must be had.

What a way to spend a sunny day.

Recognized for the cinematic magnificence of Macross 2036 and notorious for the bodybuilding abominations known as the Choaniki episodes, NCS/Masaya cranked out another shooter for the Duo that has received substantially less fanfare over time. While 2036 represents their attempt at an intense Thunder Force-style blastathon and the Choanikis are simply, well, odd, L-Dis stands as the company’s foray into the world of cartoonishness. If the opening sequence detailing our heroes’ plight doesn’t clue you in on this, then the mere appearance of your ship certainly will: this tool of destruction resembles a piece of bubble gum plastered with eyeballs and roughly molded into the form of Fantasy Zone's Opa Opa.

Up to two goofy mechanical allies may accompany the heroic little craft and contribute their own distinct brands of firepower. Minuscule as the members of our fellowship may be, they sure can deal out some heavy damage, and they definitely do their jobs in interesting fashion. Human hands fly forward to pelt your enemies, women’s shoes drop to the ground and slide along the terrain, deadly missiles-with-feet soar to the top of the screen and dash onwards, a rubber egg of death bounces about the playfield, and a smiley-faced energy burst clears the path ahead. Just as lethal as they are unique (or should I simply say “weird”?), all of these weapons can be at your disposal simultaneously. And this conglomeration represents but one of many possible combinations.

Use that mighty weaponry to obliterate Stage 1's toy snakes and talking clams. Admire the personality that the enemy cast is imbued with--it’s typical for your larger foes to exchange a few words with you, and even the genre’s standard mini-cannons are granted cute mini-eyeballs.

The nighttime city scene that is Stage 2 boasts the type of super-fast scrolling that NCS/Masaya enjoyed flaunting in 2036. Your ship kicks into high gear, zipping past looming structures, tearing through cyclopean craft and speedy vehicles that act as the mini-cannons’ convoy, and slowing down only when confronted by a gargantuan egg of doom that flutters about the screen via the use of two tiny golden wings. Defeat this abomination and access the underground, where large rats lunge towards you by flapping their enormous ears and a silly, slinky, orange-hurling robot attempts to thrash you by utilizing its slithering body and citrus brand of weaponry.

And all along, you’ll be privy to the cute, catchy tunes that make up L-Dis' comforting, nostalgia-inducing soundtrack. The game has a distinctly old-school feel about it; there are no wailing guitars or pounding drums, just warm tunes that seem to welcome you back each time you power the game up. Similarly endearing are the “Pyoom! Pyoom!" sound effects that often substitute for flat-out explosions.

Oh, but you will hear explosions--large, thunderous explosions akin to 2036‘s beautiful ear-bleeders. And they will act as your first clue that L-Dis isn’t quite as warm and cutesy as it's initially cracked up to be.

In fact, this game crushed me repeatedly when I first obtained it years ago. I eventually realized that finding weapons you're comfortable with and making masterful use of the option pods are the keys to success. Memorization and reflexes won't get you through the game if you aren't competent with the auxiliary weaponry.

This isn't a very cute "cute 'em up," and I don't say that just because it's hard. Sure, there are some funny voices, a bubblegum-ball ship, and an end-credits sequence that's kind of like a cartoony take on Ys', but you're not traveling through a land of pastels and silliness. After the pretty twilight sky of the first stage, you get cities, sewers, and bases that Opa Opa wouldn't be caught dead visiting.

The sub-aquatic kingdom that is Stage 4 returns to the game's cartoonish roots, and its icy brilliance marks the adventure’s highest point, although the bullet-spewing octopi and stone-faced submarines let you know that the enemy forces are done being "cute.”

From Stage 4 on, things get downright tough. And that's fine. A cartoony answer to the likes of Gaiares and R-Type seems like a brilliant concept. There could finally be refuge for the shooter pro who has had his fill of standard sci-fi spaceships and aliens.

