Nice review! I knew nothing about Destination Earthstar before this. On a minor note, I appreciate how this video is in 4:3 instead of adding unnecessary pillarboxing. One of my computer monitors is a big 4:3, so videos like this look excellent on it at full size.
Ooh, I happen to have a copy of this game. I haven't played it in forever but you brought up an excellent point: without instructions this game is easy to get lost in. I have no idea what happened to mine but that background story sounds very familiar, so thank you for the refresher. I never finished this one. I think I figured out how to refuel at planets, battle other ships, and how to get through the first side scrolling segment, but I never realized there were other weapons than the laser and the torpedoes (or I never figured out how to switch to them). I also think at some point I would die and be forced to restart from the very beginning! Even so, your video actually makes me want to pick it up and give it another try. In retrospect I can appreciate what Kitchen was trying to do here and even kind of want to incorporate some of this game's ideas into my own hobbyist game dev projects.
I'm gonna have to hook up my NES later. This is one of my childhood carts, and I raised an eyebrow when you said there's no pausing in the space combat bits, because I swear I've done it--and I even remember pausing causing the music to stop until you paused again. This game represents what I love about the NES, it was when gaming was still experimental and you could get weird ideas that maybe don't pan out but you're still glad someone did it and you wonder why nobody ever iterated on it. The one thing I would change is I hate how in the shmup segments, it becomes a one-hit-kill game, after you had quite a generous energy bar before. Incidentally the whole "Earthstar" thing, I always assumed that meant you're looking for the sun that Earth revolves around (which of course would allow you to find Earth).
The Earthstar thing is obviously a bit, I see the logic. But as for pausing, I think you can and that's my mistake. Both start and select give you an opportunity to change your weapons but one stops play to let you do it. That's a mistake on my part, thanks for calling that out
Kitchen strikes back! Another ambitious attempt to deliver a realistic experience, this time in a space ship's cockpit, that ended up being a failure, just like the rest of the Kitchen collection, but I have to admit that for a 10 year old kid back then, it provided that "Super Metroid" sensation of loneliness in space. Thank you Trav for another great video about another Kitchen gem, I'm still waiting for a SnesDrunk episode with him as special guest!
I kinda don't dislike these kinds of space navigating sims with cockpit views. Even though there is some combat in these, there is some kind of chill feeling when you play one of these that I appreciate, even if they aren't the best games out there.
Another ...uh..."gem" from the man you named a room in your house after! Another game to avoid. Heres hoping you get something sort of fun on the old randomizer soon! Great video as usual, and the video itself didnt overstay its welcome.
Nesfriend Thank you for this. I rented this as a kid with no manual and had no idea what to do. Didnt even know you could graduate to a side scrolling shooter stage. This was a fun video to watch. The game might lack polish. But the nesfriend review shines like an earthstar
Very good, Trav, as usual. By the by, I'd like to make a request! would you consider doing a fishing NES games compilatory review? I've recently discovered Blue Marlin and I just love the style. I wonder if there are some other gems out there... Hm, in any case, thanks for the video as always!
"The Blue Marlin" was probably one of my favorite fishing games. If you are adventurous I'd also point you to "King Salmon" for the Sega Genesis/Megadrive. Actually, if you were REALLY adventurous I can point you to some fishing RPGs (as in you fight bears and seagulls that try to steal your fish and they have hit points and you level up your punching strength and whatnot). "Legend of the River King" for Game Boy comes to mind, and it occurs to me as I write this that the "River King" series got its start on the Famicom with "Kawa no Nushi Tsuri" (or 「川のぬし釣り」literally meaning "Master Fishing of the River")
the later ones have more variation but they didn't have a lot of space on the older games. the concept of having in game music at all was still new back then .
I find it very interesting that it’s essentially Starfield. Very boring space travel broken up by (fill in the blank). Yet it was panned then loved now.
Honestly, this game looks kind of rad. I'm not sure why the BestofNES crew had so much trouble with it. They also had trouble with Silkworm, Motor City Patrol, and Faria, so maybe...?
Nice review! I knew nothing about Destination Earthstar before this.
On a minor note, I appreciate how this video is in 4:3 instead of adding unnecessary pillarboxing. One of my computer monitors is a big 4:3, so videos like this look excellent on it at full size.
Need to thank @topspot123 for giving me that tip years ago!
Ooh, I happen to have a copy of this game.
I haven't played it in forever but you brought up an excellent point: without instructions this game is easy to get lost in.
I have no idea what happened to mine but that background story sounds very familiar, so thank you for the refresher.
I never finished this one.
I think I figured out how to refuel at planets, battle other ships, and how to get through the first side scrolling segment, but I never realized there were other weapons than the laser and the torpedoes (or I never figured out how to switch to them).
I also think at some point I would die and be forced to restart from the very beginning!
Even so, your video actually makes me want to pick it up and give it another try.
In retrospect I can appreciate what Kitchen was trying to do here and even kind of want to incorporate some of this game's ideas into my own hobbyist game dev projects.
I'm gonna have to hook up my NES later. This is one of my childhood carts, and I raised an eyebrow when you said there's no pausing in the space combat bits, because I swear I've done it--and I even remember pausing causing the music to stop until you paused again.
