I always loved Chrono Cross the sequel to Chrono Trigger that most people would argue is more of a side story, but then again I'm also an American who's actually played and beaten Radical Dreamers... (Chrono Trigger's text based sequel for the Super Famicom Beta Satellite)
Zelda 2 gets a bad rap. Probably because it's the hardest game in the franchise. There are sections in Zelda 1 that are difficult but I think Zelda 2 is significantly more difficult and far more difficult than anything that came after. It's also my favorite game in the series. Once you know how to play it you can beat it in a single sitting, which is very rewarding considering your first clear probably took weeks or months to achieve. It's fun to revisit and see how fast you can complete it.
I played the heck out of Battlemaniacs on the SNES as a kid. Beat the tunnel after many hours of frustration and the snake pit after many more. When I went back as a teenager, I finally beat that sucker and moved on to crush the NES game shortly after. To anyone having a hard time with the NES game, I'd say Battlemaniacs is significantly easier to start with on the whole.
I beat SMB2 on Saturday morning after playing it the day before waiting in the ER! Used warp zones to get to level 6 and then I had to start using save states if I wanted to beat the game before leaving the hospital… I got close but had to finish it the next morning. I still hate the ice and desert levels 🫤 😂
I loved the creativity and variety of Battletoads back in the day but I was never able to beat it without cheats. Still love the game for what it is even though I wasn't able to see all of it.
There is a patch for Donkey Kong 64 out that allows you to tag to any Kong instantly with the D-Pad. It is a small improvement, but definitely a welcome one.
I never got into Earthworm Jim either. The character is cool but I really dislike the gameplay mechanics, despite being a huge fan of platformers, and also dislike the look of the levels themselves.
I will say on a similar fence as Donkey Kong 64, I'd say *Banjo-Tooie* is a love or hate kind of game. Yes, it fundamentally is the same "collect-a-thon" as the original, but for me it falls down with just having levels that are a bit too large and some Jiggies requiring you to bend over backwards to collect them. It is a solid and charming game, but I'd rather play Banjo-Kazooie again than Tooie due to overall better pacing. I think the exhaustive backtracking in Tooie makes it tough to pick up again now.
I felt like Banjo-Tooie was the worse offender of the two, as far as excess goes. DK64 just made you set up mental checklists to scour each area as each character. Maybe it's the way my brain works, but it didn't really bother me. (The Beaver Bother mini-game, on the other hand...) Tooie had you moving in and out of different levels to solve each challenge, and while they were connected by little tunnels, there was always some dumb window or something in the way, preventing it from becoming a shortcut. And even little things like the Mumbo swap and Humba transformation were annoying, because you had to backtrack to their hut afterwards in order to switch back. Banjo-Kazooie 1 already solved that problem- why take a step back? Some of the levels were also difficult to navigate. Not just their size, but something about the design, like too many identical tunnels, or not enough distinct landmarks. Yooka-Laylee suffered from the same thing almost two decades later, so it would seem that the devs never did get a handle on this. For all that whining, I actually did enjoy the game, and played through it at least twice (once for 100%). But it's not the kind of game I'd go back to for a long time after completing it!
One pretty devisive game is ToeJam & Earl. I hear a lot people praising it, calling it one of the best games for the Mega Drive/Genesis. I can't stand it ^^; On the flipside, Final Fantasy Mystic Quest is a game a lot of people criticize for being basic, easy and incredibly dumbed down. I personally love it ^^ As for my thoughts on the games you covered. Haven't played much Ecco, but liked what I did play Really like Donkey Kong 64! Not really a fan of Battletoads Haven't played Dracula X
I acquired the SNES version of Castlevania X right when it came out in 1995. I had no idea that the game it was based on, Rondo of Blood, even existed as it was left in Japan. With no context, I enjoyed Castlevania X for what it was, and it is one of my favourite SNES titles to this day. In fact, it’s one of the top 5 SNES games I return to on occasion. The only thing I found inferior about it in comparison to its predecessor, Castlevania 4, was the control. At the time I thought it was a step back not to allow multi-directional whipping and better control with your jumps (although we did get the back flip to compensate). But I just considered that a return to the old-school style and didn’t think too much of it. (And let’s not forget that Richter Belmont was new to wielding the holy whip, whereas Simon Belmont was likely a little bit more seasoned-hence the limitations.) That said, there are at least two categories were SNES Dracula X is a better entry than Castlevania 4, in my opinion. 1. The overall graphics, sprite work, and animation are much more fluent and polished in Castlevania X. When I go back to Castlevania 4, the graphics are good, but show their age. I still think SNES Castlevania X holds up today in terms of its animation and sprite work. 2. The music in Castlevania X was miles ahead of the synth/tinny sounding tracks of Castlevania 4. Castlevania 4 has some iconic songs, but it’s not consistent. Almost every song in SNES Castlevania X sounds symphonic, catchy, and polished. I can’t think of a single song in SNES Castlevania X that I don’t like. Just my humble thoughts on a great game you mentioned in your video. Great stuff! Keep it coming.
