Ghost House absolutely feels like something you'd play on Amiga (or a downsized version on Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum) right down to the extremely cryptic mechanics. They didn't know it at the time, but Sega already knew what Europeans craved.
I LOVE the jumping red guy in "Ghost House", when I first played it it was love at first sight. It's very rarely that you find generic monster enemies that look that funny and cute and that feel sufficiently... "video-gamey".
About a decade ago I got really into Ghost House, it was the "Draculas" statement on the box that drew me in, and learning those strange systems felt empowering. I can never see Fantasy Zone without being reminded of the video game episode of Muppet Babies.
I have really mixed feelings about those covers. I kind of want to start playing some of these games, if they're cheaper than the other versions, then it's a good thing, but... They're so weird that pulling it out will just make it look out of place..!
Ghost House is surprisingly addictive once you figure out its mechanics. Really glad you touched on those at the end because a lot of people see it as being completely random when it is not. I need to try to finish the game, but the last house is absurdly brutal.
I had to google this to figure out what this meant, and found a Tumblr post by RecorderDude who lays it out, and. Yep! Game devs given three sentences to make a story for their cartoon spaceship definitely did not think through the full existential experience they were describing.
@@SovrinnK That's Japan. We Americans wouldn't have done anything like this. Japan always likes the cute, simple characters but with dark, serious backstories and tragedies.
There's a really cool shmup that came out fairly recently called Drainus. One of the later game bosses transforms multiple times into various shmup references. The one reference I didn't recognize is now clearly the boss shown at 11:11. Now I know, thanks!
It's been so long I've forgotten. Is the use of an outdated video camera an artistic choice? If so, it's such a wonderfully unique touch. It really helps give this series that extra bit of charm and, paradoxically, polish.
One aspect of this series that I love is that for the first time, I’m actually learning about the merits of the games for the “other” system, being Sega. I and my older cousins were Nintendo houses while my younger cousins had Sega houses. The were no political arguments at Thanksgiving dinner by the adults, but us kids would argue about Nintendo vs Sega, and Mario vs Sonic. On both sides, we downplayed the other and remained loyal to our chosen brand no matter what. Almost four decades later, I’m now recognizing that Sega wasn’t actually so bad.
Greetings Mr. Parish! I’m a huge fan of your books and retrospectives. Regarding the origins of the “cute em’ up” subgenre, I think it’s important to mention Twinbee, another game that came out pretty much at the same time as Fantasy Zone. Keep up the great work!
Really digging this chapter of Segaiden! What a great twofer! Ghost House was an exciting off-season childhood gift that quickly turned into a nightmare, but as you say, when you figure out its quirks (after a couple of years of resentment) - its kinda fun. That opening title song goes OFF! Quietly appreciating the acknowledgment of "Sega hard", as well. Nice one.
What gorgeous backgrounds and scrolling. I do plan to play many Sega Master System games, but I'm still on the Famicom for now. I have to say though -- looking at these always makes me a little jealous of the colors.
This might sound stupid, but these videos make me feel cozy for some reason? Is it the vintage look? The nostalgia of the old games? Not sure, but I like it and appreciate the content. Thank you!
Jeremy, when I see your dissection of both Fantasy Zone (which I've played on most everything that plugs into a wall) and Ghost House (I have not played it because of its sacred card format and my Power Base converter refusing to work its Z80s below the waist) I come to a conclusion: you truly understand the 70s and 80s arcade to home conversion BMX style plywood ramp jump that often kept some "riders" on the fore side of a cinder block (crushed ramp, ER bills) and some "riders" soared to great, but incremental heights. Shame no Planet of the Apes licensed game ever came to us in those years. Great video, boss.
Fantasy Zone is the earliest Sega game I can think of whose legacy starkly varied between Japan and the US. The original game never made that much headway on account of its first notable port landing on a niche console, the Mega Drive sequel never saw a release on Genesis, its Saturn port never made its way overseas either standalone or as part of a compilation, and the franchise is absent from several early Sega compilations on formerly-competing Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft platforms. Ask any '90s Sega head about their favorite games and it'd be rare that FZ would even come up in conversation. But M2 is so utterly obsessed with the game that it'd be impossible for anyone who has dipped into a Sega Ages line-up on any platform in the past 20 years to miss it, as it seems that with every new project they're signed on for they manage to find a reason to include a new take on the game.
There are several of these '85-86 Master System games that might seem a bit simplistic at first, but have some satisfying depth once you take some time to really get into them.
