I have a confession to make. Before I began work on the Definitive 50, I had never played a Mega Man game. That’s right, I had never encountered one of the most famous and prolific game characters of all time until just a few months ago.

Upon picking up Mega Man X for the first time, I immediately realized the appeal of the series, and what had kept fans coming back for so many installments.

Mega Man X takes 24th place on the list of Definitive 50 SNES games.

Mega Man X is a side-scrolling action platformer released for the Super Nintendo in December of 1993. It was later released as part of the Mega Man X Collection for GameCube and PS2. Although technically a separate series from the famous Mega Man games of the NES, the X games are a natural progression of the gameplay founded there.

Sure, the basic gameplay premise of Mega Man X is extremely reminiscent of other action platformer titles we’ve looked at on the Definitive 50, like Super Star Wars and Earthworm Jim, but there is a smoothness of controls and design here that goes unrivaled.

In Mega Man X, your jumps are superhuman, but do not feel wild or uncontrollable. You can cling to walls and even progress up vertical includes by repeatedly hopping. You must dodge enemies and other obstacles to keep up your health, and blast Sigma’s robotic Mavericks whenever you get the chance.

After you advance passed an introductory level, Mega Man X is made up of 8 main levels, each with a boss at the end to battle and an upgrade to find. The order in which you take on these levels is entirely up to you. Plug away on one you find enjoyable, and collect the upgrades you find there to get yourself ready for the levels you find more frustrating.

The instant variety afforded by the game’s level select design makes it immediately accessible and irresistible even for an inexperienced player.

Check back next week for entry 23 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

Image: Zombies Ate My Neighbors box art. Konami.

Remember the classic SNES and Genesis run-and-gun tribute to horror movies, Zombies Ate My Neighbors? I do, I named it the 37th best Super Nintendo game ever. The few hundred people who watched that video probably remember too.

That’s not to say anyone else does, however, but a film is in the works none the less. I wonder where it will fit in the canon of the franchise. More importantly, I wonder if soda-pop grenades and water guns will be the best weapons the main characters can scrape together.

Zeke and Julie, along with teenage angst, romance, and zombies are in the mix, but not much else is known.

Source: SlashFilm

Super Castlevania IV introduced the classic Castlevania gameplay of the NES to the technical power of the Super Nintendo. It was released for that system in December 1991. It is now available on Wii’s Virtual Console service.

Super Castlevania IV takes 25th place on the list of Definitive 50 SNES games.

The story goes that every 100 years, good’s powers fade, and Dracula is resurrected. Well, he’s back, and it’s up to you, as vampire slayer Simon Belmont, to take down the blood-sucker. Do you really need any more motivation?

This action platformer features eleven grueling stages which require you to navigate with utmost skill. Belmont’s moves are a complex combination of multi-directional whipping, jumping, and throwing. You’ll need to master them all to take on nothing short of the darkest of evil’s forces. Exploring is also vital in this title, as staying alive means finding every bit of health-recovering food you can scrounge.

This game’s appeal lay not only in the intense action of its gameplay, but also in the intriguing atmosphere its aesthetics build. Eery organ music will haunt your steps here. Enemies come in a wide array of classical-horror inspired styles, as well as more modern movies. You’ll face everything from shambling skeletons and fluttering bats to hydra-like monsters on your journey to defeat Dracula himself.

Later Castlevania games break from the hack-and-slash formula perfected in this title. If you’re looking for Metroid or “Metroidvania”-like exploration and open-ended gameplay, avoid this title and look into later Castlevania games. If you just want to whip baddies instead of worrying about where you’re going, then Castlevania IV is exactly what you need.

Check back next week for entry 24 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

Kirby Super Star was released for the Super Nintendo in September of 1996. This stellar Kirby outing was later remade for the DS, and is now available on Wii’s Virtual Console. It takes 26th place on the list of Definitive 50 SNES games.

Fans familiar with Kirby’s other outings will not be surprised by the basic gameplay of this title. Super Star plays much like the NES and GameBoy games that came before it. Much of this game is spent moving Kirby left to right and sucking up and/or smashing enemies, not to mention having a great time.

What sets Kirby Super Star apart is that it’s a cohesive collection of nine smaller games. Seven of these are plays on the familiar Kirby platformer, and two are smaller mini-games.

The game intended to introduce players to Kirby Super Star is “Spring Breeze.” This game is a shortened remake of Kirby’s first game, the GameBoy’s Kirby’s Dream Land. This is a chance to ease you back in to Kirby, and remind you of some of Kirby‘s most iconic levels and characters.

An interesting twist on the Kirby platformer comes in “Gourmet Race.” This is actually a three-level race against King Dedede. You have two goals here: get to the finish line first, and grab as much food as you can along the way. Points are awarded for both. You can return to this game to try to best your own high scores.

In “The Great Cave Offensive,” you’ll be tasked with cave exploration, trying to escape the caverns you’ve fallen into, while scrounging for 60 hidden treasure chests.

The two mini-games of Kirby Super Star are “Samurai Kirby” and “Megaton Punch.” These can be a fun distraction if you’ve had enough of platforming. In “Samurai Kirby,” you must quickly tap a button upon seeing an exclamation mark show up on screen to beat your opponent. In “Megaton Punch,” you must time your button taps so that they sync with on screen moments, with the objective of building up a stronger punch.

Another interesting innovation of this title comes in the form of “helpers.” These allies are created by stealing the powers of enemies and spinning them off into a second player which can be either computer or friend controlled. Helpers apply the abilities of your sucked-up opponents to beat back your enemies.

Kirby Super Star is one of the strongest entries in the Kirby franchise. His familiar platforming antics are given new life in this title thanks to the unique twists afforded by the games-within-a-game format.

Check back next week for entry 25 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

Illusion of Gaia is a smartly simplistic action RPG released for the Super Nintendo on September 1, 1994. It takes 27th place on the list of Definitive 50 SNES games.

The story here is exactly what you’d expect from an RPG of the era. Will seems like a normal boy, until we find out he can do things his friends can’t, specifically: move objects with his mind. Will’s got a mysterious past, too. His father was lost on a trip that Will somehow managed to return from, but can’t remember how. This protagonist is also informed early in the game that he must set out to save the world. Oh yeah, and did I mention he’s from a small town?

The settings in this title are somewhat more unique than the story itself. The game takes place on a pseudo Earth, and it includes plenty of real-world references and places. You’ll visit Incan Ruins, the Great Wall of China, and the Egyptian pyramids.

Illusion of Gaia‘s gameplay borrows from the best of sources. Its action portions are often reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. As Will and the other playable characters in the game, you get to hack and slash with enemies from an overhead perspective, move objects, and solve puzzles.

There is a strong, and joyously simple RPG component in this game as well. In Illusion of Gaia, you must clear rooms of enemies in order to earn jewels which boost your stats. Once you’ve earned the jewel for a particular area, you won’t be able to earn it again. There is also very little in the way of item management. The game has no currency, and a limited number of healing items.

Illusion of Gaia can be shockingly linear at times. You are often cut off from previous areas of the game once you advance, and there is little in the way of side-quests.