I definitely agree, Dracula X is great, and the graphic and music are phenomenal. Also my pet peeve... in general, I prefer the traditional whip and subweapons gameplay of CV1 which was perfected in Rondo and also used in X. It gives subweapons a purpose and requires more strategic thinking on how to approach each obstacle. In SCV4 the whip is just way too powerful, and it also makes the game's difficulty all over the place. The enemies don't stand a chance for the most part, but all the instant death mechanics are really punishing in SCV4, especially the spikes and the flickering floor on stage 8. Rondo (and also Dracula X) have a more consistent difficulty curve. With all that said, I love SCV4 and its length and atmosphere probably make it rank higher for me too, but it's not as much of an open and shut case as many people say, and Dracula X isn't a downgrade in every, or even most ways.
Szabu - Ah yes, I didn’t even mention the enhanced subweapons in my assessment, which adds a new element of strategy to CV X for SNES. Something else I like are the minimalist graphic novel style intro and endings in this game. Compared to Rondo‘s Japanime style endings, the graphic novel sequences at the end are powerful and striking. In defeat, Dracula stands silent and dignified before disappearing. I like how one of the panels zooms in on his mouth to emphasize his stoicism. The Rondo version of Dracula is more… chatty. Anyway, both great games with their own emphases and style.
If you want to play Ecco the Dolphin, I highly suggest playing the Sega CD version. The beautiful CD soundtrack makes the game infinitely more enjoyable, and even relaxing in spots.
@@RetroBirdGaming I still listen to it to this day when I want to just chill. It gives me strong Vangelis vibes in places which is a really good thing.
Zelda 2 is a great game with extremely responsive combat, among the best on the NES. Probably would have been a lot less divisive if it didn't have "Zelda" in its title.
As an NES guy, I'll weigh in on battletoads. It's a fantastic game. So much variety and difficult. Because it's hard, you feel so great when you finally pass it. As for a game I am very disappointed in its Zelda 2. Zelda is my favorite game and Zelda 2 fell very short in my opinion. Great video again man. Really enjoying your channel.
I'm kind of in the middle regarding Battletoads. It has its pros and cons. Super Mario 2 USA is actually my favorite 2D Mario game. My divisive game that I love would probably be Gradius III on SNES. It's actually a really brilliantly crafted shoot 'em up. Sure it suffers from a little slow down here and there. But I didn't think that it was as bad as people try to make it out to be, other than portions of the bubble level. Not to mention it has a really interesting implementation/take on the Konami code.
If slowdown isn't too terrible and somewhat predictable, it can be used to your benefit. When I played the SNES version it was definitely more noticeable than other games but I still found it to be playable.
I played battletoads as a kid, always loved it, I'm still looking for a copy now that I'm back in the games and I've never gotten past level 3 the turbo tunnels
Some good: G.I. Joe (NES-Taxan), Alysia Dragoon (Sega Genesis), Ristar (Sega Genesis), Gekioh Shooting King (PS1), Dragon View (SNES). Some bad: Secret of Mana (SNES), Galaxy Force II (Sega Genesis), Super Thunder Blade (Sega Genesis), Mad Max (NES).
I just could not get into Ristar. I have tried again on the PS4 version of the Megadrive / Genesis collection and still feel the same. The grabbing and swinging mechanics frustrate me and the headbutting mechanic is just not fun to me. I am glad that you enjoyed it though :)
Most games have a skill or gimmick that needs to be mastered in order to be successful. Most people including me don't have the patience to read the instruction manuals in depth. I'm playing some Japanese shmups right now that have some sort of gimmick that you have to use strategically but I prefer more simple gameplay. Cannot read the Japanese instruction manuals.
