I feel I should also mention @eldandythedoubter for being another inspiration.
The Best Video Games Never Made
- Thread starter Duke Andrew of Dank
- Start date
The Darkest Night DS
Platform: Game Boy DS
Released: 2009
Enhanced by the RAM expansion
When it was announced that one of the most iconic third-party PS1 exclusive titles would be ported to the Game Boy DS, it got mixed reactions from fans of the franchise. The use of a 256 megabyte cartridge meant that most of the voice acting is intact, and the FMVs are watchable but compressed compared to the PS1 original. While NPC dialogue in towns is no longer voiced, battles and story scenes such as the big plot twist scene (Sephora betraying the party and killing Etienne) are fully voiced, as is Etienne's funeral right afterwards. Like many portable ports of console JRPGs, it adds a new bonus dungeon accessible after defeating the final boss (Goddess!Sephora). When the port actually came out, the game got good reviews from Nintendo Power and other critics.
"The game's big plot twist still makes me cry every time I play it" - excerpt from GameFAQs user review
Platform: Game Boy DS
Released: 2009
Enhanced by the RAM expansion
When it was announced that one of the most iconic third-party PS1 exclusive titles would be ported to the Game Boy DS, it got mixed reactions from fans of the franchise. The use of a 256 megabyte cartridge meant that most of the voice acting is intact, and the FMVs are watchable but compressed compared to the PS1 original. While NPC dialogue in towns is no longer voiced, battles and story scenes such as the big plot twist scene (Sephora betraying the party and killing Etienne) are fully voiced, as is Etienne's funeral right afterwards. Like many portable ports of console JRPGs, it adds a new bonus dungeon accessible after defeating the final boss (Goddess!Sephora). When the port actually came out, the game got good reviews from Nintendo Power and other critics.
"The game's big plot twist still makes me cry every time I play it" - excerpt from GameFAQs user review
Super Mario World 3 (1995)
Platform: Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)
Release Date: April 14, 1995 (Original); June 22, 2006 (Super Mario All-Stars Volume 2)
"If you think you can take care of yourself, you may join the Brothers and Yoshi on their quest to rescue Cream."
"Of course, Father. I won't let anyone down."
"Very well. I will be helping too. Be sure to look out for me in the field."
- King Toadstool and Princess Peach in the game's beginning.
"This and the RPGs were what made Princess Peach one of my favorite characters in existence. In this game and the later ones, Peach was the kind of girly girl who spoke to me more than Lara Croft or Samus ever could."
- Kristen Bell, the voice of Peach in Sony's Super Mario Animated Universe, reflecting on the character's early playable appearances in an IGN interview from July 6, 2013.
As soon as production of Super Mario World 2 was wrapping up in late 1992, there were considerations of whether to do a sequel to the game, or start work on developing a title for the coming 3D console, the Nintendo Ultron. Eventually, the decision was made to have the main Mario team move on to creating a 3D title, whereas a B-Team would create a last hurrah for the franchise's days on the SNES.
Gameplay
The development background is reflected in how for the most part, the game is first and foremost a return to the beef and potatoes of the original Super Mario World. For example, The Koopalings fight directly again rather than using machines or big monsters, with Kamek, Boom-Boom, and Pom-Pom each being fought twice at different points. The power-ups are reduced mainly to the Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, Ice Flower, Power Star, and the returning Tanooki Suit (replacing the Cape Feather), and the worlds are general quite a bit shorter. There are only eight worlds in this game total, and unlike in the second game there are no clear signs of interconnections in the worlds.
What does make the game stand out however, is the inclusion of Princess Peach and Yoshi as playable characters. Much like how Mario and Luigi have their nuances, Peach and Yoshi both have have their own player quirks. Peach's main abilities return from Super Mario Bros. 2 USA, with her ability to float which makes her ideal for platforming where precision is key. Yoshi also is playable rather than a mount for the first time, and also has his trademark Flutter Jump from Super Mario World 0: Yoshi's Island. Another interesting note about Yoshi is that he changes color depending on which power-ups he's using: Red for Fire Flower, Blue for Ice Flower, and Orange for Tanooki (which also changes his tail into a racoon tail). Overall, Yoshi is a beginner's character where his abilities can easily be used to correct platforming mistakes.
Much like in Super Mario World 2, King Henk does appear as a supporting character who offers power-ups he found in the wild to the characters who visit him. In addition, Peach's role in the second game as an ally who gives hints about treasures is instead given to Professor E. Gadd, the King's head scientist who first debuted in Super Mario World 2's post-game, and uses a rader-like device to detect said collectibles.
Plot
The plot of our game begins several weeks after Bowser's latest defeat. Yoshi is preparing to return home to Dinosaur Land, and the Fungarian Royal Family is throwing a going-away party in his honor. All of a sudden, several of Bowser's troops led by Kamek and the Koopalings arrive, and everyone is forced to flee as Kamek orders that the heros be hunted down. As everyone discusses what to do, Peach realizes that her kid brother Prince Cream was washing up in the castle after playing outside, and immediately asks to join the Marios and Yoshi in their latest quest to stop the Koopas. King Henk agrees, and the four heroes set off to curb-stomp Koopas once again.
Although considered inferior to the second game, Super Mario World 3 was still reasonably popular. Praise particularly went to having Peach and Yoshi being playable after being mere allies during the first two games. Although the boss fight were critized as mostly being rehashes, Morton Jr and Iggy's bosses were praised for being more original. Whereas other criticisms were aknowledged as being due to the game being produced at the end of the SNES' life.
Platform: Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)
Release Date: April 14, 1995 (Original); June 22, 2006 (Super Mario All-Stars Volume 2)
"If you think you can take care of yourself, you may join the Brothers and Yoshi on their quest to rescue Cream."
"Of course, Father. I won't let anyone down."
"Very well. I will be helping too. Be sure to look out for me in the field."
- King Toadstool and Princess Peach in the game's beginning.
"This and the RPGs were what made Princess Peach one of my favorite characters in existence. In this game and the later ones, Peach was the kind of girly girl who spoke to me more than Lara Croft or Samus ever could."
- Kristen Bell, the voice of Peach in Sony's Super Mario Animated Universe, reflecting on the character's early playable appearances in an IGN interview from July 6, 2013.
As soon as production of Super Mario World 2 was wrapping up in late 1992, there were considerations of whether to do a sequel to the game, or start work on developing a title for the coming 3D console, the Nintendo Ultron. Eventually, the decision was made to have the main Mario team move on to creating a 3D title, whereas a B-Team would create a last hurrah for the franchise's days on the SNES.
Gameplay
The development background is reflected in how for the most part, the game is first and foremost a return to the beef and potatoes of the original Super Mario World. For example, The Koopalings fight directly again rather than using machines or big monsters, with Kamek, Boom-Boom, and Pom-Pom each being fought twice at different points. The power-ups are reduced mainly to the Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, Ice Flower, Power Star, and the returning Tanooki Suit (replacing the Cape Feather), and the worlds are general quite a bit shorter. There are only eight worlds in this game total, and unlike in the second game there are no clear signs of interconnections in the worlds.