I only rented the NES Fantasy Zone once very long ago, but it left a big impression with its approachable Defender-esque controls, adorable presentation, and satisfying coin-based upgrade system. Especially when Cave Story came out, I couldn't help but be reminded of Fantasy Zone. Sega games must have had some great graphics and sound designers working on them at the time, just look at Ghost House.
*Ghost House was re-skined in Brazil by TecToy company and became the beloved Mexican show El Chapulin Colorado, game was called Chapolim X Drácula, Um Duelo Assustador!* Amazing stuff that ONLY TecToy from Brazil could do back in the day!!
Adore the Gundam-esque commentary of the weight of Xevious "casting its gravity" on the SMS. Mr. Parish = master wordsmith, as usual. Now I'm imagining Fantasy Zone as chibi-Gundam, featuring Char Aznable inside the Opa-Opa!
You need to start a "swear jar" for every time you mention Xevious or Hyanku Alien in a video Jeremy, You'd probably be able to retire by the end of the year :D
The name "Opa-Opa" always used to crack me up, as "Opa" is the German word for "Grandpa" -- then again, this somehow made the player character even cuter, so yeah... ;-)
Great video. As a certified, card carrying "Nintendo Kid" it's interesting to peek into that other world that at the time was (and still somewhat remains) a bit beyond my ken.
Ghost House is one of those few cases where I think the slower tempo of the PAL versions music adds to the experience. It just feels a bit spookier than the "proper" speed.
All weapons in Fantasy zone can be made to have no time limit. It’s when you buy all four engines and then either just use big wings or jet engine. As for defeating draculas in Ghost House, you need to hit the light bulb as soon as Dracula appears. It freezes him in place where you can go wail on him killing it straight away
“So what do we want to show on the box art for our beautiful cartoon like shooter, one of the best looking video games on any console system in 1986” “I’ve got it! A weird angry test tube surrounded by a circle!”
Dude, nice to see you here. Your channel deserves more attention. And even when I was a little kid watching my Mom play, the Ghose House music is dope.
While cartoony in nature, the Fantasy Zone Heavy Bomb is more or less a direct ref to the likes of Monty Python's Flying Circus, which did get aired on Japanese TV and the movies even got dubbed
This is bringing back good memories of getting a Genesis and Power Base Converter circa 1990 and then getting a ton of Master System games on clearance from various retailers. Fantasy Zone, Choplifter, and Quartet were some of the selling points for me on getting one but Ghost House was unexpectedly fun. It is arguably the best MyCard game considering Super Tennis was very basic and Transbot was crap. Never could find most of the other ones such as My Hero, Teddy Boy, or Woody Pop in the wild.
I played far more Ghost House than I would care to admit. It was interesting to play in the late 80s for sure, during that era before the 16 bit generation had fully started (the SNES was still two or three years away) when the NES library had become a bit too familiar checking out the Master System's offerings always made for a fun afternoon.
Ghost House was a sega card game I found used for $5 and for the price it was fun. I was in a phase of collecting used games and the "card" aspect of the few SMS cards and TG 16 hu card games really fascinated me to the point where I would almost favor them over NES/SMS/Genesis/Snes carts even if the game wasn't that good. It was weird. I wanted Street Fighter II import hu card but never have had it.
in ghost house u can jump on the big red enemies to one shot them. u can jump on all enemies but its pretty easy with the red ones since they take alot of hits otherwise and they stop moving before they attack
Opa opa cameos I have seen are Alex Kidd in high tech world when you play a record and a question the pyramid boss asks you in wonder boy in monster land. I though I saw one in Tom and Jerry sms but it was probably only sonic.
??? Xanadu most certainly DID have shops, many different varieties in fact: weapon, armor, shield, & magic shops, grocers, guilds (for keys), and a hidden item shop, in addition to inns and hospitals for HP restoration. The graphics for some of these are what got them in trouble with Origin for stealing artwork from Ultima III's manual. The expansion pack scenario for Xanadu further expands the concept, with each individual shop having a unique lineup of goods and different --sometimes wildly varying-- prices for each. Hydlide 2 had currency and shops as well, though a far less robust system than Xanadu's. Maybe you were thinking of Dragon Slayer I? While that game does have the concept of Gold, you can't buy anything with it, and is only used to temporarily boost your max HP.
OK, but I truly don't get it - why does the box for Ghost House have a person holding the game card? Why not just the bats themselves? That would be more consistent with all the rest, no?