@@Lookwhatthesandsdonedidtome As much as I love Treasure as a developer, I think that sometimes their reliance on gimmicks hurt them. At least for me. I just wished that some of their games were a little less gimmicky and more straight forward. Then again, those gimmicky bits is what others love about them so each to their own I guess :)
Battletoads has great music, good gameplay, great graphics, and loads of neat innovations, but I used a Game Genie to play anything past the Turbo Tunnel. I think I may have gotten past on my own once, I only remember cheating.
I am very much on the hate it side for Ecco. I have beaten it but it was a slog the entire time. Without save states I would consider it nearly unplayable. Also the DK Rap is awesome and anyone who says otherwise is wrong.
I'll be honest, I couldn't get into Sonic CD as a kid. I preferred the traditional Sonic experience with the trilogy on the Genesis for a long time. However, I currently rank Sonic CD as one of my favorite Sonic games as I now understand the time travel mechanics. I find it to be unique and adds an interesting challenge to get all Good Futures. Though, I will agree the level design is kind of "messy" compared to the Genesis Sonic games, so I understand why many still don't like it.
My issue with Dracula X is the level design. It's a Master Class on how to make a cheap game. Cheap as in artificially making it more difficult than it needs to be. It's the kind of game that belongs in an arcade to eat your money. The amount of spikes and bottomless pits resulting in instadeaths is obscene. The lack of porkchops to refill your health is infuriating and that final Dracula fight to quote The Angry Video Game Nerd is "Im-F***ing-possible!" If not for those points I'd love it. I could care less if it's not like Rondo. That's a positive in my book. It's an alternate reality version or something which mean MORE/NEW Castlevania, but it's the ONE Castlevania game that actually makes me mad playing it. 1 and 3 with their crazy difficulty doesn't even do that. At most with 3 I get annoyed with things like the stairs, but Dracula X will make me want to throw my controller through the screen.
good topic, i love battletoads but am good at it, i need to try dk again, ecco just doesn’t interest me. U know what game i dont care for that ppl really like? Mario 64........ i dont get why ppl love it so much
4:18 Damn, that is impressive. I too played DK64 like crazy and progressed all the way up to the last level and got stuck before the final boss King K. Rool boxing match (watched friend's brother beat it) because I couldn't get past that stupid NES retrocade DK mini-game which I was astounded to learn was a required part of the main progression (especially considering it was an optional mini-game on a previous stage). To this day I have not gone back and beaten it; cartridge and system are long gone so I would be starting from scratch.
I hate Battletoads. The fighting parts are cool. The ice level or snake levels are neat. The rest generally suck. Zelda 2, Mario 2,... that’s all good stuff.
@@RetroBirdGaming Agreed. I don’t mind a challenge. I beat Metroid and Simon s Quest. at around 7-9 age. But there is challenge and kicking you in the groin for no reason. And I like the Ninja Gaiden series also. I can make it happen. BT feels like a spoof of a game being difficult. Just for me, it mostly isn’t fun. It feels like I am being punished for something I didn’t do.
I loved DK 64 and I also didn’t mind all the collectibles or having to backtrack to change my character. Even though it was a lot, most of it I was able to get going to the next golden banana. The only criticism I have of the game is having to get the 2 coins from Jetpak and DK arcade games. I spent countless hours of frustration trying to get them and when I replayed the game several years ago, that’s what I gave up on and got pretty much everything else so I didn’t complete the game. One game though I don’t like at all and it also gave me nightmares as a kid and even looking at today makes my anxiety go up and I feel nauseous is Super Mario Bros 2. I only ever got as far as the second area after the first Birdo boss but I found that game so hard and I was also very creepy. Even hearing the music still makes feel sick lol.
Ecco the Dolphin, Donkey Kong 64, Sonic Cd. These are games I don't like. Battletoads I like but way too hard. If they had password saves after every level, everybody would love this game. Castlevania Dracula X I never played before.
I love Dracula X. I haven't played Rondo, which is my holy grail game, but I think Dracula X is more fun than Super Castlevania due to the soundtrack. Come to think of it, my favorite Mario and Zelda are the black sheeps Mario 2 and Zelda 2. Maybe I am a hipster retro gamer, lol. Thanks for the fun video.
Back when Donkey Kong 64 came out, I didn’t really care much about the amount of collectibles (never beat the game either). Looking back now, there were *waaay* too many things to collect! I think they were trying something interesting by having different bananas for each Kong to get, but that system probably made it seem convoluted. I think this game can still be fun though.
Killer 7 is another love or hate game. You either don't understand it and hate it like most people or you think it's one of the best games ever like me.