If you’re looking for an engrossing and complex role playing game, Illusion of Gaia isn’t for you. This title is for those who desire some simple hack and slash with RPG-light carrot-on-a-stick motivation thrown in. The beautiful fantasy score and crisp graphics help too.

Check back next week for entry 26 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

Among the numerous shoot-em-up, or “shmup” scrolling shooters of the 16-bit era, perhaps none stands taller than the monolithically difficult R-Type III: The Third Lightning.

This title was released for the Super Nintendo in August of 1994. It is now available on the Wii’s Virtual Console service. A shoddy port was also brought to the GameBoy Advance.

R-Type III‘s design is remarkably simple. Your options are limited to control setup and the choice between one and two player. Past that, you can select between three so-called Force Devices, which will affect what types of weapons your ship will carry. After that, it’s just you and your tiny R-Type against massive scrolling levels teaming with the forces of the evil Bydo Empire.

The story here is lovably ridiculous. Horrible biological weapons, the Bydo, created by humans in the 26th century have come back in time to destroy their creators. It’s up to you to save humanity.

R-Type III consists of six stages, which doesn’t sound like much until you experience the game for yourself. Each stage is punctuated by several checkpoints, and clearing the space between one of these checkpoints and the next can feel like beating a full level, or even an entire game. The length of time it takes to do so, the number of deaths that you will inevitably incur, and the satisfaction you will ultimately receive all make this the case.

In your typical playthrough of a game, how well do you come to learn that game? You probably pick up on the level designs, and maybe some of the enemy placements and behaviors. If you want to get serious about beating R-Type III, you will learn the layout of every level, the placement of every enemy and object, as well as every move required to progress. It’s that tough.

The GBA version of The Third Lightning does allow for level selection, the SNES version does not. One trick to mitigate the game’s difficulty slightly is to pick it up on Virtual Console. The game has infinite continues, and there is no punishment in dying or continuing except to be sent back to the last checkpoint. Thanks to the Wii’s ability to keep a save-state of your Virtual Console games, you never have to lose progress while playing the game on that system.

For all of its challenge, R-Type III is never unfair. It is always clear where enemies are coming from and where weapons fire is heading. “Luck” is never against you, only your reflexes and your nerves.

Check back next week for entry 27 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

Nintendo’s famous Punch-Out!! series began life in the arcades of the 1980′s before being introduced to its mainstream audience with Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! on the NES. Super Punch-Out!! was developed as a sequel to the NES title and punched its way to North American store shelves in October of 1994. It is now available on the Wii’s Virtual Console service.

Super Punch-Out!! takes 29th place on the list of Definitive 50 SNES games. In this game, you play as Little Mac, a boxer in the World Video Boxing Association who seeks to become champion.

This title continues the addictive and challenging puzzle-like play-style established by its predecessors. Don’t go thinking this is a typical action-y boxing game, Super Punch-Out!! requires the player to watch his or her opponents carefully, learning patterns, figuring out what moves to use and when to strike. The gameplay can feel like a series of boss fights in which the enemy’s pattern must be learned and exploited. Build up your S bar by battering your adversary with repeated small punches, then go in for the knockout with heavier swings.

Super Punch-Out!! takes advantage of the Super Nintendo’s graphic capabilities to great effect. The game is still played from the “behind the back” perspective, but now Little Mac is semi-transparent, so his opponents can be shown clearly without radical size distortion.

Speaking of opponents, Little Mac’s adversaries are once again the most memorable component of this game. Cleverly named and humorous enemies such as Bob Charlie, Dragon Chan, and Bear Hugger each feature as levels of Super Punch-Out!!. The 16 opponents are broken up across four circuits of this game’s Championship mode. All four of each circuit’s boxers must be defeated in succession in order to beat those circuits.

Super Punch-Out!! also features a Time Attack mode and a Records View mode, both of which go a long way to extend the game’s replay value. Player progress can thankfully be saved.

Punch-Out!! for NES is one of that system’s best remembered titles, but its Super NES successor also deserves great praise for its strong continuation of that title’s gameplay, as well as impressive visual style.

Check back next week for entry 28 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

Smash TV made its debut in arcades in 1990. It was brought to the SNES in 1991 as Super Smash TV. The original arcade game is now available on the X-Box 360′s X-Box Live Arcade service. Super Smash TV takes 30th place on the list Definitive 50 SNES games.

This overhead shooter’s “twin-stick” arcade controls map perfectly to the symmetrical Super NES game pad’s layout. I highly recommend this title to anyone who is a fan of today’s popular twin-stick shooters, such as Geometry Wars, as this game’s simple fun and intense action have not diminished in the least since its release.

Super Smash TV‘s story is as hilarious as games get. We’re introduced to the far-flung and futuristic 1999, where we’re told TV has “adapted to the more violent nature of man.” It turns out Smash TV is a game show, and your task is to compete for big money and big prizes by mowing down thousands of armed henchmen. The game’s rewards are legendary, they include cars, toasters, cash, and yes, even VCRs. Look out for the show’s announcer, he’s got some clever, pop-culture inspired quips for you.

The games levels are laid out as a series of single-screen squares. Each one will confront you with a unique mix of enemies and pick-ups, although wave upon wave of murderous adversaries can generally be expected. It is your task to adeptly dodge their attacks while mercilessly slaughtering them with your guns and explosives.

The game is controlled in a “dual-stick” fashion, which means you move your character with the directional pad, and control the direction of your fire by using the SNES’s face buttons as if they were a second d-pad. The set-up is simple, intuitive, and infinitely addictive.

Super Smash TV allows for either single player or two-player co-op. There are three difficulty settings: Easy, Normal, and Hard. Easy mode is a shortened version of the Normal mode. Normal mode includes all the levels of the game. Hard consists of all the levels, plus tougher enemies. Choose wisely, this is a truly challenging title.

Super Smash TV is one of my personal favourites. The simple and intuitive controls, intense gameplay, and ridiculous humour have stuck with me since I was first introduced to the game many years ago.

Check back next week for entry 29 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

Killer Instinct was developed by Rare and released to arcades in 1994 before being slimmed down and brought to the Super Nintendo in August 1995. It takes 31st place on the list of Definitive 50 SNES games.

This is one wild 2-D fighter, with a story and characters to match. A mega-corporation known as Ultratech has set up a tournament in which human fighters battle it out with Ultratech abominations, and even one extra-dimensional being.

So much of what defines a fighting game is its characters, and perhaps even more so with this title. Humans like boxer T.J. Combo and spy Orchid take on the likes of Spinal, a sword and shield wielding skeleton, and Riptor, a genetically modified velociraptor. A total of ten playable characters are available for selection.

Included in the SNES version of this game are the usual one and two player modes, just like in the arcades, as well as a training mode and a tournament mode, intended for group use.

The fights in Killer Instinct can get as crazy as the characters in the title. Numerous combos can be strung together to take down your opponents. There are also Ultra Combo, No Mercy, and Humiliation kills which end your opponent with particular devastation. These types of moves are reminiscent of the Fatalities seen in Mortal Kombat.