What does make the game stand out however, is the inclusion of Princess Peach and Yoshi as playable characters. Much like how Mario and Luigi have their nuances, Peach and Yoshi both have have their own player quirks. Peach's main abilities return from Super Mario Bros. 2 USA, with her ability to float which makes her ideal for platforming where precision is key. Yoshi also is playable rather than a mount for the first time, and also has his trademark Flutter Jump from Super Mario World 0: Yoshi's Island. Another interesting note about Yoshi is that he changes color depending on which power-ups he's using: Red for Fire Flower, Blue for Ice Flower, and Orange for Tanooki (which also changes his tail into a racoon tail). Overall, Yoshi is a beginner's character where his abilities can easily be used to correct platforming mistakes.
Much like in Super Mario World 2, King Henk does appear as a supporting character who offers power-ups he found in the wild to the characters who visit him. In addition, Peach's role in the second game as an ally who gives hints about treasures is instead given to Professor E. Gadd, the King's head scientist who first debuted in Super Mario World 2's post-game, and uses a rader-like device to detect said collectibles.
Plot
The plot of our game begins several weeks after Bowser's latest defeat. Yoshi is preparing to return home to Dinosaur Land, and the Fungarian Royal Family is throwing a going-away party in his honor. All of a sudden, several of Bowser's troops led by Kamek and the Koopalings arrive, and everyone is forced to flee as Kamek orders that the heros be hunted down. As everyone discusses what to do, Peach realizes that her kid brother Prince Cream was washing up in the castle after playing outside, and immediately asks to join the Marios and Yoshi in their latest quest to stop the Koopas. King Henk agrees, and the four heroes set off to curb-stomp Koopas once again.
- World 1 - Fungus Plains: An introductory level that does not do much to shake up the formula. Here you fight Larry a top a large tree that he's trying to hollow out to turn into a base for the Koopa armies.
- World 2 - Kalamari Mining Company: A desert level based around exploring the barren wasteland of the Kalamari Desert and the namesake company's numerous mineshafts. Wendy is fought at the boss, seeking to find any riches that the long-abandoned mines may still have.
- World 3 - Gaslight Works: A factory-themed level that ends with a confrontation against Roy, who tries to attack you with bullet bulls.
- World 4 - Comida Jungle: Food-themed jungles in which the Marios, Peach, and Yoshi fight through jungles full of vegetables and fruit, and through MesoAmerican temples that look as though they were built from bread and candies. Morton Jr serves as the boss by trying to attack you with a pitchfork.
- World 5 - Loch Bruadar: A Scotland-inspired world themed around climbing down a mountain, and then exploring the bottom of a lake. The main boss here is Lemmy using a Nessie-like creature to play a game of hot potato with his bouncing bombs.
- World 6 - Chomp Laboratory: Lab-themed levels that culminate in a confrontation with Iggy, who rides behind a chain chomp that he's genetically engineered to smarter, stronger, and more aggressive.
- World 7 - Ludwig's Fleet: The final world set aboard a series of Viking and 18th-century style ships. This world contains two boss fights, Ludwig being the first with Bowser, having been fully nursed back to health, being the final boss.
- World 8 - Crazy Dreamtime: The only post game world is a series of surreal levels that culminate in a boss rush against Boom-Boom, Pom-Pom, Kamek, and finally Giga-Bowser.
Although considered inferior to the second game, Super Mario World 3 was still reasonably popular. Praise particularly went to having Peach and Yoshi being playable after being mere allies during the first two games. Although the boss fight were critized as mostly being rehashes, Morton Jr and Iggy's bosses were praised for being more original. Whereas other criticisms were aknowledged as being due to the game being produced at the end of the SNES' life.
Last edited:
SimLife 2 (2021)
In 2021, in order to restart the brand Maxis after the failure of Simcity (2013), Electronic Arts announced that some of the simulation games (or "software toys") would be remade, more precise, more accurate and deeper thanks to the better performance of the current computers.
SimLife (manual available here) was thought to be a good test, because genetics and trophic levels was relatively straighforward and easier to simulate than other natural cycles such as Earth's.
In addition to the animal and the vegetal realms, SimLife 2 also includes mushrooms, along with insects (arachnids are folded into insects, for simplicity), which have been ranked as a separate category under animals, and microorganisms, or monocellular beings, both vegetal and animal, to better simulate how diverse is earthly life and allow the player to directly interviene on the beings constituting the plankton of the seas. The inclusion of small beings has been enabled by simulating groups instead of individuals, so that, for exemple, a population of plankton of the same species residing in the same single piece of water will be treated as an individual, with a count of members.
Additionally, alternative feeding behaviour such as necrophagy have been introduced, in order to provide more diversity.
Morever, robotic life will also be introduced, complete with rules about energy sources and auto-replication, among others, with nods to Orion's Arm.
But the biggest revolution was the inclusion of ethology, or the behaviour of animals, in order to provide a deeper simulation. In addition to predation, SimLife 2 simulate other interactions : pollinisation will fecund flower-based plants, finally giving a reason why they would produce nectar; likewide, different modes of seed dispersion will be introduced, such as through consumption by animals, winds or waters. Several modes of mutualism will be implemented: we could simulate a plant which evolved so as to produce fruits bearing its seed, which will be eaten by an animal to be spread around. Some organisms will also be able to act as parasites, or even as infectuous agents, to simulate epizooties and others.
Social behaviour has been made deeper: while the original game only cared about food sharing, the new version will also track behaviour related to mating, child-raising and collective defense, along with conflict management. Microorganisms, and especially insects, will have much more complexity, including caste systems.
Shelter building will also be included, to simulate things such as birds' nests and anthill: the player will be able to select if an animal species will build shelters and, according of how social are the individuals, these shelters will be individual or collective. The materials will also be able to be selected, such as wood, earth and wax.
Of course, this more complex ethology will have new mechanisms of transmission: while some of these will definitively end in the genome, others will be part of a "memetic" system, drawn from the ideas of Richard Dawkins.
Both older players interested by a more complex simulation, biology fans and younger players fan of scientific simulation bought this game, enough that Maxis announced the release of other remakes such as SimEarth 2 (with comments from Miss Greta Thurnberg) and newer games such as SimReactors (simulating nuclear reactors).
EDIT: Added parts about additional feeding behaviour and robotic life. How could I forgotten about this, given that it was present as an Easter Egg in SimEarth?
In 2021, in order to restart the brand Maxis after the failure of Simcity (2013), Electronic Arts announced that some of the simulation games (or "software toys") would be remade, more precise, more accurate and deeper thanks to the better performance of the current computers.
SimLife (manual available here) was thought to be a good test, because genetics and trophic levels was relatively straighforward and easier to simulate than other natural cycles such as Earth's.
In addition to the animal and the vegetal realms, SimLife 2 also includes mushrooms, along with insects (arachnids are folded into insects, for simplicity), which have been ranked as a separate category under animals, and microorganisms, or monocellular beings, both vegetal and animal, to better simulate how diverse is earthly life and allow the player to directly interviene on the beings constituting the plankton of the seas. The inclusion of small beings has been enabled by simulating groups instead of individuals, so that, for exemple, a population of plankton of the same species residing in the same single piece of water will be treated as an individual, with a count of members.