Fantasy Zone games require a special combination in order to get rid of the timed upgrades, I'm copying the text from GameFaqs here: Get enough money to purchase all of the ''engine'' upgrades at one time (the Big Wings, Jet Engine, Turbo Engine, and Rocket Engine), and a special weapon (such as the 7-way shot). At the weapon select screen, select the SMALL wings and the special weapon. You will notice that there is NO time limit on the special weapon! Even better, a shop/select balloon appears again, and if you visit it, you can select one of the better engines (not just the Small Wings), and STILL be able to select and use a special weapon without having to worry about a time limit.
Limitless weapon time: purchase all speed upgrades. Any weapon upgrade will now not have a time limit. I figured this out after getting the game back in 1987.
I only ever played one card based game on my Master System and for the life of me I can't remember what it was! I do remember I borrowed it from someone as I just wanted to see how it worked compared to the cartridges. However next week is lift off, with a game I do remember playing.
Countless JP devs in published interviews: "Xevious was a direct influence on my work. Love that game." Countless YT commenters: "JeReMy WhY dO yOu KeEp MeNtIoNiNg XeViOuS"
It's too bad Sega focused more on Alex Kidd over here. As a kid, I only ever knew of two people to own Master System games, and one of those through a Power Base converter. The other had Alex Kidd, and after a weekend of playing his jan-ken-pon misadventures, I found him to be about as exciting as Keith Courage in Alpha Zones, minus the Nova Suit levels to add SOME semblance of fun. Opa Opa, on the other hand, has a lot of charm to him and it's no surprise he was such a prominent sidekick in Zillion. Also, I really do enjoy the shop system. The only other shmup I am aware of that did it was Ordyne on the PC Engine, but that also played more like Gradius where you moved steadily left to right, and shops were at fixed "halfway" points in each level.
I rented Fantasy Zone for the NES, or rather, my sister did. I thought it was gonna be lame because, well, little sisters and all that. I was wrong, and I don’t even remember what game I picked for that night. Loved it, even if it wasn’t as good as the SMS version. Your complaint about the limitations of the weapon upgrades is fair, but the way Gradius ultimately handled it was flawed too, of course, being ultra punitive upon losing a life by stripping you of all of your firepower. Which one is worse?
"Sega hard." *curles into fetal position* Sega hard is a level of no mercy that would make Cobra Kai go: "Woah! Relax there, Sega!" Truth aside, I've wondered for a while now if Fantasy Zone established the item shop or not? I was never sure about that, but that's cool that it was what got that ball rolling in video games.
@@JeremyParish Neither can I. I wasn't 100 percent sure if they invented it or if they popularized it to the point where it became a norm in gaming. Seems to be the latter. That's cool to know that this cute, but hard, game from Sega influenced games to this day. Makes me appreciate it just that much more.
Gradius would later one-up Fantasy Zone with their own cute-em-up spinoff/parody Parodius of course. I had the TurboGrafx version of Fantasy Zone, it was definitely good.
Fantasy Zone is a cakewalk compared to its sequel. In Fantasy Zone 2, if you lose a life in a later stage, you may as well switch your console off, since you become too weak and too slow to dodge anything.
Yeah, I was not aware the upgrades weren't permanent. I didn't even know that was a design choice shmup people COULD make, every spaceship shmup I've ever played feels like they've had the weapon selects last until you died, at the very least.
I've never played Ghost House, but I've tried some versions of Fantasy Zone (probably on Switch for the most recent time). It failed to leave a mark on me, though, except for the music, which is an earworm. Sidenote... the game field isn't a torus but a cylinder (all four edges are connected to their opposing edges vs only two opposing sides are connected). But this is just me being petty over a single word that isn't even relevant to the superb information content in the video.
@@kepler7028 I talk about the player moving on the surface of the object, not inside, if that's what you're thinking. Kind of like in Link Between Worlds and Mario Odyssey the player sometimes shifts to become a "2D sprite" on a 3D object. Cylinder shape (think of a can), in this case, blocks the player from crossing the top and the bottom of the screen. You won't be able to fly up until you come up from underground. But the player can move horizontally without hitting a wall and end up at the same location. Imagine using a pen to draw a line around a can just by rotating the can on the table. With a torus-shape (think of a donut), the player can keep moving also up (or down) its surface and end up again at the same spot. Mathematical topology is something I have less than a basic understanding of and even less when talking about it in English, but I hope I didn't make massive mistakes in the above.