I love battletoads even though I can’t beat that damn speederbike level. The game has such a notorious history in the realm of gaming and playing the speederbike level is just fun itself even though I can’t beat it. Btw the game was 30 years old last month!!! I can’t believe it’s been that long!! It has some of the best graphics on the nes!!!
AGREED with this list. Spot on man! The one game I’d like to add is Paperboy. People always ask me if I have Paperboy when they find out I like to collect old video games. They always talk so fondly of the game...frankly, I CAN’T stand it! I know why I don’t like it, it’s because I’m no good at the thing. Lol. Thanks for the video!!
Haha. Paperboy is definitely a game that a lot of people remember. Probably more the arcade game than anything else. Glad that you agreed with my list. We wouldn't want to have an polarizing list of polarizing games :)
I actually hate Retro Sonic, because it feels slow. That build up of speed he has to get, and there are so many things that stop him dead in his tracks, infuriate me and feel counter intuitive.
Ecco was my first game I think on the Sega Genesis in 94... I loved it! Also owned Battletoads and was so hyped to play the SNES version. I never got to play my Sonic CD before it went into storage, hope it is safe. I think Sonic R gets WAY too much hate. I hated it at first as well, but I forced myself to play it and got really good (a few years back) and feel it is one of the best 3D Sonic games ever made, I'm pretty sure I have some world record lap times for Sonic, Knuckles and Tails I set while in quarantine.
Sonic R is definitely a polarizing game. Great example! I've never played it myself but have seen so many opinions on it. I'll have to try it myself at some point.
Ecco the Dolphin and Ecco the tides of time are two of favorite games of all time. I beat both of them as a kid. I also love Battletoads, which I just beat earlier this year. And sonic cd is my favorite sonic game. Great stuff. Oh, and the most recent divisive game that I LOVED is Last of Us Part 2. I put that in my top 5 games of all time.
DMC Devil May Cry. Excellent gameplay, but the story is a joke, and Dante's design sucks. Some people are mixed Devil May Cry 4 as well, but that's actually my favorite game I'm the series.
Ecco the dolphin is such a great game one of my favorites on the genesis although I do hate welcome to the machine that level is brutal and I never finished the game because of it sonic cd is great too I only played dk 64 on a emulator and thought it was pretty fun
Mario 2 is because it's actually Doki Doki Panic re-skinned and Dracula X because they compare it to the PC Engine version. Both of those games have their fans as well though. For example, I like both those games!
I beat SMB2 on Saturday morning after playing it the day before waiting in the ER! Used warp zones to get to level 6 and then I had to start using save states if I wanted to beat the game before leaving the hospital… I got close but had to finish it the next morning. I still hate the ice and desert levels 🫤 😂
I always loved Chrono Cross the sequel to Chrono Trigger that most people would argue is more of a side story, but then again I'm also an American who's actually played and beaten Radical Dreamers... (Chrono Trigger's text based sequel for the Super Famicom Beta Satellite)
DK rap is awesome
Zelda 2 gets a bad rap. Probably because it's the hardest game in the franchise. There are sections in Zelda 1 that are difficult but I think Zelda 2 is significantly more difficult and far more difficult than anything that came after. It's also my favorite game in the series. Once you know how to play it you can beat it in a single sitting, which is very rewarding considering your first clear probably took weeks or months to achieve. It's fun to revisit and see how fast you can complete it.
love me some battletoads!
Glad to hear it!
I never got past the bike stage but man the game is fun. However I only have so much experience with it in a cabin up north.
I played the heck out of Battlemaniacs on the SNES as a kid. Beat the tunnel after many hours of frustration and the snake pit after many more. When I went back as a teenager, I finally beat that sucker and moved on to crush the NES game shortly after. To anyone having a hard time with the NES game, I'd say Battlemaniacs is significantly easier to start with on the whole.
I suck at Battletoads but I'll always keep a copy for the memories of the turbo tunnel smashing me and whoever I may have teamed up with as a kid.
I beat SMB2 on Saturday morning after playing it the day before waiting in the ER! Used warp zones to get to level 6 and then I had to start using save states if I wanted to beat the game before leaving the hospital… I got close but had to finish it the next morning. I still hate the ice and desert levels 🫤 😂
The desert levels are awesome...they have the best BGM song in the game.
I'm surprised Shenmue wasn't in this video.
I loved the creativity and variety of Battletoads back in the day but I was never able to beat it without cheats. Still love the game for what it is even though I wasn't able to see all of it.