Killer Instinct features the pre-rendered graphics which Rare pioneered on the SNES with Donkey Kong Country. These effects may have been impressive in their day, but have not aged well. Characters and environments often look jagged and messy. Especially offensive are the still images shown before fights, these are pictures of the fighters about to square off. They tend to look stretched, and even bizarre. Have a look at Orchid’s pointed breasts.

Killer Instinct was a prominent title in its day, spawning a short-lived franchise. Its gameplay and quirky aesthetics are similar to that of Mortal Kombat, and fans of those games may enjoy this series.

Check back next week for entry 30 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

Entry 32 on the Definitive 50 SNES games is ActRaiser. This wildly unique title features a combination of 2D action beat-em-up with segments, get this, of overhead city-building simulation. It was released for the Super Nintendo in November 1991 and is now available on Wii Virtual Console.

In ActRaiser, you take on the role of the Master as he quests to recover his strength and restore his power. This will be accomplished by taking back the Earth from the clutches of the demon Tanzra.

ActRaiser‘s side-scrolling action segments are the fairly typical hack-n-slash affair you expect from the 16-bit era. They require you to navigate terrain and dodge enemies while finding opportune moments to strike back at your opponents. Explore settings such as forests and dungeons, taking care to keep your health up for the challenging boss battles which await. In addition to a sword, magic items found through the course of the game can also be used during these parts.

Your mission is helped along by the Angel. He walks you through menus and explains what to do. You take direct control of Angel during city-building portions of the game. During these times, you not only direct your people on what to do, but you also fly around protecting those people by fending off enemies with Angel’s bow.

City building involves directing your people on how to develop their cities. You must help your people out by performing miracles, such as causing lightning strikes to clear land of trees for them to build through. In order to advance, you need to get your people to build toward enemy lairs so that they can help you clear their land of monsters. Strategic city planning is also vital for the action portions of the game, as increasing the population of your followers boosts your stats there.

ActRaiser is a truly unique title, and one worth exploring for both its solid action and engaging strategy portions.

Check back next week for entry 31 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

The famous Harvest Moon franchise began on the Super Nintendo. The first entry in the series, simply called Harvest Moon, was released in North America in June of 1997. It takes 33rd place on the list of Definitive 50 SNES games.

Harvest Moon is a farming simulation and roleplaying game, perhaps most closely comparable with Animal Crossing. In this title, you take on the role of a young boy who has just been given a farm of his own. It’s up to you to grow crops, raise livestock, make as much money as possible, get married, and have children, all over the course of two and a half years. Intimidated yet?

Harvest Moon is all about maximizing the brief day-night cycles your character lives through to get farm chores done efficiently while still finding time to chat with the game’s many non-playable characters. After all, you are expected to find someone to marry.

For new players, I recommend beginning Harvest Moon by viewing the “How to Play” video available from the menu screen. Although Harvest Moon may quickly grow to feel simple and repetitive, it does not begin with much instruction on what the player is expected or capable of. This is a simulation game, after all, and the possibilities are remarkably open.

In short, you must take command of your new piece of land by clearing grass, chopping up tree stumps, smashing rocks, and re-arranging fences. After this is done, land must be tilled, seeded, and watered. Where to go from there can be picked up by chatting with town residents and experimentation, but if you really want to excel at Harvest Moon, a walkthrough will almost certainly be necessary.

Harvet Moon may not be the flashiest game. There is little in the way of action, and a clear absence of explosions. That doesn’t mean it can’t be an exciting game with the right mindset. The open nature of developing your own farm as you see fit, exploring the game’s possibilities, and appreciating the addictive quality of maintaining an efficient farm combine to form a truly satisfying title.

Check back next week for entry 32 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

Contra III: The Alien Wars takes 34th place on the list of Definitive 50 SNES games. This furiously hard side-scrolling shooter was released in April of 1992. It was later ported to the GameBoy and GameBoy Advance, and is now available on the Wii’s Virtual Console.

Once again, players take control of two hardened action heroes as they fight the evil Red Faction aliens. This time, it’s the year 2636 the aliens have come to Earth.

Contra III‘s gameplay follows up right where its NES predecessors left off. You generally move left to right, blasting everything in sight for the sake of defending Earth. A single hit will kill you, and inexperienced players will quickly find themselves running out of lives and continues. Unlike the NES games though, there are no Konami or other extra lives codes to help you out. In fact, the “30 lives” and “level select” codes of Contra III‘s Japanese version were removed for the North American edition.

Getting through Contra III‘s six brutally difficult stages requires skill and memorization, as well as a willingness to destroy everything in your path. Thankfully, the game’s controls are on your side. Movement is tight and precisely controlled by the directional pad, and it is easy and intuitive to navigate jumps, grab onto architecture, and maneuver around obstacles.

In addition to The Alien Wars‘ traditional side scrolling levels, there are two overhead stages which take advantage of the Super NES’s Mode-7 sprite-rotation technology. On these levels, you must rotate your character with the L and R shoulder buttons while moving with the D-pad. These levels are a welcome addition that add variety to the action.

Contra and Super C on NES are remembered as fiendishly difficult classics. Contra III: The Alien Wars follows in that tradition, bringing the memorable gameplay of those games to the 16-bit era, taking full advantage of the improved technology provided.

Check back next week for entry 33 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

With all the excitement over Mario’s recent anniversary, it may slip under the radar that the greatest system of all time, the Super Nintendo, is also having a birthday. The SNES was launched in Japan (as the Super Famicom) November 21, 1990. Today is its 20th anniversary. It wouldn’t come to North America until August of 1991.

Nearly 50 million Super Nintendos would eventually inhabit the Earth, bringing joy to the hearts of those who played them with titles like Super Mario World, Super Mario Kart, Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, and of course The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Source: NeoGAF
Image: Adapted from Super Nintendo Entertainment System-USA by Wikimedia under a CC-BY-SA license. Yes, you can similarly share alike!

Coming in at 35th place on list of Definitive 50 SNES games is that Nintendo developed flight sim from 1991, Pilotwings.

This is a single-player affair broken up into a series of eight training lessons, with a couple of secret command missions thrown in as well. Each lesson consists of several short flight-based tasks which may be tackled in any order. The player progresses by earning enough points during a training lesson to be awarded a license. Each license comes with a “license number” which doubles as a password, allowing the player to resume his or her progress in the game.

This title features a surprising variety of gameplay, requiring the player to hop between modes like controlling a skydiver, piloting a plane, navigating a hang-glider, and managing a rocketbelt. Each task generally consists of getting the controlled character or vehicle to a specific landing spot, and trying to meet objectives such as steady flight and the interception of green orbs along the way.

As this is a flight simulator, the controls are delicate. Gamers accustomed to the wild world of Nintendo’s other titles may be in for a surprise to find Pilotwings‘ controls are rather stiff, not to mention unforgiving. Precision is key here.

