Not a great group this time, but let's see what we have:
Side Pocket - Don't think I've played it, but it just seems sort of wild that pool games are getting released at this fast a clip, after Lunar Pool. But I guess the pool hall was still a phenomenon at this time. I don't know much about that culture. I wonder if weekly pool tournaments were a thing.
Star Force - The vertical space SHMUPs are really starting to blend together. I feel like I probably rented this one, the letter thing sounds familiar, but very fuzzy.
Super Pitfall - Now this one, I owned and have many opinions. Objectively, it's a very poorly-designed game. I'm learning in this go-around through the NES library how cursed the name "Micronics" is.
YET, though it deserves to be hated, I don't hate it. And back then, I kind of liked it. Something about this game really grabbed my imagination. I think I played it more than Metroid. If I had to explain why, I would say it unlocked that "sense of exploration." I liked Rygar better than Metroid too for similar reasons, but Rygar is legitimately a much better game than Super Pitfall.
As a kid, I don't think I even thought of this game as one that had an objective or an ending. It was just a whole mysterious sandbox to explore. The mystery is the point: the journey, not the destination. Occasionally, I would jump somewhere and get one of the hidden items. Why did that happen? What was that thing? Just another intriguing mystery. I also found the area with the girl that you're supposed to rescue. Who is she [I'm just now learning it's your niece] and why is she there? Can you help her? I didn't assume that you could.
I guess Metroid didn't have any mysteries for me comparable to this. The fact that it makes more sense was actually a disadvantage.
Pretty sure Side Pocket was more popular than Lunar Pool, and I can see why. It's more straightforward pool tournament type. But yeah, two pool games in close succession is strange.
Star Force is decent, but I prefer the Famicom version, strangely not as difficult as the Western version.
Yeah Super Pitfall isn't great, but like you said the mystery of "what is even happening here" can have an appeal for the right player.
Did you ever play Milon's Secret Castle as a youngster? Seems like it would have been right up your alley
Not a great group this time, but let's see what we have:
Side Pocket - Don't think I've played it, but it just seems sort of wild that pool games are getting released at this fast a clip, after Lunar Pool. But I guess the pool hall was still a phenomenon at this time. I don't know much about that culture. I wonder if weekly pool tournaments were a thing.
Star Force - The vertical space SHMUPs are really starting to blend together. I feel like I probably rented this one, the letter thing sounds familiar, but very fuzzy.
Super Pitfall - Now this one, I owned and have many opinions. Objectively, it's a very poorly-designed game. I'm learning in this go-around through the NES library how cursed the name "Micronics" is.
YET, though it deserves to be hated, I don't hate it. And back then, I kind of liked it. Something about this game really grabbed my imagination. I think I played it more than Metroid. If I had to explain why, I would say it unlocked that "sense of exploration." I liked Rygar better than Metroid too for similar reasons, but Rygar is legitimately a much better game than Super Pitfall.
As a kid, I don't think I even thought of this game as one that had an objective or an ending. It was just a whole mysterious sandbox to explore. The mystery is the point: the journey, not the destination. Occasionally, I would jump somewhere and get one of the hidden items. Why did that happen? What was that thing? Just another intriguing mystery. I also found the area with the girl that you're supposed to rescue. Who is she [I'm just now learning it's your niece] and why is she there? Can you help her? I didn't assume that you could.
I guess Metroid didn't have any mysteries for me comparable to this. The fact that it makes more sense was actually a disadvantage.
Pretty sure Side Pocket was more popular than Lunar Pool, and I can see why. It's more straightforward pool tournament type. But yeah, two pool games in close succession is strange.
Star Force is decent, but I prefer the Famicom version, strangely not as difficult as the Western version.
Yeah Super Pitfall isn't great, but like you said the mystery of "what is even happening here" can have an appeal for the right player.
Did you ever play Milon's Secret Castle as a youngster? Seems like it would have been right up your alley
'In-game maps are scarce. You’ll have to make your own if you want to remember where key items are.'
Lol, you see...this is the kind of secondary fun that kids today don't know they're missing!
Graph paper or bust!