@@roskapostikohde4594 I understand your description, and it makes sense to me. But I think most people still envision the action taking place inside the shape, not on the surface of it. Cylinders are 3D objects that are comparable to a Torus in volume but not in shape, with cylinders having defined edges and a Torus's area looping back. I don't believe they are viewed as a 2D surface. I understand your thought process though. But when Jeremy said it takes place a Torus, I instantly understood. When you said it takes place in a cylinder, I did not understand. I think that makes his word choice accurate, at least to me.
@@kepler7028 Hmm, I think I get it as well. I would say, "Zelda 1 is played on a flat 2D map", but you might say, "the world in Zelda 1 has mountains and underground caves". The first focuses on how parts of the map are connected and the degrees of freedom the player has in their movement, the latter on what the map represents. I'd still think of moving inside a torus to mean having control over X, Y and Z coordinates myself. (Resogun on PS4 actually renders the cylinder I spoke about in 3D.)
@@JeremyParish I love a bit of Janken. The originality of it as a game mechanic was great. Alex Kidd in Miracle World is a platformer that took risks. It's just a shame the sequels were poor.
Mmm, I never liked fantasy zone. Played it lots over the years and my option has not changed. Don’t think the core, killing the base, game play really does it for me.
That’s the vastly less charismatic and painfully mediocre Alex Kidd to you. Seriously why would anyone play his games and see him as a good mascot? His absolute best entry didn’t even play as well as SMB1 at the time of its release.
Ghost House absolutely feels like something you'd play on Amiga (or a downsized version on Commodore 64/ZX Spectrum) right down to the extremely cryptic mechanics. They didn't know it at the time, but Sega already knew what Europeans craved.
I LOVE the jumping red guy in "Ghost House", when I first played it it was love at first sight. It's very rarely that you find generic monster enemies that look that funny and cute and that feel sufficiently... "video-gamey".
Man these shows really deserve to be on PBS. They have Magic cards on antiques roadshow these days so this would fit perfectly.
Fantasy Zone II W for the 3DS is one of the best games in the past 10+ years. So, so good. Got me in to the whole series and love them all!
About a decade ago I got really into Ghost House, it was the "Draculas" statement on the box that drew me in, and learning those strange systems felt empowering. I can never see Fantasy Zone without being reminded of the video game episode of Muppet Babies.
YES, oh my god, I used to watch that episode on a loop incessantly back in the day after taping it. I remember they called the console the "Pretendo."
Are you telling me we're dealing with some kind of...dracula?
Shout outs to those hack frauds in Wiscaaansan.
the Ghost House box art reminds me of the hilariously meta “Konami’s best” box art for Nintendo DS.
Konami shamelessly stole that concept, and didn't even execute as well!
I have really mixed feelings about those covers. I kind of want to start playing some of these games, if they're cheaper than the other versions, then it's a good thing, but... They're so weird that pulling it out will just make it look out of place..!
Ghost House is surprisingly addictive once you figure out its mechanics. Really glad you touched on those at the end because a lot of people see it as being completely random when it is not. I need to try to finish the game, but the last house is absurdly brutal.
Ghost House driving the Dean of Transylvania University crazy with their wacky antics!
If they keep it up they'll be on double secret probation
@@JeremyParish Poor Flounder!
I want that film now. Like an R-rated collegiate version of Gravedale High.
Ah yes, Opa-Opa, video gaming's cutest little PTSD sufferer.
Was it worth the price you had to pay? 😉
I had to google this to figure out what this meant, and found a Tumblr post by RecorderDude who lays it out, and. Yep! Game devs given three sentences to make a story for their cartoon spaceship definitely did not think through the full existential experience they were describing.
@@SovrinnK That's Japan. We Americans wouldn't have done anything like this. Japan always likes the cute, simple characters but with dark, serious backstories and tragedies.
plural "Draculas" will never not make me grin. thank god for 80s video games.
I often say things like "beware the spooky Draculas and Frankensteins" in a Bela Lugosi voice during Halloween.
There's a really cool shmup that came out fairly recently called Drainus. One of the later game bosses transforms multiple times into various shmup references. The one reference I didn't recognize is now clearly the boss shown at 11:11. Now I know, thanks!
I became a big fan of Fantasy Zone last year. The lightning fast pace and shop make replays so enticing, and Opa-Opa is such a lil' cutie!
You’re right, that boxart for ghost house is a work of art.
It's been so long I've forgotten.
Is the use of an outdated video camera an artistic choice? If so, it's such a wonderfully unique touch. It really helps give this series that extra bit of charm and, paradoxically, polish.