Additionally, alternative feeding behaviour such as necrophagy have been introduced, in order to provide more diversity.
Morever, robotic life will also be introduced, complete with rules about energy sources and auto-replication, among others, with nods to Orion's Arm.
But the biggest revolution was the inclusion of ethology, or the behaviour of animals, in order to provide a deeper simulation. In addition to predation, SimLife 2 simulate other interactions : pollinisation will fecund flower-based plants, finally giving a reason why they would produce nectar; likewide, different modes of seed dispersion will be introduced, such as through consumption by animals, winds or waters. Several modes of mutualism will be implemented: we could simulate a plant which evolved so as to produce fruits bearing its seed, which will be eaten by an animal to be spread around. Some organisms will also be able to act as parasites, or even as infectuous agents, to simulate epizooties and others.
Social behaviour has been made deeper: while the original game only cared about food sharing, the new version will also track behaviour related to mating, child-raising and collective defense, along with conflict management. Microorganisms, and especially insects, will have much more complexity, including caste systems.
Shelter building will also be included, to simulate things such as birds' nests and anthill: the player will be able to select if an animal species will build shelters and, according of how social are the individuals, these shelters will be individual or collective. The materials will also be able to be selected, such as wood, earth and wax.
Of course, this more complex ethology will have new mechanisms of transmission: while some of these will definitively end in the genome, others will be part of a "memetic" system, drawn from the ideas of Richard Dawkins.
Both older players interested by a more complex simulation, biology fans and younger players fan of scientific simulation bought this game, enough that Maxis announced the release of other remakes such as SimEarth 2 (with comments from Miss Greta Thurnberg) and newer games such as SimReactors (simulating nuclear reactors).
EDIT: Added parts about additional feeding behaviour and robotic life. How could I forgotten about this, given that it was present as an Easter Egg in SimEarth?
Last edited:
Mortal Kombat vs. Marvel Universe
Genre: Fighting
Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Developers: Midway Games
Release Date: 2008
A crossover fighting game between Mortal Kombat and the Marvel Universe. It was developed using Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3 and it would be the final MK game poduced by Midway Games before they would go bankrupt and sell the franchise to Paramount (who ended up also acquiring Marvel in 2009). The game's story sees the realms begin to merge after invasions of both worlds are repelled, with Raiden stopping Shao Khan. However, at the exact same time, Thanos' invasion of Earth would be repelled over by the second Quasar, none other Phyla-Vell. However, the clash of mystic and cosmic energies at the same time would open a rift and when the two were banished, they would end p being fused into Than Khan. And with this, the realms begin to fuse with the potential for both to be destroyed, all while chaotic energy begins to infect the other heroes with 'Kombat Madness' Story mode has two modes, one from each side. Characters were chosen by a mix of popularity though also based via the story (hence the surprising inclusion of Adam Warlock and Phyla-Vell.)
While the game would have mixed to postive reviews, it would have quite a prominent legacy. It would end up promoting several heroes who would go to be influential over in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and beyond. This was due to certain characters being excluded (Spider-Man being excluded due to the tone and the X-Men excluded due to Marvel not having the film rights.) Additionally, it would also end up raising the popularity of certain characters, most notably Phyla-Vell, the 4th Captain Marvel though now the 2nd Quasa (who was chosen to be in the game as the one most likely to fight Thanos). This would have some interesting effects over on their fates in the comics (it was revealed that Phyla was considered being killed off prior to the game giving her extra popularity.) Another would be with Hank Pym; many in the audience noted how everyone losing themselves to Kombat Madness was very similar to the instance of Pym losing himself due to his own mental disorder. In fact, this itself would be alluded to in the games with one particular scene having the Wasp react with horror when she sees how hard she hit him during Kombat Madness. Moreover was Hank being quite understanding and not holding it against her or anyone else. This recontexualization would help Hank regain prominence in t comics. While the game would not get a sequel, it would serve as the inspiration over for the Venger War series, made by Marvel and Netherrealm Studios yars later.
Playable Character Roster:
*= Requires unlocking
Mortal Kombat- Baraka, Jax, Kano, Kitana, Liu Kang, Raiden, Scorpion, Shang Tsung, Shao Khan*, Sonya Blade, Sub Zero
Marvel Universe: Adam Warlock, Ant-Man (Hank Pym), Black Panther (T'Challa), Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff), Captain America (Steve Rogers), Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Iron Man (Tony Stark), Quasar II (Phyla-Vell), Tigra (Greer Grant Nelson), Thanos*, Wasp (Janet Van Dyne)
Genre: Fighting
Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Developers: Midway Games
Release Date: 2008
A crossover fighting game between Mortal Kombat and the Marvel Universe. It was developed using Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3 and it would be the final MK game poduced by Midway Games before they would go bankrupt and sell the franchise to Paramount (who ended up also acquiring Marvel in 2009). The game's story sees the realms begin to merge after invasions of both worlds are repelled, with Raiden stopping Shao Khan. However, at the exact same time, Thanos' invasion of Earth would be repelled over by the second Quasar, none other Phyla-Vell. However, the clash of mystic and cosmic energies at the same time would open a rift and when the two were banished, they would end p being fused into Than Khan. And with this, the realms begin to fuse with the potential for both to be destroyed, all while chaotic energy begins to infect the other heroes with 'Kombat Madness' Story mode has two modes, one from each side. Characters were chosen by a mix of popularity though also based via the story (hence the surprising inclusion of Adam Warlock and Phyla-Vell.)
While the game would have mixed to postive reviews, it would have quite a prominent legacy. It would end up promoting several heroes who would go to be influential over in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and beyond. This was due to certain characters being excluded (Spider-Man being excluded due to the tone and the X-Men excluded due to Marvel not having the film rights.) Additionally, it would also end up raising the popularity of certain characters, most notably Phyla-Vell, the 4th Captain Marvel though now the 2nd Quasa (who was chosen to be in the game as the one most likely to fight Thanos). This would have some interesting effects over on their fates in the comics (it was revealed that Phyla was considered being killed off prior to the game giving her extra popularity.) Another would be with Hank Pym; many in the audience noted how everyone losing themselves to Kombat Madness was very similar to the instance of Pym losing himself due to his own mental disorder. In fact, this itself would be alluded to in the games with one particular scene having the Wasp react with horror when she sees how hard she hit him during Kombat Madness. Moreover was Hank being quite understanding and not holding it against her or anyone else. This recontexualization would help Hank regain prominence in t comics. While the game would not get a sequel, it would serve as the inspiration over for the Venger War series, made by Marvel and Netherrealm Studios yars later.
Playable Character Roster:
*= Requires unlocking
Mortal Kombat- Baraka, Jax, Kano, Kitana, Liu Kang, Raiden, Scorpion, Shang Tsung, Shao Khan*, Sonya Blade, Sub Zero
Marvel Universe: Adam Warlock, Ant-Man (Hank Pym), Black Panther (T'Challa), Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff), Captain America (Steve Rogers), Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Iron Man (Tony Stark), Quasar II (Phyla-Vell), Tigra (Greer Grant Nelson), Thanos*, Wasp (Janet Van Dyne)
Last edited:
This one goes out to @TheMann who inspired me to refine many of my railway ideas.
