Faxanadu holds such a special place in my heart. My sister and I played through it together during some tough times and it really took us to a new world. I’ve recently found your channel and am binge watching your reviews. They’re amazing!
I'm glad you had one another and Faxanadu to see you through the hard times. That's truly heartwarming! Also, thanks for taking the time to peruse the rest of the channel. I really appreciate it!
I never got the chance to play Faxanadu. I always wanted to buy everytime I went to rent it, I saw something else would draw my attention and I'd get that instead. I've heard nothing but good things about it though. Does it still hold up today or should I just cut my losses on it?
Faxanadu was/is one of my all-time favorite NES games. There are a few on this list I've played, but just as many that I haven't, so this was a great chance for me to learn some new stuff and add even more games to my backlog. Really well put-together and compelling. Thanks!
I appreciate your kind words! Thanks very much :) I hope that your search through some of these gives you the same warm fuzzies I've gotten trying them out. The Battle of Olympus was definitely my favourite of the bunch.
Faxanadu has some of the best music in all of video games, some of the most bizarre and creative enemy designs, and and was just absurdly ahead of its time in every way. I'm simply staggered that it never got a sequel on the snes.
I love so much that Rambo, Castlevania 2, Rygar, and Link 2 made this list. I love and miss this style of game. Yeah, some of them are Metroidvania, but more importantly a lot of them had this 'where the hell am I?' atmosphere going on, coupled with the esoteric translations... from an exploring perspective, it was super rewarding. I always felt like a stranger in a strange land with these and a lot of them are challenging games that demanded you to dive deep into their individual worlds and come out of it feeling like you had a real journey, and not simply another game. I haven't really played modern games that quite ecapsulate this feeling of being more than just another Metroidvania title.
I'm a big fan of that "where the hell am I" gameplay! I haven't played many modern games like these but there is some real charm to these older games I just can't imagine feeling in anything from the last 10 years.
First game that comes to mind (other than those you mentioned) is Bionic Commando for the NES. Not a lot of story during the game, but it does have one, as well as NPCs, and a level system that increases your health as you go. Another game I'd suggest is Wrath of the Black Manta (NES). While not necessarily an adventure game like Faxanadu, it does have some exploration aspects to it, as well as a story. Lastly, I would mention Nightshade (NES). It's more of a point and click type game, but may be worth looking into as well.
I've played through Bionic Commando and really enjoyed my time with it. It was hard to get the hang of but once I got into the swing of it, it was great! I will jot down the other two. I know Wrath of the Black Manta in name only but have had Nightshade on my list of things to find for a while now. Thank you for the suggestions!
I grew up playing these games in the late 80s early 90s. I played the largest variety of games during the wait at the rental store for the one available copy of Zelda 2 and Mario 2. Great content, thanks for the memories.
Rygar was originally a classic arcade game. Just a side scrolling hacknslash. The nes game added all the adventure stuff which was a nice surprise since i just rented it without getting to see the manual. The nes version of Bionic Commando is the same kind of thing, a straightforward arcade game that they added a bunch of new adventure elements to. I highly recommend you try Bionic Commando esp if you liked Rygar. It's even better and has some crazy over the top story elements that make it extra memorable.
Yes this certainly what I was thinking would be on list. @hungrygoriya I don’t think the other in series are great. The third is best and there are some spiritual successors on steam that are great.
Given the AVGN episode on it and some of the reviews I've heard from others, I was surprised when Rambo came up in the list. Then again, it seems like the only major issue is the brain-busting area switching. The main enemies in Rambo being animals and the lack of clarity about what to do next are annoying, but I found them to be at least tolerable. I actually really like how it feels like it's copying Zelda 2. Edit: just became a Patreon member. You deserve it!
The map-related troubles were what gave me the most trouble with Rambo, no doubt. The rest of the game was perfectly fine for me, though I did get turned around a few times. It was more about not understanding how map areas connected rather than not knowing where I was supposed to be going. And wow! Thanks so much for joining up on Patreon. I should have an update with some behind the scenes stuff shortly. Much appreciated!
Out of curiosity, as a child, did you ever experience the anxiety of gambling for a cheap game in the Toys R Us bargain bin? I remember fishing out a US Copy of The Ninja for the Master System from mine (as Toys R Us used to sell US copies os SMS games here for some reason) Also, vividly remember grabbing Rescue: The Embassy Mission and Marble Madness on the NES from a Woolworths bargain bin.
I unfortunately never had this experience, though I do recall a time in the 90s when I pulled a copy of Bible Adventures out of a hock shop display and wondered what the heck it was. Ultimately I put it back. There was another place here that had used games on the wall by the cash, a low end department store. I bought King's Quest V that way, but I already knew about the series since I had King's Quest VI at home on PC. I have bought a few games at conventions knowing nothing about them, like Brandish!
3:46 "but it's also one of the most fulfilling to beat." Yes! I think i posted a comment to that effect on one of your other videos. Looking back I consider it my #1 video game completion. So frustrating in my youth and to finally beat it a couple months ago...it was such a relief! Very fulfilling! Another side scrolling 8-bit I'd include in my list is Ninja Gaiden. Great music. Great storyline. But dear God, was it hard! When I'd finally face Ryu's father and the Jacquiao and then die and have to go back to 6-1, I can still feel that absolute frustration and want to throw my controller through the TV screen. There was a sound mode in Ninja Gaiden that I found out through Nintendo Power and some of those last songs in that mode I had never heard before. I figured they were the songs that played when you finally beat the game. So when I finally beat it and heard the songs it felt extra satisfying. And as much as I enjoyed Clash at Demonhead, I was never able to beat it myself. But it's nice that you included it because sometimes I feel like the only one who played and enjoyed that game. I always loved Duck Tales. Not because it was particularly challenging. It was just fun! I also watched the cartoon after school all the time. Don't hate me, but I have never beaten any of the Castlevania games. I think it's time I give it try. I've played the first three; I just haven't beaten any of them.
I still have a date with the final boss of Ninja Gaiden myself. I managed to get to the second form but couldn't get past it, so one of these days I need to sit down and finally do it. It feels great to play once you get into the swing of it all! The only regret I have about Clash at Demonhead is that I rushed through it a bit. I would love to replay it again someday. I wish I liked Duck Tales... the controls did not click with me so I didn't get very far in it. I need to revisit it again sometime since so many people adore it. And no shame in not finishing games! I hope you do get through them all sometime. Castlevania 3's one of the meanest I've ever played, but I really enjoy the first two.
Bloody tears from Simon's quest has been my ringtone for I don't know how many years. Faxanadu, Zelda II The adventure of Link and Castlevania Simon's Quest hold such a magical experience as a wee lad for me. The music takes me right back, nothing like it. Great content on all the games, thanks you.
Thanks so much! And I find myself listening to NES soundtracks a lot. There are so many good ones. Faxanadu for me brings me right back to my childhood especially!
I’m glad you stuck it out to the end on Zelda 2. There are a ton of things I would improve about that game if I could remake it today (the rom hacks explore some of these improvements), but it’s still my favorite game of all time.
I'm glad I eventually came back to it! I got stuck in death mountain as a teenager and didn't sit down to finish it until a couple of years ago. It was awesome!
I remember it was advertised on one of those TV shopping networks when I was a kid for the Christmas season. I asked for it and got it. It took a little while, but I made it all the way through. Back then I only had 2 or 3 games at a time, as we didn't have a lot. My friends and I would swap game carts around for weeks or months at a time, and that allowed us to play many more games than we could afford individually. Good times and memories!
Instantly subscribed... You summed up most of my favorite NES games. During lockdown I revisited Rygar, Faxanadu, Zelda II and Battle of Olympus. I love these games. I clearly remember reading the manuals and enjoying the artwork back in the day. Zelda II was my first Zelda game and the second NES game I bought. It will always be my favorite Zelda game since it was my first true adventure/rpg that sparked a love for the genre. Also Rygar... First I borrowed it from a friend that didn't really enjoyed it. I explored and finished it without a manual or knowing what to do next. It took me a while and since I used the TV in the living room and there was no save or password function my NES had to stay powered on for most of the time.
It's really cool to know that Zelda II was your first. I wonder how differently I would've felt about the series had I not played the first NES game before the second. Zelda II was something I never finished until a few summers ago but I really enjoyed what I played. It was just too hard as a teen. I used to leave Mario 3 on all day when I was younger as well! The days before passwords and save batteries were rough, haha
I have a lot of these games. They're all great. I always look forward to your videos. You put a lot of effort into them and it shows. I'm glad I found your You Tube video. You're an excellent resource.
I have been following you randomly for a bit and eating up the videos. But i didn't know or didn't remember what a Goriya was until watching a Zelda playthrough. I had to rewind a few times and it cracked me up that "Hungry Goriya" isn't just a random name.
Rygar is still one of my favourites today. Another side-scrolling action RPG that I love, and that didn’t make your list, is River City Ransom for NES. Give that one a try. You will LOVE it.
I love River City Ransom! In hindsight, it should've probably been on here. Maybe after I play some of these suggestions folks have given me, I can make a Part 2 or something. Thanks for the reminder!
bizotically_yours83, RCR is certainly a beat-em-up, but it’s got too many action-adventure/RPG elements to be purely classified as a beat-em-up. A typical beat-em-up, such as Streets of Rage, is fairly linear with no backtracking and no RPG-style strength progression (such as levelling, etc.). RCR has all of these things-backtracking, money collecting, strength upgrading, permanent items to purchase, etc. I would at the very least call it an action-adventure beat-em-up. ☺️ And it’s the best of its kind, particularly for the era. Such a groundbreaking game.
While River City Ransom is a great game that blends genres, it is really more an rpg / beat em' up. Calling something a 2D Beat em up already [traditionally] condenses action with an isometric projection or sometimes (less so in modern cases) a 2D side scrolling perspective more akin to a 2d platformer. Because the beat em' up genre exists, while you can say RCR has action and isometrically projected scrolling, as its attributes, that would normally place it in the best em up genre rather than side scrolling action. But ya know, whatevs. It's a good game so I like it on lists either way.
link 2 is still my favorite on the system. Fighting the knights and attacking up and down while they block your attacks and also putting your shield up and down to block their attacks is simple in concept yet feels so amazing and satisfying of any combat on the system.
The fighting in that game is some of the best on the NES. I really enjoy how you can have a real sense of progression with the combat as you learn the different enemies throughout the game.
I still need to play it! I've watched speedruns a lot but haven't seen a casual playthrough, so I'm looking forward to seeing what it's like for myself. Thanks for the recommendation!
Absolutely loved this video! You and I seem to have been the same kid many years ago. I knew it would be a good video when it started with Faxanadu. I didn’t realize, however, you would go on to name the rest of my favorite nes titles. Great video.
Your list is absolutely amazing! Bless your heart for including Rambo in this list among so many others that I played as a kid. The rush of memories made watching this mean so much more.
Rambo deserves a firm spot on this list in my humble opinion! It has all the great features of a wonderful action adventure game! Even some RPG elements! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Thank you for taking the time to watch!
It's so good... I've searched for a long time and this list is what I came up with. I think in terms of things I enjoyed the most, it'd be Battle of Olympus or Simon's Quest. They don't quite capture the same feeling, but they're pretty close!
@@hungrygoriya - I happened to beat it on the last day of school when it was a new game. Something about the ending music kinda clicked in my head as equating the end of the quest in the game with the end of the quest of getting through the school year, so I beat it on the last day of school again for the rest of high school. Then SNES came out and I moved on to great stuff like Actraiser and Super Castlevania IV.
Thanks for putting some love on Simons Quest. I always loved that one. Great choices here overall. Some of my childhood favorites. Faxanadu, Rygar, Simons Quest, Zelda 2.
If 2D Action Adventures are your thing, I can't overstate how good the Blaster Master Zero trilogy is. What started as a solid remake became an impressively expansive series of fun new abilities, huge bosses and epic spectacle. Highly recommended!
@@guyfromnj The first game is quite easy, and the sequels each step up the challenge in a pretty determined way. They're worth powering through, but I admit I hit many roadblocks on my way to completing the BMZ series, often putting down the games for months in between bits of progress. Once you get a handle for how the combat works in the sequels, it becomes quite rewarding!
@@thrillhouse_vanhouten I agree with you. I played through the first two games with relative ease and the third game hit me with a serious difficulty spike. That’s how it seemed. I have to go back and try again. Great games though.
