The Little Samson characters have actual names in the manual: Golem = Gamm Dragon =Kikira Mouse = K.O. They also have fun backstories that give them a lot of personality. Kikira was a spoiled and selfish princess who was cursed to turn into a dragon, kind of like the Beast from Beauty and the Beast (which also explains why she's the one who has to be "convinced" to join the party in-game). Gamm was a thief who tried to steal a transformation potion from the wizard K.O. leading one to be transformed to a golem and the other into a mouse.
You do get a continue in Double Dragon 3 for the NES if you manage to make it to Italy. Playing DD3 in 2-player doubles the amount of enemies and their health, as you've got 2 players now. Save your secondary weapons for the boss fights (nunchucks for the Lee brothers; iron claw for Chin; shurikens for Ramzou). IF you are playing 2-player and both Lee brothers execute their spin kick, they'll combine it into a 1HKO technique.
The only one which pops into my mind when thinking about it that you missed is Friday the 13th, switching between each of the councilors trying to rescue all the campers and put an end to Jason Voorhees.
I was going to mention that one as well. That game can be unfair and exceptionally opaque in how to progress, but it isn't as bad as it is often made out to be.
I think in Contra Force you could also change the character in the middle of the game. In any case, excellent video. It brought back childhood memories of Castlevania III. Now I only play the famicom version because of that great music. Un saludo desde Costa Rica. Me encanta tu canal
Nice list. What about Captain America and the avengers ? It has two pretty different playable character (Cap and Hawkeye) and you can switch them after they "meet" on the map.
Y’know it’s been a while I’ll have to go back and look. I thought it was just one at a time.
2 года назад
@@BigOleWords Here: ruclips.net/video/nlX-7A4AFm4/видео.html the two icons merge and Wasp tells the hint that after beating the same stage characters can be changed and after that on the beginning of the next stage the switch is also shown :)
I really love your videos, because you show off games in the NES library that I had no idea even existed! It kind of reawakens my desire to collect them again, which I haven't felt since binging AVGN videos a decade ago.
I remember seeing an anticipation column about Ufourea in Nintendo Power. Then it just disappeared. About 2 decades later I saw it on a ROM. It was all I had hopped it to be. And now a confession, I have never been able to plat the GI Joe games. Either they did not work, they were rented, or some other excuse. So you could say they are bucket list games to play
Got one you've missed: Star Wars. You start as Luke Skywalker and later in the game you can also play as Han Solo and Princess Leia. Another one is Wizards & Warriors III. Originally you're a knight but you can change into a thief or wizard later in the game. This one is debatable though because you're still Kuros but in disguide.
I don’t always get to comment since I watch a lot of your vids at work but as usual this was a great watch! (Jobs boring…your not) 😂Rescue the Embassy missions is a title that has such varied play styles. Kinda rare from the era. How the heck did they expect anyone without a manual to figure out how to switch characters in Lethal Weapon?! I guess if it sucks that bad most folks would have wrote it off quickly anyhow. 🤣
I have lethal weapon without a manual and I was a kid in that time. I don't remember how I find it but I find it in 1st level already. I think when you try to avoid enemies you accidently go to screen edge and find that you can go further. But you certanly know that second character exist when your 1st character died
I love this channel. It reminds me of mid 2000s Era youtube when people like me and others were making random topics about NES games. I'm so glad I get to live this Era of my childhood again 😊❤️
Rescue is an interesting NES game. It's a port of the computer game Hostage: Rescue Mission. The biggest flaws is that it's extremely short. Still, it's a game you wouldn't expect to see on the NES due to how strict Nintendo was at the time. Mission Impossible is similar to Metal Gear but it gets pretty tough and there are certain sections of the game where you need a certain character to move on. If he dies, you're SOL.
Another splendid video, and still further progress in my NES education. Seeing an Ocean published game on a system that's not a Microcomputer, still makes me smile.
@@BigOleWords they were a bit of a mixed bag, but mostly looked down on. They were however, the kings of licensed games so I mostly gave them a pass, due to my pitiful taste for bad licensed games 🤣
Felt it important to note, since I gave you the Empire Strikes Back secret on your Game Boy Port video: Star Wars also falls into this category! Once you finish stuff on Tattooine and go to Mos Eisley, you and Obi Wan recruit Han Solo, who has a stronger blaster, and I think he runs faster. Then after you're on the Death Star, you rescue Leia, who has a weak blaster, but jumps higher. All three characters have their own life bar, and if Han or Leia dies, it spends their life instead of using one or Luke's, however whenever they die you can use Obi Wan to revive them a total of (I think) 10 times, so it's better to let them both die, then use Obi Wan's rez to get them both for one heal charge.
@@BigOleWords Haha, played it so much as a kid. The most important thing is knowing which caves you don't need. I definitely have fond memories of it, but in retrospect I can't blame you for not wanting to put in the time. There are much better games.
I genuinely had no idea how many NES games had switchable characters. I played Little Samson for the first time last year and really enjoyed it. I’ve been wanting to play through the Castlevania games as well so it’s cool to know 3 has that same mechanic. Pretty cool video and list of games. As always, helping me know what to play and know what to avoid.