Lionel Locomotive Works (2005)
Platform: Nintendo DS
Developer: Midway Studios
Liscenced by Lionel and the National American Railroad Heritage Trust, this edutainment game is one part business simulation, the other part puzzle. You play as the workmen of the fictional Lionel Locomotive Works, building locomotives of all kinds for different railroads. While all of the locomotives are pre-existing ones from real life, ranging from dashing electrics like the Japanese EF10 or hulking steamers like the B&O Big Six, a key part of the theme of the game is building locomotives that fit specifications of the order. Usually involving requirements for speed, tractive effort, and mode of power.
While largely considered a simple but fun game on its initial release, the game has gained a cult classic status in recent years.
OOC: This is my idea for if OTL's Lionel Trains: On Track had done something more original.
Lionel Locomotive Works (2005)
Platform: Nintendo DS
Developer: Midway Studios
Liscenced by Lionel and the National American Railroad Heritage Trust, this edutainment game is one part business simulation, the other part puzzle. You play as the workmen of the fictional Lionel Locomotive Works, building locomotives of all kinds for different railroads. While all of the locomotives are pre-existing ones from real life, ranging from dashing electrics like the Japanese EF10 or hulking steamers like the B&O Big Six, a key part of the theme of the game is building locomotives that fit specifications of the order. Usually involving requirements for speed, tractive effort, and mode of power.
While largely considered a simple but fun game on its initial release, the game has gained a cult classic status in recent years.
OOC: This is my idea for if OTL's Lionel Trains: On Track had done something more original.
Last edited:
DC vs. Capcom: Infinite
Genre: Fighting
Platform: PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One
Developers: Capcom
Release Date: 2017
The sixth main entry in the DC vs. Capcom series of crossover games. Players control characters from both Capcom and the DC unvierse in tag-team battles though this game would see two-on-two fights rather than the traditional three-on-three format that was used throughout the previous games. Additionally, the character-assist moves system would be removed. Instead, the game would use a tag-based combo system; players would be able to go and instantly switch between their two characters to form continuous combos. Also, the game would have a new gameplay mechanic over in the form of power-ups that boosted abilities or unique abilites depending on what was chosen.
The game also has the series' first cinematic story mode, in which the merging worlds need to be seperated while dealing with the monstrous new threat, Brainiac Sigma (a fusion of DC's Brainiac and Capcom's Sigma.) The game received mixed to positive reviews. While the new gameplay elements were praised, others were disappointed over by the art direction along with the smaller character roster (though some were happy to see some returning favorites, even if through DLC.)
Italicized means new characters to the series and * indicates DLC.
Roster:
Capcom- Arthur, Chris Redfield, Chun-Li, Dante, Firebrand, Frank West, Jedah Dohma, Mike Haggar, Monster Hunter*, Morrigan Aensland, Nathan Spencer, Nemesis, Ryu, Sigma*, Strider Hiryu, X, Zero
DC- Amazo, Aqualad (Jackson Hyde), Black Canary*, Brainiac*, Batman, Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes), The Flash (Barry Allen), Green Arrow (Oliver Queen)*, Green Lantern (John Stewart), The Joker, Katana, Lex Luthor, Martian Manhunter, Nightwing, Static (Virgil Hawkins), Superman, Vixen*, Wonder Woman, Zatanna
Genre: Fighting
Platform: PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One
Developers: Capcom
Release Date: 2017
The sixth main entry in the DC vs. Capcom series of crossover games. Players control characters from both Capcom and the DC unvierse in tag-team battles though this game would see two-on-two fights rather than the traditional three-on-three format that was used throughout the previous games. Additionally, the character-assist moves system would be removed. Instead, the game would use a tag-based combo system; players would be able to go and instantly switch between their two characters to form continuous combos. Also, the game would have a new gameplay mechanic over in the form of power-ups that boosted abilities or unique abilites depending on what was chosen.
The game also has the series' first cinematic story mode, in which the merging worlds need to be seperated while dealing with the monstrous new threat, Brainiac Sigma (a fusion of DC's Brainiac and Capcom's Sigma.) The game received mixed to positive reviews. While the new gameplay elements were praised, others were disappointed over by the art direction along with the smaller character roster (though some were happy to see some returning favorites, even if through DLC.)
Italicized means new characters to the series and * indicates DLC.
Roster:
Capcom- Arthur, Chris Redfield, Chun-Li, Dante, Firebrand, Frank West, Jedah Dohma, Mike Haggar, Monster Hunter*, Morrigan Aensland, Nathan Spencer, Nemesis, Ryu, Sigma*, Strider Hiryu, X, Zero
DC- Amazo, Aqualad (Jackson Hyde), Black Canary*, Brainiac*, Batman, Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes), The Flash (Barry Allen), Green Arrow (Oliver Queen)*, Green Lantern (John Stewart), The Joker, Katana, Lex Luthor, Martian Manhunter, Nightwing, Static (Virgil Hawkins), Superman, Vixen*, Wonder Woman, Zatanna
Final Fantasy VI: Crystal Clash
ROM hack of Final Fantasy VI
This ROM hack of Final Fantasy VI was made by a person who loved the characters, world and story of FFVI but felt the gameplay was a huge step down from FFV (originally localized on the SNES as Final Fantasy Extreme). The Esper system is replaced with a job system where each of the fourteen playable characters has access to four jobs from other FF games (Terra is the only Summoner, while Celes and Terra can both access Mystic Knight.) The custom ASM programmed in this hack stunned the entire FF6 ROM hacking scene, especially the fact that each job has its own full sprite sheet including riding a Chocobo. The different custom battle themes were also praised (Dancing Mad and Grand Finale are the only vanilla battle themes in this hack). Omega, Kaiser and Chaos are this game's trio of major superbosses.
ROM hack of Final Fantasy VI
This ROM hack of Final Fantasy VI was made by a person who loved the characters, world and story of FFVI but felt the gameplay was a huge step down from FFV (originally localized on the SNES as Final Fantasy Extreme). The Esper system is replaced with a job system where each of the fourteen playable characters has access to four jobs from other FF games (Terra is the only Summoner, while Celes and Terra can both access Mystic Knight.) The custom ASM programmed in this hack stunned the entire FF6 ROM hacking scene, especially the fact that each job has its own full sprite sheet including riding a Chocobo. The different custom battle themes were also praised (Dancing Mad and Grand Finale are the only vanilla battle themes in this hack). Omega, Kaiser and Chaos are this game's trio of major superbosses.
première Guerre mondiale
Paradox Studios, 2011
Welcome to what began as a mod for Hearts of Iron 3 and eventually morphed into its own game. The year is 1819 and the Napoleonic conquest of Europe is complete following the successful conclusion of his campaign using Ireland as a jumping off point not for an invasion of the Dover coast but instead landing in the Midlands, taking the industrial heartland and cutting off southern England entirely from her allies, forcing the resignation of King George III as well as the exile of much of the royal family save (fellow) Freemason Prince (King) Edward (VII) who now rules a strong satellite kingdom amidst the Continental System. His daughter Victoria is now engaged to wed Napoleon's eldest son when she comes of age to promote further ties between the two kindgoms. Russia was called to economic heel soon after, her pride still smolders having lost the Ukraine, Byelorussia, and Baltic States to French satellite governments. Spanish guerillas still seek vengeance and Ottoman court officials still eye Vienna with hunger even amidst a free Greece under firm French protection.