Great list. Faxanadu ranks among my favorite NES games too, although I only first played it around 2015-2016. Another one that comes to mind is Wizards & Warriors III, the only game in the series that eschews separate game stages for a single connected world much like Metroid, where new sections of the world open up as you acquire new powers. It was probably my first Metroidvania-ish game, not counting Zelda II, which I consider to be more of a side-scrolling action RPG. I'm very glad to see you giving the Adventure of Link and Simon's Quest some love. These games have been unfairly maligned over the years. Sure they're not perfect games, and they have their issues, mainly being too cryptic, but they're still good games. Gargoyle's Quest on Game Boy, Gargoyle's Quest II on NES, and Demon's Crest on SNES are also excellent. The NES version of Strider doesn't fully fit into this genre, but it still comes pretty close. I also really enjoy Wonder Boy V: Monster World on the Master System (or Genesis), and Monster World VI on Genesis. The Genesis and SNES also have the excellent Phantom 2040 (although it doesn't match all the criteria you set out at the beginning of your video, but comes pretty close) and Ys III, and the Sega CD has Popful Mail, which is definitely worth playing as well. Of course once you get into current generations there are so many games in this genre, or games that come pretty close.
There are lots of recommendations in your comment here that I'm jotting down to look into. Some of them I've already played, but there are quite a few that I haven't yet. I am always appreciative of games that fit into this mold, whether they fit in snugly or not. Thank you for taking the time to share them with me.
I agree with you! I do like the dungeons in Zelda II, but I enjoyed the flow of Battle of Olympus a lot more. There were some great Aha! moments in it!
You have so much of the same taste as me. I loved all these games as a kid. My friends and I actually used to play “Rygar” on the playground at recess, pretending we were characters in the game.
I keep getting recommended smaller gaming channels like this and it's very welcome, since a lot of my old favorites are getting long in the tooth. Your voice and delivery are very listenable, and we seem to have had similar tastes as kids, and I'll binge until I have to wait for your next newest video. Thank you for the good content.
@@hungrygoriya I'll be sure to! I'm a retro collector, so the insight into old games I haven't played is very valuable to me, so I also thank you for that.
Amazing! I love how you avoided the term “Metroidvania” altogether and just called them what they are: action adventures. These are my very favorite games for my favorite system! We know you love some Leg of the Wiz, but have you tried Stanley? I think you would like it a lot. Or how about Dr Chaos and Goonies II, both with some awesome adventure elements. There’s Metroid of course… and Friday the 13th (way underrated!), Boy and his Blob, Blaster Master, and Hebereke, which is like a platformer hybrid.
Stanley? What is this :O I haven't played Dr. Chaos or Goonies II or the others you mentioned here (except Metroid), though I think I've at least heard the names of most of them! Your suggestions are going onto my list of games to look into! And honestly, as someone who only got around to playing Metroid and Castlevania in the past few years, "metroidvania" hasn't meant much of anything to me. I'd rather take the longwinded way to explain it, haha
@@hungrygoriya they are probably referring to "Stanley and the Search for Dr. Livingston", which curiously enough is completely different to the similarly named Spectrum game.
OHH, HEBEREKE!! Really good one that I forgot about! Just wanted to add that in the West, it's known as Ufouria: The Saga. Never released in North America, though.
Every time I discover a cool channel like this, I can't help but think... Man I wish I knew this person when I was a kid. We'd have been friends. In particular, I really appreciate that you aren't limited to the NES, and you actually look at Master System stuff BESIDES Phantasy Star. I didn't realize how much cool stuff it had. I only had 4 games for it growing up. You may enjoy Strider on NES and Zillion on the Master System as some suggestions back to you.
I have similar thoughts chatting with so many nice people in the comments here. I didn't have a lot of gamer pals growing up. Better late than never though! It's so cool that you've been checking into some Master System titles. There's definitely a lot of good stuff on there. Psychic World, Batman Forever, Wonder Boy III, Golden Axe Warrior... so much fun stuff! Which games did you have back then? I loved Zillion! I haven't tried NES Strider yet though! Thank you so much for the suggestions!
@@hungrygoriya Zillion, Space Harrier 3D, and a game I don’t know the name of where you play military medics on the pump carts on railroads. Dunno the name of that one. But the main ones I played were Where in The World is Carmen San Diego? And Phantasy Star. I found Phantasy Star used in a Comic Shop we’d go to in Nashville every once and again after Phantasy Star 4 was out and I wanted it for our collection. My sister and I played Phantasy Star 1 together and she beat it well before me. We also had Hang On I believe but that’s the extent of our Master System collection. I grew up in a Collector Family so we always loved finding rare and obscure stuff.
Always happy to find Kenseiden on a list. His was one of my favourite games as a kid, and I was proud when I beat it since no one else in the family got close. Not of this time period, but I think you’d enjoy Elliot Quest quite a bit.
I played it much that I actually got good enough to finish the game with one life and pass those ridiculous bonus stages. A few years back I tried it again and got my ass handed in level 2. Muscle memory is not always existant apparently.
These videos make me so happy 😅 with a coffee on my desk whilst the evening approaches. As my tablet and drawing book lays before me, I just take in all the nostalgia! I love your work, so much joy! [Edit] Sweet Home.
Thanks so much for saying so! I really love video games and playing them, so I'm glad that enthusiasm shines through. Sweet Home has been on my list of things to play for a long while now. I should really get to it soon! Thanks for the suggestion!
Me too! I really appreciate so many NES games and their fantastic soundtracks. It's been cool to see Simon's Quest music rehashed for later games too, though I'm the most partial to the versions on NES.
Recently I was in a stream hostd by the channel Big Ole Words (one of the people on that discord is a fan of you and that's actually how I discovered your channel). In the stream chat, the question of whether its pronounced "Fax Anna Do" or "Fah Zanadu" came up. I prefer the first, because it lended itself to a little song I appopriated and altered: _You take the good,_ _You take the bad,_ _You take 'em both and there you have_ _The Facts of Xanadu, the Facts of Xanadu...._ _There's a time you gotta go and show_ _You're growin' now, you know about_ _the Facts of Xanadu, the Fact of Xanadu...._
A new game out on the Switch called Infernax is fantastic. It's a cross between Faxanadu, Simon's Quest & Link. There's no way you won't like it. Keep up the great vids!
FAXANADU! Omg, love that game. And the manual. I always wondered why the hero was stopping to drink a beer. And, theres a lot of people that hate Zelda II, but I love it. I always have 8 and 16 bit chiptunes as ringtones on my phone, and it usually cycles between crystalis overworld music, zelda II palace music and dwellings of doom (castlevania II mansion music). Lord of the Sword Ive never played, but based on your review I think id find it too aggravating. Battle of Olympus Ive never even heard of. I dont know how thats possible. Im old and been gaming since I was a kid the 80s. I thought I knew all the action RPG-esque sidescrollers games on the NES. But this sounds great. Im now trying to find a copy. Fuck yeah, Castlevania II. First 3 notes before you even showed the cart was all it took. Was I the only one who as a kid used to laugh with my friends that we were going to find "Dracula's Dick"? At 8 years old, that was the height of humor. Great lineup here. Have you ever played magician for the NES? To this day I still yell "wakey wakey" when im trying to get my pibble out of bed(snoozing in her old age is her main fun), and I got it from that game. Its not easy and has noob traps. I never beat it until internet walkthrus existed, but its still pretty fun, if has a lot of ways to fuck yourself and cheap deaths.
I haven't played Magician yet, though I did fire it up once after I bought it to make sure it was working and pretty much fell in love with the music in the first area. I need to give it a whirl. And thanks so much!
@@yeahyeah976 I really love: Psychic World, Phantasy Star, Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap, Golvellius, Master of Darkness, Alex Kidd in Shinobi World, The Lucky Dime Caper, Land of Illusion, Ninja Gaiden, Ultima IV, Golden Axe Warrior, Kenseiden... I'm sure there are more, but that's what comes to mind first!
Great video, really enjoyed that! I would highly recommend ‘EVO the search for Eden’ on the SNES if you enjoy 2D side scrolling action adventures. It plays very well and a pretty unique storyline and mechanic. One of my favs!
I loved EVO the Search for Eden when I played it a few years ago. I think I'm overdue to replay it. Other than having some of the toughest boss fights I loved the ambience there. The soundtrack's so good!
@@hungrygoriya yeah, the boss battles were a touch on the hard side! 🤣 I think there’s a fan translation of the JP release. Might be worth checking that out. Apparently the US/EU release was missing a stage. I’ll be revisiting it at some point too ❤️
I'm just finding this channel now, but certainly appreciating the content. Fantastic video! One not mentioned that I recommend is called Getsu Fuma Den. Unfortunately, it was only released in Japan on the Famicom, so you'd need a fan translation patch for it, but it's pretty in-line with the games you've mentioned here and is quite good in its own right. There was a modern entry in the series released a year or so back on PC and Switch, one version of which has a download for the Famicom game, but only the manual was translated in English.
Thanks for checking out the channel here! I've been meaning to try out Getsu Fuma Den, but I bought the Famicom cartridge after someone informed me it was English-friendly. I'll need to find a patch to play it sometime. It looks great!
@@hungrygoriya While you certainly can play it unpatched, you'll be missing all of the context and storyline, and in my opinion it would reduce the overall experience quite a bit. I bought an English-patched repro cart awhile back, but sans that, I can't imagine patching a rom file through an emulator is terribly difficult, though I've never done so myself.
I'd have to consider Clash at Demonhead the most underrated NES game. Back in the day the guys at my local game shop used to make fun of me for buying or renting unpopular titles like Clash. This included the owner himself lol. But like I told them there are always "diamonds in the rough," and I was on a mission to find them.
I'd like to revisit Clash at Demonhead someday. I rushed through my playthrough of it and really should've spent some more time with it. It's got a lot of great stuff going on and I think I've really changed how I play games since I finished it. It's definitely underrated!
you may enjoy Ax Battler: A Legend of Golden Ax for Game Gear as it fits the genre of this video. It's tough to play on anything but original hardware because it doesn't work on a Retron5. Also, may I once more humbly impart to you... Ultima: Runes of Virtue 2 for Game Boy or SNES. It's the most hidden of precious gems.
I haven't gotten around to playing Ax Battler yet, but it's in my collection! Thank you! And Ultima: Runes of Virtue are on a list of games I'm hoping to get to in the coming weeks/months. Both of the Game Boy Ultimas look awesome. Thank you for the reminder!
uh-oh. watch out for Ultima ROV 1 on Game Boy. It's on rails whereas Ultima ROV2 is relatively open world. Also Ultima ROV 1 is full of devious traps. It feels like the developers were having fun trolling the player.
I second Ax Battler, it's better than it has any right to be. It's similar to Zelda II but a bit simpler. Other good options are Gargoyle's Quest (Game Boy), Gargoyle's Quest II (NES), and Demon's Crest (SNES), which are similar, with towns / NPCs, an explorable overworld, and side-scrolling levels. Gargoyle's Quest and its sequel are mostly linear and have a password system; Demon's Crest has normal cartridge saving and is a bit more Metroidvania where you can revisit levels after you get more abilities. Gargoyle's Quest and it's sequel are cheap, Demon's Crest not so much, but all 3 are on 3DS eShop now for $5-10 each.
@@shawnmulligan3471 Right on! I've played Gargoyle's Quest and Demon's Crest before, but not Gargoyle's Quest II yet. I want to replay the first game... it was very fun! Thank you for the suggestion on Ax Battler as well!
Clash at Demonhead is my all-time favorite game. Exploring that world never gets old. I did a Let's Play of it over a decade ago and i still find new things. Quick suggestion from me would be Wonderboy in Monster World. I grew up with the sega genesis version but its been ported to SMS and game gear as well.
There's an absolutely amazing PC game from ~2004 called Cave Story. I think you would REALLY enjoy it. Some mad man recently ported it to the Sega Genesis too, so if you have a Mega Everdrive, it's an absolute must play. Otherwise, the PC version has and will always be free online. This game changed my life.
I've heard of Cave Story, but I had no idea it got a port to the Genesis! Wow! I wonder if there are any carts out there. I don't have an everdrive, but I'd love to take it for a spin on original hardware.
