u/CaptainVisible3158

Who would've thought that Super Mario World (SNES) would simultaneously take Mario to another level of gaming greatness, and introduce us to the amazing sidekick Yoshi. I know I probably shouldn't have been surprised then, but now looking back in hindsight and the impact Yoshi has had on gaming my mind is always blown. This screenshot that I captured in my gameplay gives me chills every time I see it and the excitement of mounting Yoshi always feels fresh and exciting. Now I must say, remounting him when he escapes can lead to a bit of a mess at times. Nevertheless, Yoshi always proves a faithful sidekick throughout your adventures. No doubt after this game Yoshi's influence and impact would be felt to this day.

What is your favorite sidekick intro in a game?

Rocket Knight Adventures (Genesis) is a really fun game. I never played it when I was younger, I was an SNES kid, but I did play Sparkster (SNES) a lot. While I enjoy both games. Sparkster was a Konami mascot for a while in the 90's, and he definitely has a little bit of a Sonic vibe, imo. I am thinking of maybe spending some time on this game, and trying to beat it because I am liking it so far.

What do you think of Rocket Knight Adventures (Genesis)?

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages (GBC) is a game that I am just now playing for the first time. My first introduction to Zelda on the GBC was when we played Link's Awakening here in retrogameofthemonth. I absolutely loved that game, and had a blast playing it with everyone. Oracle of Ages seems like it is going to be really fun. I love the opening scene where the Sorceress of Shadows possesses Nayru. The Maku Tree scene, and warping through time in the video shown above was also super cool. That instantly got me hooked, and I am excited to play and find out what happens next.

Do you like The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages (GBC)? What is your favorite Zelda game on the GBC?

I love any Double Dragon game. They are always fun and a good challenge. When it comes to Double Dragon III (NES) I still laugh every time I see Bimmy and Jimmy. Billy must have had his name changed. Lol.

Is this one of your favorite bad video game translations?

I have always thought the start screen to Alien Syndrome (Game Gear) was really cool how the words are made to have a wiggly tail. It's pink too, which is awesome because it is one of my favorite colors. I really like the game as well. It starts out fairly easy, but there is a sharp increase in difficulty as you progress, with the boss fights being especially difficult, imo. The graphics are vibrant and the aliens are really pretty to look at too. Lol. You can choose to play as Ricky or Mary as they try to save Earth from an alien invasion. I think this game would have been even more awesome if it were 2-player, but sadly it is only single player. It's still awesome despite that.

What do you think of Alien Syndrome (Game Gear)?

Road Rash II (Genesis) is the second installment in the Road Rash series, and there were some pretty cool things added in this game. Chains are now a weapon choice and you can get nitrous oxide charges on certain bikes. I was most excited about the 2-player split screen though. I spent so much time playing this with friends after school. Homework took a backseat to this game. Lol.

Did you like this Road Rash II (Genesis)?

I have had my Super Nintendo for about 35 years now, and I love that I was able to hold on to my original. It was really, really bad discolored until a couple of years ago. A very close friend of mine helped me to spruce it up again. He took all the insides out, and then used hydrogen peroxide and sunlight to brighten it up and it worked amazingly. It looks so much better now. While we were doing that, we noticed that my power and reset buttons were a different color than his SNES. The buttons on mine are a darker purple, that I think is very pretty. 😊

If you have a SNES, what shade of purple are your buttons?

Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster Busts Loose! (SNES) is the game that brings me the most nostalgia. I struggled with this game as a kid, and I think I only beat the 3rd level one time. Lol. I played those first 3 levels so, so, so many times though. I am just now going back to it as an adult to try and finally beat it. It does seem easier now, so I have high hopes that I will get it this time. The minigames after each level were so much fun. I loved it when it was time to spin the wheel. My favorite part was feeding Dizzy Devil with the foods on the conveyor belt to get him to go to sleep. I had so much fun doing that again.

Do you remember this game?

Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage (SNES) was a game that my brother owned, so I wasn't allowed to play it back in the day. I always said I didn't care because I didn't want to play stupid boy games anyway. Lol. But secretly I really did want to play it. When I finally got around to playing it as an adult, I had so much fun. It really is a great game. It is your basic side-scrolling beat 'em up, but it has a lot of charm, imo. It probably helps that my favorite superhero is Spider-Man. The objective of this game is what you would expect. You play as Spider-Man and Venom in an attempt to defeat Carnage and his team. This game had mixed reviews, but I for one love it.

Do you like this game?

The intro to Jurassic Park (Genesis) is one of my favorite video game intros of all time. It is simple, but used to really freak me out. The music is menacing, and the rain and the lightning flashing as the T-Rex chomps down on your jeep still gives me chills. Like most Genesis games, the graphics are great. I thought it was really cool how you could play as either Dr. Alan Grant or the Velociraptor. The goal if you are playing as Alan Grant is to make it to the Visitor's Center in order to escape by helicopter. If you are playing as the Velociraptor, your goal is to stop Dr. Grant from making it to the helicopter. I really liked playing as the Velociraptor.

Do you like Jurassic Park (Genesis)? Do you prefer playing as Dr. Grant or the Velociraptor?

When this ad came out, I had Jackal on the NES, which was super cool as it was one of my favorites at the arcade, but to find out that I could play TMNT II: The Arcade Game (NES) at home was a game changer. Looking at this ad now gives me so much nostalgia and reminds me of the excitement I felt when I found out that I could play my number one absolute favorite arcade game at home. The coupon for the free pizza at Pizza Hut was pretty cool too. I wish I could go back to when I first got this game, and relive just lounging on the couch with my personal pan pizza, controller in hand, just beating up all the bad guys with Donatello. Ah, the memories.