Sadly, when L-Dis decides to get tough, it also chooses to leave behind much of its cartoony charm. The flying rabbits of Stage 5 can’t offset the dullness of the ugly brown-and-purple structures we’re forced to navigate.

And Stage 6, while boasting a level of difficulty just below the tier of insanity, manages to bore us with laser-spewing robots and mundane “navigate the maze of moving blocks” sequences. The streams of lasers seem never ending, and the mazes are cleverly designed (the concept is typical but the block patterns are not); and any level that features twelve damn bosses (and we're not talking rehashes of earlier guys) definitely deserves some respect...

...but this just isn’t the same L-Dis that many players come to love early on. It’s like a novel that features a deep, clever conclusion--but not the conclusion that one was hoping for.

And that stands as the reason why L-Dis isn’t an elite shooter--but it sure as hell doesn’t mean that the game isn’t wonderful. The excellent music, comedic voices, and cleverly designed boss characters are indisputable signs that NCS/Masaya put a great deal of heart and effort into it. Throw in attractive visuals, an innovative weapons system, and a challenge that’s sure to last and you wind up with a game that any PC Engine shooter fan should be proud to own.

It’s a great way to waste a sunny day.

Mahjong on the Beach

~ MAHJONG ON THE BEACH ~

NEC Avenue / Home Data

Super CD-ROM

1993

Mahjong on the Beach doesn't just plop you right down on a beach somewhere. You have to explore a vast metropolis and earn the right to set foot on this game's sandy shore.

In fact, even many of the urban locations are initially off limits. You must purchase certain items to gain access to the forbidden grounds.

You can acquire money for these items by confronting the girls that are strutting around town...

...and giving them a good looking over...

...and beating them at mahjong.

Once you make it to the beach, you have to chase down the town's most "super-desirable" chick. Beat her at mahjong and maybe, just maybe, your character can finally score.

Maybe.

It's a short, simple quest, which is probably a good thing, as you'll undoubtedly grow tired of encountering the same girls over and over again (even though there are quite a few of them), and this title doesn't have the sort of extreme hook that some other PC Engine mahjong games do. There are no crazy combat scenes, no over-the-top naughtiness, no absurdly wacky spectacles.

Then again, that simplicity might make the game exactly what some players are looking for. Mahjong on the Beach feels very laid back, like, uh, a carefree stroll on the beach. Even the music is relaxing. And if you're simply looking to bide a little time and enjoy a little mahjong action, this largely inoffensive title might be just the thing for you.

Magical Chase

~ MAGICAL CHASE ~

Quest / Palsoft

HuCard

1991 (US: 1993)

People would seem to have good reason for being excited about acquiring this game, even aside from overcoming its elusiveness. I'd seen nothing but high praise for MC for a number of years, and based on testimonials from a variety of sources, I thought it was a sure thing. But I'd also kept in mind the lukewarm review it received from VideoGames & Computer Entertainment back when it first came out. I'd pretty much written off that review, but as it turns out, once I'd played the game, I concluded that VG&CE was right on: Magical Chase is... okay.

I don't know about anyone else, but I like elements of precision and smoothness in my shooters. The sharp simplicity of the gameplay and the exactness often required in the more exciting efforts serve to separate the genre from others and make it much more appealing to me in most cases. MC lacks those elements, going the sloppy-shooter route instead. It has you waft along with a large hitbox and a hilariously long vitality meter (which you can stretch to even greater lengths by purchasing the appropriate item in shops). Feel free to blunder through fields laden with pudgy foes and the projectiles they fire, as money is abundant and shops will be right around the corner by the time you get into any trouble. You might have to make effective use of your "stars" (read: options) against certain bosses, but otherwise, strategy and precision are hardly necessary and don't really seem expected of you. Hard mode is a little more exciting than normal, but it feels even sloppier, as there's more aerial crap to bumble into, and it still isn't very tough. So MC isn't challenging, it isn't rewarding, and it doesn't feel particularly great to play.