@@hungrygoriya⚠WARNING!⚠: That game contains a lot of "Guide Dang Its", missable items and info, events that if you fail that's it and generally other frustrating things. Have an advisor on hand.
@@hungrygoriya No physical carts unfortunately. The guy that ported it was just a huge fan of the game, and doesn't hold any licenses to the game itself, and said he wouldn't be releasing any physical carts.
I love "Zelda II: The Adventure of Link." It's not perfect, but it's damn good. It's difficult but satisfying to defeat, and I have defeated it a few times. Dark Link/Shadow Link is one of the greatest bosses in video game history. Death Mountain should come later in the game, and the amount of grinding/farming for experience points can get a little old.
The music in Faxanadu is certainly reason enough to play it, such a great game and very close to my heart! I think my only additions would be the Wizards and Warriors titles - really great gameplay and music
The furst W&W game is awesome! I haven't played the third one yet, but I was only able to get through the second game by manipulating my passwords so I could have more lives in the last few stages. The final boss is ridiculously hard for me.
Faxanadu!!!! holy crap I've been trying to remember the name of this game for EVER...I rented it in 1990 from the video store and played the hell out of it...but forgot the title!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!
This is a fantastic list, which gives some entries I haven't tried before. Zelda II being on it is heartening, as it's my favorite NES game next to Faxanadu. I don't have any good game suggestions, as I think you've covered most that I would suggest. Unless I'm mistaken, you covered wizards and warriors. If not, while it's a touch janky at time, it and ironsword are actually a good time to complete once you get down how fall damage works and how attacking works properly.
Zelda II's so wonderful. I can see why it's a favourite! It's one of my proudest gaming achievements personally since I started it as a teenager and finally finish it until a couple of years ago. I've played The first two W&Ws on NES and I really enjoyed my time with the first one. Ironsword's so hard though... I finished it but only by password manipulation to have more lives in the last stretch. It's so mean that it stops letting you continue :(
@Hungry Goriya agreed. One of my first nes games was ironsword. I learned to appreciate the quirks of the game after a while. If nothing else, the music is fantastic!
@@Desertskunk Yes totally! I think my favourite tune is the one when you're underwater (before you fight the giant... fridge?) And the title screen theme is so mischevious!
Rygar, The Adventure of Link, and Simon's Quest, were some formative favorites of my childhood! Gaining new equipment, techniques, magic, clues, and lore as you delve further into mysterious lands enriched those feelings that you were living a fantastic adventure!
NIce! Great video with some great game choices. It's really hard to make any recommendations because you pretty much played the all-stars of NES action RPGs but one that has likely been suggested a few times is 8 Eyes. 8 Eyes is sort of a Castlevania ripoff but it introduced the concept of a helper animal before Konami's series and it seems to be on brand with the kind of games you're into. I liked it a lot and I think if you can make it through Rambo, you would definitely dig 8 Eyes.
I would love to try 8 Eyes sometime. I've had it for a long while and popped it in to try once a while back, but I haven't picked it up back up since! The music in that game is top notch too! Thanks for the suggestion!
I thought it was a pretty fantastic game when I experienced it for the first time. Hopefully you'll get a chance to try it out sometime to see what all her fuss is about!
Rambo: I'm not afraid of death. *Immediately gets jumped by bats* Zelda 2 is a great and something I'm glad I went back to really appreciate! Need to do the same with Simon's Quest. Just haven't felt that Castlevania itch. Great picks though, some really fun side scrolling action here!
Those birds/bats were the first enemies I ran into and I couldn't hit a single one of them. I was worried the whole game might be like that, but thankfully things smoothed out soon after! Zelda II is definitely worth working through, and I hope you'll get to Castlevania II some day. I think of going back to it often just for the music!
Just listened to this video for the first time, I enjoyed it a lot! Regarding other games in the genre, have you played Rad Gravity? It starts out really hostile with a short range weapon and you’ll end up dying a lot, but when you get the first gun and start exploring planets the game ends up being a pretty original adventure. Even has some unexpected turns!
Oh I haven't played Rad Gravity before! You've just jogged my memory because I feel like I've seen that game before somewhere but just haven't gotten around to trying it out for myself. I'll definitely look into it a bit further.
It’s not a game for everyone, but since you like the genre it may be to your liking. It’s got a more western feel to the aesthetics and some music is weird, but it’s part of the personality! (Never managed to finish it myself though).
I loved Rygar, Clash At Demonhead, and Zelda 2 as a kid! I only regret that I never came across Faxanadu until my 30s, but man that game is such a gem!
I'm very happy to know somebody else who also enjoys Kenseiden! I couldn't advance that much on this game, however I always play to listen to the amazing soundtrack of it, either on FM or PSG chip. I missed seeing Zillion and Spellcaster for the SMS. Little more games for this console should've been included. But fine, it's a great list indeed!
I was tempted to include both of them, but they had too much other stuff in them as a focus. Like Spellcaster's point and click stuff, and Zillion didn't have much in terms of towns or NPCs to speak with. I do have reviews on both of those games individually though! They're both great!
@@hungrygoriya That's pretty good! I'm still getting to know your channel and I think you're doing a really good job! I've just watched the review for Spellcaster, and now I'm going to look for the Zillion's, for sure! I'm Brazilian and the SMS was an inevitable part of my teenage years, along with the NES. All the best to you and your channel!
@@GCSoundArtifacts Much appreciated :) I'm relatively new to the Master System library (within the last 5 years or so) but I'm loving what I've found so far. Thank you for the well-wishes!
The one i remember the most from this bunch is The Battle of Olympus. Early 90's..i was in my teens, there was a huge party at home and my brother and i went to the kitchen and stole some beers. Girl we played till 4:00 in the morning, half drunk, and completed at least 80% of the game. MEMORIES 😢
That's a late night but sounds like it made an impression on you. The game, and the evening! The Battle of Olympus is honestly so great. I wish more people would give it a try for themselves!
Oh nice! Which area do you use for your desktop? I love the aesthetic of this game as well and have procured as much fan art of it from the internet as I can.
I had one of them my whole childhood and never knew what it was, and then a few months ago I saw them being advertised on a site I buy game from once in a while and bought a bunch. I opened them up and it was so great to see what else was in those packs.
your video style -- straightforward, clear, no focus on the presenter besides your personal experience with the game, no corny joking around -- is exactly what i like in gaming videos. i'm very glad to have found your channel
So many people crap on Zelda II but it is my absolute favorite game ever… not many people believe me but as a kid I received the North American copy as a very early Xmas present when I was a kid. It was a month or two before it’s December 1987 release date. I’ve often asked my parents how they pulled that off and they just laugh and say “dumb luck” . I play through the first Zelda both quests and Zelda 2 at least once a year. Probably more considering now with the anniversary game and watch that I absolutely adore I feel like im in NES heaven.
I think there's something really special about it. I feel like I'd be happy to dabble in its world again soon, but the idea of finishing it again feels daunting even though I did manage to finally pull it off. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad now that I know where some of the fiddlier things are hidden. I'm like you with Zelda 1 and Faxanadu. I enjoy them both quite a bit and revisit them often.
Goriya, have you played the Bible NES game? it was one of two unlicensed games on theNES and it is surprisingly good. It has 3 separate quests - David v goliath, Miriam saving baby moses and Noah's ark. The first two are side scrolling adventure games and they are quite fun. But Noah's arc is even more fun
Fun fact: Started playing Faxanadu the Famicom version and it is one of the few games that is quite legible for Japanese for games around that time, esp. Kanji. So if you are trying to learn Japanese and are using video games as one source of input and want to play some NES era stuff Faxanadu would be a great choice, it's like Reader's Digest text size.
@@hungrygoriya It seems that's the case. Reader's Digest was a ref. to a famous collection of stories sent out every month in the US notable for its large text size.
Rygar was so much fun! I think the glitch that would let one get on top of cliff wall in the top down world was the first I found without being clued in before hand. It was also one that I actually enjoyed grinding (along with Zelda 2), because one could turn most boss battles into curb stomp affairs.
It's so funny how many places you can end up that you're not supposed to be in Rygar! I totally agree on the grinding. It's fun to get those levels up. I'm surprised I was able to beat the final boss without magic but I must've been pretty levelled up by the end.
Love your dedication to making such elaborate and entertaining videos. I've only played Links Adventure (to completion) and a little of Simon's Quest, but you've opened my eyes to a few others I have to try. Battle for Olmpus looks amazing. Never thought Rambo 2 would look so compelling, but kinda sparked my interest. Also, great inclusion of some handwritten notes. A big part of 8-bit adventuring was being a gumbshoe. Thanks!
That's very kind! Battle of Olympus was so good that I even cried a little bit after I finished it like a big dork. I didn't think I'd find a game I loved nearly as much as I love Faxanadu, yet there it was. It's tough in a few spots for sure, but everything just clicked with me for that one. I was actually worried my handwritten notes would scare people away but that was just a really rough map I was using while streaming to try to figure out how to get through one of the mazes! It's a mess, haha And Rambo's a fun time as well. It's a bit rougher compared to Battle of Olympus or Rygar in my opinion, especially in terms of the navigation, but it has a lot of fun to experience. I hope you enjoy them both if you give them a try!
@@hungrygoriya just the thought of making maps, taking notes, used to get my blood flowing. I have been known to denote brick wall structure patterns in old notes for very taxing areas of games. I think note taking and map making could deserve a highlight, just for fun.
Just recently discovered your channel and love your content! For 8-bit side-scrolling action adventures, have you tried some of the Konami Japan exclusives like Maze of Galious 2(Majou Densetsu II: Daimashikyou Galious) or Getsu Fūma Den for the NES? They are some of my favorites along with other gems like Goonies 2(also Konami). Cheers!
I haven't played many of the Famicom games that require an English patch yet. I don't have a means to do so on original hardware, and I've been focusing on playing my physical collection through first. I do own Getsu Fuma Den but unfortunately it's all in Japanese! It's nice to know there's more there to enjoy though!
Great channel! An action adventure game for the SNES that you might like, with great visuals and atmosphere is Demon's Crest. If you haven't checked it out yet, I highly recommend it. One of my childhood favorites!
@@hungrygoriya The "real" final boss is a true pain in the butt. Not to mention the secret "true" final boss, the Dark Demon - I tried that one like hundreds of times and never managed to beat it.
@@Squirrelsquid I'm pretty sure I found a password to try it out with, spent 5 minutes on it, and backed away slowly. Sorry you never made it through either!
This really is a great collection of hidden story-based action-adventure platformer games. _Rambo,_ in particular, has kind of a bad rap for being confusing and being done in the style of a parody rather than a serious take. I really like it, though. 👍 I have a recommendation for you. _Konami Wai Wai World_ for the Nintendo Family Computer is a crazy journey through Konami World starring some of the most recognizable Konami characters of the time. (Simon Belmont, Mr. Goemon, Mikey from _The Goonies…)_ The basic story is that Konami characters are being kidnapped by an unknown force, so it's up to Konami Man and Konami Girl to rescue them so everyone can save the day and the world! Gameplay is kind of like _Simon's Quest,_ but without any XP rewards. There are power-ups and things throughout levels, you can do the levels in roughly any order (once you have the MacGuffin to get into the level), and there is a wide variety of locales to choose from. Each of the six recruitable characters all have abilities you need in order to finish levels, so rescuing them is very important. All and all, it's a fun little game. Very challenging, though. _Very_ challenging,
Rambo's a lot better than people give it credit for! I'm glad you like it too. Sometimes it feels like I'm the only one! You know what? I own Konami Wai Wai World, but I haven't tried it out yet. I'd honestly forgotten about it until you reminded me just now, so I should bump that up my list. Thanks for putting it back on my radar again!
Faxanadu was great. Super frustrating when you accidentally write the wrong mantra down and have to start from an earlier save point lol. Another that I loved that didn’t make your list was Demon Sword. Spent a lot of time on that one as a kid.
I just finished Faxanadu the other day. I was motivated by one of your videos to play it, especially after realizing it was a game I'd never gotten past the first "area" of. It was a blast! Really enjoyed it more than I expected to... Thanks for the excellent videos! Now you got me thinking the same about Zelda 2 🤔
Yesssss! I'm so glad you liked Faxanadu! Do you think you'll tackle Zelda II next because I think you would have lots of fun with it. It's so rewarding to finish!
