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NES/SNES/Game Boy

Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back (SNES, 1993): Completed 99.9% 8/1 Difficulty Level *** Though I could not get through beating Darth Vader as the last boss to fully complete the game, I'm going to call this a win. Even after watching the YouTube walkthroughs and seeing how other people were able to beat DV, I must not have all the wherewithal to defeat him (ahem the Force, namely). I'm currently working on Return of the Jedi, and after beating the first one and going through this second one, it's laughable how much of the same each one is. Gameplay's a slight improvement from the first one, but one thing that it's annoying is how difficulty level to level is so up and down. Some of the early levels are much harder than the later ones. Some of the later ones can be finished by lots of random hack and slashing, though some levels and bosses require more precision. 

Duck Tales (NES, 1992): Completed 7/30

Difficulty Level * Easily beatable like Chip and Dale, and even easier considering that the life bars given to you is perhaps too generous. The poggle like action is all you really do as it's basically the only way to kill baddies and complete the platforming action. The game is extremely short. The hardest level, ironically, for me was the very first level - "Amazon", since there's a part where if you don't get the premise, take a wrong detour, then there's no way to get back to the original pathway. Satisfying, and I would say one of the top in my short list of best NES games. Disney certainly was on a roll with NES games. Sequel up next. 

Super Star Wars (SNES, 1992): Completed 7/22

Difficulty Level *** I remember as a child that I could play through ESB and RoJ without too much difficulty, but I always had problems with being able to beat the first one. The game has its varieties in level design- some side scrolling action and first person levels. The first persons (Xwing and Speedcruisers) as you can imagine for the early technology of SNES is rough and choppy, but gets better w/ the sequel. But with said, this is why the last level (shown here) as you experience the legendary journey through the Death Star fending off Tie Fighters and ultimately Darth Vader, this is super hard even with the ability to save at any time and reloading. Precision and quick reflexes galore, but ultimately satisfying when you hit the "R" button to release the missiles at the 100yd mark to destroy the main core. 

Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers (NES, 1990): Completed 7/30. Difficulty Level * Easily, the easiest game of the NES games played in my recent binge. Picking up gazillion boxes and throwing it at enemies picking up flowers and stars. Bosses are extremely easy, just find the red ball and throw it either horizontally/vertically. "Fat Cat" the last boss was a bit challenging, and required some luck to avoid getting killed. But the ending where you get to hear the iconic theme song just made it so worth it. Probably going to jump on the sequel, thought not sure if I've ever played it. 

Contra 3: Alien Wars (SNES, 1992): Completed 7/31. Difficulty Level **** Run and gun game that's so unbelievably hard and I was playing with the most generous game supports- Easy mode and Anytime saving. Challenging to the extreme because probably the game encourages duo play. Some of the bosses (especially the very last boss, which was actually like 5) require precision timing and memorizing their patterns. Somehow played this game as a kid, but don't remember this game being this difficult, but perhaps my game skills as a kid was better than I realized.  

Tiny Toon Adventures (NES, 1991): Completed 7/31. Difficulty Level ** Cute game and brings me back to my childhood. I think the Tiny Toon videogames are vastly overlooked and I didn't realize how there's so many great titles across the different platforms - currently working on the SNES and Genesis games. I'm glad to see it where it all began by playing the first one released here on the NES. Good to see representation from nearly all the characters- Dizzy, Elmyra, Dodo, Plucky, etc. But a disclaimer that this game on the surface looks easy, but when you get deeper into the game, the difficulty ramps up to an 11, mainly because you only get one life (though you can expand with an extra heart). 

Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa (NES, 1988): Completed 7/31. Difficulty Level ** A Japan only game released on the Famicom that I never played through in its entirety as a kid. Game is incredibly unique and you just will never find a game where you get to control a crawling toddler dodging flying bad guys and jumping past lava and spikes. Too bad this game never turned into any kind of sequel. The game is one of the early releases on the Famicom, yet it so well ahead of its time in graphics and sounds. Game can be generous when you obtain more life bars, but there's still some really challenging platforming. 