One minor correction. In GI Joe: The Atlantis Factor, you are able to take up to three characters into a level. You just need to hit Decide to enable the next selection, then hit End once you've picked all three. Then it's much like the first GI Joe game, where you can switch between them mid-level.
@@BigOleWords Thanks I will keep you in mind when I push forward on this new game and might have something to share! In the meantime you could check out the couple of retro games I already have available?
When I first got my NES at age 9 for Christmas, my parents got me 2 games for it Super Mario 1, and Mission: Impossible. I beat Mario in no time but I'm pretty sure it was years later before I ever beat Mission Impossible. And when that day came, THAT was an accomplishment! I'll never forget finally surviving stage 6 all the way until the end. This game would have been a classic if not for its difficulty, especially in the first stage. Instead, it is probably the most common (non-sports) game with the least recognition.
Sometimes I'll see the name of this channel as Big Olé Words. An Olé Anderson themed tribute channel. Has all his promos, vignettes, interviews, and were marks (like me) of 80's wrestling can share our thoughts.
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 1&2 perfected this notion. Each character has purpose, yet the games are designed so well, you CAN beat them with any character on their own. Even switching between the characters can be a tactic since it freezes the screen. Meaning you can assess a tense moment so long as you're continuously hitting the shoulder button.
I loved games that included this option. I think there are several other famicom games with that mechanic; right now I only remember Wai Wai World I & II - yeah, Konami games.
Hi, I just discovered your channel recently, and I really like it. I know the game boy family better, so I enjoy learning about nes stuff : ) I also like that you are so passionate about this, in a society that would like you to work all the time and be serious I have a small nes collection (mega man 2, 3 and 4, super mario bros 1 and 3, gradius, life force, batman, little nemo dream master, bionic commando and ninja gaiden) and really enjoy it 😄 Also, do you think nes prices will ever go down? Some games are simply out of my reach so I wondered what you think the trend will be in the future
Hey thanks! Uhhh no I don’t think they are will. I just don’t see them as often in thrift stores and whatnot which tells me they’ve gone full collectible.
There’s a game for the Famicom called Kyatto Ninden Teyandee (Samurai Pizza Cats) where you can switch characters on the fly when you pause the game. Much like TMNT.
Another fantastic video! If you don't mind indie/homebrew carts, then Haunted Halloween '86, Ghoul Grind, & Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl all have this mechanic and are solid NES library additions.
Ninja Gaiden and Battletoads usually get the title of hardest NES game ever, but I think a good case could be made that it was really Legacy of the Wizard (or Cobra Triangle).
I can't imagine anyone every beating it without a guide...and a life prison sentence on top of that. Back in the (pre-internet) day, I had a complete map of the dungeon, including the locations of all the crown bosses and which family member to use for each, and I STILL couldn't even beat a single boss. You not only had to know the complete layout of the dungeon, every false/invisible/breakable block, but you had to have an exact loadout plan with the exact items, the location of every inn to swap partway, and the exact number of shots you could afford without running out of magic.
When I was a kid I could get through the TMNT water section without taking any damage! I found out the other day the European NES's were 17% slower than the US and Japanese systems. Maybe it helped me get through those stages?!
WHAT!? Legacy of the Wizard was released in English?! OK, so I basically remember watching the Game Centre CX episode on it and thinking "holy hell how did anyone figure this out" and since I'd never heard anyone talk about it, I thought it was a Japan exclusive but I guess not! Surprised more people don't talk about it because damn it's freaking huge.
The same character, but with different powers.... is very specific. The game I am thinking of is not a powerup situation, and the sprite art for changing between 'abilities' is completely different that they might as well as been different characters....The game I am thinking of is Wizards and Warriors 3.... underrated game IMO.
@@BigOleWords I forgot too because I didn't want to remember. I looked it up and it seems you can switch characters when you go in the log cabins or some nonsense like that.
In your FamiCom sequel, look into Sweet Home, a horror RPG that's a precursor to Resident Evil. You can split your party up, but need items (like Legacy of the Wizard) to make up for their lost character skill (flashlight, etc.)
Oh, and though it eliminates itself from the switching on the fly, Parodius had an item that let you switch characters without dying (it was only in the bonus stages every .. I want to say 3rd stage)
Technically a Famicom title as it was never officially released outside of Japan, BUT I am gonna do a part two of this video since I missed a few and I’ll definitely cover Samurai Pizza Cats then :)
Another banger video, cannot believe it took until now to think about how many great games have that character switching mechanic. Also regarding that special nostalgic perspective of growing up with a game, I know that feeling well and interested in seeing that trash game from a different perspective. I can attest one of the primary reasons why even google associates my name with Metroid to this day is because that game on NES was in that magical time frame where I got to play the absolute shit out of it and did not care why. That also made me the perfect age when Super came out, and the rest is history.
it's a famicom game, but i highly recommend checking out Wai Wai World. it's an NES Konami all-star platformer, allowing you to swap between the likes of Goemon, Simon Belmont, and the Moai head from Gradius.