There is no doubt that Pilotwings was developed in large part to demonstrate the Super Nintendo’s impressive Mode-7 sprite rotation technology. The game relies on the system’s ability to make large sprites appear as terrain to be navigated. While this may have wowed gamers in ’91, it comes off as less interesting to those familiar with the SNES’s later accomplishments. Pilotwings‘ gameplay fairs better, however, as it’s challenge and variety still shine.

Among Nintendo’s mega-franchises, Pilotwings is often forgotten. It may not be as dramatic as Zelda or as colourful as Mario, but there should be no doubt that Pilotwings for Super NES kicked off a great series.

Check back next week for entry 34 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

Entry 36 on the Definitive 50 SNES games is that Will Wright classic, SimAnt. This SNES Mouse compatible ant colony simulation game was released for the Super NES in 1993.

Unlike most games designed by the legendary Will Wright, including Sim City, there is a small amount of story, and an end point, to SimAnt. Although it is still very much a “sandbox” sim game, there is an eventual goal for your character.

In this games main mode, you must command the yellow ant in his quest to conquer the entirety of a suburban home. Yard, doghouse, and kitchen included. The property is divided up via grid into a number of blocks, each representing one stage of the game. In order to expand your ant empire, your goal is to drive out the red ants from each of these territories, and spread to the surrounding areas.

The Super NES version of SimAnt has a stand-out enhancement over its PC predecessor in the form of a scenario mode. Here, the player gets to take on eight new and unique levels with the goal of defeating the nefarious red ant menace. A tutorial mode, as well as real-life ant information are also included.

Gameplay in SimAnt consists of directly controlling a single ant, but access is also given to tweak the behaviour of the rest of your colony. Even adjusting the ratio of breeders, workers, and soldiers born to your queen is allowed. To marshal an army of fellow ants and marching into war against opposing ant forces and other insects is also possible. Directly carving out your colony’s hill, gathering food, rearranging rocks, fighting, and caring for larva are also important tasks to tackle.

SimAnt is a deep and engrossing simulation game. Admittedly, it is also slow paced, and certainly not for everyone. Sim fans and those fascinated by ants, however, will not be disappointed with this title.

Check back next week for entry 35 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

Number 37 on the Definitive 50 SNES games goes to that wonderful homage to classic horror movies, Zombies Ate My Neighbors. This overhead shooter was released for Super NES and SEGA Genesis in July of 1993. It has since been made available on the Wii’s Virtual Console service.

The story here is simple, and hilarious. Players take control of Zeke and Julie, a couple of suburban kids on a mission to rescue their neighbors from the swarms of movie-inspired monsters who have taken over.

As you progress through the game’s whopping 48 levels, you must snatch your neighbors, the so-called “victims,” from the encroaching monsters. Watch out though, if a monster gets to a victim first, he or she is toast. Only the number of victims rescued on the previous level will appear on the next to be saved, which means progress can be severely hindered by lazy play. Each level concludes when all the victims have either been rescued or killed. At least one needs to be rescued to move on. Points are awarded for picking up the victims, with some worth more than others. A cheerleader will net you 1000 points, but the school teacher is only worth 10.

This title can be played either by one person or two people cooperatively. The game is played in an overhead perspective, with both players sharing the screen in two-player. Take up guns, soda-pop grenades, magic potions, and a variety of other weapons in your fight against the zombie uprising.

Zombies Ate My Neighbors is a fondly remembered game, and for good reason. Its simple, addictive design and solid play mechanics are easy to pick up, and still fun today. The cartoony graphics and references to old horror movies mean its still pretty funny, too.

Check back next week for entry 36 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

U.N. Squadron takes 38th place on the list of Definitive 50 SNES games. This hard-as-nails side-scrolling shoot-em-up, or “shmup,” began life as a Japanese arcade game named Area 88. It was ported to the SNES and released in 1991 with a number of changes, including a pile of new aircraft, the unfortunate removal of two-player mode, and a number of smaller tweaks.

Despite this game being based on a manga series, there’s not much story here. You must take command of a single small jet and fight back against the rapidly advancing enemy, Project 4.

The game begins with the option to select one of three playable characters: Shin Kazama, Mickey Sychmon, and Greg Gates. Shin can level-up his weapon faster, Mickey can use multiple special weapons at the same time, and Greg can take more damage than the others. At the outset, only one plane is available, but over time, five more can be purchased with money earned through play. Special weapons can also be purchased between levels in order to boost your firepower.

U.N. Squadron plays as a left-to-right scrolling shmup. In some ways, it’s quite typical of the genre. For example, you must pilot a single, small, and vulnerable ship against swarms of enemies and rapidly moving obstacles.

Unlike many others of its kind, like the R-Type games, death is not an instantaneous result of contact. Instead, the player’s ship will drop down to a “danger” zone if struck. Hit again, and you really are dead. Avoid being hit for a few seconds in danger mode, and your ship will recover with only a small amount of its health removed. Watch out though, eventually your life meter will not be able to recover any longer, and you will be stuck in danger mode.

It is also surprising to note that this title relies more on precision shooting than it does on precision flying. Rather than simply staying alive long enough to upgrade into screen-clearing super-weapons, players must be content with a main gun that only fires forward and in short bursts, and other special weapons of limited uses.

U.N. Squadron sports ten tough levels requiring memorization and careful play. It is a gem among the crowded shmup market, and a classic of the Super Nintendo era.

Check back next week for entry 37 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

It is the year 2102, and Earth is under attack by the Dark Axis. It’s up to the Metal Warriors to beat back the evil dictator Venkar Amon and drive his forces off Earth. That is the story of Metal Warriors, a mech-combat focused action platformer for the Super Nintendo.

This game was developed by LucasArts and released April of 1995. It takes 39th place on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

Metal Warriors‘ one player mode features nine lengthy levels which take the gamer from the depths of the enemy’s mechanical facilities, to the defense of a great space ship, and even the icy cold of Alaska. This mode includes well animated cut scenes which hold the lovable and ridiculous plot together.

The Head to Head mode is the game’s brilliantly balanced and tragically under-appreciated multiplayer combat mode. In Head to Head, players frantically traverse levels similar to small sections of the campaign’s levels. They must navigate their mechs around each other, dodging attacks and sneaking in their own gun blasts and melee swings.

In one player mode, the gamer is assigned a certain mech at the beginning of each level, and usually gets to switch to other mechs depending upon what turns up in the course of the level. In Head to Head, each player has his or her choice of mechs taken from the single player campaign, the choices being: Nitro, Havoc, Ballistic, Drache, Prometheus, and Spider.

Each mech has its strengths and weaknesses, and each controls quite differently, although they all use all of the SNES’s buttons. Drache, for example can fly around with ease and drop on its opponents with devastating results. Prometheus can’t even jump, but can place blocks to create a path for itself. In both single and multiplayer, the select button can be hit at any time for the player to hop out of his or her mech and play as a tiny jet-pack-equipped human. In this state, the player becomes incredibly vulnerable, but it is necessary to jump out in order to switch mechs and explore certain parts of levels.

Both the one player and Head to Head modes of Metal Warriors are fully developed, intense, and engaging experiences. Each could likely stand as its own game, and combined they form an undeniably enjoyable package.