Do you remember this ad?

Super Mario Land (Game Boy) is very similar to Super Mario Bros., but imo, it feels just a little bit slower. At the time though, it was so awesome to be able to play Mario on the go with a handheld. I can remember many road trips as a kid playing this game. Me and my brother had to share one Game Boy, so you can imagine the fights over that. 😆 The objective of this game is to save Princess Daisy from Tatanga, an evil spaceman. There are a couple of levels in this game that are Gradius-like scrollers, where Mario controls an airplane and a submarine to fire at enemies. I always thought that was really fun.

What do you think of Super Mario Land (Game Boy)?

Boogie Wings (FBNeo) is a really fantastic game that is set around World War I. The graphics are superb and highly detailed, the controls are tight, and the gameplay is innovative and a lot of fun. A really cool feature of this game is that if your plane is shot down, you can still continue on foot and try to keep fighting your way through until you find another vehicle that you can use. There are a lot of different vehicles that you come across in this game including the usual planes, and automobiles, but also elephants, bicycles, and rocket launchers. Your biplane also has a rear hook that you can use to pick things up and use to batter your enemies with. Just an all around really fantastic game. This is one I would definitely recommend.

Have you ever played Boogie Wings (FBNeo)? What are your thoughts on it?

The Donkey Kong franchise has some of the best game music of all time, imo. While I love all of the games, I think that DKC2 is the best for music and gameplay. I loved this music so much as a kid, that I burnt it all on C.D.'s and listened to it constantly. The absolute best music imo, is in the Kannon's Klaim level. I love the dreamy, ethereal feel of it. The Coral Caper level in the first DKC had absolutely beautiful music as well. Oh man, and Bramble Scramble in DKC2. All of it is amazing, and comes very close to beating Final Fantasy for the number 1 video game music for me.

What do you think of the soundtrack to DKC2? Do you have a favorite level in terms of music for this game?

Battletoads/Double Dragon (NES) is a beat 'em up that combines characters from Battletoads and Double Dragon. I initially picked this game up because I really love Battletoads. I hadn't spent much time playing Double Dragon, but this mash-up is totally fire. The Dark Queen and the Shadow Boss build a space station and threaten Earth, bringing the heroes of both franchises together to fight them. Another great thing about this game is that it is not as brutally punishing as Battletoads is, so the frustration level simmers down a bit with this one. Lol. I really appreciate the vibrant graphics of this game too.

What do you think of Battletoads/Double Dragon (NES)?

When I was growing up, the SNES was king in our household, and I still prefer it over others. That being said, when Mortal Kombat ports started hitting home consoles, I was disappointed like most people that the SNES version was censored. Fortunately, I had a Genesis friend, which meant that I could occasionally enjoy the uncensored version of the incredible Mortal Kombat.

I still remember the famous ABACABB code that we would enter on the "code of honor" screen. We always knew we did it right when we heard the iconic Scorpion shout "get over here!" Then we knew that we had just unlocked all of the awesome fatalities and blood that we know and love from the arcade version. Throw in a 6 button Genesis controller and you had hours of great fighting fun.

Do you remember the blood code for Mortal Kombat (Genesis)?

King of Monsters (Neo Geo) is a unique and very fun fighting game. For Fight Night Fridays tonight I am playing as Beetle Mania, the giant beetle. The game takes place in futuristic cities in Japan. The graphics are fantastic, and it controls really well. You have the option to punch, kick, body slam, pile drive and perform an atomic back drop to defeat your enemy. If you are into fighting games with some uniqueness, I would highly recommend this one.

Do you like King of Monsters (Neo Geo)? Do you have a favorite monster to fight as?

Secret of Evermore (SNES) is an action RPG that I found out about recently when I got my Anbernic handheld. I am having fun with it so far, and I am intrigued by the plot. I haven't beat this game yet, but it is one that I plan to play through to completion. You play as a boy and his shapeshifting pet as they travel through Evermore, a world that contains different realms based on different time periods, which is very reminiscent of Chrono Trigger (SNES). The gameplay very much reminds me of Secret of Mana (SNES) also. I am really looking forward to getting more into this game.

Have you ever played Secret of Evermore (SNES)? What did you think of it?

Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu (PS1) has been a game in my rotation for a long time. I play it quite often, and I never get tired of it. It is an RPG, with insect-like monsters called Minions that you can capture and train to fight with you. You play as Levant, who is a Cocoon Master. The intro to this game is beautiful. I love the anime style of it and the depictions of the totally awesome monsters. Definitely a game intro that has always stuck out for me. I love watching it every time I start a new game. This is a game that I would highly recommend if you are a fan of RPGs or Pokemon like games.

Do you like Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu (PS1)? Do you have a favorite Minion from the game?

Biker Mice from Mars (SNES) is a racing game that is based off of the cartoon. I saw the cartoon a few times as a kid, but it wasn't one that I watched regularly. The game is really cool though. I love the mice on motorcycles idea. There are 6 racers that you can choose from. I usually choose to race as Modo because he goes super fast. I also find it really cool that he has a bionic arm. One of my favorite parts of this game is triggering an earthquake to slow down your opponents. There are also upgrades for your motorcycle and weapons which is really fun.

Have you ever played Biker Mice from Mars (SNES) or watched the cartoon? What are your thoughts on this game?