Mega Man X (1994, SNES) - Future Fighting Robot Chills with Penguins

Mega Man X is the first installment of the popular Mega Man spinoff series of the same name. Released in 1994, it was the first 16-bit Mega Man adventure, and would eventually see seven direct sequels of its own, an RPG based on its storylines (2004's Mega Man Command Mission), and its own spinoff franchise, Mega Man Zero. Written by longtime Mega Man designer Keiji Inafune, Mega Man X retains the basic formula of the original series while offering faster game play, more dramatic player control, and a more serious storyline. Looking back on it twenty years later, how well does is stand up today?

Click here for a complete gallery of screenshots taken during my play through of this game on the Wii U.

Earthbound (1994, SNES) - Fear and Loathing in Eagleland

I've played more than my fair share of turn-based, Japanese RPGs over the years. I've even spent years making my own games in the same style. Yet for some reason, I'd never put any real time into Earthbound, a cult classic 1994 RPG published by Nintendo and developed by Ape and Hal Laboratories under the direction and writing of Shigesato Itoi, with programming and production by future Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. It's a game that's earned a dedicated following, with everything from thriving fan sites to an in-depth study of its localization to oppositional readings. After years of fan demand, Nintendo of America re-released it on the Wii U in 2013, and I finally had my chance to give it at a fair shot. I'm glad I did; Earthbound is a stylish, imperfect game that stands out as a sort of precursor to the writing style of the modern indie game movement.

Click here for a complete gallery of screenshots taken during my play through of this game on the Wii U.

Review - Ultraman: Towards the Future (SNES, 1991)

The early 90's saw the birth of the modern 2D fighter with Capcom's Street Fighter II, released in arcades in March of 1991. As the numeral in its title suggests, Street Fighter II wasn't the first fighter, but it was the first to really make a huge cultural impact and, most importantly, actually be a great game. With a colorful cast of characters, a variety of special moves that made mind games and spacing critical to victory, and a fantastic soundtrack, Street Fighter II spawned a legacy like few games do. If you want to see just what made Street Fighter II so impressive, look at the competition; while there were plenty of other good 2D fighters, there was a flood of terrible junk that followed in SF2's wake. From Shaq Fu to Rise of the Robots to Clayfighter to War Gods, there were some absolutely awful fighters in the 90's. Among the very worst is Bandai's Ultraman: Towards the Future.

Review - Super Metroid (SNES, 1994)

 
Super Metroid is the third game in Nintendo's Metroid series and the first game in the series on which Gunpei Yokoi did not serve as producer. Yoshio Sakamoto would serve as designer and director here and as well as for the next three Japanese Metroid titles (Fusion, Zero Mission, and Other M.) This game serves as a direct continuation of the previous two games' stories and includes a slow opening cutscene explaining the last two stories, hindered by a hilariously awful bit of voice acting on the opening lines. In spite of that, Super Metroid mostly feels like a remake of the original game. It's a very good remake, fixing every problem that the original game has, and is ultimately one of the best games on the SNES, but Super Metroid lacks the originality of Metroid II in spite of being an overall better game.

Review - Final Fantasy VI

Released on the SNES in 1994, Square's sixth Final Fantasy game is widely considered one of the greatest Japanese RPGs of all time. It features a large, varied cast, a huge number of skills to learn, and a fast-paced story that unfolds across two unique worlds. This game includes some of the most memorable heroes and villains in the Final Fantasy series, and for the most part, holds up well today. It has a few flaws that I can't ignore and some pretty awful battle balancing, but Final Fantasy VI is worth playing whether you're new to the series or an old fan.

Review - Final Fantasy IV Complete

Final Fantasy IV is one of the most often re-released/updated games in the series. Originally released on the SNES in 1991, FFIV has been re-released on the original Playstation, Game Boy Advance, Wonderswan Color, as a downloadable title on the Wii, and probably some more minor releases I'm missing. It was also remade for both the DS and PSP, although the two remakes went in very different directions, with the DS version implementing full polygonal graphics, new dialogue, and new gameplay systems. The PSP remake, released as part of the Final Fantasy IV Complete Collection, maintains the original version's gameplay systems in their entirety while introducing new recordings of the classic soundtrack and new, higher resolution pixel art. For this review, I'll be talking about the PSP version, though outside of specific references to the new graphics, nearly everything I say can apply to the non-DS versions as well.