Awesome video. Good to see Rescue the Embassy Mission get some love, even if its kinda a stretch for this. The first GI Joe is a really good game, atlantis factor isn't quite as good. Still trying to think of other games that fit this....man I love how your brain dissects the NES library
"...which is the wide range I love to exist in" Oh yes, it's like you're making stacks of games sorted by quality and then taking one of each. Your videos are like some HDR of quality, where you get the best hidden gems and the worst absolute trash. That's what we like, thanks!
Every time I here about how rare stadium events is my heart collapses a little bit. Used to play it all the time with my friend, whose family had the money for an nes before anyone else's did. I bet his mom sold it long ago at a church rummage sale for like 50 cents.
I spent two weeks on Double Dragon 3 a few years back and Holy Lord... First it was, "I got to the first stage boss!", to "I beat the first few stages!" to "oh my God!!! That witch killed me again!!!" I finished it, and I kinda don't want to play it ever again.
Double Dragon 3 took me a week while the first Double Dragon took me years. The Chinese character is a bad ass and you should not forget to use your weapons.
Legacy of the Wizard... a LITTLE confusing?!? A LITTLE? LOL man-o-man I got that game and could not figure out a single thing about its gameplay - it's pretty ingenious as a game, but when I was 12 or whatever I was just stumped. I got way further in Milon's Secret Castle than in LotW, and that one was no joke either.
That's crazy that Toolbox was so useless in game, because he was one of the most powerful of the defenders! I actually like the cartoon pilot and see how much influence it had on games like Fallout and other dystopian satire...
I don't think this was mentioned, King's Knight, in the later stage, has the ability to change characters and you must change characters to beat the game.
I grew up on games like "Bucky O Hare", "Battletoads" and "Ninja Gaiden".. I would strongly disagree with your notion that this kind of game is spirit crushingly difficult - No, it is in fact a gaming master building machine! And each time you restart you can actually feel your spirit growing each run..!
I recently beat Ninja Gaiden for the first time after 30+ years. That, Ghosts N Goblins and Battletoads were the holy trinity of games I thought I'd never beat. I still don't know where to my "spirit" lands in this whole equation. 😆
I cant remember for game name where you can switch between 3 character. First was in green shirt and could shoots. Second has a hat like a cowboy and also could shoots but faster and third character was some ninja with sword. Do you know the name of this games? I played it in my childhood but cant find it now.
Yeah I think you did miss one, but seeing as I clicked this video to find out which it was.... I'm not 100% sure it was on the NES, tho, so no worries. Friend o' mine had a game that looked kinda like discount Megaman. You could swap between team members at will from the start and they did all have different powers, maybe separate music as well? I think Bucky o hare came closest in looks and function but it was definitely not that one. Ah well I don't think you'd miss much, but yeah, I was wondering which game it was and hoped it would be on here. Cheers!
@@BigOleWords Yeah, you did - but those friends need unlocking, don't they? These were available from level 1. Little Samson did look slightly familiar, but unless they had some kinda save option, I'm sure I've only played the first (few) levels - including transformations. Had a bit of a Wood-man interior vibe, colour-wise - maybe some more purple. I wouldn't give that memory too much credit tho ^^. It's probably the video-game equivalent of that one movie from your childhood nobody else knows because you had it on VHS, know what I mean? It's not very important anyway, but I'd've liked to know what name to put with the memory. No worries. Good clip!
Yes I did! I actually missed a few games, but that one stings as I'd already reviewed it in my video about 2-player co-op games: ruclips.net/video/gFdUaVtVHYs/видео.html
@@BigOleWords By the time they discovered that, it was too late to remove it from the NTSC version. They did remove it from the PAL version, with Razor and Syd saying, "Like, no way, these things are just loaded with cholesterol!"
There was a game tat starts off on the roof and has three characters, one carry a pistol, the other a shot gun n the last one carry a stick like weapon that rotates
@@BigOleWords lol. No it's not that old of a thing. The RUclips channel Vinesauce played a bootleg NES game once and it was that exact Flintstones game only with Mario and it was called 7 Grand Dad and the guys reaction when he first saw it is internet gold now! Lol. You should just look up "Vinesauce Grandad" and you'll see what I mean. 🤣
Bro, Sypha is by far the most useful. Her freeze ability is just straight up broken. In fact I usually consider Sypha's path as easy mode while Alucard's is hard mode.
@@BigOleWords I never go her route anymore because I've beaten the game on that route several times. Have yet to beat it going Alucard. But can with both agree that getting Grant is just a waste of time?
3:00 To be fair, the Japanese original is more fair. You take less damage in later levels and I think even enemy placement is less cheap. Just like in Japanese Ninja Gaiden 3.
@@Gatorade69 ok i have completed all of double dragon 2 so getting in to dd 3 wasnt that hard for me also u have to factor the nostalgia for it but once u get in to it its a blast
Double Dragon 3 was unacceptably hard. I beat it one time, i did so with save states, I consider that fair against that game. Absolutely brutal beyond reason.
Nes game where your character can switch between suits, blue green and yellow the blue one was a wolf theme, side scroller bright colored levels. Please help!!!!
I didn't really include any Famicom titles in this list, BUT there are enough NES games I missed that I'll tackle those and some of the Japanese exclusives in part 2.
