Every Thursday Defunct Games wants to take a moment and reflect on all of the classic games that were given new life. Thanks to video game compilations, Nintendo's Virtual Console, the Xbox Live Arcade and even the PlayStation 3, fans of retro games are able to find all sorts of crazy old games. But what games are good? How well have these games held up? Which ones should you spend your money on? In This Week In Defunct Games we plan on answering those questions in both written and audio podcast form. So without further ado I give you the podcast version of This Week In Defunct Games, followed by our full guide to the best (and worst) classic games of the week.
Like what you hear? Digg It!
Beyond Oasis (Virtual Console)
What Is It?
When you think back to all of the great 16-bit action/adventure games you probably remember the great Super NES games like The Legend of Zelda III: A Link to the Past and Soul Blazer, but you would be missing out if you completely ignored Sega's offerings. While the Genesis wasn't known for its amazing RPGs and adventure games (outside of the Phantasy Star series), both Beyond Oasis and Landstalker proved that Sega's machine was just as capable of telling a compelling story as Nintendo's was. Beyond Oasis is easily one of the best 16-bit action/adventure games on the market, an easy to get into quest that has you stealing, killing and talking your way out of terrible situations. It may not have the name recognition that a Zelda game has, but to this day there are few adventure games that are as solid and enjoyable as what you find in Beyond Oasis.
Does It Still Hold Up?
Absolutely, without a doubt. Just like Zelda III: A Link to the Past is still an amazing game; Beyond Oasis remains one of the greatest 16-bit adventure games ever made. Don't be fooled by the fact that you've never heard of it, Beyond Oasis represents everything that is good about Sega's old school first-party support. It's full of memorable characters, tons of huge bosses, and a fantastic story that will keep you engaged from beginning to end. If you're a fan of a good story and great gameplay, then Beyond Oasis will certainly hold up in a world filled with me-too 3D adventure games.
Is It Worth The Money?
Of all the Virtual Console games released this week, Beyond Oasis is definitely the best. Not only is it a lengthy adventure with great graphics and strong writing, but it's one of those classic games that most people didn't play the first time around. Think of this like that long lost Zelda game that was uncovered; it's a must-play that is definitely worth all eight dollars. Don't hesitate, Beyond Oasis is beyond great.
Excitebike (Virtual Console)
What Is It?
Before there was fancy 3D graphics, a real sense of speed or real licensed vehicles, there was Excitebike for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Excitebike is an unassuming racing game that has its own sense of style. Instead of racing in a faux-3D world (Rad Racer) or suffering through an overhead perspective (Moto Roader), Excitebike features a sideways angle that has you racing from left to right ... almost like a traditional 2D platformer. You can go in and out of the screen, but for the most part you are stuck in a very 2D area where you're making major jumps and trying to get to the goal first. Excitebike is instantly memorable and easy to get into, which is one of the reasons this Nintendo classic is still loved by legions of gamers.
Does It Still Hold Up?
The brilliance of Excitebike is that it doesn't try to be something the system can't handle. These days if you go back and look at Rad Racer or Outrun it's hard to be impressed because the NES just wasn't good at pushing 3D, and don't even get me started on how terrible overhead racers are. But Excitebike isn't like that; it's a simple 2D racing game that is easy to sit down and play and requires very little knowledge going in. Obviously racing games have come a long way since the days of the NES, but Excitebike is still a fantastic game that holds up remarkably well. If you're looking for something to keep you busy waiting for the next Gran Turismo or Forza then this might not be the game for you, but everybody else should have a good time playing this simple 2D racer.
Is It Worth The Money?
Regardless of whether you have fond memories of this or have never played it before, Excitebike is well worth your money. The good news is that it's only five bucks and the even better news is that you won't feel ripped off spending the cash. It's important to go back and remember the "Excite" series when it was still good, long before Excitetruck came out and sullied its name.
Splatterhouse (Virtual Console)
What Is It?