Check back next week for entry 39 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

Uniracers, or Unirally as it is known in Europe, takes 40th place on the list of Definitive 50 SNES games. It was developed by DMA Design, the studio which would go on to create Grand Theft Auto, and is now known as Rockstar North. It was released in North America in 1994.

Uniracers is a unique trick-heavy take on the racing genre. The game is viewed from the side, as in a side scroller, and players must navigate loops and other obstacles, finding room to perform tricks in order to gain speed boosts to surpass their opponents. Tricks are performed by tapping various buttons and combinations of buttons while in the air.

The single player mode consists of 45 levels broken up among nine tours of five tracks a piece. Each tour features two race levels, two circuit levels, and one stunt level. The race type levels require the player to beat a computer player on one long piece of track. Circuit levels are similar, but are played on shorter, repeating courses of a set number of laps. Stunt levels do not feature a computer opponent, but rather require the player to beat a pre-set number of points by performing tricks.

Up to 16 player’s save games can be stored on the game. Players may rename their save slots at any time, but a few words are prohibited. Notably, this includes “Sonic” and “SEGA,” which the game dismisses as “not cool enough.”

Uniracers was developed late in the SNES’s life, and its CGI graphical style came about as a result of the success of Donkey Kong Country. Player characters in the form of unicycles zoom around remarkably quickly on expansive, but also very sparse courses which consist of small, brightly coloured tubes or tracks.

Unfortunately, Uniracers landed DMA Design in court. The developers worked hard to realistically model the game’s signature unicycles. Pixar sued the company, claiming the design was stolen from one of their animated shorts. Pixar won the suit, and Nintendo was prevented from producing more than the 300 000 copy initial run of the game. That means a sequel or Virtual Console re-release are highly unlikely.

Check back next week for entry 39 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

Earthworm Jim is an action platformer originally released for the Sega Genesis in August 1994. It came out for the Super Nintendo in October of the same year. It has appeared on numerous systems since then, including the GameBoy, Game Gear, and GameBoy Advance. This Shiny Entertainment game ranks 41st on the list of Definite 50 SNES games.

Although the Super Nintendo version of Earthworm Jim is generally considered inferior to its Genesis counterpart due to the removal of a level and some voice clips, some say its music is superior. This, combined with high quality gameplay and Earthworm Jim‘s not-insignificant cultural presence means this title still earns a spot on the Definitive 50.

Earthworm Jim‘s story and artistic direction are famously bizarre. Although none of this is explained in the game, Jim’s origin story is that he was a normal earthworm who took control of a super suit which dropped on him from space. This led to his battle against The Evil Queen Pulsating, Bloated, Festering, Sweaty, Pus-filled, Malformed, Slug-for-a-Butt, in his quest to save the evil queen’s sister, Princess What’s-Her-Name. Earthworm Jim’s levels are a strange brew, with the game starting out in an Earth landfill before moving to the strange worlds of outer space.

Jim and the other characters in the game are beautifully animated and every bit as wacky as their environments. Jim’s suit frequently yanks Jim out of itself, and uses him like a whip to attack enemies or swing from hooks.

Like many action platformers, Earthworm Jim has only a few number of levels, but each one is lengthy, and extremely difficult. Even on its easiest setting, this game can be a challenge to a novice. This is another game that is designed with the expectation that players will play from the beginning over and over again (there is no ability to save), improving each time, and getting further and further.

Earthworm Jim inspired a 16-bit sequel every bit as polished and well loved as its predecessor, a cartoon, and several other (less fondly remembered) sequels. It was a much hyped game in its time, and considering the graphics and humour contained within, rightfully so.

Check back next week for entry 40 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

Definitive 50 SNES game number 43 is Disney’s Aladdin. It was developed by Capcom and released in North America on November 21, 1993. This is a straight-forward action adventure game based on the massively popular film of the same name.

Players take control of Aladdin himself to guide the famous street rat through many of the events and scenes of the film. The play mechanics should be familiar to anyone who has played an action platformer before. You run left to right, hopping across gaps, grabbing poles, and taking out enemies by jumping on their heads. Aladdin can also chuck apples to stun enemies. Gems and other items are also scattered across the game’s environments for players to collect.

Fans of the Aladdin film will love this game. The music largely consists of instrumentalized versions of the catchy tunes from the movie. For the most part, environments, items, and characters are also taken straight from the movie. Most of the levels are recreations of events which occurred in the film, although there a couple exceptions. The game begins with Aladdin running through the streets of Agrabah while he dodges palace guards, just like the film. Later on, however, one level has the hero bouncing across clouds and on platforms that look like the Genie’s head. That level apparently represents the inside of the lamp, and it does fit with the rest of the aesthetic, but it’s certainly not something from the movie.

Aladdin is comprised of six main levels, each of which is divided into three sections, as well as one bonus stage, and one final boss stage. Although some of these levels can be tricky, once a player has acclimated, it’s not a tough game to get through in a single sitting. Thanks to this, the play experience is tight, well paced, and perfectly satisfying.

In the years since the 16-bit era, gamers have learned to ignore titles based on franchises that exist outside of gaming. Just about every movie these days it seems gets it own game, and those are generally terrible. Aladdin, however, does not deserve to be ignored like so many of those games. It is a fun and well made experience, and should still be fun for action platformer fans of today.

Check back next week for entry 42 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

44th on the list of Definitive 50 SNES games goes to one of my personal favourites, Rampart. This franchise started out in 1990 as an arcade game, and was later ported to the NES, Master System, Genesis, Lynx, and PC, among other systems. It was released for the Super Nintendo in 1992. Although no true sequel was ever made, the various ports of the game differ widely. Of course, today, I will only be looking at the SNES version.

Rampart feautes a unique blend of genres, including strategy, shooter, and puzzle. A session of Rampart always begins with the selection of castles and placement of cannons. This is followed by three repeating phases: “Prepare for Battle,” “Build and Repair,” and “Place Cannons.”

“Prepare for Battle” really means “Do Battle,” this phase consists of firing at objects appearing on the map, usually your enemy’s walls in multi-player, or the computer’s ships in single player. Many other objects are also target-able, including map hazards like rocks and rioting peasants as well as your enemy’s cannons.

Blasting your opponents away is fun, but it’s nothing compared to phase two “Build and Repair.” This is when you’re given semi-random Tetris-like block pieces to place around your castle, and other territory you hope to capture. You must fully surround at least one castle to continue playing, which becomes increasingly difficult as games wear on. This can be due to leftover bits from old walls or other hazards (including your own cannons, if you put them down in inconvenient places).

The third phase of Rampart‘s gameplay consists of placing new cannons. Depending upon the mode you’re playing, you may be restricted to only the game’s normal cannons, or allowed Supercannons and propoganda balloons. It is important not to build canons too close to the edges of the map, as this will greatly limit the shape of wall pieces that can be used in repair in those spots. During “Prepare for Battle,” players should aim for tight spots which will be difficult for the opposition to repair.