The Little Samson characters have actual names in the manual:
Golem = Gamm
Dragon =Kikira
Mouse = K.O.
They also have fun backstories that give them a lot of personality. Kikira was a spoiled and selfish princess who was cursed to turn into a dragon, kind of like the Beast from Beauty and the Beast (which also explains why she's the one who has to be "convinced" to join the party in-game). Gamm was a thief who tried to steal a transformation potion from the wizard K.O. leading one to be transformed to a golem and the other into a mouse.
Interesting! And yeah those backstories would’ve been cool!
Reply me
Hi! Bucky O' Hare enthusiast here! Deadeye doesn't just jump higher, he can also climb on walls when you use his secondary ability!
Ha! I never realized that.
@@BigOleWords Ya I never would have either, but if you stay on the start screen and watch the demo, it shows him climbing on a wall!
You do get a continue in Double Dragon 3 for the NES if you manage to make it to Italy.
Playing DD3 in 2-player doubles the amount of enemies and their health, as you've got 2 players now.
Save your secondary weapons for the boss fights (nunchucks for the Lee brothers; iron claw for Chin; shurikens for Ramzou).
IF you are playing 2-player and both Lee brothers execute their spin kick, they'll combine it into a 1HKO technique.
The only one which pops into my mind when thinking about it that you missed is Friday the 13th, switching between each of the councilors trying to rescue all the campers and put an end to Jason Voorhees.
Yep, that's definitely one I missed somehow!
I was going to mention that one as well. That game can be unfair and exceptionally opaque in how to progress, but it isn't as bad as it is often made out to be.
I think in Contra Force you could also change the character in the middle of the game. In any case, excellent video. It brought back childhood memories of Castlevania III. Now I only play the famicom version because of that great music. Un saludo desde Costa Rica. Me encanta tu canal
Oh man I think you’re right! I’ve played it plenty too but totally forgot about pausing to switch. Nice!
I was going to mention that one. Not the greatest Contra game, but I liked the Gradius style upgrades that were unique to each character.
And the ability to call the AI to control your 2nd player
So one i figure everyone always forgets. Friday the 13th you go in the small cabins and press pause and you can change to anyone you want.
Yeah I don’t know how I forgot that game of games. I’ll do a part 2 soon
Uforia looks like a game that was made today, to look retro. Such a crisp art style. Truly a beautiful game.
Yes it is and I know what you mean for sure!
Nice list. What about Captain America and the avengers ? It has two pretty different playable character (Cap and Hawkeye) and you can switch them after they "meet" on the map.
Y’know it’s been a while I’ll have to go back and look. I thought it was just one at a time.
@@BigOleWords Here: ruclips.net/video/nlX-7A4AFm4/видео.html the two icons merge and Wasp tells the hint that after beating the same stage characters can be changed and after that on the beginning of the next stage the switch is also shown :)
@@BigOleWords when Cap meet Hawkeye you can switch anytime
I really love your videos, because you show off games in the NES library that I had no idea even existed! It kind of reawakens my desire to collect them again, which I haven't felt since binging AVGN videos a decade ago.
That’s very kind. I had a similar reaction to first seeing AVGN years ago so I take that as a huge compliment :)
This 100%
@@BigOleWords hey theres a trick you can use to bring along Jimmy but use only one controller in double dragon III
That was a trip down memory lane. Bucky O Hare is extremely underrated.
It is an amazing game!
I remember seeing an anticipation column about Ufourea in Nintendo Power. Then it just disappeared. About 2 decades later I saw it on a ROM. It was all I had hopped it to be. And now a confession, I have never been able to plat the GI Joe games. Either they did not work, they were rented, or some other excuse. So you could say they are bucket list games to play
Could ufourea and mr gimmick have sold poorly if they released in North America in the 90s?
I really like your intro title screen. It reminds of something I would have seen early Saturday morning when I was a kid.
Hey thanks!
Got one you've missed: Star Wars.
You start as Luke Skywalker and later in the game you can also play as Han Solo and Princess Leia.
Another one is Wizards & Warriors III. Originally you're a knight but you can change into a thief or wizard later in the game. This one is debatable though because you're still Kuros but in disguide.
In the NES Star Wars? Can you swap whenever or just use each one at a time?
@@BigOleWords You can swap whenever you like. It's a challenging game though. I guess many players will never get to Leia.
@@Ruudos Huh I'll have to give that a deeper look!
I don’t always get to comment since I watch a lot of your vids at work but as usual this was a great watch! (Jobs boring…your not) 😂Rescue the Embassy missions is a title that has such varied play styles. Kinda rare from the era. How the heck did they expect anyone without a manual to figure out how to switch characters in Lethal Weapon?! I guess if it sucks that bad most folks would have wrote it off quickly anyhow. 🤣
I have lethal weapon without a manual and I was a kid in that time. I don't remember how I find it but I find it in 1st level already.
I think when you try to avoid enemies you accidently go to screen edge and find that you can go further. But you certanly know that second character exist when your 1st character died
I love this channel. It reminds me of mid 2000s Era youtube when people like me and others were making random topics about NES games. I'm so glad I get to live this Era of my childhood again 😊❤️
Haha I think I’m just stick in RUclips arrested development. And thanks!
