This Week in Defunct Games - August 19, 2011

What Is It? It's been quite a wild ride for Master Higgins. What started as a re-skinned version of Wonderboy has turned into a 16-bit adventure game more akin to The Adventure of Link. Super Adventure Island II may have the usual tropical island trappings, but it was the heavy focus on open-world exploration kept me glued to the screen. While not as deep as the Legend of Zelda series, Hudson's Super NES sequel manages to create an interesting world full of hidden items, treasure chests and goofy bad guys. Even the bosses are a major improvement over past installments. The whole game comes together in a way that makes Super Adventure Island II a must-play.

Does It Still Hold Up? While this Super NES sequel plays a lot like any other Adventure Island game, it tosses out most of the worst elements of the past installments. The control is responsive and easy to play, plus there's the added depth of the character customization. The game holds up incredibly well, but there is one thing that certainly feels outdated -- the slow moving text. It takes computer characters forever to spit out a full sentence. Worse yet, you can't skip the unbearablely slow text. It might be one thing if these people had something interesting to say, but it shouldn't take a full minute to inform me that you have a hotel room for rent.

Is It Worth The Money? Adventure Island games are notoriously hit or miss. Thankfully, Super Adventure Island is one of those times when Hudson got it right. Everything from the graphics, sound, gameplay and worlds fits perfectly in this lengthy adventure game. If you're looking for a simplistic version of The Adventure of Link, then look no further than Super Adventure Island II.

What Is It? Now here's a novel idea: You play a ghost who inhabits different bodies in his quest to get revenge. Avenging Spirit looks like your typical 2D action game (you walk to the right kicking and punching your way to victory), but it's more than that. At any point you can leave the host you're controlling and take over a new body. Each of the characters (both human and animal) has unique attributes and attacks, making this a virtual candy store of new experiences. But don't stay out of body for too long or it's game over. Through a number of creative levels (with even more interesting bad guys to infest), Avenging Spirit is a really unique action game that shouldn't be ignored.

Does It Still Hold Up? Much of this innovative action game is straight forward. Most characters have some sort of weapon or attack, which means that you'll only need to worry about jumping and fighting. But things get interesting when you decide to eject your host body and take over somebody else. Jaleco was somehow able to make this element feel completely different. The fact that there aren't a dozen rip-offs doing exactly the same thing shocks me. Not only is Avenging Spirit a fun action title for the Game Boy, but it's also one of the most original releases on the Virtual Console.

Is It Worth The Money? So what if you don't have any nostalgia for this oft-forgotten gem. Avenging Spirit is a lot better than it needs to be. The creative gameplay mechanics and solid graphics (for a Game Boy game) make this release one of the best. The cheap price shouldn't be ignored either. If you're not completely sick of 2D side-scrolling action games on the Virtual Console, then Avenging Spirit is a must-play!

What Is It? After months of waiting, the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console finally has a puzzle game. We've seen plenty of platformers and action games, but very little representation from a genre that defined the portable Game Boy experience. All that changes with the release of Mario's Picross, a slow-paced puzzler with a steep learning curve. Thankfully the idea is simple enough. It's up to the player to carve out specific tiles in order to uncover a secret picture. You do this by properly reading the top and left side of the puzzle. Each number offers a clue to how many tiles you need to break, making this a puzzler for people with great patience. But don't take too much time, because you only have a half hour to complete each puzzle. With each wrong move you will lose valuable time, turning Mario's Picross into one of the most stressful games currently available on the eStore.

Does It Still Hold Up? The gameplay is nothing more than pushing a cursor around the screen and destroying bricks. It never gets deeper than that. The depth comes from the puzzles, which go from extremely easy to mind-numbingly hard. Thankfully the game eases you into the more challenging puzzles. There's even a handy tutorial, though it doesn't make it as clear as it could. Thankfully there are YouTube videos for anybody who still doesn't grasp what Mario is trying to explain.

Is It Worth The Money? If you already own Picross DS for the Nintendo DS, then don't bother with this 1995 puzzler. However, if you missed out on more advanced installments, this $3.99 Virtual Console release is a great way to test the waters. With solid gameplay and more than enough content, Mario's Picross is an easy game to recommend.

What Is It? It's been a great year for old school adventure games getting a second chance. In the past eight months we've seen Arc the Lad III, Parasite Eve, Vagrant Story, Xenogears and Front Mission III. Not content to let Square have all the fun, Capcom brings us Breath of Fire IV, the second to last entry in this venerably franchise. Originally released in 2000, Breath of Fire IV has a colorful look and an endless amount of amazing animated cinemas. The game's story is par for the course, as is the turn-based gameplay. The gameplay has a lot in common with previous games, though that shouldn't keep newbies away from this enjoyable adventure game.

Does It Still Hold Up? Not enough can be said about the game's incredible look. Even eleven years later, Breath of Fire IV shines on the screen. The animation is astounding, and I'm not just talking about the lengthy anime cinemas. Even the dinkiest enemy looks like it was yanked right out of a cartoon. The gameplay is also good, though the idea of turn-based combat hasn't changed much in the last decade. If you are into this style of Japanese RPG, then Breath of Fire IV definitely holds up.

Is It Worth The Money? At six dollars this decision should be a no-brainer. While not as memorable as Vagrant Story or Xenogears, Breath of Fire IV is no slouch. This is an incredibly good looking game with a compelling story to boot. Breath of Fire IV continues to prove the adage that the PSP has the single best line-up of role-playing games of all time. Even if you haven't beaten the half dozen must-play RPGs released this year, this Capcom epic is still worth your six dollars.