There is a patch for Donkey Kong 64 out that allows you to tag to any Kong instantly with the D-Pad. It is a small improvement, but definitely a welcome one.
Not sure if this qualifies but never got into or understood why anyone is into Earthworm Jim games and Toe Jam and Earl.
Haha. Yeah, I wouldn't say those games are polarizing but that's interesting to hear :)
I need to play them again, but same for Vectorman, it looks like it would be really fun but I never feel that while I play lol.
I never got into Earthworm Jim either. The character is cool but I really dislike the gameplay mechanics, despite being a huge fan of platformers, and also dislike the look of the levels themselves.
I will say on a similar fence as Donkey Kong 64, I'd say *Banjo-Tooie* is a love or hate kind of game. Yes, it fundamentally is the same "collect-a-thon" as the original, but for me it falls down with just having levels that are a bit too large and some Jiggies requiring you to bend over backwards to collect them.
It is a solid and charming game, but I'd rather play Banjo-Kazooie again than Tooie due to overall better pacing. I think the exhaustive backtracking in Tooie makes it tough to pick up again now.
I felt like Banjo-Tooie was the worse offender of the two, as far as excess goes. DK64 just made you set up mental checklists to scour each area as each character. Maybe it's the way my brain works, but it didn't really bother me. (The Beaver Bother mini-game, on the other hand...)
Tooie had you moving in and out of different levels to solve each challenge, and while they were connected by little tunnels, there was always some dumb window or something in the way, preventing it from becoming a shortcut. And even little things like the Mumbo swap and Humba transformation were annoying, because you had to backtrack to their hut afterwards in order to switch back. Banjo-Kazooie 1 already solved that problem- why take a step back?
Some of the levels were also difficult to navigate. Not just their size, but something about the design, like too many identical tunnels, or not enough distinct landmarks. Yooka-Laylee suffered from the same thing almost two decades later, so it would seem that the devs never did get a handle on this.
For all that whining, I actually did enjoy the game, and played through it at least twice (once for 100%). But it's not the kind of game I'd go back to for a long time after completing it!
Damn, you completed DK 64 totally by yourself? That's impressive mate.
Also, I am a fan of the DK rap.
Yeah, I just played nothing but that game for a while because it was my newest game for a long time.
I played it for a while as a kid, but I never managed to beat it.
I got Sonic CD on Xbox 360. It grew on me a lot. I went in with an open mind. I consider it Sonic 1.5
That's a good way to think about it!
The Metroid games got me used to many aspects of this one. It’s not a perfect game but it’s a gem.
One pretty devisive game is ToeJam & Earl. I hear a lot people praising it, calling it one of the best games for the Mega Drive/Genesis. I can't stand it ^^;
On the flipside, Final Fantasy Mystic Quest is a game a lot of people criticize for being basic, easy and incredibly dumbed down. I personally love it ^^
As for my thoughts on the games you covered.
Haven't played much Ecco, but liked what I did play
Really like Donkey Kong 64!
Not really a fan of Battletoads
Haven't played Dracula X
I acquired the SNES version of Castlevania X right when it came out in 1995. I had no idea that the game it was based on, Rondo of Blood, even existed as it was left in Japan. With no context, I enjoyed Castlevania X for what it was, and it is one of my favourite SNES titles to this day. In fact, it’s one of the top 5 SNES games I return to on occasion. The only thing I found inferior about it in comparison to its predecessor, Castlevania 4, was the control. At the time I thought it was a step back not to allow multi-directional whipping and better control with your jumps (although we did get the back flip to compensate). But I just considered that a return to the old-school style and didn’t think too much of it. (And let’s not forget that Richter Belmont was new to wielding the holy whip, whereas Simon Belmont was likely a little bit more seasoned-hence the limitations.) That said, there are at least two categories were SNES Dracula X is a better entry than Castlevania 4, in my opinion. 1. The overall graphics, sprite work, and animation are much more fluent and polished in Castlevania X. When I go back to Castlevania 4, the graphics are good, but show their age. I still think SNES Castlevania X holds up today in terms of its animation and sprite work. 2. The music in Castlevania X was miles ahead of the synth/tinny sounding tracks of Castlevania 4. Castlevania 4 has some iconic songs, but it’s not consistent. Almost every song in SNES Castlevania X sounds symphonic, catchy, and polished. I can’t think of a single song in SNES Castlevania X that I don’t like. Just my humble thoughts on a great game you mentioned in your video. Great stuff! Keep it coming.