When I'm up for a sloppy shooter with shops, I prefer to go with Lords of Thunder, as it features plenty of awesome creatures and boasts lots of incredibly impressive visual moments. MC's cast of small-fry is uninteresting and unendearing (which is especially disappointing considering the "cutesy" subject matter), while its bosses are simpletons.

Its graphics are technically impressive, I suppose, but they largely seem like spatterings of colors and scrolling without any regard for what might actually be visually appealing.

I must note that there are some differences visually between the TG-16 release and its PC Engine counterpart, with the only significant one working in favor of the US version, which has a refined brick-tower background for its Stage 1, while the PCE game sports simplistic, multicolored Tetris-block terrain.

Well, I said that MC is okay, but as I wrap up this review, I'm hard pressed to remember why I was that "generous." Let's see: I like Stage 5's tune a bit, I like the few instances where I feel compelled to put my options to good use, and I enjoy the decent challenge presented by the final stage on hard mode. That about covers it. Sure, I'm in the minority, but the game definitely was a disappointment for me, and it might be for you too if your taste in shooters is like mine. Others may find the visuals appealing and relish the opportunity to stumble through a shooter sans much grief or thought, but I don't. I wouldn't even rank MC above Cotton in the prestigious broomstick sub-genre. If you're a serious shooter player and you're interested in laying down big bucks for one of the more elusive PCE releases, I'd recommend titles like Sapphire and Sylphia long before this one. VG&CE probably would have too.

Moto Roader II

~ MOTO ROADER II ~

NCS/Masaya

HuCard

1991

Faster from the start and offering many more options and much more variety in general, Moto Roader II immediately comes off as an obvious upgrade over its excellent predecessor.

The first cool new element you're likely to notice here is that you have a choice to make regarding the type of vehicle you'll be using. No longer relegated to traditional race cars, MR2 players can opt to pilot tanks or hovercraft instead. I must say that I still prefer the speedy little autos to the bulky war machines and wafty hovers in most situations, but the presence of these new entities means you have a wider variety of opposing vehicles to concern yourself with. And since each type can be built up numerous times and in varying ways, you're bound to run into lots of different contraptions out on the tracks.

The courses themselves are no longer enclosed by typical green-field-type areas. Now you can tour volcanic regions, ice zones, cities, and savannahs.

There are plenty of new hazards about, including boulders that come rumbling across the road and birds, helicopters, and UFOs that assail you from above.

The overall improvement is clear as day, yet I hesitate to say that I rank MR2 above its predecessor. The original has better music (not to say that the tunes in 2 aren't very good), and for some reason I view it as being slightly more enjoyable (likely because its incredibly high fun factor took me by complete surprise, whereas I expected excellence from 2). Surely, most players will view the sequel as the superior episode. Regardless, this is one of those situations where buying both is undoubtedly the best course of action. They both rule.

Moto Roader

~ MOTO ROADER ~

NCS/Masaya

HuCard

1989

Moto Roader immediately reminded me of Legend of Dekoboko, another "car combat" game that insists on having all five racers onscreen at all times and smacks the bottom feeders forward when they fall too far behind. The memories of Dekoboko caused me much stress and vexation, as I did not enjoy that game. But I soon discovered that MR is a far cry from the debacle that is LoD.

Instead of walloping you with the edge of the screen and causing spin-out chains like Dekoboko does when you're trailing, MR simply gives you an oftentimes helpful little nudge that can be implemented tactically if you're willing to take some chances. And MR knows what it is; it knows what makes itself tick. Dekoboko is a failed attempt at cuteness: it tries so hard to incorporate "wacky" elements that it ends up being a slow, annoying obstacle-course run. MR, on the other hand, concentrates on providing simple, fast-paced fun.

You'll probably find that it delivers plenty of smile-evoking moments, like when you make a big jump and see your auto bouncing on the pavement and speeding on ahead of the pack, or when you avoid a slick spot that trips up all of your opponents, or when you pull off a last-second miracle at the finish line thanks to some crazy mishap that befalls the other drivers.