The game starts in 1820 with Napoleon striving to keep his system going even as many in the realm seek to end his reign. His sons Napoleon II is an excellent student while Joachim, Carlo, and Michel are growing quickly. An invasion of the New World is being planned both to unite the Empire and begin an actual attempt at global conquest - with British naval expertise, Franco-German army leadership, a Pan-European army, and a new generation of soldiers ready to be tested, he plans to take first the United States then most of South America before moving on to Asia. Whatever is left will be either too weak to oppose him or will cave to his (or his descendant's) multicontiental Empire in his mind. Washington is all too aware as are the governments of China, Britain and her colonies, and Latin America - all of which have forged a loose, tense alliance to counter the General's plans and potentially free Europe. Russia has also quietly gotten in on the act selling her Alaskan interests to the British-in-exile and are also making plans on their own.
With a tech tree running from Zoudaves to artificial intelligence, from muskets to modern carbine rifles, and from sailships to spaceborne cruisers, this ambitious title remains highly playable even fifteen years later. All factions from Haiti to Napoleon are playable and gameplay is extremely customizable to each player's tastes. A reboot is reportedly in the works but no firm details are available. Players have until the year 1920, 2020, or conquest of the entire planet as endpoints. One popular mod allows an expanded tech tree and play until 2120 which was officially adopted for the Ultimate Edition released in 2020. Can you take over the world or will you lose everything to ambitious neighbors?
Paradox Studios, 2011
Welcome to what began as a mod for Hearts of Iron 3 and eventually morphed into its own game. The year is 1819 and the Napoleonic conquest of Europe is complete following the successful conclusion of his campaign using Ireland as a jumping off point not for an invasion of the Dover coast but instead landing in the Midlands, taking the industrial heartland and cutting off southern England entirely from her allies, forcing the resignation of King George III as well as the exile of much of the royal family save (fellow) Freemason Prince (King) Edward (VII) who now rules a strong satellite kingdom amidst the Continental System. His daughter Victoria is now engaged to wed Napoleon's eldest son when she comes of age to promote further ties between the two kindgoms. Russia was called to economic heel soon after, her pride still smolders having lost the Ukraine, Byelorussia, and Baltic States to French satellite governments. Spanish guerillas still seek vengeance and Ottoman court officials still eye Vienna with hunger even amidst a free Greece under firm French protection.
The game starts in 1820 with Napoleon striving to keep his system going even as many in the realm seek to end his reign. His sons Napoleon II is an excellent student while Joachim, Carlo, and Michel are growing quickly. An invasion of the New World is being planned both to unite the Empire and begin an actual attempt at global conquest - with British naval expertise, Franco-German army leadership, a Pan-European army, and a new generation of soldiers ready to be tested, he plans to take first the United States then most of South America before moving on to Asia. Whatever is left will be either too weak to oppose him or will cave to his (or his descendant's) multicontiental Empire in his mind. Washington is all too aware as are the governments of China, Britain and her colonies, and Latin America - all of which have forged a loose, tense alliance to counter the General's plans and potentially free Europe. Russia has also quietly gotten in on the act selling her Alaskan interests to the British-in-exile and are also making plans on their own.
With a tech tree running from Zoudaves to artificial intelligence, from muskets to modern carbine rifles, and from sailships to spaceborne cruisers, this ambitious title remains highly playable even fifteen years later. All factions from Haiti to Napoleon are playable and gameplay is extremely customizable to each player's tastes. A reboot is reportedly in the works but no firm details are available. Players have until the year 1920, 2020, or conquest of the entire planet as endpoints. One popular mod allows an expanded tech tree and play until 2120 which was officially adopted for the Ultimate Edition released in 2020. Can you take over the world or will you lose everything to ambitious neighbors?
Ultradeth.
Kicked
Mortal Kombat Vs. Killer Instinct (July 21st, 2022)
PlayStation 4/Xbox One/Nintendo Switch/PC
A WB/Rare collaboration made as hype for the newly announced Mortal Kombat 1, the game combines the mechanics of both games into one, meaning MK characters can perform Ultra Combos and KI characters have their own Fatal Blows. An ambitious crossover that lead to many memes and speculation, when the game dropped it was well received by the fighting game community who appreciated the melding of styles. One particular highlight was the character interactions, the intro dialogue between Jago/Scorpion, Jax/Combo and Kitana/B. Orchid provided material for fanfic writers.
PlayStation 4/Xbox One/Nintendo Switch/PC
A WB/Rare collaboration made as hype for the newly announced Mortal Kombat 1, the game combines the mechanics of both games into one, meaning MK characters can perform Ultra Combos and KI characters have their own Fatal Blows. An ambitious crossover that lead to many memes and speculation, when the game dropped it was well received by the fighting game community who appreciated the melding of styles. One particular highlight was the character interactions, the intro dialogue between Jago/Scorpion, Jax/Combo and Kitana/B. Orchid provided material for fanfic writers.
Glad I'm not the only one who sees parallels between those two games. Killer Instinct was great fun.
Final Fantasy IV Master Type
Platform: Satellaview, GBA
Released: 1995 (Satellaview), 2001 (GBA)
This version of Final Fantasy IV is even harder than the HardType release on the SFC, and is designed for those that have mastered the game. Every enemy has a reworked AI script to make it a challenge that only the best RPG players can master. As for the graphics, field sprites of all characters have FF6 levels of detail now, which carries over into battle sprites for party members. This version would be included in Final Fantasy IV Advance (GBA, 2001) alongside HardType and EasyType via a difficulty select before the start of the game.
Platform: Satellaview, GBA
Released: 1995 (Satellaview), 2001 (GBA)
This version of Final Fantasy IV is even harder than the HardType release on the SFC, and is designed for those that have mastered the game. Every enemy has a reworked AI script to make it a challenge that only the best RPG players can master. As for the graphics, field sprites of all characters have FF6 levels of detail now, which carries over into battle sprites for party members. This version would be included in Final Fantasy IV Advance (GBA, 2001) alongside HardType and EasyType via a difficulty select before the start of the game.
Last edited:
Thrill Kill
Platforms: PS1, PC
Release: June 1998
Thrill Kill was a game originally published by Virgin Intractive and released on June 1998 after revisions in order to bring down the original AO rating (the first one for extreme violence) down to M: for exemple, the sexiness of Belladonna was toned down, some of the most brutal actions were removed.
Once released, the controversy over its violence and its sexual content ensured that many buyers were attracted; innovative features such as four-way combats and the "thrill meter" ensured that many of these buyers kept playign thsi game and recommended it to their friends.
When Virgin Interactive was brought by Electronic Arts, the new owners of Thrill Kill initially planned to cease selling it, in the hope of making video games less cotnroversial. It was later sold to another publisher, Eidos Interactive, because simply recalling the game could have been too costly.