I definitely agree, Dracula X is great, and the graphic and music are phenomenal. Also my pet peeve... in general, I prefer the traditional whip and subweapons gameplay of CV1 which was perfected in Rondo and also used in X. It gives subweapons a purpose and requires more strategic thinking on how to approach each obstacle. In SCV4 the whip is just way too powerful, and it also makes the game's difficulty all over the place. The enemies don't stand a chance for the most part, but all the instant death mechanics are really punishing in SCV4, especially the spikes and the flickering floor on stage 8. Rondo (and also Dracula X) have a more consistent difficulty curve.
With all that said, I love SCV4 and its length and atmosphere probably make it rank higher for me too, but it's not as much of an open and shut case as many people say, and Dracula X isn't a downgrade in every, or even most ways.
Szabu - Ah yes, I didn’t even mention the enhanced subweapons in my assessment, which adds a new element of strategy to CV X for SNES. Something else I like are the minimalist graphic novel style intro and endings in this game. Compared to Rondo‘s Japanime style endings, the graphic novel sequences at the end are powerful and striking. In defeat, Dracula stands silent and dignified before disappearing. I like how one of the panels zooms in on his mouth to emphasize his stoicism. The Rondo version of Dracula is more… chatty. Anyway, both great games with their own emphases and style.
I love Battletoads and I've never beat the turbo tunnel!
If you want to play Ecco the Dolphin, I highly suggest playing the Sega CD version. The beautiful CD soundtrack makes the game infinitely more enjoyable, and even relaxing in spots.
Yes, that Sega CD soundtrack is pretty epic! I've listened to it before :)
@@RetroBirdGaming I still listen to it to this day when I want to just chill. It gives me strong Vangelis vibes in places which is a really good thing.
Zelda 2 is a great game with extremely responsive combat, among the best on the NES. Probably would have been a lot less divisive if it didn't have "Zelda" in its title.
As an NES guy, I'll weigh in on battletoads. It's a fantastic game. So much variety and difficult. Because it's hard, you feel so great when you finally pass it. As for a game I am very disappointed in its Zelda 2. Zelda is my favorite game and Zelda 2 fell very short in my opinion.
Great video again man. Really enjoying your channel.
Glad that you're enjoying it! Yeah, I had a feeling somebody would mention Zelda 2!
I loved Ecco on game gear cause I had it as a kid but it is easier to control than the sega counterpart. That game was amazing actually.
The Game Gear had a lot of ports that did a pretty good job considering the hardware.
You said Diddy Kong could only collect red bananas but you see him getting yellow ones.
In DK64 he can't actually collect them. He just passes through them.
I'm kind of in the middle regarding Battletoads. It has its pros and cons. Super Mario 2 USA is actually my favorite 2D Mario game. My divisive game that I love would probably be Gradius III on SNES. It's actually a really brilliantly crafted shoot 'em up. Sure it suffers from a little slow down here and there. But I didn't think that it was as bad as people try to make it out to be, other than portions of the bubble level. Not to mention it has a really interesting implementation/take on the Konami code.
If slowdown isn't too terrible and somewhat predictable, it can be used to your benefit. When I played the SNES version it was definitely more noticeable than other games but I still found it to be playable.
I love that Mario 2 as well, such a fun and unique game, I felt like Mario 3 was a downgrade.
I played battletoads as a kid, always loved it, I'm still looking for a copy now that I'm back in the games and I've never gotten past level 3 the turbo tunnels
The problem is that much of what comes after it (and that's a lot) is equally or more annoying.
Some good: G.I. Joe (NES-Taxan), Alysia Dragoon (Sega Genesis), Ristar (Sega Genesis), Gekioh Shooting King (PS1), Dragon View (SNES). Some bad: Secret of Mana (SNES), Galaxy Force II (Sega Genesis), Super Thunder Blade (Sega Genesis), Mad Max (NES).
I just could not get into Ristar. I have tried again on the PS4 version of the Megadrive / Genesis collection and still feel the same. The grabbing and swinging mechanics frustrate me and the headbutting mechanic is just not fun to me. I am glad that you enjoyed it though :)
Most games have a skill or gimmick that needs to be mastered in order to be successful. Most people including me don't have the patience to read the instruction manuals in depth. I'm playing some Japanese shmups right now that have some sort of gimmick that you have to use strategically but I prefer more simple gameplay. Cannot read the Japanese instruction manuals.