These three phases repeat until a winner is declared. In single player, this means fighting until the elimination of all enemy ships. In multiplayer, games go until one player is unable to recapture a single castle, or until all the rounds set at the outset of the game are played. In this case, the player with more points is given victory. In multiplayer, once a player has achieved three victories, he or she gets to walk the opposing player off the plank of a ship. Hilarious mini-game included.

There are two game types available in Rampart, Normal, and Super. Normal consists of standard cannons only, and no terrain obstacles. Super throws in map hazards like the previously mentioned rocks and rioting villagers. In single player, Super mode also introduces a lower viewpoint during “Prepare for Battle” which uses a Mode-7 scrolling effect.

Frankly, I find Rampart‘s gameplay to be every bit as thrilling as I did as a child. It is simple to learn, but deep and difficult to master. I recommend this game to absolutely anyone into quick-paced strategy games, and especially fans of tower defense.

Check back next week for entry 43 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

45th place on the list of Definitive 50 SNES games belongs to Rock N’ Roll Racing. This game was release for the Super NES on June 4, 1993. It also came out for the SEGA Genesis, and later the GameBoy Advance. It was developed by a company known as Silicon & Synapse, which was shortly thereafter renamed to the now famous Blizzard Entertainment.

Although Rock N’ Roll Racing is most certainly a racing game, it differs widely from the norms of that genre. Rather than placing the player’s perspective behind his or her vehicle to produce a control scheme meant to emulate being “behind the wheel,” this title gives players an isometric view of things. Controlling your car from this perspective takes some getting used to if you’re accustomed to other SNES racers like Super Mario Kart and F-Zero, as suddenly every direction on the d-pad matters, not just left and right. The isometric point-of-view allowed the developer to introduce hazards in the third dimension. Players must take advantage of ramps, and avoid landing their jumps outside the tracks.

In both the one and two player modes, gamers zip around small looping tracks, picking up cash and health packs while avoiding the hazards provided by the other racers (four always play at once, with up to three being computer controlled). Rock N’ Roll Racing‘s gameplay is also highly focused on combat, with competitors launching projectiles at one another and leaving behind dangerous mines.

Rock N’ Roll Racing is a perfect match for the SNES controller. B is used for acceleration, while A, X, and Y are each mapped to the abilities of vehicles. One for projectiles, one for mines, and one for boosting/jumping (depending upon your selected vehicle).

There are seven playable characters in this game, each with his or her own stat benefits. This includes one unlockable character straight out of another Silicon & Synapse game, Olaf, from The Lost Vikings. As players progress, they earn money by winning races and collecting cash as items within those races. Those funds can then be put towards purchasing new vehicles and upgrades for those vehicles.

Rock N’ Roll Racing‘s presentation is rightfully famous. The game’s name refers to its pumping sound track, which features instrumental versions of rock classics like “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath, “Born to be Wild” by Steppenwolf, and “Bad to the Bone” by George Thorogood. Over top of this music, the game’s raucous announcer, played by real life commentator Larry “Supermouth” Huffman is often heard shouting things like “The stage is set, the green flag drops!” Additionally, the game sports a cheesy futuristic aesthetic that looks like it was ripped straight out of a comic book, full of alien competitors and alien worlds.

Rock N’ Roll Racing is another true gem of the 16-bit era. Thanks to its speedy gameplay, recognizable soundtrack, and vibrant art direction, it holds up today and is worth checking out. No patience for outdated gameplay needed here.

Check back next week for entry 44 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

Resident Evil 4: Specifically, the Wii Edition. I played through this game some time ago on GameCube, so I already knew how spectacular it was. Having said that, I didn’t feel all that compelled to play through it again after I lost the save data and was unable to play through on the equivalent of New Game +. Already knowing I was a fan of the Wii’s change in controls, and suddenly becoming aware of how easy it is to grab Wii save files off the internet and use them in my own games brought me around for another go.

With everything unlocked, and Leon overpowered to shit, RE4 is a completely different experience. I love the opportunity to blast through enemies that gave me so much trouble before. Now I can enjoy the story and atmosphere in a relaxed, much less agitated, state.

Personal Trainer Walking: Probably the most enjoyable so-called “non-game” I’ve ever experienced. This is more of a software app bundled with a couple step counters. I’m loving all the stat tracking, as well as the ever-so-wise character who guides me through the mystical journey of walking a lot. The guilt he provides is a constant source of inspiration.

StarFox, Rock n’ Roll Racing, Aladdin, etc.: I hope it’s no secret that I’m hard at work on The Definitive 50 SNES Games video series here at Shufflingdead. As such, I’m in a constant state of research, reading about, playing, and bargain hunting for classic games. It’s already been an eye-opening trip to revisit the SNES catalog I loved so dearly as a child. Some games hold up significantly better than others (Aladdin is still awesome, Stunt Race FX significantly less than I remember).

46th place on the list of Definitive 50 SNES games goes to the airline business simulator Aerobiz Supersonic. It was released in North America in 1994 for the Super Nintendo and SEGA Genesis. One of the first message you see when starting up this game is the line “From its Executive Series,” which is a reference to Aerobiz, the first in this series of business sims. Supersonic plays very similarly to its predecessor, but does add more options, and significantly more locations.

In this game, the player takes the role of an airline CEO. Depending upon the difficulty selected, that player’s objective is to lead his or her company to corporate dominance in four to seven international regions. Four 20-year time periods are available to choose from, and players must meet their goals within that time frame.

The time eras are 1955-1975, 1970-1990, 1985-2005, and 2000-2020. Each period has its own flavour and quirks, dependent upon the history of that time. Events like the Cold War, the formation of the EU, wars, the Olympics, and natural disasters all appear in the game, and must be played around strategically. Changing technologies also affect gameplay, with planes capable of longer distance flights becoming available in later eras.

Current events are also important to consider when choosing where you will open your airline. Seven regions are available, each with several major cities to pick from as a hub. In the later eras, I would recommend picking Tokyo, as there are many small local cities you can charge highly to fly routes to, as well as the more obvious major regional cities. It is probably better to choose an American city in the earlier eras of the game, as many markets in the Asian and European regions are difficult to open up thanks to Cold War tensions.

Aerobiz demands players balance the needs of their customers with cold economic realities. As the CEO, you must strategically decide what cities to open routes to, where and what side businesses to buy, which flights you should gouge consumers on, and which ones you should undercut the competition on.

This business sim allows zero to four players to play, without the need for a multitap add-on. Four companies always compete in the game, and those roles can be filled by either humans or the computer. Humans will need to pass the controllers back and forth, as each person takes his or her turn individually.

Aerobiz isn’t the fastest paced SNES game, and it requires a patient player, willing to put up with a control scheme better suited to the PC (the game is not compatible with the SNES Mouse, which would have been ideal). However, it does offer deep and rewarding gameplay for those willing to stick it out. Aerobiz Supersonic is one of my personal favourite Super Nintendo games.

Check back next week for entry 45 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi takes 47th on the list of Definitive 50 SNES games. The game is part of a trilogy of Super Star Wars releases for the SNES. Although all three are worth playing, I would argue this game is the pinnacle of the series, and it will be the one to represent the three on this list. This run-and-gun action platformer was released in North American on June 22, 1994. The game was also released on the Game Boy and Game Gear. All three Super Star Wars games are available on Wii virtual console.