@@hungrygoriya well, now that you're directly recommending it, I'm gonna have to! I do remember being confused on what to do in it as a kid, but I do still have an old strategy guide and map or two laying around for it.
@@Zopharr I had the benefit of streaming it and being able to tap someone on the shoulder if I needed a nudge or two, but it's a lot more manageable as an adult for sure. Especially if you have a strategy guide! Lucky!
When i saw the video title i was hoping Rambo was in there, and it was! Makes me happy. I spent countless hours playing Rambo and most of the games on your list lol.
Rambo and Rygar are both seriously underrated games, imo. Rygar was one of those games I used to rent until I beat it, but never actually paid money to own it for myself until MUCH later. Rambo gets a lot of flack, some of it deserved, much of it not. But I always enjoyed the experience and music in that game. What I'm NOT sure of is how these games particularly differ from something like Legacy of the Wizard. You say it's not "directed," but I'd argue that LotW's path is as linear as Rambo's or Rygar's, but with the added challenge of figuring out which character best suits which path. I see it almost as a kind of inversion of Mega Man, where instead of stages you have one map, and instead of a bunch of bosses that you have to suss out the weaknesses of, you have multiple player characters with which you have to suss out the right path. Another game you might consider checking out is Goonies II. If I were to put together a list of NES/SNES games I loved as a kid that no one ever talks about anymore, it'd be one of the top five, easily. I was gonna suggest Sword of Vermillion, but then I remembered this is strictly an 8-bit list. 😂 I was gonna suggest 8 Eyes again, but it's divided up into stages like Mega Man. I know I'm forgetting some great 8-bit games in this vein, though. Faxanadu was a great game, but all I really remember from playing it is that I found a spot where enemies could spawn infinitely and so I tied down my controller with a c-clamp to constantly swing the sword and went to sleep. Next day after school, came home and boom: max rank. I miss the days where experiences like that were fun.
Well I guess when I say Legacy of the Wizard is not directed, I mean that there's linear paths but you have no idea what they are and there's nobody to hint you along. There are no townspeople and no hints per se, and I liken it more to The Legend of Zelda where you have to search every tile for a way forward versus more of the plot-driven advancement. It's a fantastic game and I love it! I do appreciate the comparison to Mega Man. I can see that! Goonies II has been on my list of things to play for a long while, along with 8 Eyes. And Sword of Vermillion is another I'd like to try too! If you think of the others for the 8-bit generation, I'd love to hear about it. I'm curious to know where that infinite grind spot is in Faxanadu!
Do I have recommendations for games??? We're going to be here all day! Top three I can think of (Sorry, I haven't seen all your videos) - SNES - Lagoon (Much like what you are playing here) - SNES - Illusions Of Gaia (Similar, but scary at times, might give you nightmares) - Computer - Ultima 6 (different but I think you would love it, it's an old 1990 computer game 'worse version released on SNES' and is incredible in everyway.) Since you appreciate greatness any of these would work well ;-) Big fan of your channel Icon, Link would be proud!
I need to play Lagoon one of these days! It looks pretty neat from what I've seen. And I've played Ultima 4 and 5, but not 6 yet. It's also on my list! Illusion of Gaia was something I played a while back and I think the action bits were fun, but I really didn't like the story/characters. I'd love to see a retranslation of that one so I could actually get a feel for the plot a bit better. And thanks about the icon! The hungry goriya was a big deal to me back when I used to play Zelda 1 on NES as a kid. I got stumped at that one puzzle forever!
I would highly recommend Castlevania II: Redaction. It's a romhack that makes the dialogue much less cryptic, as well as increasing the speed of the day/night change. It's one of the best QoL hacks I've played.
I thought putting that song in the outro might clue folks into what the little intro jingle for all my videos is... I just love the game that much. And I wouldn't be surprised if a review on Battle of Olympus surfaces here eventually. I loved it so much! I'd say it's almost comparable to my Faxanadu love, and that's saying a lot.
Great list! I really appreciate how you were able to bundle up a few games you've already covered more extensively without it feeling like a clip show. You really put a lot of care and thoughtfulness into your videos.
Thanks very much! There were a few on this list I've been trying to decide how to cover for a while, and this seemed like a good way to talk about them without having to do a full review.
I know I'm late to the party but I just found ur channel and it is awesome! Faxanadu was/is such a great game and seeing this brings back some great memories. I played that game relentlessly day & night till I beat it! Oh yea, a good game to also try on the NES is Bionic Commando. If u like side scrolling adventures then u will love this!
You're never too late to join in here. Thanks so much :) I've played Bionic Commando before and I loved it! In hindsight, it should've been on this list with the rest but I didn't think of it. All the things you say are true and then some!
I have a capture card and usually play from original hardware, so for the NES it was composite signal and all its fuzzy glory straight out of the old grey box. It's the only console I have that's not modded for RGB, but you can see in the gameplay for the two Master System games that everything's much sharper since it outputs that higher quality signal. I'm really partial to the look of composite for NES.
Nice list and reviews! One I'd strongly recommend that I think you might really enjoy is Getsu Fūma Den if you can get your hands on it. It's a Konami side-scrolling action/RPG released exclusively in Japan in 1987, and one of the first side-scrollers I ever played besides Super Mario. It combines an overworld with side-scrolling action similar to Zelda 2, Clash at Demonhead, etc. Killing enemies gives you experience points increasing your attack strength as well as money to purchase a variety of items. It also has some sections that involve pseudo-3D blob-style dungeon crawling which I found the least appealing parts of the game as a kid but you might enjoy it with your dedication to mapping sections out. Most of all, I always loved the hellish sort of world it presented filled with demons and spirits. While it was only released in Japan for Famicom/NES, there's an English fan translation patch available that seems to do a very good job translating the Japanese text to English. I always found it so confusing how the game was only released exclusively in Japan since it was a mega-hit here and maybe even as popular as Castlevania.
Oh very nice! I have a Famicom copy of the game, but from what I'm gathering it's not very English-friendly is it? It sounds like I'd love it based on what you're describing here.
@@hungrygoriya I'm thinking if you can't get a translated copy, it's a simple enough game with maybe the most bare-minimal guide to enjoy without being able to understand the text. It's not a particularly deep game in terms of the story beyond the opening introduction, and you might be able to find a basic English guide (not like a walkthrough) on what the individual items do which fortunately have big icons. I watched some reviews from English speakers who don't even understand Hiragana before posting my comment to revisit the game and was surprised that they were all able to beat it without understanding any of the Japanese, but they illustrated in their reviews that it was quite a bit more straightforward than I might have initially thought with my bias understanding Japanese. Most of all, I think it's an interesting kind of historical gem and one of Konami's earlier attempts at a non-linear action-RPG besides Simon's Quest, and not nearly as cryptic in terms of its obstacles as Simon's Quest (I sometimes think Simon's Quest was designed almost to try to encourage the purchase of game guides). It's also the type of game that really rewards someone observant willing to take notes and draw maps which I noticed you do extremely well!
@@darkengine5931 Well I will definitely see what's out there for resources. I've been wanting to play it since I bought it but just haven't had enough info on whether it was possible or not. This is heartening!
@@hungrygoriya Cheers! I hope you enjoy it if you give it a try. It's hard to beat Faxanadu though in my opinion. I keep reflecting on that game and it's so one-of-a-kind. Even the stiff movement and jumps and inability to do things like crouch and being knocked back like 5 feet on being hit only to run and collect coins contributed to the charm in ways that I doubt I can see again in any new games... between flying boots and poisoned wells and furiously-blinking NPCs with the catchiest music. I might echo the suggestion for Zeliard on PC if you can get a hold of it. It isn't quite as charming to control as Faxanadu but it's one of the closest games I can think of to it in terms of the layout and feel to it besides Ys 3, but I think Zeliard is slightly closer to Faxanadu in terms of feel than Ys 3.
This channel is a hidden gem!
Very kind. Thanks for stopping by!
Try Chrontendo if you haven't yet
Agree...Just landed in this video now. Considering patronizing... Must explore the rest.
Hell yea! Luv the channel
Not for lack of me telling others!
Faxanadu holds such a special place in my heart. My sister and I played through it together during some tough times and it really took us to a new world. I’ve recently found your channel and am binge watching your reviews. They’re amazing!
I'm glad you had one another and Faxanadu to see you through the hard times. That's truly heartwarming!
Also, thanks for taking the time to peruse the rest of the channel. I really appreciate it!
I never got the chance to play Faxanadu. I always wanted to buy everytime I went to rent it, I saw something else would draw my attention and I'd get that instead. I've heard nothing but good things about it though. Does it still hold up today or should I just cut my losses on it?
@@SlayerRunefrost, it's definitely worth playing today, assuming that you're not put off by retro games in general.
@@affliction1979 bro, I cut my teeth on the Atari 2600 and grew up with the NES, of course I'm not put off by retro games.
Faxanadu ❤❤❤
Faxanadu was/is one of my all-time favorite NES games. There are a few on this list I've played, but just as many that I haven't, so this was a great chance for me to learn some new stuff and add even more games to my backlog. Really well put-together and compelling. Thanks!
I appreciate your kind words! Thanks very much :) I hope that your search through some of these gives you the same warm fuzzies I've gotten trying them out. The Battle of Olympus was definitely my favourite of the bunch.
Faxanadu has some of the best music in all of video games, some of the most bizarre and creative enemy designs, and and was just absurdly ahead of its time in every way. I'm simply staggered that it never got a sequel on the snes.
I love so much that Rambo, Castlevania 2, Rygar, and Link 2 made this list. I love and miss this style of game. Yeah, some of them are Metroidvania, but more importantly a lot of them had this 'where the hell am I?' atmosphere going on, coupled with the esoteric translations... from an exploring perspective, it was super rewarding. I always felt like a stranger in a strange land with these and a lot of them are challenging games that demanded you to dive deep into their individual worlds and come out of it feeling like you had a real journey, and not simply another game. I haven't really played modern games that quite ecapsulate this feeling of being more than just another Metroidvania title.
I'm a big fan of that "where the hell am I" gameplay! I haven't played many modern games like these but there is some real charm to these older games I just can't imagine feeling in anything from the last 10 years.
First game that comes to mind (other than those you mentioned) is Bionic Commando for the NES. Not a lot of story during the game, but it does have one, as well as NPCs, and a level system that increases your health as you go.
Another game I'd suggest is Wrath of the Black Manta (NES). While not necessarily an adventure game like Faxanadu, it does have some exploration aspects to it, as well as a story.
Lastly, I would mention Nightshade (NES). It's more of a point and click type game, but may be worth looking into as well.
I've played through Bionic Commando and really enjoyed my time with it. It was hard to get the hang of but once I got into the swing of it, it was great!
I will jot down the other two. I know Wrath of the Black Manta in name only but have had Nightshade on my list of things to find for a while now. Thank you for the suggestions!
Bionic Commando was another all-time favorite of mine as well!
I grew up playing these games in the late 80s early 90s. I played the largest variety of games during the wait at the rental store for the one available copy of Zelda 2 and Mario 2. Great content, thanks for the memories.
I played some of them when I was younger, but many of them I discovered over the last decade or so. And you're very welcome! Thanks for watching!
I absolutely loved Rygar. Back then most games didn't have all these layers of progress. ❤
I'm a big Rygar fan as well. The music and the gameplay were really fun to me!
Rygar was originally a classic arcade game. Just a side scrolling hacknslash. The nes game added all the adventure stuff which was a nice surprise since i just rented it without getting to see the manual.
The nes version of Bionic Commando is the same kind of thing, a straightforward arcade game that they added a bunch of new adventure elements to. I highly recommend you try Bionic Commando esp if you liked Rygar. It's even better and has some crazy over the top story elements that make it extra memorable.
It's rare to see a video that includes games that I grew up playing every single one
I only played Faxanadu and Zelda II from this list growing up. All the rest are relatively new to me! You're lucky!
@@hungrygoriya I was, apparently
I love this type of game. Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap is a great one that scratches this itch.
Great suggestion! I've played Dragon's Trap but I still have to get around to the later games in the series.
Yes this certainly what I was thinking would be on list. @hungrygoriya I don’t think the other in series are great. The third is best and there are some spiritual successors on steam that are great.
Given the AVGN episode on it and some of the reviews I've heard from others, I was surprised when Rambo came up in the list. Then again, it seems like the only major issue is the brain-busting area switching. The main enemies in Rambo being animals and the lack of clarity about what to do next are annoying, but I found them to be at least tolerable. I actually really like how it feels like it's copying Zelda 2.