Rescue is an interesting NES game. It's a port of the computer game Hostage: Rescue Mission. The biggest flaws is that it's extremely short. Still, it's a game you wouldn't expect to see on the NES due to how strict Nintendo was at the time.
Mission Impossible is similar to Metal Gear but it gets pretty tough and there are certain sections of the game where you need a certain character to move on. If he dies, you're SOL.
Ooof that sounds like a pretty fatal flaw!
Another splendid video, and still further progress in my NES education.
Seeing an Ocean published game on a system that's not a Microcomputer, still makes me smile.
I assume they carry the same quality over there as they do here ;)
@@BigOleWords they were a bit of a mixed bag, but mostly looked down on. They were however, the kings of licensed games so I mostly gave them a pass, due to my pitiful taste for bad licensed games 🤣
Felt it important to note, since I gave you the Empire Strikes Back secret on your Game Boy Port video:
Star Wars also falls into this category! Once you finish stuff on Tattooine and go to Mos Eisley, you and Obi Wan recruit Han Solo, who has a stronger blaster, and I think he runs faster.
Then after you're on the Death Star, you rescue Leia, who has a weak blaster, but jumps higher.
All three characters have their own life bar, and if Han or Leia dies, it spends their life instead of using one or Luke's, however whenever they die you can use Obi Wan to revive them a total of (I think) 10 times, so it's better to let them both die, then use Obi Wan's rez to get them both for one heal charge.
Thanks! Man I don’t know if I can play this game that long!
@@BigOleWords Haha, played it so much as a kid. The most important thing is knowing which caves you don't need.
I definitely have fond memories of it, but in retrospect I can't blame you for not wanting to put in the time. There are much better games.
I genuinely had no idea how many NES games had switchable characters. I played Little Samson for the first time last year and really enjoyed it. I’ve been wanting to play through the Castlevania games as well so it’s cool to know 3 has that same mechanic. Pretty cool video and list of games. As always, helping me know what to play and know what to avoid.
One minor correction. In GI Joe: The Atlantis Factor, you are able to take up to three characters into a level. You just need to hit Decide to enable the next selection, then hit End once you've picked all three. Then it's much like the first GI Joe game, where you can switch between them mid-level.
Dude I would’ve never ever figured that out. Thanks!
I realize long time after that you can summon some bosses to recharge
Your ammo and wounded members!
YES! This episode fits me perfect right now - I'm developing a game with this exact player mechanic! Thanks for your thoughts and insight!
Cool dude! Keep me posted :)
@@BigOleWords Thanks I will keep you in mind when I push forward on this new game and might have something to share!
In the meantime you could check out the couple of retro games I already have available?
When I first got my NES at age 9 for Christmas, my parents got me 2 games for it Super Mario 1, and Mission: Impossible. I beat Mario in no time but I'm pretty sure it was years later before I ever beat Mission Impossible. And when that day came, THAT was an accomplishment! I'll never forget finally surviving stage 6 all the way until the end. This game would have been a classic if not for its difficulty, especially in the first stage. Instead, it is probably the most common (non-sports) game with the least recognition.
It does seem like a lot of people played it but it doesn’t get mentioned much as a best NES game.
Sometimes I'll see the name of this channel as Big Olé Words. An Olé Anderson themed tribute channel. Has all his promos, vignettes, interviews, and were marks (like me) of 80's wrestling can share our thoughts.
Haha nice! Ole was a little before my time but I do have a lot of love for Arn and the Four Horsemen :)
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 1&2 perfected this notion.
Each character has purpose, yet the games are designed so well, you CAN beat them with any character on their own.
Even switching between the characters can be a tactic since it freezes the screen. Meaning you can assess a tense moment so long as you're continuously hitting the shoulder button.
Nice! I played on of those Bloodstained’s but I don’t remember any additional characters, but then again I definitely got stuck at a certain point.
I wonder if theres any inspiration from Konami's mission impossible to Hotline Miami, as the overhead style of the characters is pretty similar.
Hmmm maybe!
Legacy of the Wizard is my jam. Ending credits music is out of control!
I found two crowns in that game with no strategy guide. It was a time sink.
That is one game I think I’ll never beat!
I loved games that included this option. I think there are several other famicom games with that mechanic; right now I only remember Wai Wai World I & II - yeah, Konami games.
Konami loved switching!
The mouse in Samson is a badass, he's so fun to play as
Agreed!
Hi,
I just discovered your channel recently, and I really like it. I know the game boy family better, so I enjoy learning about nes stuff : )
I also like that you are so passionate about this, in a society that would like you to work all the time and be serious
I have a small nes collection (mega man 2, 3 and 4, super mario bros 1 and 3, gradius, life force, batman, little nemo dream master, bionic commando and ninja gaiden) and really enjoy it 😄
Also, do you think nes prices will ever go down? Some games are simply out of my reach so I wondered what you think the trend will be in the future
Hey thanks! Uhhh no I don’t think they are will. I just don’t see them as often in thrift stores and whatnot which tells me they’ve gone full collectible.