Long before all that fog entered Silent Hill and Umbrella screwed everything up for the residents of Raccoon City, Splatterhouse was THE horror video game. It featured a poor sap named Rick who takes his beautiful girlfriend, Jennifer, to this scary old mansion affectionately known as "splatterhouse." All of a sudden Rick is knocked out and Jennifer is kidnapped. When Rick wakes up he realizes that his body is drenched in blood and he's wearing something called a "terror mask" (which looks a lot like the hockey mask Jason wears in the Friday the 13th film series). Obviously it's up to Rick to fight through the evil mansion and save Jennifer. The only problem is, just about every type of ghost, creature, or large bug has found its way there and is trying to keep you from her. At its core Splatterhouse is nothing more than a 2D action game where you use a bunch of items (piece of wood, chainsaw, shotgun, etc.) to kill whatever gets in your way. This popular TurboGrafx-16 game spawned a couple of sequels that ended up on the Genesis. Although it's tame by today's standards, Splatterhouse was once considered one of the goriest video games of all time, which is a lot like saying that The Blob is one of the scariest movies ever created.
Does It Still Hold Up?
If you're the type of person who wants to have a deep ghost busting experience then Splatterhouse does not hold up well, but as a simple 2D arcade-style action game Splatterhouse can still be a lot of fun. There are a surprising amount of weapons to use, each offering a satisfying eruption of blood and gore. The story is super silly and the control is a little stiff, but it's not a terrible experience by any means. This is not one of those classics like Super Mario Bros. 3 or Military Madness where the action feels as fresh today as it did back in the day, instead this is a dated action game that can be fun, but most people will be disappointed by its short length and simplistic game play.
Is It Worth The Money?
Although Defunct Games gave the TurboGrafx-16 version a solid score, I suspect that there are a lot of people out there that would feel ripped-off if they spent $6 on this woefully out of date action game. That's not to say it isn't fun, but unless you're ready for some simplistic action and a lot of silly looking enemies then perhaps you should just invest in the other two Virtual Console games this week.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (Xbox Live Arcade)
What Is It?
It's only the greatest Castlevania game ever made! It's Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, the first game in the series to feature the Metroid-style game play (where it's a wide open world for you to explore, as opposed to the traditional level-based structure). You play Alucard, the son of Dracula, ready to exact revenge on his poppa, the castle and pretty much anything that moves. In the beginning you are stripped of all of your powerful belongings, so it's up to you to earn back all of your abilities, armor and weapons. Along the way you'll battle tons of enemies, gain all sorts of cool special moves (like turning into a bat) and explore the castle in two different ways. Symphony of the Night marks the first time a PlayStation 1 game has been ported to the Xbox Live Arcade, as well as the first time any Xbox Live Arcade game has been larger than 50 mb. Although Symphony of the Night already looked amazing, this Xbox Live Arcade version offers a nice enhanced version for those looking for slightly better graphics. But regardless of how you play the game, there's no denying that Symphony of the Night is one of the best action/adventure games of all time and deserves to be experienced one way or another.
Does It Still Hold Up?
Oh heavens yes, it's hard to imagine a time when the familiar 2D gameplay of Castlevania wouldn't hold up. Konami has tried 3D Castlevania games in the past, but they keep coming back to the old 2D formula because it works perfectly for this type of game. While the Xbox Live Arcade is full of 2D games, none of them are quite like Symphony of the Night, which makes this Castlevania stand out even more than it normally would have. There's no doubt about it, Symphony of the Night is just as fun today as it was ten years ago, and its ageless beauty will no doubt keep it relevant long after this 10th anniversary passes.
Is It Worth The Money?
Given the timeless nature of the game and its lengthy adventure, there's no doubt that this arcade game is worth your ten dollars. While it may not have any online stuff or be much different from the PlayStation game, Symphony of the Night is still a great value at 800 Microsoft Points. I have a hard time believing that anybody who buys this game will be disappointed, and as far as I'm concerned this is the best Xbox Live Arcade game since Geometry Wars.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