Edit: just became a Patreon member. You deserve it!
The map-related troubles were what gave me the most trouble with Rambo, no doubt. The rest of the game was perfectly fine for me, though I did get turned around a few times. It was more about not understanding how map areas connected rather than not knowing where I was supposed to be going.
And wow! Thanks so much for joining up on Patreon. I should have an update with some behind the scenes stuff shortly. Much appreciated!
Out of curiosity, as a child, did you ever experience the anxiety of gambling for a cheap game in the Toys R Us bargain bin? I remember fishing out a US Copy of The Ninja for the Master System from mine (as Toys R Us used to sell US copies os SMS games here for some reason) Also, vividly remember grabbing Rescue: The Embassy Mission and Marble Madness on the NES from a Woolworths bargain bin.
Oh fer sure edgy one.... no Internet back then
Gun-Nac and Goonies 2. I really lucked out with those. I still hum the Goonies 'Good Enough' theme to this day.
The Ninja is amazing. I hope you thought you got your money's worth out of that one. I feel like it would be the perfect bargain bin game.
I unfortunately never had this experience, though I do recall a time in the 90s when I pulled a copy of Bible Adventures out of a hock shop display and wondered what the heck it was. Ultimately I put it back. There was another place here that had used games on the wall by the cash, a low end department store. I bought King's Quest V that way, but I already knew about the series since I had King's Quest VI at home on PC.
I have bought a few games at conventions knowing nothing about them, like Brandish!
Yo Bundy!!! I freaking love you man!!!
3:46 "but it's also one of the most fulfilling to beat."
Yes! I think i posted a comment to that effect on one of your other videos. Looking back I consider it my #1 video game completion. So frustrating in my youth and to finally beat it a couple months ago...it was such a relief! Very fulfilling!
Another side scrolling 8-bit I'd include in my list is Ninja Gaiden. Great music. Great storyline. But dear God, was it hard! When I'd finally face Ryu's father and the Jacquiao and then die and have to go back to 6-1, I can still feel that absolute frustration and want to throw my controller through the TV screen. There was a sound mode in Ninja Gaiden that I found out through Nintendo Power and some of those last songs in that mode I had never heard before. I figured they were the songs that played when you finally beat the game. So when I finally beat it and heard the songs it felt extra satisfying.
And as much as I enjoyed Clash at Demonhead, I was never able to beat it myself. But it's nice that you included it because sometimes I feel like the only one who played and enjoyed that game.
I always loved Duck Tales. Not because it was particularly challenging. It was just fun! I also watched the cartoon after school all the time.
Don't hate me, but I have never beaten any of the Castlevania games. I think it's time I give it try. I've played the first three; I just haven't beaten any of them.
I still have a date with the final boss of Ninja Gaiden myself. I managed to get to the second form but couldn't get past it, so one of these days I need to sit down and finally do it. It feels great to play once you get into the swing of it all!
The only regret I have about Clash at Demonhead is that I rushed through it a bit. I would love to replay it again someday.
I wish I liked Duck Tales... the controls did not click with me so I didn't get very far in it. I need to revisit it again sometime since so many people adore it.
And no shame in not finishing games! I hope you do get through them all sometime. Castlevania 3's one of the meanest I've ever played, but I really enjoy the first two.
If you get a game over on Jaquio and return to 6-1, make sure to have spin slash when you get back to him and then it's easy.
@@zerobyte802 Yes totally... I've seen the speedrun a lot over the years but I die too much getting back there to keep the spin slash long enough!
Bloody tears from Simon's quest has been my ringtone for I don't know how many years. Faxanadu, Zelda II The adventure of Link and Castlevania Simon's Quest hold such a magical experience as a wee lad for me. The music takes me right back, nothing like it. Great content on all the games, thanks you.
Thanks so much! And I find myself listening to NES soundtracks a lot. There are so many good ones. Faxanadu for me brings me right back to my childhood especially!
I’m glad you stuck it out to the end on Zelda 2. There are a ton of things I would improve about that game if I could remake it today (the rom hacks explore some of these improvements), but it’s still my favorite game of all time.
I'm glad I eventually came back to it! I got stuck in death mountain as a teenager and didn't sit down to finish it until a couple of years ago. It was awesome!
I love that you mentioned Battle of Olympus. I loved that game as a youngling, but couldn't beat it until an adult.
It's so good... I absolutely loved it!
I remember it was advertised on one of those TV shopping networks when I was a kid for the Christmas season. I asked for it and got it. It took a little while, but I made it all the way through. Back then I only had 2 or 3 games at a time, as we didn't have a lot. My friends and I would swap game carts around for weeks or months at a time, and that allowed us to play many more games than we could afford individually. Good times and memories!
Instantly subscribed... You summed up most of my favorite NES games. During lockdown I revisited Rygar, Faxanadu, Zelda II and Battle of Olympus. I love these games.
I clearly remember reading the manuals and enjoying the artwork back in the day. Zelda II was my first Zelda game and the second NES game I bought. It will always be my favorite Zelda game since it was my first true adventure/rpg that sparked a love for the genre.
Also Rygar... First I borrowed it from a friend that didn't really enjoyed it. I explored and finished it without a manual or knowing what to do next. It took me a while and since I used the TV in the living room and there was no save or password function my NES had to stay powered on for most of the time.
It's really cool to know that Zelda II was your first. I wonder how differently I would've felt about the series had I not played the first NES game before the second. Zelda II was something I never finished until a few summers ago but I really enjoyed what I played. It was just too hard as a teen.
I used to leave Mario 3 on all day when I was younger as well! The days before passwords and save batteries were rough, haha
I have a lot of these games. They're all great. I always look forward to your videos. You put a lot of effort into them and it shows. I'm glad I found your You Tube video. You're an excellent resource.
I have been following you randomly for a bit and eating up the videos. But i didn't know or didn't remember what a Goriya was until watching a Zelda playthrough. I had to rewind a few times and it cracked me up that "Hungry Goriya" isn't just a random name.
Surprise! I picked the screen name because that puzzle stumped me for a very long time when I was young.
@@hungrygoriya LOL! /tosses HungryGoriya a monster bait! Enjoy!!
Rygar is still one of my favourites today. Another side-scrolling action RPG that I love, and that didn’t make your list, is River City Ransom for NES. Give that one a try. You will LOVE it.
I love River City Ransom! In hindsight, it should've probably been on here. Maybe after I play some of these suggestions folks have given me, I can make a Part 2 or something. Thanks for the reminder!
RCR is fun, but it's classified as a beat em up. ;)
bizotically_yours83, RCR is certainly a beat-em-up, but it’s got too many action-adventure/RPG elements to be purely classified as a beat-em-up. A typical beat-em-up, such as Streets of Rage, is fairly linear with no backtracking and no RPG-style strength progression (such as levelling, etc.). RCR has all of these things-backtracking, money collecting, strength upgrading, permanent items to purchase, etc. I would at the very least call it an action-adventure beat-em-up. ☺️ And it’s the best of its kind, particularly for the era. Such a groundbreaking game.
@@BlankSpacePub I agree with you that it's a hybrid. :)
While River City Ransom is a great game that blends genres, it is really more an rpg / beat em' up. Calling something a 2D Beat em up already [traditionally] condenses action with an isometric projection or sometimes (less so in modern cases) a 2D side scrolling perspective more akin to a 2d platformer.
Because the beat em' up genre exists, while you can say RCR has action and isometrically projected scrolling, as its attributes, that would normally place it in the best em up genre rather than side scrolling action.
But ya know, whatevs. It's a good game so I like it on lists either way.
link 2 is still my favorite on the system. Fighting the knights and attacking up and down while they block your attacks and also putting your shield up and down to block their attacks is simple in concept yet feels so amazing and satisfying of any combat on the system.
The fighting in that game is some of the best on the NES. I really enjoy how you can have a real sense of progression with the combat as you learn the different enemies throughout the game.
Goonies II is a pretty good side scroller that adds some adventure elements. It's one of my favorite NES games.
I still need to play it! I've watched speedruns a lot but haven't seen a casual playthrough, so I'm looking forward to seeing what it's like for myself. Thanks for the recommendation!
Absolutely loved this video! You and I seem to have been the same kid many years ago. I knew it would be a good video when it started with Faxanadu. I didn’t realize, however, you would go on to name the rest of my favorite nes titles. Great video.
Kindred spirits for sure! Thanks for stopping in here :)
Your list is absolutely amazing! Bless your heart for including Rambo in this list among so many others that I played as a kid. The rush of memories made watching this mean so much more.
Rambo deserves a firm spot on this list in my humble opinion! It has all the great features of a wonderful action adventure game! Even some RPG elements!
I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Thank you for taking the time to watch!
So glad I found this channel! I love your perspective, these are really great videos. Off to binge!
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy some of the other videos here too!
I was never able to find anything with the perfect ambiance quite like Faxanadu. I believe it must have been a truly inspired vision
It's so good... I've searched for a long time and this list is what I came up with. I think in terms of things I enjoyed the most, it'd be Battle of Olympus or Simon's Quest. They don't quite capture the same feeling, but they're pretty close!
I've been watching your videos while doing a playthrough of an old PC game I used to play as a kid, you're voice and commentary is just so soothing.
That's really kind of you to say! Thanks so much! I hope your PC adventure revisit's going well.
Great list, I appreciate your positive review of Simon's Quest! It was one of my favorite games when I was young.
Simon's Quest's definitely a favourite of mine from this list. I wish I could've experienced it as a kid, but better late than never!
@@hungrygoriya - I happened to beat it on the last day of school when it was a new game. Something about the ending music kinda clicked in my head as equating the end of the quest in the game with the end of the quest of getting through the school year, so I beat it on the last day of school again for the rest of high school. Then SNES came out and I moved on to great stuff like Actraiser and Super Castlevania IV.
@@zerobyte802 Right on! What a tradition :) I play Faxanadu once a year but I really need to loop more Simon's Quest into my life somehow.
Loved Simon's Quest
Thanks for putting some love on Simons Quest. I always loved that one. Great choices here overall. Some of my childhood favorites. Faxanadu, Rygar, Simons Quest, Zelda 2.
I really only got to experience Faxanadu and Zelda II as a kid, and I wish I'd played more of these back then. Lucky!
If 2D Action Adventures are your thing, I can't overstate how good the Blaster Master Zero trilogy is. What started as a solid remake became an impressively expansive series of fun new abilities, huge bosses and epic spectacle. Highly recommended!
I agree with you but that third game got way harder than the other two. Did you notice that?
Oh really eh? I haven't played anything Blaster Master yet so I'll have to take a closer look! Thanks for the suggestion!
@@guyfromnj The first game is quite easy, and the sequels each step up the challenge in a pretty determined way. They're worth powering through, but I admit I hit many roadblocks on my way to completing the BMZ series, often putting down the games for months in between bits of progress. Once you get a handle for how the combat works in the sequels, it becomes quite rewarding!
@@thrillhouse_vanhouten I agree with you. I played through the first two games with relative ease and the third game hit me with a serious difficulty spike. That’s how it seemed. I have to go back and try again. Great games though.
I would suggest beginning with the NES version, of course. The Wii version is pretty amazing in its own right as well.
Great list. Faxanadu ranks among my favorite NES games too, although I only first played it around 2015-2016. Another one that comes to mind is Wizards & Warriors III, the only game in the series that eschews separate game stages for a single connected world much like Metroid, where new sections of the world open up as you acquire new powers. It was probably my first Metroidvania-ish game, not counting Zelda II, which I consider to be more of a side-scrolling action RPG. I'm very glad to see you giving the Adventure of Link and Simon's Quest some love. These games have been unfairly maligned over the years. Sure they're not perfect games, and they have their issues, mainly being too cryptic, but they're still good games. Gargoyle's Quest on Game Boy, Gargoyle's Quest II on NES, and Demon's Crest on SNES are also excellent. The NES version of Strider doesn't fully fit into this genre, but it still comes pretty close.
I also really enjoy Wonder Boy V: Monster World on the Master System (or Genesis), and Monster World VI on Genesis. The Genesis and SNES also have the excellent Phantom 2040 (although it doesn't match all the criteria you set out at the beginning of your video, but comes pretty close) and Ys III, and the Sega CD has Popful Mail, which is definitely worth playing as well.