A suite, F.U.B.A.R. was later develloped and released in 2001, adding new characters and new levels, and Director's Cut: Thrill Kill was released in 2017 on Steam, receiving an AO rating much like its original.
Platforms: PS1, PC
Release: June 1998
Thrill Kill was a game originally published by Virgin Intractive and released on June 1998 after revisions in order to bring down the original AO rating (the first one for extreme violence) down to M: for exemple, the sexiness of Belladonna was toned down, some of the most brutal actions were removed.
Once released, the controversy over its violence and its sexual content ensured that many buyers were attracted; innovative features such as four-way combats and the "thrill meter" ensured that many of these buyers kept playign thsi game and recommended it to their friends.
When Virgin Interactive was brought by Electronic Arts, the new owners of Thrill Kill initially planned to cease selling it, in the hope of making video games less cotnroversial. It was later sold to another publisher, Eidos Interactive, because simply recalling the game could have been too costly.
A suite, F.U.B.A.R. was later develloped and released in 2001, adding new characters and new levels, and Director's Cut: Thrill Kill was released in 2017 on Steam, receiving an AO rating much like its original.
Rugby Manager 24
Genre: Sports, Simulation, Management
Developer: Sports Interactive
Publisher: Sega
Platform: PC, Mobile
Background
This takes place in an alternate timeline where Rugby never splits into League and Union and professionalises after the rugby football union in England voted yes in 1893.
Rugby Manager is the most detailed and realistic rugby management game in the world, the sport's equivalent to Football Manager. With all sort sof différent leagues from around the world, from the top leagues in England, France, America, Australia, the Celtic Nations, Italy, New Zealand, South African, Canada and Japan to even Papue New Guinea and Spain, players can play all sorts of clubs, from the american NRL's powerhouses like Boston Irish, San Francisco Golden Gate, Chicago Lions and Green Bay Packers, Canada's Toronto Argonauts, RC Montréal, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Regina Roughriders to traditional European stalwarts like Leicester Tigers, Wigan Warriors, Wasps, Leeds Rhinos, Stade Toulousain, La Rochelle, Cardiff, Swansea, Edinburgh Academicals, Cork Constitution, Landsdowne, US Milanese and Audace Roma and Australian clubs such as South Sydney, Brothers RFC, Melbourne RFC, Port Adelaide and Syndey Roosters, all players and rosters are accurate to the 2023-2024 season.
With a detailed match engine, improved player transfer negotiations and New tactical options available, players and fans alike can more accurately simulate the passion, grit and tactical diversity of Rugby in the comforts of their own computer.
Genre: Sports, Simulation, Management
Developer: Sports Interactive
Publisher: Sega
Platform: PC, Mobile
Background
This takes place in an alternate timeline where Rugby never splits into League and Union and professionalises after the rugby football union in England voted yes in 1893.
Rugby Manager is the most detailed and realistic rugby management game in the world, the sport's equivalent to Football Manager. With all sort sof différent leagues from around the world, from the top leagues in England, France, America, Australia, the Celtic Nations, Italy, New Zealand, South African, Canada and Japan to even Papue New Guinea and Spain, players can play all sorts of clubs, from the american NRL's powerhouses like Boston Irish, San Francisco Golden Gate, Chicago Lions and Green Bay Packers, Canada's Toronto Argonauts, RC Montréal, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Regina Roughriders to traditional European stalwarts like Leicester Tigers, Wigan Warriors, Wasps, Leeds Rhinos, Stade Toulousain, La Rochelle, Cardiff, Swansea, Edinburgh Academicals, Cork Constitution, Landsdowne, US Milanese and Audace Roma and Australian clubs such as South Sydney, Brothers RFC, Melbourne RFC, Port Adelaide and Syndey Roosters, all players and rosters are accurate to the 2023-2024 season.
With a detailed match engine, improved player transfer negotiations and New tactical options available, players and fans alike can more accurately simulate the passion, grit and tactical diversity of Rugby in the comforts of their own computer.
Cool or Cruel: Part 2
Released: 2017
ROM Hack of Super Mario World by Worldpeace
8 Exits
SA-1 chip used
A really challenge ROM hack of Super Mario World takes the concepts behind each of the eight Special World levels in Super Mario World, expands on them and massively increases the difficulty. Every level has sampled custom music and at least one challenging boss, with Funky finishing the game with a fight against the One-Winged-Angel version of Sephiroth himself. IOTL, the game was discontinued after the second demo. Here, it actually sees completion, and to say the result was impressive is an understatement.
Released: 2017
ROM Hack of Super Mario World by Worldpeace
8 Exits
SA-1 chip used
A really challenge ROM hack of Super Mario World takes the concepts behind each of the eight Special World levels in Super Mario World, expands on them and massively increases the difficulty. Every level has sampled custom music and at least one challenging boss, with Funky finishing the game with a fight against the One-Winged-Angel version of Sephiroth himself. IOTL, the game was discontinued after the second demo. Here, it actually sees completion, and to say the result was impressive is an understatement.
Princess Peach: Storytime! (2010)
Platform: Nintendo Wii
Developer: Good-Feel
During the development of Wario Land II: Shake It in 2005, Good-Feel founder Etsunobu Ebisu was offered the chance to make a new game starring another Mario series staple. As the Yoshi series was firmly on Argonaut's hands by this point, Good-Feel chose the character they felt was most in need of a new game: Princess Peach. Particularly as her only prior series, Princess Peach & Friends by Tose, were considered a handheld exclusive series. For this title however, Ebitsu decided to take Peach back to her roots and inspiration in classic fairy tale princesses in a game inspired by his own Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon.
Gameplay
The game centers around Peach travelling through the worlds of several different books available inside a large library the game refers to as the Kotabe Library after character design Yoichi Kotabe. Our story begins as Peach is entering the library with her kid brother Prince Cream, with their majordormo Toadsworth watching over them. Upon first entering the library, they are introduced to Stella, a sentient bookmark who acts as the librarian. Peach and Cream part ways for a while, with Cream going to find some books. While Peach is skimming through books and talking to Stella herself though, a darkness suddenly envolves the library. Peach and Stella find the cause of this: Cream tried to read a book titled "The Sour Bunch Kids", which released the titular characters into the real world and is enabling their leader Madame Grape to try and have them rewrite all the book's endings into tragic endings. Fearing what might become of Cream, Stella agrees to help Peach save Cream from Grape's clutches.
in an effort to confront the Sour Bunch Kids, Stella gives Peach the power of Sparkle, which ties Peach's hair into a ponytail with meganta bow, and enables Peach to interact with various objects and characters in each of the stories she enters. The worlds in this game are inside of various storybooks that Peach can enter, and are featured in a mission-based structure similar to Super Mario Sunshine. In each world there are enemies who are typically Grape-corrupted variants of conventional Mario enemies like Koopas and Goombas. Each level is formatted like a book with a total of eight "chapters" including a final boss fight, and each level features five "Sparkle Gems" used to progress and unlock levels. Upon entering each story for the first time, Peach transforms into a costume-like form that matches the storybook in some shape or form. These transformations give Peach some kind of embellishment or power relevant to the world's challenges. Each world is concluded with a boss fight against one of the Sour Bunch Kids, parodies the Cabbage Patch Kids who take up roles similarly relevant to the "book" and its theme.