Super Return of the Jedi allows players to battle their way through the pits of Jabba’s palace, the sands of Tatooine, the forests of Endor, and the halls of the Death Star. Playable characters include Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, and more. Carefully selecting which character to use for what level is a vital part of the strategy in the game. Luke’s light saber skills may be no match for a speedy boss who would be better dealt with by a blaster wielding Chewbacca who can keep his distance.

In addition to the standard 2D platforming levels, Super Return of the Jedi includes Mode 7 powered vehicle sequences which, for example, allow the player to experience the speed of the Endor speeder bike chase.

Star Wars fans will appreciate the locations and characters taken from the Return of the Jedi movie remixed and reformed for use in game. Classic locales like Jabba’s palace are recreated with all the embellishments you would expect an action platformer to make. Background characters are turned into swarming enemies, and single rooms are turned into sprawling halls filled with traps. You might not remember Luke slaughtering the native species of Tatooine en masse in the movie, but it turns out to be a pretty fun thing to do in game.

To further boost the nostalgic appeal, sound clips from the authentic voices of Mark Hamil, Carrie Fisher, and James Earl Jones can be heard in Super Return of the Jedi.

In addition to a life bar, players must pay attention to a force meter which is reduced as special moves are performed. These moves include Luke throwing his lightsaber and Chewbacca spinning violently. As gamers make their way through the levels of the game, they will need to watch out for items like shields, thermal detonators, and 1ups. This is a challenging game which won’t allow lazy gamers to get very far.

The game does not feature full save functionality, but does provide players with passwords as an alternative.

The Super Star Wars trilogy is worth picking up in its entirety for collectors and Star Wars fans, but the similarity between the three games probably doesn’t warrant a pick-up from casual players looking to have some run-and-gun fun. Start with this one if you’re curious about the series.

Check back next week for entry 46 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

Mario Paint is 48th on the list of Definitive 50 SNES games. It was released in North America in August of 1992.

More a software application than a game, Mario Paint introduced gamers to the SNES Mouse, which was packed in with the cartridge. The title is a collection of tools which users can experiment with to create images, animations, and music. There is no way to complete Mario Paint, and although the features present may seem archaic, they continue to inspire creativity.

Mario Paint‘s most obvious use is as an art program, highly reminiscent of MS Paint. Users can create images using a variety of brushes, textures, and tools. The game even includes nine different erasers, so players can watch their hard work vanish in different ways. Mario Paint allows artists to create stamps, pixel by pixel which can be saved, and used to mark-up images. Also included are a number of drawings which can be coloured in. Animations can also be made out of the images users make.

There is a remarkably robust music program available in the game, which can be used to add sound to the animations users are able to make. The music program maintains popularity with YouTube artists today, who have managed to pump out incredible and complex work in recent years.

The closest thing to a game available in the package is “Coffee Break,” which requires players to quickly swat flies using the accuracy of the SNES mouse. The mini-game consists of three levels which loop, and there is no final conclusion to the game.

Beyond its influence with artists past and present, and the fact that it stands as a precursor to other Nintendo games which seek user creativity like WarioWare DIY, Mario Paint‘s significance lay mainly in the hardware which came packed-in with it, the Super NES Mouse. This device is small and grey, with two purple buttons, and it compliments the Super Nintendo aesthetic well. The peripheral is, of course, a ball mouse, and its buttons do not necessarily stand up well to use over time. It is, however, simple to use, and an interesting experience on such an early console. The Super NES Mouse would go on to be used in games like Doom, Jurassic Park, and SimAnt.

Although Mario Paint won’t hold much appeal to new players, it’s nostalgic presence still inspires creativity today. The included mouse is a must-have collectible, and a worthwhile purchase for those looking to experience the full breadth of what the SNES had to offer.

Check back next week for entry 47 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

The futuristic sports game Super Baseball 2020 takes 49th on the list of Definitive 50 SNES games. It was released for the Neo Geo in 1991, and ported to the SEGA Genesis and Super Nintendo in 1993.

There are two modes in Super Baseball: the 1P League and a head-to-head single-game two player mode. In the 1P League, the player battles through a “season” of 15 games, culminating with a final match against a super-team, not otherwise available for play in the game.

There are two leagues of six teams each to choose from, the Exciting League and the Fighting League. In multiplayer, competitors can only choose teams from the selected league. In single player, the player must battle through all of the opponents in his or her league before moving on to the world series.

Super Baseball takes the standard baseball formula and gives it a unique, streamlined, and more arcade-y feel. Only one stadium is available to be played in, and it is known as Cyber Egg Stadium. The entire crowd is covered by a protective glass wall, and the ball can be batted onto this covering without the play counting as a home run. Due to the super-human capabilities of the sportspersons, only hitting the ball into the furthest back centre portion of Cyber Egg will register as a home run. Additionally, special zones have been added to the play area to increase the chaos. “Stop” zones will immediately hold a ball and prevent it from moving, possibly ruining a player’s chance of getting on base. Below the Home-run zone, there is a “Jump” zone which allows a player to leap far in the air in order to try to catch hard-hit potential home-runs.

As a game progresses, players earn and lose money by performing plays. For example, striking out a player will result in the pitcher’s team earning $1000, while it will subtract $100 from the team of the player who was struck out. This money can then be used to power up various abilities for players. Humans can have their hitting, fielding, and pitching abilities improved. Robots can be upgraded for general stat boosts, depending upon how much the player chooses to spend.

The futuristic theme of Super Baseball bears heavily on the capabilities of the players. In the not-so far-flung future of 2020, robots have been developed capable of competing against, and even beating, human opponents. The incredible batting and jumping powers of the robots in 2020 means that humans have been equipped with technology allowing them to perform the same feats. For example, all the players in 2020 have jet-packs.

Frankly, Super Baseball 2020 is still a joy to play. In my opinion, the simplified gameplay and wacky additions actually ensure its superiority over modern baseball games. The graphics are clean and stylized, ensuring that they hold up well. Super Baseball is a true hidden gem of the 16-bit era, and an entirely worthwhile pick-up, not only for collectors, but anyone looking for some straight-forward fun on the SNES.

Check back next week for entry 48 on the Definitive 50 SNES games.

Welcome to the Definitive 50! In this new series, I will be counting down the top 50 games for each system, one game at a time, one week at a time. Each game gets its own video and write up. For season 1, I will take a look back at my all time favourite console, the Super Nintendo. Strap in, for the next 50 weeks I will take you on a mystical journey through the best ammunition Nintendo had for the 16-bit console wars.

My criteria for entry in these lists will be based on a number of factors, including general consensus, collectibility, uniqueness, and my own personal taste. At the end of each season, I hope to arrive at a list of 50 games worth owning for that year’s system. Think of this as a top 50 that triples as a retrospective and buyer’s guide for collectors.