Super Mario Bros 3 (NES, 1988): Completed 8/13. Difficulty Level *** No way that I would have an NES emulator sitting there without trying to beat this game. Playing through it, I'm reminded why it's widely considered the best NES game, less alone probably on the short list of best of all time. Innovative with all kinds of unique level design. The different worlds are nothing short of brilliance - yes you have your classic Ice world (a theme that I was seeing in practically 90% of the games I was playing), but Desert Land, Giant Land, Sky Land and finally to Dark Land. I made sure that with the exception of one level (One mini Castle in Dark Land, that I could not figure out) I made sure to not use any of the shortcuts- warps, P-Wings and Cloud. Satisfying and the game also has high replay value with levels certainly containing plenty of secrets. Getting Bowser at the end was satisfying, but the final quote from Princess was corny, and I think they could have done a lot better than making a joke about the princess being in the other castle. 

Hudson's Adventure Island II (NES, 1991): Completed 8/13. Difficulty Level ** 1/2  I tried to play through the first one, but gave up in World 5 out of 8. It's an incredibly hard game with everything against you: 1 life, each level with a limited time, and no continues. But thankfully the sequel is way more forgiving and level of difficulty way way down; though in the end it was still somewhat hard to beat. Relative to the first one, the levels are much shorter, though there are 10 times more levels, so in some ways it's balanced out but at least the time constraint isn't as salient. The game falls into heavy redundancy. Even though levels changes through the same terrain, it just keeps getting recycled over and over. There's a third one, but not sure if I want to play sort of the same game over and over. Worth playing overall, just brings so much nostalgia. 

Joe and Mac (SNES, 1991): Completed 8/13. Difficulty Level * 1/2  Very short game and felt like there was only about 10 levels/stages to complete. Not sure if it was either hardware, software, or a combination of both, but the controls are extremely clunky. In playing the second one, thankfully rapid improvements on the control to the point that it seems like this was a first priority. The gameplay always feels a step behind and made the experience of killing bad guys choppy. It's a cute game with nice colorful visuals and does have some cool level design variety. Not much to say, it's a short and sweet game. 

Rockman 4 (NES, 1991): Completed 8/20. Difficulty Level **  Been on a complete Megaman binge completing 2 and 3, though I still refuse to play the 1st (way too hard), but never played this in my childhood. Relatively easier than the previous 3. With every new version there are only slight enhancements in graphics, but I just enjoy playing these because of the simple platforming. And as a kid just a big fan of playing the Blue Bomber

Ducktales 2 (NES, 1989): Completed 9/5. Difficulty Level *  A game that I never played in my childhood and I don't think I was aware that this ever existed. The game is pretty much a carbon copy of the first one and to me not a great sequel. It could almost be like an extension of the first one. Yes there are a few additions like the marketplace and some new powers but these ways of boosting your power makes the game easier, not adding to any kind of complexity. Not the game that needs to be played, since I would just stick to the first one. 

Mickey Mouse: World of Illusion (Genesis, 1992): Completed 8/1. Difficulty Level * Sequel to Castle of Illusion. Compared to the previous one, this one is high and above easier. Charming game with very colorful visuals and level design. I like the Worlds that you jump level to level like the Alice in Wonderland, Pinnochio and Snow White. The game is quick to beat and I'm sure that if I could block out an afternoon, this could be beat in one sitting. 

Shinobi: Shadow Dancer (Genesis, 1990): Completed 8/8 Difficulty Level **** Never actually played this game in my childhood, but it's very old school Genesis classic. Tough thing about this game, and glad that this is not the case with the sequels, is the annoying one life shots. Pretty much have to save every 1 minute. Short game only, basically 5 rounds. Music and sound effects are ahead of its time. Simple premise and you have to rely on quick reflexes, but not overwhelmingly hard where there's tons of baddies coming at you. I'm more interested in this series than the Ninja Gaiden, something that I thought I would never say, but I just didn't realize how tough the Gaiden series is, even though as a kid I loved playing the Garden series. Game was insanely tough, especially trying to get past the last boss! 

Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master (Genesis, 1993): Completed 8/28 Difficulty Level **** Though the game is much more generous than the previous with no more 1 hit deaths and a much used special power to regain your health (at the expense of losing a life), this game is still extremely hard. In actuality, 2/3rds of the game were somewhat a breeze to get through, it's the last level that was ridiculously hard. Jumps that required the most precise timing. Last boss wasn't actually too hard and I was able to get through in one try abeit with using tons of power-ups and then was finally down to a small morsel of life left. Satisfying and the game has nice visuals and animations. Music is appropriate and adds to the tone. 