@@Lookwhatthesandsdonedidtome As much as I love Treasure as a developer, I think that sometimes their reliance on gimmicks hurt them. At least for me. I just wished that some of their games were a little less gimmicky and more straight forward. Then again, those gimmicky bits is what others love about them so each to their own I guess :)
Battletoads has great music, good gameplay, great graphics, and loads of neat innovations, but I used a Game Genie to play anything past the Turbo Tunnel. I think I may have gotten past on my own once, I only remember cheating.
Hm. The only one I've actually played is Battletoads, and it is indeed fun.
I am very much on the hate it side for Ecco. I have beaten it but it was a slog the entire time. Without save states I would consider it nearly unplayable.
Also the DK Rap is awesome and anyone who says otherwise is wrong.
I had assumed everybody loved the DK rap as a kid but that's definitely not the case haha.
I'll be honest, I couldn't get into Sonic CD as a kid. I preferred the traditional Sonic experience with the trilogy on the Genesis for a long time. However, I currently rank Sonic CD as one of my favorite Sonic games as I now understand the time travel mechanics. I find it to be unique and adds an interesting challenge to get all Good Futures.
Though, I will agree the level design is kind of "messy" compared to the Genesis Sonic games, so I understand why many still don't like it.
My issue with Dracula X is the level design. It's a Master Class on how to make a cheap game. Cheap as in artificially making it more difficult than it needs to be. It's the kind of game that belongs in an arcade to eat your money. The amount of spikes and bottomless pits resulting in instadeaths is obscene. The lack of porkchops to refill your health is infuriating and that final Dracula fight to quote The Angry Video Game Nerd is "Im-F***ing-possible!" If not for those points I'd love it. I could care less if it's not like Rondo. That's a positive in my book. It's an alternate reality version or something which mean MORE/NEW Castlevania, but it's the ONE Castlevania game that actually makes me mad playing it. 1 and 3 with their crazy difficulty doesn't even do that. At most with 3 I get annoyed with things like the stairs, but Dracula X will make me want to throw my controller through the screen.
good topic, i love battletoads but am good at it, i need to try dk again, ecco just doesn’t interest me. U know what game i dont care for that ppl really like? Mario 64........ i dont get why ppl love it so much
Yeah, I've heard that a lot before too. People just flat out not being interested in Ecco.
4:18 Damn, that is impressive. I too played DK64 like crazy and progressed all the way up to the last level and got stuck before the final boss King K. Rool boxing match (watched friend's brother beat it) because I couldn't get past that stupid NES retrocade DK mini-game which I was astounded to learn was a required part of the main progression (especially considering it was an optional mini-game on a previous stage). To this day I have not gone back and beaten it; cartridge and system are long gone so I would be starting from scratch.
I think I just had nothing else to play for a really long time.
I hate Battletoads. The fighting parts are cool. The ice level or snake levels are neat. The rest generally suck. Zelda 2, Mario 2,... that’s all good stuff.
I actually hated the snake levels at first, but grew to love them. So satisfying once you get them down.
@@RetroBirdGaming Agreed. I don’t mind a challenge. I beat Metroid and Simon s Quest. at around 7-9 age. But there is challenge and kicking you in the groin for no reason. And I like the Ninja Gaiden series also. I can make it happen. BT feels like a spoof of a game being difficult.
Just for me, it mostly isn’t fun. It feels like I am being punished for something I didn’t do.
When I first played Sonic CD it felt like I was on mushrooms
Haha, it's a wild game!
DK64 gets far too much hate. Love it.
I loved DK 64 and I also didn’t mind all the collectibles or having to backtrack to change my character. Even though it was a lot, most of it I was able to get going to the next golden banana. The only criticism I have of the game is having to get the 2 coins from Jetpak and DK arcade games. I spent countless hours of frustration trying to get them and when I replayed the game several years ago, that’s what I gave up on and got pretty much everything else so I didn’t complete the game.
One game though I don’t like at all and it also gave me nightmares as a kid and even looking at today makes my anxiety go up and I feel nauseous is Super Mario Bros 2. I only ever got as far as the second area after the first Birdo boss but I found that game so hard and I was also very creepy. Even hearing the music still makes feel sick lol.
Ecco the Dolphin, Donkey Kong 64, Sonic Cd. These are games I don't like. Battletoads I like but way too hard. If they had password saves after every level, everybody would love this game. Castlevania Dracula X I never played before.