This game represents what I love about the NES, it was when gaming was still experimental and you could get weird ideas that maybe don't pan out but you're still glad someone did it and you wonder why nobody ever iterated on it.
The one thing I would change is I hate how in the shmup segments, it becomes a one-hit-kill game, after you had quite a generous energy bar before.
Incidentally the whole "Earthstar" thing, I always assumed that meant you're looking for the sun that Earth revolves around (which of course would allow you to find Earth).
The Earthstar thing is obviously a bit, I see the logic. But as for pausing, I think you can and that's my mistake. Both start and select give you an opportunity to change your weapons but one stops play to let you do it. That's a mistake on my part, thanks for calling that out
Kitchen strikes back! Another ambitious attempt to deliver a realistic experience, this time in a space ship's cockpit, that ended up being a failure, just like the rest of the Kitchen collection, but I have to admit that for a 10 year old kid back then, it provided that "Super Metroid" sensation of loneliness in space. Thank you Trav for another great video about another Kitchen gem, I'm still waiting for a SnesDrunk episode with him as special guest!
I discovered SNESdrunk yesterday and it reminded me of how great this channel is!
The Sun has now been renamed to "Earthstar". Way better name lol
I like this a lot.
It's easier to remember than "Star (some long identifier string)" and catchier than "Sól" or "Helios".
Tell the kojins to fly into the sun if they come to Earth
I kinda don't dislike these kinds of space navigating sims with cockpit views.
Even though there is some combat in these, there is some kind of chill feeling when you play one of these that I appreciate, even if they aren't the best games out there.
Not only is the Earth flat but it's also a star! 😂
Thanks for slogging through this one for us, NES Friend!
Another ...uh..."gem" from the man you named a room in your house after! Another game to avoid.
Heres hoping you get something sort of fun on the old randomizer soon! Great video as usual, and the video itself didnt overstay its welcome.
Superfluous information!? My favorite kind!
Hey, better too much than not enough!
@@NESFriend half the screen, at least!
Great video.
Another overly ambitious gem from Mr. Kitchen, and NESFriend.
Nesfriend
Thank you for this. I rented this as a kid with no manual and had no idea what to do. Didnt even know you could graduate to a side scrolling shooter stage. This was a fun video to watch. The game might lack polish. But the nesfriend review shines like an earthstar
At one point around 2004 I had roughly 350 NES games and this was THE only game in my collection I could never get to work.
You lucky dog !
Honestly, this is the first gameplay I have ever seen for it as well, and it doesn't look THAT bad...but very generic and blaaaaaa
This is one of those games where you need to really use your imagination.
I remember enjoying this a lot when I was a kid. but actually getting to fly the ship in something like 3D was amazing on the NES.
"Planets are planets and stars are stars," What's next? Pluto isn't a planet?
Don't start it!
Of course not! He's a cartoon dog!
@@lhfirex you know what? You're right
*TOO SOON.*
Great channel. Great content.
Glad you enjoy it!
Garry "Superfluous Information" Kitchen
Destination Rental Return
Excellent review! Thank you! :-)
Our boy, Garry Kitchen!
This is basically a less crappy version of Star Voyager. LOL
Gary's in the Kitchen. Do you smell what he's cooking !?
It’s like he tried to make Elite and, well, uh… made something. It’s something, alright.
gary kitchen.. more like hell's kitchen am i right?
Very good, Trav, as usual. By the by, I'd like to make a request! would you consider doing a fishing NES games compilatory review? I've recently discovered Blue Marlin and I just love the style. I wonder if there are some other gems out there... Hm, in any case, thanks for the video as always!
Yeah one of these days! I gotta psyche myself up for lots of fishing
@@NESFriendthats true of real fishing too...
"The Blue Marlin" was probably one of my favorite fishing games.
If you are adventurous I'd also point you to "King Salmon" for the Sega Genesis/Megadrive.
Actually, if you were REALLY adventurous I can point you to some fishing RPGs (as in you fight bears and seagulls that try to steal your fish and they have hit points and you level up your punching strength and whatnot).
"Legend of the River King" for Game Boy comes to mind, and it occurs to me as I write this that the "River King" series got its start on the Famicom with "Kawa no Nushi Tsuri" (or 「川のぬし釣り」literally meaning "Master Fishing of the River")
But is Pluto a planet?
Pluto is a dog
@@NESFriendand a planet... ~_^
5:37 Completely thought you were going to say the game wavers between tedious boredom and boring tedium.
Excellent video. Do many NES games have expansive soundtracks? The JRPGs maybe?
the later ones have more variation but they didn't have a lot of space on the older games. the concept of having in game music at all was still new back then .
castlevania 3 is probably the peak
I find it very interesting that it’s essentially Starfield. Very boring space travel broken up by (fill in the blank). Yet it was panned then loved now.
Honestly, this game looks kind of rad. I'm not sure why the BestofNES crew had so much trouble with it.
They also had trouble with Silkworm, Motor City Patrol, and Faria, so maybe...?
KITCHEEEEEEN!
Happy Wednesday everyone🎉
Star Voyager or Destination Earthstar?
The blue in this game looks too dark!
The sun is a planet, and Earth is the sun's moon. Our system has no star.
Gazza!
Commendable effort, but 'tis no Elite. Cheers!
Earth-Star, more like Lame-Star 😂😅😊
The main shil's design looks generic
Hated this game as a kid