@@BigOleWords Thanks for your reply : )
There’s a game for the Famicom called Kyatto Ninden Teyandee (Samurai Pizza Cats) where you can switch characters on the fly when you pause the game. Much like TMNT.
Yessir! When I eventually come back to this I’ll include it in Part 2 :)
This was a fantastic overview! I also had Bullwinkle as a kid, and I tried to love it, but damn.
Haha really?! I thought I was the only one!
@@BigOleWords Nope! I was on a quest to get everything I had as a kid and this is one I have not decided to (nor have had the urge) to re-obtain.
@@DadRacer Well you're not missing much! I loved the show so I was really confused why the game was so clunky but it really is.
No one mentions DD3's badass box art.
Another fantastic video! If you don't mind indie/homebrew carts, then Haunted Halloween '86, Ghoul Grind, & Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl all have this mechanic and are solid NES library additions.
Would not have guessed any of those were switchers, nice!
Great video! You did miss Star Wars which let you switch between Luke Han and Leia as you progressed on the fly!
Yes I did! There were a few people commented that I missed including that one, enough that I’ll probably do a part two at some point :)
@@BigOleWords If it means more vids feel free to forget more stuff! :)
@@TheJackalope121 You got it!
Ninja Gaiden and Battletoads usually get the title of hardest NES game ever, but I think a good case could be made that it was really Legacy of the Wizard (or Cobra Triangle).
Legacy is impossible for me
I can't imagine anyone every beating it without a guide...and a life prison sentence on top of that.
Back in the (pre-internet) day, I had a complete map of the dungeon, including the locations of all the crown bosses and which family member to use for each, and I STILL couldn't even beat a single boss. You not only had to know the complete layout of the dungeon, every false/invisible/breakable block, but you had to have an exact loadout plan with the exact items, the location of every inn to swap partway, and the exact number of shots you could afford without running out of magic.
Great topic and video as always. I’ve never thought about all the games where you can switch characters before. I do believe you got them all! 👊🦈
The comments tell me I may have missed a few!
@@BigOleWords Damn, they are right! Have we been doing to long!?!😆
When I was a kid I could get through the TMNT water section without taking any damage!
I found out the other day the European NES's were 17% slower than the US and Japanese systems. Maybe it helped me get through those stages?!
Haha that might explain it! I can get through without dying but I will always take at least some damage.
PAL or no, that is still impressive! I played TMNT growing up and only beat the game in my 30's!
@@OGBuddah I've revisited it since and I'm terrible now!
WHAT!? Legacy of the Wizard was released in English?!
OK, so I basically remember watching the Game Centre CX episode on it and thinking "holy hell how did anyone figure this out" and since I'd never heard anyone talk about it, I thought it was a Japan exclusive but I guess not! Surprised more people don't talk about it because damn it's freaking huge.
It was! This and Faxanadu are the only ones in the series released on the NES. In theory I love Legacy. In practice, not so much!
i love these nes lists! keep it up
The same character, but with different powers.... is very specific. The game I am thinking of is not a powerup situation, and the sprite art for changing between 'abilities' is completely different that they might as well as been different characters....The game I am thinking of is Wizards and Warriors 3.... underrated game IMO.
That’s a good one. I could make a whole video on same character multiple powers like Mega Man, Widget, Totally Rad, etc.
Definitely going to check out mission impossible. Top down 8 directional games are some of my favorites.
It seems pretty rad, I need to give it more time myself!
This category is what I like to call 'tag-team style.'
That’s perfect!
What about Friday the 13th?
Can’t you only switch when you die or am I remembering that wrong?
@@BigOleWords I forgot too because I didn't want to remember. I looked it up and it seems you can switch characters when you go in the log cabins or some nonsense like that.
In your FamiCom sequel, look into Sweet Home, a horror RPG that's a precursor to Resident Evil. You can split your party up, but need items (like Legacy of the Wizard) to make up for their lost character skill (flashlight, etc.)
Oh, and though it eliminates itself from the switching on the fly, Parodius had an item that let you switch characters without dying (it was only in the bonus stages every .. I want to say 3rd stage)
Check this shit oooooutt!!
You well forgot the Ninja Cats. That's a very good specimen to talk about
Technically a Famicom title as it was never officially released outside of Japan, BUT I am gonna do a part two of this video since I missed a few and I’ll definitely cover Samurai Pizza Cats then :)
Another banger video, cannot believe it took until now to think about how many great games have that character switching mechanic. Also regarding that special nostalgic perspective of growing up with a game, I know that feeling well and interested in seeing that trash game from a different perspective. I can attest one of the primary reasons why even google associates my name with Metroid to this day is because that game on NES was in that magical time frame where I got to play the absolute shit out of it and did not care why. That also made me the perfect age when Super came out, and the rest is history.
For sure. If you played Metroid now for the first time it probably wouldn’t engulf you the way it did in 1988.
it's a famicom game, but i highly recommend checking out Wai Wai World. it's an NES Konami all-star platformer, allowing you to swap between the likes of Goemon, Simon Belmont, and the Moai head from Gradius.