I appreciate the Monkees clip. In my house we were watching the Monkees and playing Master Sysyem.
Another great episode, learned so much! You’re the best Jeremy keep up the great work.
So happy you're doing Segaiden again.
One aspect of this series that I love is that for the first time, I’m actually learning about the merits of the games for the “other” system, being Sega. I and my older cousins were Nintendo houses while my younger cousins had Sega houses. The were no political arguments at Thanksgiving dinner by the adults, but us kids would argue about Nintendo vs Sega, and Mario vs Sonic. On both sides, we downplayed the other and remained loyal to our chosen brand no matter what. Almost four decades later, I’m now recognizing that Sega wasn’t actually so bad.
Greetings Mr. Parish! I’m a huge fan of your books and retrospectives. Regarding the origins of the “cute em’ up” subgenre, I think it’s important to mention Twinbee, another game that came out pretty much at the same time as Fantasy Zone. Keep up the great work!
Fantasy Zone and Ghost House are both great. 😀👍🎮
Really digging this chapter of Segaiden! What a great twofer! Ghost House was an exciting off-season childhood gift that quickly turned into a nightmare, but as you say, when you figure out its quirks (after a couple of years of resentment) - its kinda fun. That opening title song goes OFF! Quietly appreciating the acknowledgment of "Sega hard", as well. Nice one.
What gorgeous backgrounds and scrolling. I do plan to play many Sega Master System games, but I'm still on the Famicom for now. I have to say though -- looking at these always makes me a little jealous of the colors.
Excellent episode. Man, I want to play Fantasy Zone...
If you've got a Switch the original arcade Fantasy Zone is on there for $8, or less when it's (frequently) on sale.
This might sound stupid, but these videos make me feel cozy for some reason? Is it the vintage look? The nostalgia of the old games? Not sure, but I like it and appreciate the content. Thank you!
a truly timeless bit of quiche
Jeremy, when I see your dissection of both Fantasy Zone (which I've played on most everything that plugs into a wall) and Ghost House (I have not played it because of its sacred card format and my Power Base converter refusing to work its Z80s below the waist) I come to a conclusion: you truly understand the 70s and 80s arcade to home conversion BMX style plywood ramp jump that often kept some "riders" on the fore side of a cinder block (crushed ramp, ER bills) and some "riders" soared to great, but incremental heights. Shame no Planet of the Apes licensed game ever came to us in those years. Great video, boss.
Ghost House and the other Sega Card games were also released as cartridges in PAL region and can be played on NTSC consoles.
i love that you call them by their correct name, "a dracula"
I'm amazed how many K-Pop songs are still sung about people's enduring love for Opa.
Fantasy Zone is the earliest Sega game I can think of whose legacy starkly varied between Japan and the US. The original game never made that much headway on account of its first notable port landing on a niche console, the Mega Drive sequel never saw a release on Genesis, its Saturn port never made its way overseas either standalone or as part of a compilation, and the franchise is absent from several early Sega compilations on formerly-competing Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft platforms. Ask any '90s Sega head about their favorite games and it'd be rare that FZ would even come up in conversation. But M2 is so utterly obsessed with the game that it'd be impossible for anyone who has dipped into a Sega Ages line-up on any platform in the past 20 years to miss it, as it seems that with every new project they're signed on for they manage to find a reason to include a new take on the game.
and every M2 port is tailor made to be good for both veterans and newcommers
Great channel with amazing content!
There are several of these '85-86 Master System games that might seem a bit simplistic at first, but have some satisfying depth once you take some time to really get into them.
I only rented the NES Fantasy Zone once very long ago, but it left a big impression with its approachable Defender-esque controls, adorable presentation, and satisfying coin-based upgrade system. Especially when Cave Story came out, I couldn't help but be reminded of Fantasy Zone. Sega games must have had some great graphics and sound designers working on them at the time, just look at Ghost House.
*Ghost House was re-skined in Brazil by TecToy company and became the beloved Mexican show El Chapulin Colorado, game was called Chapolim X Drácula, Um Duelo Assustador!*
Amazing stuff that ONLY TecToy from Brazil could do back in the day!!
Adore the Gundam-esque commentary of the weight of Xevious "casting its gravity" on the SMS. Mr. Parish = master wordsmith, as usual. Now I'm imagining Fantasy Zone as chibi-Gundam, featuring Char Aznable inside the Opa-Opa!