Of course once you get into current generations there are so many games in this genre, or games that come pretty close.
There are lots of recommendations in your comment here that I'm jotting down to look into. Some of them I've already played, but there are quite a few that I haven't yet. I am always appreciative of games that fit into this mold, whether they fit in snugly or not. Thank you for taking the time to share them with me.
The Battle of Olympus brought back so many memories. I always saw it as an underappreciated yet superior version of Zelda II.
I agree with you! I do like the dungeons in Zelda II, but I enjoyed the flow of Battle of Olympus a lot more. There were some great Aha! moments in it!
You have so much of the same taste as me. I loved all these games as a kid. My friends and I actually used to play “Rygar” on the playground at recess, pretending we were characters in the game.
Oh nice! I used to play Sonic the Hedgehog with friends at recess too. Playing Rygar sounds way cooler though!
Great video. I remember being impressed by the parallax scrolling sunset in Rygar. :D
It's a gorgeous sunset! I loved the colours in it!
I keep getting recommended smaller gaming channels like this and it's very welcome, since a lot of my old favorites are getting long in the tooth.
Your voice and delivery are very listenable, and we seem to have had similar tastes as kids, and I'll binge until I have to wait for your next newest video. Thank you for the good content.
I really appreciate you taking the time to look through my backlog here. I update every couple of weeks when I'm able to, so stay tuned!
@@hungrygoriya I'll be sure to! I'm a retro collector, so the insight into old games I haven't played is very valuable to me, so I also thank you for that.
Amazing! I love how you avoided the term “Metroidvania” altogether and just called them what they are: action adventures. These are my very favorite games for my favorite system! We know you love some Leg of the Wiz, but have you tried Stanley? I think you would like it a lot. Or how about Dr Chaos and Goonies II, both with some awesome adventure elements. There’s Metroid of course… and Friday the 13th (way underrated!), Boy and his Blob, Blaster Master, and Hebereke, which is like a platformer hybrid.
Stanley? What is this :O I haven't played Dr. Chaos or Goonies II or the others you mentioned here (except Metroid), though I think I've at least heard the names of most of them! Your suggestions are going onto my list of games to look into!
And honestly, as someone who only got around to playing Metroid and Castlevania in the past few years, "metroidvania" hasn't meant much of anything to me. I'd rather take the longwinded way to explain it, haha
The term MetroidVania does my head in.
@@hungrygoriya they are probably referring to "Stanley and the Search for Dr. Livingston", which curiously enough is completely different to the similarly named Spectrum game.
OHH, HEBEREKE!! Really good one that I forgot about! Just wanted to add that in the West, it's known as Ufouria: The Saga. Never released in North America, though.
@@Wyrdwad Right right... I can picture the little characters from it, vaguely. I think I've seen a few people stream it!
Every time I discover a cool channel like this, I can't help but think... Man I wish I knew this person when I was a kid. We'd have been friends.
In particular, I really appreciate that you aren't limited to the NES, and you actually look at Master System stuff BESIDES Phantasy Star. I didn't realize how much cool stuff it had. I only had 4 games for it growing up.
You may enjoy Strider on NES and Zillion on the Master System as some suggestions back to you.
I have similar thoughts chatting with so many nice people in the comments here. I didn't have a lot of gamer pals growing up. Better late than never though!
It's so cool that you've been checking into some Master System titles. There's definitely a lot of good stuff on there. Psychic World, Batman Forever, Wonder Boy III, Golden Axe Warrior... so much fun stuff! Which games did you have back then?
I loved Zillion! I haven't tried NES Strider yet though! Thank you so much for the suggestions!
@@hungrygoriya Zillion, Space Harrier 3D, and a game I don’t know the name of where you play military medics on the pump carts on railroads. Dunno the name of that one. But the main ones I played were Where in The World is Carmen San Diego? And Phantasy Star. I found Phantasy Star used in a Comic Shop we’d go to in Nashville every once and again after Phantasy Star 4 was out and I wanted it for our collection. My sister and I played Phantasy Star 1 together and she beat it well before me. We also had Hang On I believe but that’s the extent of our Master System collection. I grew up in a Collector Family so we always loved finding rare and obscure stuff.
Always happy to find Kenseiden on a list. His was one of my favourite games as a kid, and I was proud when I beat it since no one else in the family got close.
Not of this time period, but I think you’d enjoy Elliot Quest quite a bit.
Kenseiden is worth talking about, no doubt! And I'll add Elliot Quest to the list of things to look into. Thank you so much!
I played it much that I actually got good enough to finish the game with one life and pass those ridiculous bonus stages. A few years back I tried it again and got my ass handed in level 2. Muscle memory is not always existant apparently.
@@wingedhussar5528 Haha awww... it'd come back to you with a little practice, I'm sure!
These videos make me so happy 😅 with a coffee on my desk whilst the evening approaches. As my tablet and drawing book lays before me, I just take in all the nostalgia! I love your work, so much joy!
[Edit] Sweet Home.
Thanks so much for saying so! I really love video games and playing them, so I'm glad that enthusiasm shines through.
Sweet Home has been on my list of things to play for a long while now. I should really get to it soon! Thanks for the suggestion!
Battle of Olympus was awesome !! I remember playing that when it first came out 😁
I really, really loved it. It's easily top 5 NES for me now!
Seen a few of your vids and i really enjoy your thorough reviews and how much nostalgia you are blasting me with
I appreciate you saying so! Thanks for checking out the channel here :)
The music in Castlevania 2 is an awesome mix of baroque and modern. I rarely get tired of listening to it.
Me too! I really appreciate so many NES games and their fantastic soundtracks. It's been cool to see Simon's Quest music rehashed for later games too, though I'm the most partial to the versions on NES.
Recently I was in a stream hostd by the channel Big Ole Words (one of the people on that discord is a fan of you and that's actually how I discovered your channel).
In the stream chat, the question of whether its pronounced "Fax Anna Do" or "Fah Zanadu" came up.
I prefer the first, because it lended itself to a little song I appopriated and altered:
_You take the good,_
_You take the bad,_
_You take 'em both and there you have_
_The Facts of Xanadu, the Facts of Xanadu...._
_There's a time you gotta go and show_
_You're growin' now, you know about_
_the Facts of Xanadu, the Fact of Xanadu...._
Excellent video! For a suggestion from left field, "Zelliard" is a PC side scrolling adventure from way back. I never beat it but enjoyed it.
Zelliard! I had forgotten the name of it and had meant to look into it after someone mentioned it to me ages ago. Thank you!!
A new game out on the Switch called Infernax is fantastic. It's a cross between Faxanadu, Simon's Quest & Link. There's no way you won't like it. Keep up the great vids!
It's in my Steam library already. I just have to fire it up! Thanks for the suggestion and for stopping by!
FAXANADU! Omg, love that game. And the manual. I always wondered why the hero was stopping to drink a beer.
And, theres a lot of people that hate Zelda II, but I love it. I always have 8 and 16 bit chiptunes as ringtones on my phone, and it usually cycles between crystalis overworld music, zelda II palace music and dwellings of doom (castlevania II mansion music).
Lord of the Sword Ive never played, but based on your review I think id find it too aggravating.
Battle of Olympus Ive never even heard of. I dont know how thats possible. Im old and been gaming since I was a kid the 80s. I thought I knew all the action RPG-esque sidescrollers games on the NES. But this sounds great. Im now trying to find a copy.
Fuck yeah, Castlevania II. First 3 notes before you even showed the cart was all it took. Was I the only one who as a kid used to laugh with my friends that we were going to find "Dracula's Dick"? At 8 years old, that was the height of humor.
Great lineup here.
Have you ever played magician for the NES? To this day I still yell "wakey wakey" when im trying to get my pibble out of bed(snoozing in her old age is her main fun), and I got it from that game. Its not easy and has noob traps. I never beat it until internet walkthrus existed, but its still pretty fun, if has a lot of ways to fuck yourself and cheap deaths.
I haven't played Magician yet, though I did fire it up once after I bought it to make sure it was working and pretty much fell in love with the music in the first area. I need to give it a whirl.
And thanks so much!
Aw man Lord of The Sword! A long forgotten childhood favorite, thank you so much for the memories! :D
I thought it was a fun one!
@@hungrygoriya I'm new to the channel but I am curious, what are some of your favorite sega master system rpgs/games?
@@yeahyeah976 I really love: Psychic World, Phantasy Star, Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap, Golvellius, Master of Darkness, Alex Kidd in Shinobi World, The Lucky Dime Caper, Land of Illusion, Ninja Gaiden, Ultima IV, Golden Axe Warrior, Kenseiden... I'm sure there are more, but that's what comes to mind first!
Great video, really enjoyed that! I would highly recommend ‘EVO the search for Eden’ on the SNES if you enjoy 2D side scrolling action adventures. It plays very well and a pretty unique storyline and mechanic. One of my favs!
I loved EVO the Search for Eden when I played it a few years ago. I think I'm overdue to replay it. Other than having some of the toughest boss fights I loved the ambience there. The soundtrack's so good!
@@hungrygoriya yeah, the boss battles were a touch on the hard side! 🤣 I think there’s a fan translation of the JP release. Might be worth checking that out. Apparently the US/EU release was missing a stage. I’ll be revisiting it at some point too ❤️
I'm just finding this channel now, but certainly appreciating the content.
Fantastic video!
One not mentioned that I recommend is called Getsu Fuma Den.
Unfortunately, it was only released in Japan on the Famicom, so you'd need a fan translation patch for it, but it's pretty in-line with the games you've mentioned here and is quite good in its own right.
There was a modern entry in the series released a year or so back on PC and Switch, one version of which has a download for the Famicom game, but only the manual was translated in English.
Thanks for checking out the channel here! I've been meaning to try out Getsu Fuma Den, but I bought the Famicom cartridge after someone informed me it was English-friendly. I'll need to find a patch to play it sometime. It looks great!
@@hungrygoriya While you certainly can play it unpatched, you'll be missing all of the context and storyline, and in my opinion it would reduce the overall experience quite a bit.
I bought an English-patched repro cart awhile back, but sans that, I can't imagine patching a rom file through an emulator is terribly difficult, though I've never done so myself.
I'd have to consider Clash at Demonhead the most underrated NES game. Back in the day the guys at my local game shop used to make fun of me for buying or renting unpopular titles like Clash. This included the owner himself lol. But like I told them there are always "diamonds in the rough," and I was on a mission to find them.
I'd like to revisit Clash at Demonhead someday. I rushed through my playthrough of it and really should've spent some more time with it. It's got a lot of great stuff going on and I think I've really changed how I play games since I finished it. It's definitely underrated!
Fantastic list and presentation style. Here's one for the algorithm, will check out more from you.
Much appreciated! Thanks very much!
you may enjoy Ax Battler: A Legend of Golden Ax for Game Gear as it fits the genre of this video. It's tough to play on anything but original hardware because it doesn't work on a Retron5. Also, may I once more humbly impart to you... Ultima: Runes of Virtue 2 for Game Boy or SNES. It's the most hidden of precious gems.
I haven't gotten around to playing Ax Battler yet, but it's in my collection! Thank you!
And Ultima: Runes of Virtue are on a list of games I'm hoping to get to in the coming weeks/months. Both of the Game Boy Ultimas look awesome. Thank you for the reminder!
uh-oh. watch out for Ultima ROV 1 on Game Boy. It's on rails whereas Ultima ROV2 is relatively open world. Also Ultima ROV 1 is full of devious traps. It feels like the developers were having fun trolling the player.
@@samp1862 So the second game might be better then? I'll keep that in mind!
I second Ax Battler, it's better than it has any right to be. It's similar to Zelda II but a bit simpler. Other good options are Gargoyle's Quest (Game Boy), Gargoyle's Quest II (NES), and Demon's Crest (SNES), which are similar, with towns / NPCs, an explorable overworld, and side-scrolling levels. Gargoyle's Quest and its sequel are mostly linear and have a password system; Demon's Crest has normal cartridge saving and is a bit more Metroidvania where you can revisit levels after you get more abilities. Gargoyle's Quest and it's sequel are cheap, Demon's Crest not so much, but all 3 are on 3DS eShop now for $5-10 each.