Also, the snazzy soundtrack is surprisingly good. Props to Goblin Sound!

I've read complaints about the one-player mode, and most of them involve the "high" level of difficulty, which the gripers attribute to the car being "too slow" at first. I don't know what the hell these people were expecting at the beginning of a game with purchasable upgrades--a speedster right off the bat? Heck, MR even gives you enough money so that you can upgrade your engine immediately if you want to, so I'd say it's more than fair in this regard.

I've also heard some gripes about the controls, which are indeed different from those in most racers, but spend an afternoon with the game and you'll have them mastered if you're competent.

So do buy MR if you aren't a bumbling fool. But bear in mind that there are actually some differences between the US version and its Japanese counterpart. For one thing, to access different courses in the JPN game, you have to input various button combinations at the title screen, whereas the US rendition presents them all on a convenient menu, no codes required.

The US chip also features extra background art during the pre-heat and trophy scenes along with a different chick (though, unfortunately, neither one of these girls is particularly pleasant to look at).

Both cards contain more than just a single ending image that you can view, though you do see only one each time you play through the game, and the one you end up with seems like a totally random thing.

One last difference to note is that the US version fails to give special thanks to SCHBIBIN MAN in its end credits. For shame.

Image Fight

~ IMAGE FIGHT ~

Irem

HuCard

1990

What I ended up getting with this vertical shooter in regard to action style was actually quite a bit different from what I'd anticipated. I'd read numerous articles that compared the game to R-Type, so I was expecting it to be relatively slow and methodical. But it really isn't like that at all.

Image Fight isn't Spriggan-fast, but it certainly doesn't plod along in the manner I'd expect from a shooter often classified with R-Type. For its first four stages, it feels somewhat like a Star Soldier game that grants the player nifty red pods to control (more on these in a moment). The "organic" fifth stage does remind me of R-Type with its large snake-type creatures, but throughout the early and middle stretches of the affair, reflexes take priority over memorization. It isn't until the last three boards that knowing the level layouts and strategizing for enemy patterns and vulnerabilities really become key. Even then, progress plays out more like it does in the excellent Sinistron, where you hammer away at segment after segment as you gradually make it further and become more comfortable, than it does in R-Type, where a little memorization allows you to charge through the first six levels as if there's no opposing army at all.

The red pods I alluded to earlier are Image Fight's hook. You can grab standard blue options that simply flank your ship and shoot straight ahead, but the red guys are much more interesting. You control their bullet streams by flying in the direction contrary to where you want them to fire. There are similar armaments in a number of other shooters, but few of them are as integral a component in their respective games as the red pods are here. You must not only master the direction-based firing but also consider ways to utilize the pods defensively.

Indeed, most of the later boss fights are all about ship positioning and pod placement. The early-level skirmishes are no cakewalks either, however. All of the bosses are cunning and can really make you panic with their attacks; and of course, panicking is the worst thing to do. The enemy leader in Stage 3 shoots long, shot-blocking lasers that crisscross the screen; if you decide to run around like a chicken with its head cut off, you won't stand a chance.

Oddly enough, your final opponent can be destroyed incredibly easily if you simply determine what the best weapon is to bring to the fight.

The bosses, as well as the regular enemies, look quite cool, but the level graphics are ho-hum at best. It's not that anything's particularly ugly about 'em, but there's nothing really eye catching about any of the environments, from the forest to the bases.

The music is nice, though, particularly the surprisingly soft numbers, and there's a cool Ninja Spirit-style sound test.

One more thing I must mention is the penalty zone, an extremely difficult area that serves as your punishment if you fail to obliterate a significant chunk of the enemy legion during the regular levels. I'd never been there until I swallowed my pride and missed shots intentionally so that my hit percentages would plunge below the border, so it's a fate you shouldn't have to work very hard to avoid. If you're wondering if it's worth taking pains to visit the zone just for the experience, well, I sure as hell don't think so, and there's practically no reward for overcoming the extreme difficulty and making it out of there alive.