I wasn't thinking Char when I wrote that, but you know, let's go with it (Z-Gundam good bro version, not Char's Counterattack genocide dude version).
You need to start a "swear jar" for every time you mention Xevious or Hyanku Alien in a video Jeremy, You'd probably be able to retire by the end of the year :D
Nobody is ever truly ready for the Fantasy Zone
The name "Opa-Opa" always used to crack me up, as "Opa" is the German word for "Grandpa" -- then again, this somehow made the player character even cuter, so yeah... ;-)
Great video. As a certified, card carrying "Nintendo Kid" it's interesting to peek into that other world that at the time was (and still somewhat remains) a bit beyond my ken.
Thanks for another great video Jeremy.
Fantasy zone isn’t the original cute ‘em up, Twinbee came out an entire year earlier!
Ghost House is one of those few cases where I think the slower tempo of the PAL versions music adds to the experience. It just feels a bit spookier than the "proper" speed.
I'm sure it can vary. I used to play Commodore 64's port of Paperboy in 60Hz and thought it sounded fine.
All weapons in Fantasy zone can be made to have no time limit. It’s when you buy all four engines and then either just use big wings or jet engine.
As for defeating draculas in Ghost House, you need to hit the light bulb as soon as Dracula appears. It freezes him in place where you can go wail on him killing it straight away
Wait so the trade off for being TOO FAST is unlimited weapons?! Where was this ever disclosed? is it in a manual
Use of the plural "Draculas"marks this as a video of the highest quality.
It's canon!
I was hoping for a Heiankyo Alien reference to complete the holy triumvirate.
Nice Monkees reference
“So what do we want to show on the box art for our beautiful cartoon like shooter, one of the best looking video games on any console system in 1986”
“I’ve got it! A weird angry test tube surrounded by a circle!”
Excuse me, that's clearly a mixing flask... you'll never make it as a meth cook, Pinkman
I played Ghost House on a Master System kiosk at a toy store way back when. I kept wondering when it would appear on the Virtual Console.
Getting a childhood friend’s SMS for a summer made Fantasy Zone both a beloved and infuriating game.
Literally bought Ghost House on the strength that someone said the music was dope.
Dude, nice to see you here. Your channel deserves more attention.
And even when I was a little kid watching my Mom play, the Ghose House music is dope.
@@durdndemolition 💯 Thanks!
Personally, I'm a big fan of ESJEE, and want to see more of their continued adventures. I'm sure they became the hero of their group.
Inject this series into my veins
Right there with you!
When I heard Xevious, I was expecting the warning. Kkkk
While cartoony in nature, the Fantasy Zone Heavy Bomb is more or less a direct ref to the likes of Monty Python's Flying Circus, which did get aired on Japanese TV and the movies even got dubbed
I owned both Fantasy Zone and Ghost House. Fantasy Zone was great, even though I only ever made it to about round 3.
Two classics. For Ghost House I don't think you mentioned that the black portraits also serve as warp points.
That's because I didn't know! I wish I had!!
I'm surprised you didn't talk about the "Ghost House" Brazilian port.
That one minute the Monkees were hot again. Then MTV threw them under the bus.
I wonder if someone on the staff was fond of the Greek "Opa!".
No, Ishi said he was inspired by the Brazilian exclamation heard at Carnival.
This is bringing back good memories of getting a Genesis and Power Base Converter circa 1990 and then getting a ton of Master System games on clearance from various retailers.
Fantasy Zone, Choplifter, and Quartet were some of the selling points for me on getting one but Ghost House was unexpectedly fun.
It is arguably the best MyCard game considering Super Tennis was very basic and Transbot was crap. Never could find most of the other ones such as My Hero, Teddy Boy, or Woody Pop in the wild.
I never thought a storyline about misappropriated foreign currency could be so adorable.
I played far more Ghost House than I would care to admit. It was interesting to play in the late 80s for sure, during that era before the 16 bit generation had fully started (the SNES was still two or three years away) when the NES library had become a bit too familiar checking out the Master System's offerings always made for a fun afternoon.
Ghost House was a sega card game I found used for $5 and for the price it was fun. I was in a phase of collecting used games and the "card" aspect of the few SMS cards and TG 16 hu card games really fascinated me to the point where I would almost favor them over NES/SMS/Genesis/Snes carts even if the game wasn't that good. It was weird. I wanted Street Fighter II import hu card but never have had it.
Lol, all these years and I never knew you could walk on the ground in Fantasy Zone.