Sonic the Hedgehog 1 (Genesis, 1991): Completed 7/26 Difficulty Level *** The Genesis included game that started it all and led to countless games and even a movie. Game is understandably short since as a release title it was timed with the release of the system. Growing up, I don't think that I ever played the game from start to end. But it was fun to see how the game was more or less geared towards demonstrating the Genesis' speed through all the roller coast levels. Clear that there were plans for a sequel as it just ends on an abrupt end. Game is difficult though since it's not as generous with the lives. 

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Genesis, 1994): Completed 8/8 Difficulty Level ** Relative to the first two this one is a bit easier than the first one. The game overall is not hard I breezed through 90% of the game, but it's the 10% that took me longer to get through because there some confusing parts about what to do. I had to go to Game Faqs and watch walkthroughs to figure out some of the mechanics. The game is short, and so short that I never realized that I was on the final stage and fighting the final boss. Game overall has less "Acts" but the developers obviously took a different approach by stretching the levels longer. The challenge with this new approach is that this means that you are much more accountable to time than the previous ones. I've gotten through levels with 5 or less seconds remaining on the clock. But I think the game is designed with strong replay value because there are areas that I missed and plus I never was able to obtain the elusive "Super Saiyan" Sonic.. And random fun fact, depending if this is a good or bad thing, but Michael Jackson produced the soundtrack, which kinda makes sense in hindsight because you notice a lot of quick bursts of "aah" "yeahs" interspersed through the music, which does get old and annoying after awhile. 

Sonic & Knuckles (Genesis, 1994): Completed 8/28 Difficulty Level ** I've never considered myself a big Sonic fan, but I'm amazed that I just completed the whole franchise from Sonic 1 to this one. Not my favorite in the series- my hat still goes off to #2. But this one had a lot of cool tricks and there were moments throughout the game that wasn't really about the game itself, but just ways for the developers, I guess, to flex the hardware's powers. The game was relatively easy to breeze through and I didn't find too many dead-ends, despite the fact that the game rarely tells you actually where to go, but somehow whatever direction you go you'll eventually find yourself on the right track, and that's a testament to some great game designs. 

Tiny Toon's Adventure: Buster's Hidden Treasure (Genesis, 1993): Completed 8/14. Difficulty Level **  I vividly remembered this as one of the first few games that I got with my Genesis. This side scroller is very easy to pick up and play. It's refreshing that when you kill baddies by pure jumps on the head that you actually don't always have to hit "down" which was a common thing with certain games like Ducktales and Tiny Toons on the NES. If you're well versed in the TTA franchise, it's nice that you get to see nearly all the characters represented. Though the game starts off quite easy, the last couple of levels get very difficult and requires some precision platforming. The Elmyra chase is insanely hard, and I ways almost ready to give up aka the notorious Battletoads Level 2, but thankfully there are certain strategies to complete it. Overall, a solid game with the right length and provides a clean and straigthforward game experience. 

Gunstar Heroes (Genesis, 1993): Completed 8/25. Difficulty Level ***  An amazing shoot'em up game that stretches the system's hardware. Though the game is easy to pick up since all you're doing is shooting whatever's one screen, there is a steep learning curve as you have to learn the enemies' patterns as they get progressively hard and I do mean very hard. Picking the right combination of guns is hugely important. Very creatively made game with lots of surprises that keeps the action interesting and never boring. This game is more like a kid's version of Contra. 

Sunset Riders(Genesis, 1991): Completed 9/5. Difficulty Level **  Honestly I don't think that I ever played this version since I mainly played the SNES version - and they couldn't be more different from each other. Compared to the SNES, I found that this seems to have more of that arcade feel where the action/side scrolling is much more the focus than the graphics and other bells and whistles. When you die, it even has the arcade like - "To continue" with the 10-sec clock. There's a lot of action on screen so you have to be careful to dodge bullets, but good thing is that you can't miss these huge nerf looking bullets coming at you. 

Turbographics 16 fx

Bomberman '94 (PC Engine, 1993): Completed 8/13. Difficulty Level * 1/2  I never actually owned the system, but in my childhood I did get to experience the PC engine mainly through borrowing the handheld version from my cousin. I've constantly heard that this is considered one of the best Bombermans, and I couldn't agree with this more. My other all-time fav is probably Bomberman 2 on the SNES. The game keeps you on your toes throughout as it really expands the universe. Bosses are quite entertaining to play.