Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Game Boy, 1993) (Game Boy Color, 1998)

I just finished Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the first time ever. It wasn't particularly enjoyable, but it had some good moments. Looking back on it now I don't think that it was a very good -Zelda- game, but as far as games in general go it was solid. I'm going on to Skyward Sword next and I really hope it's better.

Playing Twilight Princess made me want to revisit an older game in the series, so I'm digging into my screenshots from Link's Awakening back in the day. Specifically, the DX version for the Game Boy Color, which added a nice color scheme to the game. I'm not sure whether to label this a Game Boy game or a Game Boy Color game, so I labeled it both. This is probably my favorite original Game Boy game of all time, no joke.

Lufia: The Legend Returns #4 - Sea Legs

Previously on Lufia III, our heroes arrived on a new continent after defeating Gades. Somebody also had sex on a boat. It was really disrespectful to the other passengers.

Lufia: The Legend Returns #3 - Monkly Business

I resume the game only to find myself fighting MORE RED SLIMES. I'm like five hours into the game and I still primarily get attacked by the same enemies that hit for 1 damage. What gives?

Lufia: The Legend Returns #2 - Running Up That Hill

Previously on Lufia III... I got crushed by Gades. After much Hi-Bomb farming, now I go back and try to win. Will I succeed, and will Seena be something resembling tolerable?

Lufia: The Legend Returns (Game Boy Color, 2001)

Five years after Lufia 2, we finally got the third installment in this series. Originally, this was supposed to be a Playstation 1 game. One can only imagine the possibilities there. It would have likely been much more like the previous games, and perhaps we would have found out what the deal was with Arek. Instead, for various reasons we got a portable Lufia 3 for the Game Boy Color, and... it isn't very good. It certainly isn't at the level of the previous games, though it gets decent enough to be considered passable for a portable RPG.

The system downgrade may have had a negative effect on the design team's inspiration, as the design of this game seems like it was meant for a series gaiden rather than the next numbered installment; the developers even avoided putting a "3" in the official title.

This game takes place a hundred years after Lufia 1, and two hundred years after Lufia 2. Let's get to it.

Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals Epilogue - The Ancient Cave

Today on Lufia II: Jericho is bad at Ancient Cave.

Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals Finale - Balder and the Mistletoe

Previously on Lufia II, our heroes killed Gades several times. Unfortunately, he then became more powerful than they can possibly imagine. Also, we learned the truth about Iris: The carpet does not in fact match the drapes.

Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals #8 - Ominous Power

 Today on Lufia II, our heroes go to Dragon Mountain to rob Smaug find a missing elder. The end is near!

Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals #7 - Maxim the Hormone

PHOWA PHOWA PHA! PHOWA PHOWA PHA! PHOWA PHOWA PHA!

Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals #6 - Jolly Carousers

 Today on Lufia II, there is much carousing. Jolly carousing. Featuring Dekar's Superdriver.

Blazing Lazers (Turbografx-16, 1989)

The final game of Shooter Week is a legendary, revered, beloved retro shooter. It's from Hudson Soft rather than Compile, but it sure does have a lot in common with the Aleste series. Mainly Super Aleste, which this game is closer to than any of the other shooters that I've played this week. That's right, I had to go to the Turbografx-16 (a system I've never played anything on before) to find a game that might be on par with my beloved Space Megaforce. I'd still put this game in second-place, but it isn't far off.

Super R-Type (Super NES, 1991)

Time for one of my favorite SNES shooters. The R-Type series, from Irem, was sorta the Ross Perot of the shooter universe circa the 1990s. Not as popular or well-known as Gradius and not as beloved by the hardcore as the vertical Compile games. It spans five games (that I know of...there may be more) and while it's side-scrolling, it has a number of innovations that set it apart from (and even surpass at times) the Gradius games.

Gradius 3 (Super NES, 1991)

One of the Super NES's coolest launch titles, and one of Konami's many fine moments. That said, it's not without problems. Shooter Week rolls on!

Gradius Galaxies (Game Boy Advance, 2001)

I've come to the conclusion that Konami shooters are the Final Fantasy of shooters, while Compile shooters like Zanac, Gun Nac, and Aleste are the Dragon Quest of shooters.

Time for a portable (and late-era) entry in the Final Fantasy of shooter serieses. Spoiler Alert: There will be shooting.

Grindhouse Double Feature: Nemesis (Game Boy, 1991)

Today I'm looking at another pair of portable games. Nemesis was a Game Boy version of Gradius, not unlike how Operation C is a Game Boy version of Contra. Konami likes to do that.

It isn't a straight port, but rather its own similar-yet-different game. It also got a hard-as-hell sequel in the same year, but only in Japan and Europe.

Grindhouse Double Feature: GG Aleste (Sega Game Gear, 1991 and 1993)

 

It's Day Two of Shooter Week. Time for Compile's next major followup to Zanac. The original Aleste was a Sega Master System game, called Power Strike in the U.S.

It was ported to the MSX, Mega Drive, and Game Gear, and the ports later got a sequel. Out of all of these potential options, I chose to play the Game Gear versions simply because they were the easiest to emulate get ahold of.

These are, of course, the predecessors to Super Aleste, known in the West as the rad Space Megaforce. 

Zanac (NES, 1987)

Space shooter week begins with one of the great early shooters from Compile. This game is legendary...and incredibly difficult. Ask your doctor if Zanac is right for you! (Protip: It probably isn't)

Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals #5 - Sinistrals of Anarchy

Today on Lufia 2... our heroes climb mountains, as the repetitive litany of tower/cave/tower/cave is broken! Also, we repeatedly beat Idura senseless. The Sinistral MC won't be pleased with their prospect. The Crow Flies Straight!

World of Warcraft's Creepy Gateway To Hell

There's something evil under Tirisfal Glades. Tonight, I find out what that something is.

Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals #4 - Lufia: The Musical

Today on Lufia 2... Lufia: The Musical.