Black tiger is such a great game!
in ghost house u can jump on the big red enemies to one shot them. u can jump on all enemies but its pretty easy with the red ones since they take alot of hits otherwise and they stop moving before they attack
nice game ive never heard about since i am pretty shallow when it comes to sega as a whole, nice video aswell
Opa opa cameos I have seen are Alex Kidd in high tech world when you play a record and a question the pyramid boss asks you in wonder boy in monster land. I though I saw one in Tom and Jerry sms but it was probably only sonic.
I cannot wait for this book! I hope Sega's recent actions towards Bitmap Books won't harm the chances of this book happening...
??? Xanadu most certainly DID have shops, many different varieties in fact: weapon, armor, shield, & magic shops, grocers, guilds (for keys), and a hidden item shop, in addition to inns and hospitals for HP restoration. The graphics for some of these are what got them in trouble with Origin for stealing artwork from Ultima III's manual. The expansion pack scenario for Xanadu further expands the concept, with each individual shop having a unique lineup of goods and different --sometimes wildly varying-- prices for each. Hydlide 2 had currency and shops as well, though a far less robust system than Xanadu's. Maybe you were thinking of Dragon Slayer I? While that game does have the concept of Gold, you can't buy anything with it, and is only used to temporarily boost your max HP.
OK, but I truly don't get it - why does the box for Ghost House have a person holding the game card?
Why not just the bats themselves? That would be more consistent with all the rest, no?
Probably to make it clear to the audience that the game is on a little card, not a cartridge.
Fantasy Zone games require a special combination in order to get rid of the timed upgrades, I'm copying the text from GameFaqs here:
Get enough money to purchase all of the ''engine'' upgrades at one time (the Big Wings, Jet Engine, Turbo Engine, and Rocket Engine), and a special weapon (such as the 7-way shot). At the weapon select screen, select the SMALL wings and the special weapon. You will notice that there is NO time limit on the special weapon! Even better, a shop/select balloon appears again, and if you visit it, you can select one of the better engines (not just the Small Wings), and STILL be able to select and use a special weapon without having to worry about a time limit.
Limitless weapon time: purchase all speed upgrades. Any weapon upgrade will now not have a time limit. I figured this out after getting the game back in 1987.
The top speed upgrade is 10K and makes you move almost uncontrollably fast, tho
@@JeremyParish you just have to purchase it - not actually equip it 😉
I only ever played one card based game on my Master System and for the life of me I can't remember what it was! I do remember I borrowed it from someone as I just wanted to see how it worked compared to the cartridges. However next week is lift off, with a game I do remember playing.
Poor Ghostbusters. NES screwed it so bad nobody remembers all the ground it broke. It's actually fun on C64. And beat stores in Zelda by 2 years.
You sure do enjoy Xevious
Countless JP devs in published interviews: "Xevious was a direct influence on my work. Love that game."
Countless YT commenters: "JeReMy WhY dO yOu KeEp MeNtIoNiNg XeViOuS"
@@JeremyParish never change
Another good review of some Master System games.
Both games are fun but have their issues.
99% of you won't read this, but...1:21 - 1:35 was the Best Part
I'm excited for when you get to Action Fighter.
It’s way better than expected!
Ghost House totally needs a sequel, or a remake.
I'm not sure why, but I've been thinking a lot about Xevious lately
0:05 Who is that?
It's too bad Sega focused more on Alex Kidd over here. As a kid, I only ever knew of two people to own Master System games, and one of those through a Power Base converter. The other had Alex Kidd, and after a weekend of playing his jan-ken-pon misadventures, I found him to be about as exciting as Keith Courage in Alpha Zones, minus the Nova Suit levels to add SOME semblance of fun. Opa Opa, on the other hand, has a lot of charm to him and it's no surprise he was such a prominent sidekick in Zillion.
Also, I really do enjoy the shop system. The only other shmup I am aware of that did it was Ordyne on the PC Engine, but that also played more like Gradius where you moved steadily left to right, and shops were at fixed "halfway" points in each level.
I rented Fantasy Zone for the NES, or rather, my sister did. I thought it was gonna be lame because, well, little sisters and all that. I was wrong, and I don’t even remember what game I picked for that night. Loved it, even if it wasn’t as good as the SMS version.
Your complaint about the limitations of the weapon upgrades is fair, but the way Gradius ultimately handled it was flawed too, of course, being ultra punitive upon losing a life by stripping you of all of your firepower. Which one is worse?
"Sega hard."