Yep! I was sticking to NES titles but I’ll do a part two at some point and I’ll include some Famicom games in there as well.
Awesome video. Good to see Rescue the Embassy Mission get some love, even if its kinda a stretch for this. The first GI Joe is a really good game, atlantis factor isn't quite as good. Still trying to think of other games that fit this....man I love how your brain dissects the NES library
I can’t drop tearing it apart!
"...which is the wide range I love to exist in" Oh yes, it's like you're making stacks of games sorted by quality and then taking one of each. Your videos are like some HDR of quality, where you get the best hidden gems and the worst absolute trash. That's what we like, thanks!
Glad to hear that's your range as well :)
Say what you want about DD3, that game has the most badass box art.
Another one that comes to mind is the Japanese exclusive Wai Wai World, and its sequel. Both are great Konami titles
They’re on the list!
Every time I here about how rare stadium events is my heart collapses a little bit. Used to play it all the time with my friend, whose family had the money for an nes before anyone else's did. I bet his mom sold it long ago at a church rummage sale for like 50 cents.
Damn, for real? Not World Class Track but actual Stadium Events?!
I spent two weeks on Double Dragon 3 a few years back and Holy Lord...
First it was, "I got to the first stage boss!", to "I beat the first few stages!" to "oh my God!!! That witch killed me again!!!"
I finished it, and I kinda don't want to play it ever again.
Yeah that sounds about right!
Double Dragon 3 took me a week while the first Double Dragon took me years.
The Chinese character is a bad ass and you should not forget to use your weapons.
As a kid, Double Dragon 3 took a LONG time for me to beat the first few levels, and I never got much further than that.
My nephew added games to my mini, and I came across Euphoria just browsing. Its pretty rad
Ufouria rules!
Legacy of the Wizard... a LITTLE confusing?!? A LITTLE? LOL man-o-man I got that game and could not figure out a single thing about its gameplay - it's pretty ingenious as a game, but when I was 12 or whatever I was just stumped. I got way further in Milon's Secret Castle than in LotW, and that one was no joke either.
Yeah it’s impossible. Even with a guide I get yo the rock moving section and give up immediately
There was a game called 'Ninja Cat' that has 5 character changes in mid of game
I think I know the one, Samurai Pizza Cats on the Famicom
That's crazy that Toolbox was so useless in game, because he was one of the most powerful of the defenders! I actually like the cartoon pilot and see how much influence it had on games like Fallout and other dystopian satire...
I can see this video doing well!
I don't think this was mentioned, King's Knight, in the later stage, has the ability to change characters and you must change characters to beat the game.
Huh I totally forgot about King's Knight! Thanks!
You need the blessing of Bimmy to play Double Dragon 3
As a Jimmy, I’m nothing without my Bimmy.
I grew up on games like "Bucky O Hare", "Battletoads" and "Ninja Gaiden".. I would strongly disagree with your notion that this kind of game is spirit crushingly difficult - No, it is in fact a gaming master building machine! And each time you restart you can actually feel your spirit growing each run..!
Haha if you say so! I’ve got pretty thick skin when it comes to hard NES games and all three of those push me past my tolerance limits.
@@BigOleWords What more can I say.. We all have our own punishment levels.. lol
I recently beat Ninja Gaiden for the first time after 30+ years. That, Ghosts N Goblins and Battletoads were the holy trinity of games I thought I'd never beat. I still don't know where to my "spirit" lands in this whole equation. 😆
@@Vanfernal Nice work, congratulations on this awesome achievement!
When I was a kid I used to see the Mission impossible game at Blockbuster video but I never got it because I didn’t like the way the box art looked.
It’s way better than it’s box let’s on!
I cant remember for game name where you can switch between 3 character. First was in green shirt and could shoots. Second has a hat like a cowboy and also could shoots but faster and third character was some ninja with sword. Do you know the name of this games? I played it in my childhood but cant find it now.
Oh that "damn" level! 🤣
Zing!
Predator 2 on the master system is a much better game from the Danny Glover video game genre 😂
Hahaha the Gloverse.
Yeah I think you did miss one, but seeing as I clicked this video to find out which it was.... I'm not 100% sure it was on the NES, tho, so no worries.
Friend o' mine had a game that looked kinda like discount Megaman. You could swap between team members at will from the start and they did all have different powers, maybe separate music as well? I think Bucky o hare came closest in looks and function but it was definitely not that one.
Ah well I don't think you'd miss much, but yeah, I was wondering which game it was and hoped it would be on here. Cheers!
Little Samson? I did go over that one though.
@@BigOleWords Yeah, you did - but those friends need unlocking, don't they? These were available from level 1.
Little Samson did look slightly familiar, but unless they had some kinda save option, I'm sure I've only played the first (few) levels - including transformations.
Had a bit of a Wood-man interior vibe, colour-wise - maybe some more purple. I wouldn't give that memory too much credit tho ^^.
It's probably the video-game equivalent of that one movie from your childhood nobody else knows because you had it on VHS, know what I mean? It's not very important anyway, but I'd've liked to know what name to put with the memory. No worries. Good clip!