These storybooks and their transformations are as follows:
- The Valiant Swordfighter: Peach takes on the form remniscent of the "knightly lady" archetype. The book's story focuses on a series of swashbuckling adventures where she must save a kingdom from a treacherous lord's subversive schemes. The traitor in question is a Sour Bunch Kid that Peach must duel against.
- Cowgirl of Drythroat Gulch: Peach is sent into a Western novel as a cowgirl, where she battles desperados, trains robbers, and a variety of similar baddies. The main boss is a Sour Bunch Kid dressed as a leader of the train robbers.
- Voice Of The Sea: Peach becomes a mermaid (closer in design to Ariel than OTL, complete with a seashell bra). She spends her time using her etheral singing voice to have aquatic creatures do favors for her and to free less fortunate creatures from pirates trying to plunder the sea bed for treasure, with a Sour Bunch Kid as their captain.
- Good Bakes: Peach becomes a baker who creates baked goods to placate baddies and simply help with parties. However, one of the Sour Bunch kids has created a gluttonous creature to be a perpetual thorn in the side. The boss of this world is facing the Sour Bunch Kid in a bake-off for a cake delicious enough to satisfy the creature's perpetual hunger.
- The Pink Lotus: Peach finds herself as a kung-fu fighter who uses her abilities to defend a small village from an invading barbarian horde. As usual, the Sour Bunch Kid is fought at the end as you try to dfight him away from learning the kung fu school's secrets.
- The Rainy City Plot: Peach masquerades as a Sherlock-like detective seeking to expose an underworld crime boss. As usual, this crime boss is a Sour Bunch Kid who seeks to make the underworld his, and you must expose him to the police.
- Agent 64: In the only new to TTL transformation, Peach masquerades as a 007-like secret agent sabotaging the "People's Nation of Poldova". Much of this involves hacking computers, setting up bombs, and other sabotage which lead Peach to a confrontation with Komrade Kavklash, the dictator portrayed by a Sour Bunch Kid.
- Mighty-Girl: Princess Peach takes on a mighty form based mainly on Japanese superheroes like the Power Rangers. Many of the missions involve protecting a city from alien invaders led by one last Sour Bunch Kid.
Once enough Sparkle Gems are collected, Peach confronts Grape by transforming into a goddess-like form called Sparkling Peach, confronting Grape in a showtime similar to Gruntilda in Banjo-Kazooie, during which Grape actively threatens Cream, and part of the battle is keeping Cream safe in addition to attacking Grape. Once Grape is defeated and Cream is rescued, Peach uses her Sparking Power to purge the remaining Sour Bunch from the library, and return it to normal. The story ends as Peach and Cream walk out of the library, each carrying a big stash of books that they only manage to get home with Stella's help. A post-credits scene however, does show Grape's mask wasn't destroyed, and soon enough it's eyes open back up.
Recieving generally positive reviews upon its release, Princess Peach storytime was praised for its creative idea for a Peach game, but also criticized for its short length. However, both issues would be addressed when the game had a direct sequel, Princess Peach Storytime: Chapter 2, released to the Nintendo Unity in 2013 then ported to the Nintendo Nexus in 2018. Likewise Kristen Bell, the voice of Princess Peach in Sony's animated Super Mario Bros film series, expressed interest in reprising her role for an adaptation of either this game or the Princess Peach & Friends series.
Platform: Nintendo Wii
Developer: Good-Feel
During the development of Wario Land II: Shake It in 2005, Good-Feel founder Etsunobu Ebisu was offered the chance to make a new game starring another Mario series staple. As the Yoshi series was firmly on Argonaut's hands by this point, Good-Feel chose the character they felt was most in need of a new game: Princess Peach. Particularly as her only prior series, Princess Peach & Friends by Tose, were considered a handheld exclusive series. For this title however, Ebitsu decided to take Peach back to her roots and inspiration in classic fairy tale princesses in a game inspired by his own Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon.
Gameplay
The game centers around Peach travelling through the worlds of several different books available inside a large library the game refers to as the Kotabe Library after character design Yoichi Kotabe. Our story begins as Peach is entering the library with her kid brother Prince Cream, with their majordormo Toadsworth watching over them. Upon first entering the library, they are introduced to Stella, a sentient bookmark who acts as the librarian. Peach and Cream part ways for a while, with Cream going to find some books. While Peach is skimming through books and talking to Stella herself though, a darkness suddenly envolves the library. Peach and Stella find the cause of this: Cream tried to read a book titled "The Sour Bunch Kids", which released the titular characters into the real world and is enabling their leader Madame Grape to try and have them rewrite all the book's endings into tragic endings. Fearing what might become of Cream, Stella agrees to help Peach save Cream from Grape's clutches.
in an effort to confront the Sour Bunch Kids, Stella gives Peach the power of Sparkle, which ties Peach's hair into a ponytail with meganta bow, and enables Peach to interact with various objects and characters in each of the stories she enters. The worlds in this game are inside of various storybooks that Peach can enter, and are featured in a mission-based structure similar to Super Mario Sunshine. In each world there are enemies who are typically Grape-corrupted variants of conventional Mario enemies like Koopas and Goombas. Each level is formatted like a book with a total of eight "chapters" including a final boss fight, and each level features five "Sparkle Gems" used to progress and unlock levels. Upon entering each story for the first time, Peach transforms into a costume-like form that matches the storybook in some shape or form. These transformations give Peach some kind of embellishment or power relevant to the world's challenges. Each world is concluded with a boss fight against one of the Sour Bunch Kids, parodies the Cabbage Patch Kids who take up roles similarly relevant to the "book" and its theme.
These storybooks and their transformations are as follows:
- The Valiant Swordfighter: Peach takes on the form remniscent of the "knightly lady" archetype. The book's story focuses on a series of swashbuckling adventures where she must save a kingdom from a treacherous lord's subversive schemes. The traitor in question is a Sour Bunch Kid that Peach must duel against.
- Cowgirl of Drythroat Gulch: Peach is sent into a Western novel as a cowgirl, where she battles desperados, trains robbers, and a variety of similar baddies. The main boss is a Sour Bunch Kid dressed as a leader of the train robbers.
- Voice Of The Sea: Peach becomes a mermaid (closer in design to Ariel than OTL, complete with a seashell bra). She spends her time using her etheral singing voice to have aquatic creatures do favors for her and to free less fortunate creatures from pirates trying to plunder the sea bed for treasure, with a Sour Bunch Kid as their captain.
- Good Bakes: Peach becomes a baker who creates baked goods to placate baddies and simply help with parties. However, one of the Sour Bunch kids has created a gluttonous creature to be a perpetual thorn in the side. The boss of this world is facing the Sour Bunch Kid in a bake-off for a cake delicious enough to satisfy the creature's perpetual hunger.