Ecco 2 > Ecco 1 for me
I just think the Ecco 2 maps are way more polished
I love Dracula X. I haven't played Rondo, which is my holy grail game, but I think Dracula X is more fun than Super Castlevania due to the soundtrack. Come to think of it, my favorite Mario and Zelda are the black sheeps Mario 2 and Zelda 2. Maybe I am a hipster retro gamer, lol. Thanks for the fun video.
Haha. You like to go against the grain!
Back when Donkey Kong 64 came out, I didn’t really care much about the amount of collectibles (never beat the game either). Looking back now, there were *waaay* too many things to collect! I think they were trying something interesting by having different bananas for each Kong to get, but that system probably made it seem convoluted. I think this game can still be fun though.
I love sonic cd because I’m weird.
Nothing wrong with liking Sonic CD :)
Retro Bird yeah it’s different, I want a sequel like mania.
Killer 7 is another love or hate game. You either don't understand it and hate it like most people or you think it's one of the best games ever like me.
Yeah, and again it's another game that pays the price for trying to do something totally different.
I love battletoads even though I can’t beat that damn speederbike level. The game has such a notorious history in the realm of gaming and playing the speederbike level is just fun itself even though I can’t beat it. Btw the game was 30 years old last month!!! I can’t believe it’s been that long!! It has some of the best graphics on the nes!!!
AGREED with this list. Spot on man! The one game I’d like to add is Paperboy. People always ask me if I have Paperboy when they find out I like to collect old video games. They always talk so fondly of the game...frankly, I CAN’T stand it! I know why I don’t like it, it’s because I’m no good at the thing. Lol. Thanks for the video!!
Haha. Paperboy is definitely a game that a lot of people remember. Probably more the arcade game than anything else. Glad that you agreed with my list. We wouldn't want to have an polarizing list of polarizing games :)
Ive tried many times to get into sonic cd but its just not as fun as sonic 2
Love dk64. Bought it back in the days because It came bundled with ram pack that I needed for Zelda majoras mask
I actually hate Retro Sonic, because it feels slow. That build up of speed he has to get, and there are so many things that stop him dead in his tracks, infuriate me and feel counter intuitive.
Interesting to hear, but you're actually not the only one who doesn't like retro Sonic. For some people the gameplay just doesn't jive with them.
Ecco was my first game I think on the Sega Genesis in 94... I loved it! Also owned Battletoads and was so hyped to play the SNES version. I never got to play my Sonic CD before it went into storage, hope it is safe. I think Sonic R gets WAY too much hate. I hated it at first as well, but I forced myself to play it and got really good (a few years back) and feel it is one of the best 3D Sonic games ever made, I'm pretty sure I have some world record lap times for Sonic, Knuckles and Tails I set while in quarantine.
Sonic R is definitely a polarizing game. Great example! I've never played it myself but have seen so many opinions on it. I'll have to try it myself at some point.
Ecco the Dolphin and Ecco the tides of time are two of favorite games of all time. I beat both of them as a kid. I also love Battletoads, which I just beat earlier this year. And sonic cd is my favorite sonic game. Great stuff. Oh, and the most recent divisive game that I LOVED is Last of Us Part 2. I put that in my top 5 games of all time.
Good stuff. Glad to hear you like all those divisive games. That tells me you're somebody with an open mind which I can certainly applaud.
I feel like more people hate it than love it, but I love The Adventures of Bayou Billy on NES.
DMC Devil May Cry. Excellent gameplay, but the story is a joke, and Dante's design sucks. Some people are mixed Devil May Cry 4 as well, but that's actually my favorite game I'm the series.
Ecco the dolphin is such a great game one of my favorites on the genesis although I do hate welcome to the machine that level is brutal and I never finished the game because of it sonic cd is great too I only played dk 64 on a emulator and thought it was pretty fun
Glad to hear that you like Ecco!
Also, Three Stooges on the NES was rancid....
I love Mario 2 and Dracula X. Don't know why some people dislike them, it must be because of things outside of the games or by comparison.
Mario 2 is because it's actually Doki Doki Panic re-skinned and Dracula X because they compare it to the PC Engine version. Both of those games have their fans as well though. For example, I like both those games!
I beat SMB2 on Saturday morning after playing it the day before waiting in the ER! Used warp zones to get to level 6 and then I had to start using save states if I wanted to beat the game before leaving the hospital… I got close but had to finish it the next morning. I still hate the ice and desert levels 🫤 😂