@@shawnmulligan3471 Right on! I've played Gargoyle's Quest and Demon's Crest before, but not Gargoyle's Quest II yet. I want to replay the first game... it was very fun! Thank you for the suggestion on Ax Battler as well!
Clash at Demonhead is my all-time favorite game. Exploring that world never gets old. I did a Let's Play of it over a decade ago and i still find new things.
Quick suggestion from me would be Wonderboy in Monster World. I grew up with the sega genesis version but its been ported to SMS and game gear as well.
I really need to take more Wonderboy games out for a spin. I've played Dragon's Trap on the Master System but nothing else beyond it.
There's an absolutely amazing PC game from ~2004 called Cave Story. I think you would REALLY enjoy it. Some mad man recently ported it to the Sega Genesis too, so if you have a Mega Everdrive, it's an absolute must play. Otherwise, the PC version has and will always be free online. This game changed my life.
I've heard of Cave Story, but I had no idea it got a port to the Genesis! Wow! I wonder if there are any carts out there. I don't have an everdrive, but I'd love to take it for a spin on original hardware.
@@hungrygoriya⚠WARNING!⚠: That game contains a lot of "Guide Dang Its", missable items and info, events that if you fail that's it and generally other frustrating things. Have an advisor on hand.
@@hungrygoriya No physical carts unfortunately. The guy that ported it was just a huge fan of the game, and doesn't hold any licenses to the game itself, and said he wouldn't be releasing any physical carts.
@@Bofner Ah too bad! If I ever get an everdrive though, this would be something I'd love to try. The other versions will serve just fine too.
@@Maverynthia Ah good to know!
Thanks!
Wow! Very generous! Thank you so much!
I love "Zelda II: The Adventure of Link." It's not perfect, but it's damn good. It's difficult but satisfying to defeat, and I have defeated it a few times. Dark Link/Shadow Link is one of the greatest bosses in video game history.
Death Mountain should come later in the game, and the amount of grinding/farming for experience points can get a little old.
The payoff is worth the struggle to me! Agreed!
Zelda 2 needs a sequel.
That style game play.
It would be amazing
The music in Faxanadu is certainly reason enough to play it, such a great game and very close to my heart! I think my only additions would be the Wizards and Warriors titles - really great gameplay and music
The furst W&W game is awesome! I haven't played the third one yet, but I was only able to get through the second game by manipulating my passwords so I could have more lives in the last few stages. The final boss is ridiculously hard for me.
Great list of games. I recommend checking out Odallus: The Dark Call, a modern/retro take on the genre.
Ohhhh yes! Thank you for the reminder! I've had this recommended to me in the past and had forgotten all about it.
Seconding this recommendation!
Odallus was a disappointment. Oniken too.
Clash at Demonhead is one of my all time favorite games! I just absolutely love it ever since I rented it as a kid. Still have a copy of it.
It has such a funny sense of humour! I can see why you'd enjoy it so much!
Faxanadu!!!! holy crap I've been trying to remember the name of this game for EVER...I rented it in 1990 from the video store and played the hell out of it...but forgot the title!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!
You are very welcome! It's my favourite NES game. If you decide to play it through someday, I hope you have a lovely time.
This is a fantastic list, which gives some entries I haven't tried before. Zelda II being on it is heartening, as it's my favorite NES game next to Faxanadu. I don't have any good game suggestions, as I think you've covered most that I would suggest. Unless I'm mistaken, you covered wizards and warriors. If not, while it's a touch janky at time, it and ironsword are actually a good time to complete once you get down how fall damage works and how attacking works properly.
Zelda II's so wonderful. I can see why it's a favourite! It's one of my proudest gaming achievements personally since I started it as a teenager and finally finish it until a couple of years ago.
I've played The first two W&Ws on NES and I really enjoyed my time with the first one. Ironsword's so hard though... I finished it but only by password manipulation to have more lives in the last stretch. It's so mean that it stops letting you continue :(
@Hungry Goriya agreed. One of my first nes games was ironsword. I learned to appreciate the quirks of the game after a while. If nothing else, the music is fantastic!
@@Desertskunk Yes totally! I think my favourite tune is the one when you're underwater (before you fight the giant... fridge?) And the title screen theme is so mischevious!
Love these games. Excellent selection in this video :D
Hey thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it :)
Rygar, The Adventure of Link, and Simon's Quest, were some formative favorites of my childhood! Gaining new equipment, techniques, magic, clues, and lore as you delve further into mysterious lands enriched those feelings that you were living a fantastic adventure!
Yeah! I think that's what I enjoy in my games. Exploring and getting stronger, and if there's a good story too, even better!
NIce! Great video with some great game choices. It's really hard to make any recommendations because you pretty much played the all-stars of NES action RPGs but one that has likely been suggested a few times is 8 Eyes. 8 Eyes is sort of a Castlevania ripoff but it introduced the concept of a helper animal before Konami's series and it seems to be on brand with the kind of games you're into. I liked it a lot and I think if you can make it through Rambo, you would definitely dig 8 Eyes.
I would love to try 8 Eyes sometime. I've had it for a long while and popped it in to try once a while back, but I haven't picked it up back up since! The music in that game is top notch too! Thanks for the suggestion!
Great review style you have going! :)
Glad you're enjoying the channel so far. Thank you!
My wife has often raved about Battle of Olympus, though I've never played it. I find it sweet how much nostalgia she has for it
I thought it was a pretty fantastic game when I experienced it for the first time. Hopefully you'll get a chance to try it out sometime to see what all her fuss is about!
Rambo: I'm not afraid of death.
*Immediately gets jumped by bats*
Zelda 2 is a great and something I'm glad I went back to really appreciate! Need to do the same with Simon's Quest. Just haven't felt that Castlevania itch. Great picks though, some really fun side scrolling action here!
Those birds/bats were the first enemies I ran into and I couldn't hit a single one of them. I was worried the whole game might be like that, but thankfully things smoothed out soon after!
Zelda II is definitely worth working through, and I hope you'll get to Castlevania II some day. I think of going back to it often just for the music!
Just listened to this video for the first time, I enjoyed it a lot! Regarding other games in the genre, have you played Rad Gravity? It starts out really hostile with a short range weapon and you’ll end up dying a lot, but when you get the first gun and start exploring planets the game ends up being a pretty original adventure. Even has some unexpected turns!
Oh I haven't played Rad Gravity before! You've just jogged my memory because I feel like I've seen that game before somewhere but just haven't gotten around to trying it out for myself. I'll definitely look into it a bit further.
It’s not a game for everyone, but since you like the genre it may be to your liking. It’s got a more western feel to the aesthetics and some music is weird, but it’s part of the personality! (Never managed to finish it myself though).
I loved Rygar, Clash At Demonhead, and Zelda 2 as a kid! I only regret that I never came across Faxanadu until my 30s, but man that game is such a gem!
Faxanadu's one of my favourite NES games, no contest. I'm glad you discovered it eventually!
I'm very happy to know somebody else who also enjoys Kenseiden! I couldn't advance that much on this game, however I always play to listen to the amazing soundtrack of it, either on FM or PSG chip.
I missed seeing Zillion and Spellcaster for the SMS. Little more games for this console should've been included. But fine, it's a great list indeed!
I was tempted to include both of them, but they had too much other stuff in them as a focus. Like Spellcaster's point and click stuff, and Zillion didn't have much in terms of towns or NPCs to speak with. I do have reviews on both of those games individually though! They're both great!
@@hungrygoriya That's pretty good! I'm still getting to know your channel and I think you're doing a really good job! I've just watched the review for Spellcaster, and now I'm going to look for the Zillion's, for sure! I'm Brazilian and the SMS was an inevitable part of my teenage years, along with the NES. All the best to you and your channel!
@@GCSoundArtifacts Much appreciated :) I'm relatively new to the Master System library (within the last 5 years or so) but I'm loving what I've found so far. Thank you for the well-wishes!
The one i remember the most from this bunch is The Battle of Olympus. Early 90's..i was in my teens, there was a huge party at home and my brother and i went to the kitchen and stole some beers. Girl we played till 4:00 in the morning, half drunk, and completed at least 80% of the game. MEMORIES 😢
That's a late night but sounds like it made an impression on you. The game, and the evening! The Battle of Olympus is honestly so great. I wish more people would give it a try for themselves!
@@hungrygoriya I believe there's a connection between Olympus, Faxanadu and Zelda 2.
I played Faxanadu when i was kid, had so much fun and love the visual of the game so much that i use Faxanadu wallpaper as my computer background.
Oh nice! Which area do you use for your desktop? I love the aesthetic of this game as well and have procured as much fan art of it from the internet as I can.
Those scratch off cards. That brought back memories.
I had one of them my whole childhood and never knew what it was, and then a few months ago I saw them being advertised on a site I buy game from once in a while and bought a bunch. I opened them up and it was so great to see what else was in those packs.
your video style -- straightforward, clear, no focus on the presenter besides your personal experience with the game, no corny joking around -- is exactly what i like in gaming videos. i'm very glad to have found your channel
Thanks very much! I hope you enjoy the channel :)
I am hoping this doesn't come off the wrong way but I love your voice, lol. Great videos, too!
Not at all :) Thanks very much for the compliment!
So many people crap on Zelda II but it is my absolute favorite game ever… not many people believe me but as a kid I received the North American copy as a very early Xmas present when I was a kid. It was a month or two before it’s December 1987 release date. I’ve often asked my parents how they pulled that off and they just laugh and say “dumb luck” . I play through the first Zelda both quests and Zelda 2 at least once a year. Probably more considering now with the anniversary game and watch that I absolutely adore I feel like im in NES heaven.
I think there's something really special about it. I feel like I'd be happy to dabble in its world again soon, but the idea of finishing it again feels daunting even though I did manage to finally pull it off. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad now that I know where some of the fiddlier things are hidden. I'm like you with Zelda 1 and Faxanadu. I enjoy them both quite a bit and revisit them often.
Goriya, have you played the Bible NES game? it was one of two unlicensed games on theNES and it is surprisingly good. It has 3 separate quests - David v goliath, Miriam saving baby moses and Noah's ark. The first two are side scrolling adventure games and they are quite fun. But Noah's arc is even more fun
I have! Bible Adventures is a fun little cartridge to pull out once in a while.
Subbed! I like watching your reviews on the games. Played a lot of NES when I was little.
Hey thank you! I should have a new video out soon enough so stay tuned!
Fun fact: Started playing Faxanadu the Famicom version and it is one of the few games that is quite legible for Japanese for games around that time, esp. Kanji. So if you are trying to learn Japanese and are using video games as one source of input and want to play some NES era stuff Faxanadu would be a great choice, it's like Reader's Digest text size.
That's interesting! Is it more legible because the font's so huge? I noticed the characters are enormous here.
@@hungrygoriya It seems that's the case. Reader's Digest was a ref. to a famous collection of stories sent out every month in the US notable for its large text size.
Rygar was so much fun! I think the glitch that would let one get on top of cliff wall in the top down world was the first I found without being clued in before hand. It was also one that I actually enjoyed grinding (along with Zelda 2), because one could turn most boss battles into curb stomp affairs.
It's so funny how many places you can end up that you're not supposed to be in Rygar! I totally agree on the grinding. It's fun to get those levels up. I'm surprised I was able to beat the final boss without magic but I must've been pretty levelled up by the end.
Love your dedication to making such elaborate and entertaining videos. I've only played Links Adventure (to completion) and a little of Simon's Quest, but you've opened my eyes to a few others I have to try. Battle for Olmpus looks amazing. Never thought Rambo 2 would look so compelling, but kinda sparked my interest. Also, great inclusion of some handwritten notes. A big part of 8-bit adventuring was being a gumbshoe. Thanks!
That's very kind! Battle of Olympus was so good that I even cried a little bit after I finished it like a big dork. I didn't think I'd find a game I loved nearly as much as I love Faxanadu, yet there it was. It's tough in a few spots for sure, but everything just clicked with me for that one. I was actually worried my handwritten notes would scare people away but that was just a really rough map I was using while streaming to try to figure out how to get through one of the mazes! It's a mess, haha
And Rambo's a fun time as well. It's a bit rougher compared to Battle of Olympus or Rygar in my opinion, especially in terms of the navigation, but it has a lot of fun to experience. I hope you enjoy them both if you give them a try!