*curles into fetal position*
Sega hard is a level of no mercy that would make Cobra Kai go: "Woah! Relax there, Sega!"
Truth aside, I've wondered for a while now if Fantasy Zone established the item shop or not? I was never sure about that, but that's cool that it was what got that ball rolling in video games.
Like I said, it didn’t invent shops in video games as a whole, but I can’t think of an arcade game with an item shop before it.
@@JeremyParish Neither can I. I wasn't 100 percent sure if they invented it or if they popularized it to the point where it became a norm in gaming. Seems to be the latter. That's cool to know that this cute, but hard, game from Sega influenced games to this day. Makes me appreciate it just that much more.
I got Ghost House with my SMS for Christmas. I think it was the only game I had, I played the shit out of it.
I still suck at it.
Gradius would later one-up Fantasy Zone with their own cute-em-up spinoff/parody Parodius of course. I had the TurboGrafx version of Fantasy Zone, it was definitely good.
I hope opa-opa will return in a 3D platformer/3D shooter game..
chapolin colorado vs. o drácula
Fantasy Zone is a cakewalk compared to its sequel. In Fantasy Zone 2, if you lose a life in a later stage, you may as well switch your console off, since you become too weak and too slow to dodge anything.
I prefer "Shit 'em ups" like Toilet Kids... ;)
The Saturn port for Fantasy Zone is great but damn the game is tough
Temporary weapons, we meet again. I was almost ready to look into this, but that's one dash of hateful design too many.
Yeah, I was not aware the upgrades weren't permanent. I didn't even know that was a design choice shmup people COULD make, every spaceship shmup I've ever played feels like they've had the weapon selects last until you died, at the very least.
I've never played Ghost House, but I've tried some versions of Fantasy Zone (probably on Switch for the most recent time). It failed to leave a mark on me, though, except for the music, which is an earworm.
Sidenote... the game field isn't a torus but a cylinder (all four edges are connected to their opposing edges vs only two opposing sides are connected). But this is just me being petty over a single word that isn't even relevant to the superb information content in the video.
Why isn't it a Torus? A cylinder would have screen edges, and there are no edges.
@@kepler7028 I talk about the player moving on the surface of the object, not inside, if that's what you're thinking. Kind of like in Link Between Worlds and Mario Odyssey the player sometimes shifts to become a "2D sprite" on a 3D object.
Cylinder shape (think of a can), in this case, blocks the player from crossing the top and the bottom of the screen. You won't be able to fly up until you come up from underground. But the player can move horizontally without hitting a wall and end up at the same location. Imagine using a pen to draw a line around a can just by rotating the can on the table.
With a torus-shape (think of a donut), the player can keep moving also up (or down) its surface and end up again at the same spot.
Mathematical topology is something I have less than a basic understanding of and even less when talking about it in English, but I hope I didn't make massive mistakes in the above.
@@roskapostikohde4594 I understand your description, and it makes sense to me. But I think most people still envision the action taking place inside the shape, not on the surface of it. Cylinders are 3D objects that are comparable to a Torus in volume but not in shape, with cylinders having defined edges and a Torus's area looping back. I don't believe they are viewed as a 2D surface. I understand your thought process though. But when Jeremy said it takes place a Torus, I instantly understood. When you said it takes place in a cylinder, I did not understand. I think that makes his word choice accurate, at least to me.
@@kepler7028 Hmm, I think I get it as well. I would say, "Zelda 1 is played on a flat 2D map", but you might say, "the world in Zelda 1 has mountains and underground caves". The first focuses on how parts of the map are connected and the degrees of freedom the player has in their movement, the latter on what the map represents.
I'd still think of moving inside a torus to mean having control over X, Y and Z coordinates myself.
(Resogun on PS4 actually renders the cylinder I spoke about in 3D.)
😡 Alex Kidd > Opa Opa 😡
Nah
@@JeremyParish There's only one way to settle this... 👊✋✌️ Janken match!!!
Case in point!
@@JeremyParish I love a bit of Janken. The originality of it as a game mechanic was great. Alex Kidd in Miracle World is a platformer that took risks. It's just a shame the sequels were poor.
Mmm, I never liked fantasy zone. Played it lots over the years and my option has not changed. Don’t think the core, killing the base, game play really does it for me.
That’s the vastly less charismatic and painfully mediocre Alex Kidd to you.
Seriously why would anyone play his games and see him as a good mascot? His absolute best entry didn’t even play as well as SMB1 at the time of its release.