You missed Contra Force. You can both switch characters like in TMNT, and assign an AI to them if you need to.
Yes I did! I actually missed a few games, but that one stings as I'd already reviewed it in my video about 2-player co-op games: ruclips.net/video/gFdUaVtVHYs/видео.html
I remember how they had to censor a LOT in Maniac Mansion to get it approved by Nintendo of America.
Apparently still allowing for the microwaving of hamsters!
@@BigOleWords By the time they discovered that, it was too late to remove it from the NTSC version. They did remove it from the PAL version, with Razor and Syd saying, "Like, no way, these things are just loaded with cholesterol!"
@@Lauren_Tyler haha
Rescue Embassy mission might be a stretch, aren't all the characters basically the same game? That's almost like a sports game.
Yeah there’s not much to distinguish them from each other is there?
There was a game tat starts off on the roof and has three characters, one carry a pistol, the other a shot gun n the last one carry a stick like weapon that rotates
The unlocked characters in DD3 are a mixed lot. The fat one is trash and if you're stuck with the him just reach for the reset button.
Haha well good to knowI didn't miss much :)
🤣🤣 sorry but Everytime I see a Flintstones NES game, the first thing that pops in my mind (other than the $100,000 price tag) is GRAND-DAD! 🤣🤣🤣🤣 LOL.
I have a feeling if I ask what that means I’ll get reminded of something else I didn’t know about that makes me feel old ;)
@@BigOleWords lol. No it's not that old of a thing. The RUclips channel Vinesauce played a bootleg NES game once and it was that exact Flintstones game only with Mario and it was called 7 Grand Dad and the guys reaction when he first saw it is internet gold now! Lol. You should just look up "Vinesauce Grandad" and you'll see what I mean. 🤣
I'm 41 so I already feel old. Lol.
Bucky O' Hare is underrated and I wanna see it rerelased.
Agreed!
@@BigOleWords And the music is the best. Most I know who played it used Blinky and Bucky while Jenny could break the game with the bosses.
@@Dystnine Willy's charge attack is great on the alligator and the brainwashed Duck shooter
Bro, Sypha is by far the most useful. Her freeze ability is just straight up broken. In fact I usually consider Sypha's path as easy mode while Alucard's is hard mode.
Yeah I don’t know why but I never go her route. I’m stuck in Alucard mode forever!
@@BigOleWords I never go her route anymore because I've beaten the game on that route several times. Have yet to beat it going Alucard. But can with both agree that getting Grant is just a waste of time?
@@SlayerRunefrost Only if you don't want to hear the best track in the whole game!
@@BigOleWords naw, best tracks in the game are in the first lvl and the haunted forest lvl.
3:00 To be fair, the Japanese original is more fair. You take less damage in later levels and I think even enemy placement is less cheap. Just like in Japanese Ninja Gaiden 3.
double dragon 3n is one of the best games i have ever played
Lot's of people have said they love it, I just cannot get into it.
But AVGN tells me It's bad !
I like the game but It's a bit hard to get into because of how challenging the start of the game is.
@@Gatorade69 ok i have completed all of double dragon 2 so getting in to dd 3 wasnt that hard for me also u have to factor the nostalgia for it but once u get in to it its a blast
Great content. Keep going!
You got it!
Double Dragon 3 was unacceptably hard. I beat it one time, i did so with save states, I consider that fair against that game. Absolutely brutal beyond reason.
Flying Warriors!
Can you switch characters in Flying Warriors? I could never make it that far and only ever played as one guy.
@@BigOleWords the different characters are pretty much pallette swaps
Nes game where your character can switch between suits, blue green and yellow the blue one was a wolf theme, side scroller bright colored levels. Please help!!!!
No idea. Sounds like a Famicom Power Rangers game or something
@@BigOleWords bummer, thanks any way man.
i think Kyatto Ninden Teyandee (samurai pizza cats) belong in this list
ruclips.net/video/wEZhl2peZIk/видео.html
I didn't really include any Famicom titles in this list, BUT there are enough NES games I missed that I'll tackle those and some of the Japanese exclusives in part 2.
1:12 What game is this?
Widget or Monster Party
@@BigOleWords Ah, Monster Party. Thanks.
New video that's what's up.
I think I beat the Kung Fu guy in DD3 but that was as far as I got
In TMNT supposedly Mike is a better swimmer and driver. That makes up for his shitty weapons.
Great video 👍✅
Ok, I'm adding "side bud" to my lexicon.
Ran out of good synonyms :)
❤
COOL GUYS
noice
Friday the 13th?
Yeah I left that out for some reason. Part 2 at some point!
Sweet! Looking forward to it! Could you change them on the fly in A Nightmare on Elm Street? Only played once and can't recall.
Friday the 13th???
Yeah I forgot about that one!
@@BigOleWords Don't sleep on the horror games. That could be a video in itself ;)
Uff gijoe games are awesome! And lethal weapon game sucks!
True on both points!
You might want to think about actually giving games a fair effort before making a video about them.
What about Samurai Pizza Cats (Ninja Cats) ?
I think there were a few Famicom exclusives that used the switching characters mechanic :)
@@BigOleWords ohh. You are right, that Famicom