@@hungrygoriya just the thought of making maps, taking notes, used to get my blood flowing. I have been known to denote brick wall structure patterns in old notes for very taxing areas of games. I think note taking and map making could deserve a highlight, just for fun.
Just recently discovered your channel and love your content! For 8-bit side-scrolling action adventures, have you tried some of the Konami Japan exclusives like Maze of Galious 2(Majou Densetsu II: Daimashikyou Galious) or Getsu Fūma Den for the NES? They are some of my favorites along with other gems like Goonies 2(also Konami). Cheers!
I haven't played many of the Famicom games that require an English patch yet. I don't have a means to do so on original hardware, and I've been focusing on playing my physical collection through first. I do own Getsu Fuma Den but unfortunately it's all in Japanese! It's nice to know there's more there to enjoy though!
Great channel! An action adventure game for the SNES that you might like, with great visuals and atmosphere is Demon's Crest. If you haven't checked it out yet, I highly recommend it. One of my childhood favorites!
Ohhhh I played Demon's Crest a couple of years ago and enjoyed it a lot! I didn't get the true ending but the ending I got was good enough!
@@hungrygoriya The "real" final boss is a true pain in the butt. Not to mention the secret "true" final boss, the Dark Demon - I tried that one like hundreds of times and never managed to beat it.
@@Squirrelsquid I'm pretty sure I found a password to try it out with, spent 5 minutes on it, and backed away slowly. Sorry you never made it through either!
@@hungrygoriya One needs inhuman reflexes and pattern memorization skills for it!
This really is a great collection of hidden story-based action-adventure platformer games. _Rambo,_ in particular, has kind of a bad rap for being confusing and being done in the style of a parody rather than a serious take. I really like it, though. 👍
I have a recommendation for you. _Konami Wai Wai World_ for the Nintendo Family Computer is a crazy journey through Konami World starring some of the most recognizable Konami characters of the time. (Simon Belmont, Mr. Goemon, Mikey from _The Goonies…)_
The basic story is that Konami characters are being kidnapped by an unknown force, so it's up to Konami Man and Konami Girl to rescue them so everyone can save the day and the world!
Gameplay is kind of like _Simon's Quest,_ but without any XP rewards. There are power-ups and things throughout levels, you can do the levels in roughly any order (once you have the MacGuffin to get into the level), and there is a wide variety of locales to choose from. Each of the six recruitable characters all have abilities you need in order to finish levels, so rescuing them is very important.
All and all, it's a fun little game. Very challenging, though. _Very_ challenging,
Rambo's a lot better than people give it credit for! I'm glad you like it too. Sometimes it feels like I'm the only one!
You know what? I own Konami Wai Wai World, but I haven't tried it out yet. I'd honestly forgotten about it until you reminded me just now, so I should bump that up my list. Thanks for putting it back on my radar again!
Faxanadu was great. Super frustrating when you accidentally write the wrong mantra down and have to start from an earlier save point lol. Another that I loved that didn’t make your list was Demon Sword. Spent a lot of time on that one as a kid.
Demon Sword eh? I'll have to check into that!
And thank goodness for cameras these days. I don't write down passwords anymore.
I just finished Faxanadu the other day. I was motivated by one of your videos to play it, especially after realizing it was a game I'd never gotten past the first "area" of.
It was a blast! Really enjoyed it more than I expected to... Thanks for the excellent videos! Now you got me thinking the same about Zelda 2 🤔
Yesssss! I'm so glad you liked Faxanadu! Do you think you'll tackle Zelda II next because I think you would have lots of fun with it. It's so rewarding to finish!
@@hungrygoriya well, now that you're directly recommending it, I'm gonna have to! I do remember being confused on what to do in it as a kid, but I do still have an old strategy guide and map or two laying around for it.
@@Zopharr I had the benefit of streaming it and being able to tap someone on the shoulder if I needed a nudge or two, but it's a lot more manageable as an adult for sure. Especially if you have a strategy guide! Lucky!
When i saw the video title i was hoping Rambo was in there, and it was! Makes me happy.
I spent countless hours playing Rambo and most of the games on your list lol.
Yessss! Rambo's a fun one!
Rambo and Rygar are both seriously underrated games, imo. Rygar was one of those games I used to rent until I beat it, but never actually paid money to own it for myself until MUCH later. Rambo gets a lot of flack, some of it deserved, much of it not. But I always enjoyed the experience and music in that game. What I'm NOT sure of is how these games particularly differ from something like Legacy of the Wizard. You say it's not "directed," but I'd argue that LotW's path is as linear as Rambo's or Rygar's, but with the added challenge of figuring out which character best suits which path. I see it almost as a kind of inversion of Mega Man, where instead of stages you have one map, and instead of a bunch of bosses that you have to suss out the weaknesses of, you have multiple player characters with which you have to suss out the right path.
Another game you might consider checking out is Goonies II. If I were to put together a list of NES/SNES games I loved as a kid that no one ever talks about anymore, it'd be one of the top five, easily. I was gonna suggest Sword of Vermillion, but then I remembered this is strictly an 8-bit list. 😂 I was gonna suggest 8 Eyes again, but it's divided up into stages like Mega Man. I know I'm forgetting some great 8-bit games in this vein, though.
Faxanadu was a great game, but all I really remember from playing it is that I found a spot where enemies could spawn infinitely and so I tied down my controller with a c-clamp to constantly swing the sword and went to sleep. Next day after school, came home and boom: max rank. I miss the days where experiences like that were fun.
Well I guess when I say Legacy of the Wizard is not directed, I mean that there's linear paths but you have no idea what they are and there's nobody to hint you along. There are no townspeople and no hints per se, and I liken it more to The Legend of Zelda where you have to search every tile for a way forward versus more of the plot-driven advancement. It's a fantastic game and I love it! I do appreciate the comparison to Mega Man. I can see that!
Goonies II has been on my list of things to play for a long while, along with 8 Eyes. And Sword of Vermillion is another I'd like to try too! If you think of the others for the 8-bit generation, I'd love to hear about it.
I'm curious to know where that infinite grind spot is in Faxanadu!
Amazing content on this channel. Love the no gimmicks straight forward format
Thanks very much! It makes me happy to know people are enjoying what I'm doing here.
@@hungrygoriya Thank you for all that you do
Do I have recommendations for games??? We're going to be here all day!
Top three I can think of (Sorry, I haven't seen all your videos)
- SNES - Lagoon (Much like what you are playing here)
- SNES - Illusions Of Gaia (Similar, but scary at times, might give you nightmares)
- Computer - Ultima 6 (different but I think you would love it, it's an old 1990 computer game 'worse version released on SNES' and is incredible in everyway.)
Since you appreciate greatness any of these would work well ;-)
Big fan of your channel Icon, Link would be proud!
I need to play Lagoon one of these days! It looks pretty neat from what I've seen. And I've played Ultima 4 and 5, but not 6 yet. It's also on my list!
Illusion of Gaia was something I played a while back and I think the action bits were fun, but I really didn't like the story/characters. I'd love to see a retranslation of that one so I could actually get a feel for the plot a bit better.
And thanks about the icon! The hungry goriya was a big deal to me back when I used to play Zelda 1 on NES as a kid. I got stumped at that one puzzle forever!
We're learning to dig rocks better, we're harnessing the power of the sun, we're figuring it out together when every game is won. 8/8
A new HG video!?
Don't mind if I do!
These are always the most exciting videos to find when opening youtube!
That's extremely sweet of you to say! Thank you!
I would highly recommend Castlevania II: Redaction. It's a romhack that makes the dialogue much less cryptic, as well as increasing the speed of the day/night change. It's one of the best QoL hacks I've played.
Oh neat! I've heard of it before and maybe down the line when I replay it, I'll try it out.
Great list. Love that Faxanadu is your theme and outro. Some of the best NES music.
Battle of Olympus doesn't get enough love. :)
I thought putting that song in the outro might clue folks into what the little intro jingle for all my videos is... I just love the game that much.
And I wouldn't be surprised if a review on Battle of Olympus surfaces here eventually. I loved it so much! I'd say it's almost comparable to my Faxanadu love, and that's saying a lot.
Great list! I really appreciate how you were able to bundle up a few games you've already covered more extensively without it feeling like a clip show. You really put a lot of care and thoughtfulness into your videos.
Thanks very much! There were a few on this list I've been trying to decide how to cover for a while, and this seemed like a good way to talk about them without having to do a full review.
That is a great list. I couldn't agree more.
Thank you! I hope there's still more like this to find on the console and in this generation of gaming!
I know I'm late to the party but I just found ur channel and it is awesome! Faxanadu was/is such a great game and seeing this brings back some great memories. I played that game relentlessly day & night till I beat it! Oh yea, a good game to also try on the NES is Bionic Commando. If u like side scrolling adventures then u will love this!
You're never too late to join in here. Thanks so much :)
I've played Bionic Commando before and I loved it! In hindsight, it should've been on this list with the rest but I didn't think of it. All the things you say are true and then some!
Did you actually film this on a CRT tv? The color blending is very nostalgic
I have a capture card and usually play from original hardware, so for the NES it was composite signal and all its fuzzy glory straight out of the old grey box. It's the only console I have that's not modded for RGB, but you can see in the gameplay for the two Master System games that everything's much sharper since it outputs that higher quality signal. I'm really partial to the look of composite for NES.
Nice list and reviews! One I'd strongly recommend that I think you might really enjoy is Getsu Fūma Den if you can get your hands on it. It's a Konami side-scrolling action/RPG released exclusively in Japan in 1987, and one of the first side-scrollers I ever played besides Super Mario.
It combines an overworld with side-scrolling action similar to Zelda 2, Clash at Demonhead, etc. Killing enemies gives you experience points increasing your attack strength as well as money to purchase a variety of items. It also has some sections that involve pseudo-3D blob-style dungeon crawling which I found the least appealing parts of the game as a kid but you might enjoy it with your dedication to mapping sections out. Most of all, I always loved the hellish sort of world it presented filled with demons and spirits.
While it was only released in Japan for Famicom/NES, there's an English fan translation patch available that seems to do a very good job translating the Japanese text to English. I always found it so confusing how the game was only released exclusively in Japan since it was a mega-hit here and maybe even as popular as Castlevania.
Oh very nice! I have a Famicom copy of the game, but from what I'm gathering it's not very English-friendly is it? It sounds like I'd love it based on what you're describing here.
@@hungrygoriya I'm thinking if you can't get a translated copy, it's a simple enough game with maybe the most bare-minimal guide to enjoy without being able to understand the text. It's not a particularly deep game in terms of the story beyond the opening introduction, and you might be able to find a basic English guide (not like a walkthrough) on what the individual items do which fortunately have big icons. I watched some reviews from English speakers who don't even understand Hiragana before posting my comment to revisit the game and was surprised that they were all able to beat it without understanding any of the Japanese, but they illustrated in their reviews that it was quite a bit more straightforward than I might have initially thought with my bias understanding Japanese.
Most of all, I think it's an interesting kind of historical gem and one of Konami's earlier attempts at a non-linear action-RPG besides Simon's Quest, and not nearly as cryptic in terms of its obstacles as Simon's Quest (I sometimes think Simon's Quest was designed almost to try to encourage the purchase of game guides). It's also the type of game that really rewards someone observant willing to take notes and draw maps which I noticed you do extremely well!
@@darkengine5931 Well I will definitely see what's out there for resources. I've been wanting to play it since I bought it but just haven't had enough info on whether it was possible or not. This is heartening!
@@hungrygoriya Cheers! I hope you enjoy it if you give it a try. It's hard to beat Faxanadu though in my opinion. I keep reflecting on that game and it's so one-of-a-kind. Even the stiff movement and jumps and inability to do things like crouch and being knocked back like 5 feet on being hit only to run and collect coins contributed to the charm in ways that I doubt I can see again in any new games... between flying boots and poisoned wells and furiously-blinking NPCs with the catchiest music.
I might echo the suggestion for Zeliard on PC if you can get a hold of it. It isn't quite as charming to control as Faxanadu but it's one of the closest games I can think of to it in terms of the layout and feel to it besides Ys 3, but I think Zeliard is slightly closer to Faxanadu in terms of feel than Ys 3.
You have an excellent vocal style, and your editing keeps me effortlessly engaged.
I hope more people find your channel.
Very high praise! Thank you very much!
I think your reviews are some of the best on RUclips really enjoy your videos
That's very kind of you to say. Thank you!