Kicking off the Definitive 50 SNES games is Stunt Race FX. This polygonal racer was released in July of 1994, and was the second game to make use of the Super FX chip, following StarFox.

Stunt Race FX includes four modes: Speed Trax, Stunt Trax, Battle Trax, and Free Trax.

Speed Trax can be considered the main mode of the game. Just like the career or story mode present in most racing games, it’s where players compete against the computer in search of first place finishes. Speed Trax features three classes: Novice, Expert, and Master. Each class includes four courses plus a bonus course for a total of 12 standard tracks and three bonus courses. There are two energy gauges to watch: Boost and Damage. Boosting is performed with the Y button, and Damage can be taken by running into obstacles and other vehicles, or just by falling too far. To replenish your Damage gauge, drive into the glowing red polygons. Pick up the blue polygons to replenish your Boost.

Stunt Trax features four courses, less linear than those seen in Speed Trax which the player must navigate while picking up pink and yellow coloured stars. The object is to collect each of the 40 stars available per course, all within strict time limits. Stunt Trax can be especially challenging, but certainly rewarding.

In Battle Trax, up to two players in some combination of humans and computers race for dominance. You’ve still got to have two controllers, even to race against the computer. Start the race off as though you’re going to be playing with another person, then leave the second controller alone. The computer will take over the spot in a few seconds. This mode features four unique courses.

Free Trax is the practice mode of Stunt Race FX. It allows players to freely play the Speed Trax courses without the pressure of time limits and competing cars.

There are four playable vehicles in Stunt Race FX: the coupe, F-Type, 4WD, and the unlockable 2WD. There’s also an awkward-to-drive trailer that’s playable only in the bonus courses.

Visually, Stunt Race FX still fares well. The simple 3D graphics and cartoonish art direction give the game an endearing quality that reminds me of the excitement polygons promised. The wacky looking googly-eyed vehicles, simple gameplay, and memorable sound effects are also fun. Having said that, it would be hard to argue that the game has aged well more generally. The controls feel clunky and unresponsive, and the poor framerate doesn’t help. Still, with some patience, the game is fun, and certainly challenging.

Stunt Race FX clocks in at number 50 on this list of the greatest Super Nintendo games. Check back next week for entry 49.

Welcome back to Games In Review. Today, we’ll be reaching way back into my childhood to the ol’ SNES days and reviewing Super Mario RPG.

Story

The game starts out like any other Mario game: the Princess is missing, and it looks like Bowser is up to his old tricks again. After a bit of investigating, however, we discover that the true culprit behind all of the goings on is a villain named Smithy, a smith, who has somehow managed to put a stop order on all the wishes in the stars. If he isn’t stopped, nobody’s wishes will ever come true again…

Gameplay

As the title might imply, this is a Mario game, except it’s an RPG. The usual Mario linear world map applies, and each area is free movement until Mario gets into an encounter, followed by a turn-based battle to the death. I’ve gotta say, this game is full of Mario-themed fun. Lots of running, jumping, dodging enemies, and movement based mini-games; it’s a hell of a good time. Mario once again navigates the world with runs and jumps. This game was a refreshing change from the simple Mario platformers more common with the franchise to this point, as Mario was free to move in eight directions.

Mario is joined in combat by four friends: Princess Toadstool, Bowser, and two new characters; Geno and Mallow. Each has varying strengths, weaknesses, spells, etc. What is really different about this game is the Timed Hit functions. Each weapon has a method of timing to it that allows extra damage, what other RPGs usually deem a critical hit. This game allows you to, if you’re paying attention, constantly dump critical hits on your enemies. The spells work the same way after a fashion. You might have to press Y repeatedly, or hold Y to charge depending on the spell, but the game ends up being some button-mashing fun.

Graphics

For a Super Nintendo game, this game has amazing graphics. Well-rendered sprites abound and bounce around the screen and our heroic plumber’s frantic gait takes us past well-rendered environments. No grainy crap for this game.

Sound

Just what you would expect from Mario, the soundtrack is perfectly fitting for the game. It almost seems to fit the mood everywhere. From exploring the Mushroom Kingdom town to battling the Axem Rangers, Super Mario RPG manages to keep it’s sound on track throughout. Sound effects are the usual Nintendo bonks and smashes, but my only complaint is possibly the battle music. I found that it started to get old fairly quickly.

Overall

This game is beautiful, and an absolute treat to play. The story moves along quickly, and the game can be played through in a relatively short amount of time without missing anything important. The characters are fun, and the dialogue is certainly entertaining. And let’s not forget that this game introduced one of the most iconic characters of all time, the infamous Chef Torte. With all of the new-gen games on my shelf, I could easily sit myself down and play through this title again.

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]]> http://shufflingdead.com/comics/neckwolf/indoctrinated.php/feed 0 http://shufflingdead.com/totw/interneter/one-desperate-gamefaqer.php http://shufflingdead.com/totw/interneter/one-desperate-gamefaqer.php#comments Sat, 01 May 2010 20:17:40 +0000 Newbs http://shufflingdead.com/?p=7421

This week’s Internter is MourningStar72, one desperate GameFAQer. Mr. 72 hopped aboard the GameFAQs.com SimAnt message board to ask an embarrassing question that most people would have probably tried to figure out on their own.

On April 9, 2010, MourningStar72 pled to the seemingly empty board “If anyone is here please help,” and followed it up by admitting a rather shameful secret “I don’t know how to mate.”

Well kid, I’ve got a little experience in this field and I think I can help. The truth is, the yellow ant can’t mate with the queen. To get more ants, you’ll need to move around some of the unhatched ants and make sure they’re not all sitting on top of each other. You can also adjust the behaviour of your ants to nurse, and they’ll take care of it for you. Ramp up the number of Breeder ants your queen produces if you find she’s not laying enough eggs.

Hope this helps.

[source]

Donkey Kong Country 2: Serious Monkey Business is available for download right now, and it truly lives up to its predecessor. Not unlike the transition from DKC to DKC2, this collection takes the genius originality of the first installment, and evolves it into a more sophisticated final product.

Serious Monkey Business boasts entries from across a multitude of genres, including “new age, trance, rock ballad, [and] orchestral,” and includes one track from David Wise himself, the original composer for the Donkey Kong Country trilogy.

Check it out!

]]> http://shufflingdead.com/videos/the-dungeon/final-fantasy-retrospective.php/feed 0 http://shufflingdead.com/news/dont-stop-me-now-with-automatic-mario.php http://shufflingdead.com/news/dont-stop-me-now-with-automatic-mario.php#comments Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:59:43 +0000 Newbs http://shufflingdead.com/?p=2673

Someone by the name of NicoNico Douga has used the art of Automatic Mario, that is the creation of Mario levels using Super Mario World assets which play themselves, to perform Queen’s glorious anthem “Don’t Stop Me Now.” The masterpiece actually recreates the parts performed by all four of the band’s members separately.

Since we’re on the subject, how about another Mario video using the same song?

I love that one, it reminds me of how fucking awesome Galaxy is. Now for one more video, since I’m on a role. You’ve probably seen this, but it’s The Muppets performing Bohemian Rhapsody.

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