- The Pink Lotus: Peach finds herself as a kung-fu fighter who uses her abilities to defend a small village from an invading barbarian horde. As usual, the Sour Bunch Kid is fought at the end as you try to dfight him away from learning the kung fu school's secrets.
- The Rainy City Plot: Peach masquerades as a Sherlock-like detective seeking to expose an underworld crime boss. As usual, this crime boss is a Sour Bunch Kid who seeks to make the underworld his, and you must expose him to the police.
- Agent 64: In the only new to TTL transformation, Peach masquerades as a 007-like secret agent sabotaging the "People's Nation of Poldova". Much of this involves hacking computers, setting up bombs, and other sabotage which lead Peach to a confrontation with Komrade Kavklash, the dictator portrayed by a Sour Bunch Kid.
- Mighty-Girl: Princess Peach takes on a mighty form based mainly on Japanese superheroes like the Power Rangers. Many of the missions involve protecting a city from alien invaders led by one last Sour Bunch Kid.
Once enough Sparkle Gems are collected, Peach confronts Grape by transforming into a goddess-like form called Sparkling Peach, confronting Grape in a showtime similar to Gruntilda in Banjo-Kazooie, during which Grape actively threatens Cream, and part of the battle is keeping Cream safe in addition to attacking Grape. Once Grape is defeated and Cream is rescued, Peach uses her Sparking Power to purge the remaining Sour Bunch from the library, and return it to normal. The story ends as Peach and Cream walk out of the library, each carrying a big stash of books that they only manage to get home with Stella's help. A post-credits scene however, does show Grape's mask wasn't destroyed, and soon enough it's eyes open back up.
Recieving generally positive reviews upon its release, Princess Peach storytime was praised for its creative idea for a Peach game, but also criticized for its short length. However, both issues would be addressed when the game had a direct sequel, Princess Peach Storytime: Chapter 2, released to the Nintendo Unity in 2013 then ported to the Nintendo Nexus in 2018. Likewise Kristen Bell, the voice of Princess Peach in Sony's animated Super Mario Bros film series, expressed interest in reprising her role for an adaptation of either this game or the Princess Peach & Friends series.
Last edited:
Rurouni Kenshin: The Last Blade (2005)
Developer: Arc System Works, Daisuke Ishiwatari
Publisher: Sammy
Consoles: Arcade, PS2
Background
The manga Rurouni Kenshin by Nobuhiro Watsuki, one of the iconic Mangas of the 90s, hit it big in America following the anime's broadcast on Cartoon Network's anime block Toonami in 2003. Meanwhile, Arc System Works have been looking to branch out following the underground success of its guily gear series, and making their first licences game, especially based on a manga that just became popular in the west, might be the title that would help them break through that market.
Here, the POD is that Arc System works actually acquired the rights to an SNK franchise that laid dormant during SNK's financial troubles in the early 00s. That franchise being the Last Blade, a weapons-based fighting game in feudal japan known for its stunnign animation and atmospheric music and ambience. Many people who worked on those games ended up joining Arc System Works, working on Guilty Gear X and X2. Feeling the tike was right, Daisuke Ishiwatari, himself a big fan of Kenshin (the character Baiken was inspired by the titular character), took charge of the project.
Kenshin: The Last Blade is seen by many as one of the best fighting games on the PS2 and one of the best anime video game adaptations ever. The game's artstyle not only faithfully recreates the manga, but also mixes it with traditional japanese arts influence. Combined with the atmospheric traditional music and ambience that characterised the Last Blade games, it makes for a truly stunning audiovisual delight. The japanese and english voice cast of the anime are present, while the roster includes both expected stars such as Kenshin, Saito, Sanosuke and Shishio, as well as some unexpected duelists such as Kaoru, Yahiko and Megumi, as well as two new characters created by Watsuki: a female ainu archer named Imekanu and George Mackenzie, a british privateer using a sword and gun style.
Gameplay wise, the system remains similar to the Last Blade games, with combos being a bit easier to pull off due to Arcsys's influence, although the battles remain more grounded than Arcsys's usual fare. This game nowadays has a somewhat bittersweet aftertaste, for many fans of Kenshin sees this game nowadays as a nostalgie trip to the simpler times of Toonami and appreciating the manga for what it was, untainted by the future revelations about Nobuhiro Watsuki...
Roster
Kenshin Himura
Hitokiri Battousai
Kaoru Kamiya
Yahiko Myojin
Sanosuke Sagara
Hajime Saitou
Makoto Shishio
Udo Jin-e
Enishi
Cho
Anji
Soujiro the Tenken
Megumi
Misao
Aoshi
Hiko Seijuro xiii
Usui
Honjo Kamatari
Imekanu (Original Character)
George Mackenzie (Original Character)
Developer: Arc System Works, Daisuke Ishiwatari
Publisher: Sammy
Consoles: Arcade, PS2
Background
The manga Rurouni Kenshin by Nobuhiro Watsuki, one of the iconic Mangas of the 90s, hit it big in America following the anime's broadcast on Cartoon Network's anime block Toonami in 2003. Meanwhile, Arc System Works have been looking to branch out following the underground success of its guily gear series, and making their first licences game, especially based on a manga that just became popular in the west, might be the title that would help them break through that market.
Here, the POD is that Arc System works actually acquired the rights to an SNK franchise that laid dormant during SNK's financial troubles in the early 00s. That franchise being the Last Blade, a weapons-based fighting game in feudal japan known for its stunnign animation and atmospheric music and ambience. Many people who worked on those games ended up joining Arc System Works, working on Guilty Gear X and X2. Feeling the tike was right, Daisuke Ishiwatari, himself a big fan of Kenshin (the character Baiken was inspired by the titular character), took charge of the project.
Kenshin: The Last Blade is seen by many as one of the best fighting games on the PS2 and one of the best anime video game adaptations ever. The game's artstyle not only faithfully recreates the manga, but also mixes it with traditional japanese arts influence. Combined with the atmospheric traditional music and ambience that characterised the Last Blade games, it makes for a truly stunning audiovisual delight. The japanese and english voice cast of the anime are present, while the roster includes both expected stars such as Kenshin, Saito, Sanosuke and Shishio, as well as some unexpected duelists such as Kaoru, Yahiko and Megumi, as well as two new characters created by Watsuki: a female ainu archer named Imekanu and George Mackenzie, a british privateer using a sword and gun style.
Gameplay wise, the system remains similar to the Last Blade games, with combos being a bit easier to pull off due to Arcsys's influence, although the battles remain more grounded than Arcsys's usual fare. This game nowadays has a somewhat bittersweet aftertaste, for many fans of Kenshin sees this game nowadays as a nostalgie trip to the simpler times of Toonami and appreciating the manga for what it was, untainted by the future revelations about Nobuhiro Watsuki...
Roster
Kenshin Himura
Hitokiri Battousai
Kaoru Kamiya
Yahiko Myojin
Sanosuke Sagara
Hajime Saitou
Makoto Shishio
Udo Jin-e
Enishi
Cho
Anji
Soujiro the Tenken
Megumi
Misao
Aoshi
Hiko Seijuro xiii
Usui
Honjo Kamatari
Imekanu (Original Character)
George Mackenzie (Original Character)
Last edited: