Recommend your favourite childhood games
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Recommend your favourite childhood games
Jersey Devil
Story:
We're drawn into the world of Jersey Devil very effectively by this great animated intro before the title screen. If you find the time to watch it you should notice some brilliant characterisation crammed into the short segment (Dr. Knarf remains one of my favourite video game villains to this day).
The rest of the cut scenes happen briefly in game before and after boss battles. The narrative seems to take place mainly before the game starts and after you've killed the final boss but the world kind of tells a story as you experience it but overall your motivation to defeat Knarf propels you through the entire game.
3/6
Gameplay:
The gameplay is absolutely fantastic but short of flawless. The platforming is great due to your characters tiny wings being able to glide him across short distances meaning you often have to look to the distance to see where you have to go next. A lot of the excitement of the platforming lends itself to the environments you're gliding around but, again, we'll get to that when I talk about level design. The combat is okay but you only have one basic Crash Bandicoot style spin attack which can feel fiddly to use again certain enemy types. The camera can sometimes be your enemy, especially when doing precision platforming or enemy combat in confined areas. To be honest the overall experience the game offers you when you combine all its elements vastly overshadow the fact you'll occasionally miss a ledge or a hit on an enemy. Let's just say I can't recall once in the game being generally frustrated at the controls, although I'd be lying if I said I didn't have one or two undeserved death (that's what extra lives are for though right?) due to the camera.
Your enemies range from mutated vegetables to human sized rat creatures to dinosaurs to Aztec warriors to Frankenstein monsters to poo bombing seagulls etc etc etc. There's a lot of enemy variations for every level with only the vegetable type enemies reoccurring generally. To progress through the many areas of a level (almost levels within themselves) you will need to collect the letters K, N, A, R and F as they unlock the door that keeps you from progressing. Whilst this could sound tedious on paper this often means exploration, puzzles and defeating certain enemies, it never feels like a chore. For the completists there are 99 nitro crates to destroy per the two main paths in any given level. Collecting them all will show JD destroying the boss's lair with a nitro bottle upon defeating them and increase your p (power) level.
Overall this game has plenty to keep you occupied and you'll be grateful it did.
5/6
Sound:
The music in this game is wonderful, an absolute delight to the ears and owes a lot to the character and atmosphere that make this game so memorable. You'll feel a breadth of emotions through this game, from epic crescendos to slower and more silent themes that evoke a feeling of isolation and loneliness as the atmosphere is rather apocalyptic due to lack of any life but that of enemies. Speaking of enemies each have their own individual sound which you'll come to recognise, as well as plenty of environmental sounds which converge to make brilliant atmospheres.
I've linked some of my favourite level themes should you wish to listen: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
6/6
Graphics:
For a PS1 game the graphics are sublime. With plenty of shape and definition you never find yourself trying to make out what the hell you're looking at. It's all very neat and preety, not to mention vibrant and varied. The art desgn itself is fantastic and the games enjoyment owes a lot to the syle and presentation which has this bitter-sweet Halloweeny vibe throughout. See level design for more.
6/6
Level Design:
The true highlight of the game, paired with the music. The world of Jersey Devil is gleefully atmospheric, charismatic and fantastical. Each level has two main paths and a secret path. The secondary path is always blocked until you complete it the first time but then you can revisit the level and the first area will have changed somehow, for example the spinning dome on top of the museum in the first level has stopped allowing you to use the door on said dome. The two paths are always completely different, for example one level sees you revisiting Knarf's mansion which you blew up in the intro. First time round you get into his family crypt and find an entrance to secret catacombs in one of the coffins. Within you have to defeat his eccentric ancestors in mini boss battles before making your way to the boss whereas the second time round you can now cross the pond that was previously inaccessible and ascend the mountain his mansion rests on. The secret paths are normally noticeable enough as they are marked with what p level you have to be to access them. This makes collecting the optional nitro crates worthwhile as they lead to fun bonus levels in which you slide down steep paths littered with goodies such as extra lives amongst the vines, gaps and obstacles in your way, great for when you need a few extra lives in a jiffy.
Overall the environments are beautifully stylised and bring a lot of character to the game.
6/6
Overall:
My all time favourite platformer as well as one of the most obscure I know. I've completed it recently and it's still a great game and an adventure I wish many more people had embarked upon.
6/6
Story:
We're drawn into the world of Jersey Devil very effectively by this great animated intro before the title screen. If you find the time to watch it you should notice some brilliant characterisation crammed into the short segment (Dr. Knarf remains one of my favourite video game villains to this day).
The rest of the cut scenes happen briefly in game before and after boss battles. The narrative seems to take place mainly before the game starts and after you've killed the final boss but the world kind of tells a story as you experience it but overall your motivation to defeat Knarf propels you through the entire game.
3/6
Gameplay:
The gameplay is absolutely fantastic but short of flawless. The platforming is great due to your characters tiny wings being able to glide him across short distances meaning you often have to look to the distance to see where you have to go next. A lot of the excitement of the platforming lends itself to the environments you're gliding around but, again, we'll get to that when I talk about level design. The combat is okay but you only have one basic Crash Bandicoot style spin attack which can feel fiddly to use again certain enemy types. The camera can sometimes be your enemy, especially when doing precision platforming or enemy combat in confined areas. To be honest the overall experience the game offers you when you combine all its elements vastly overshadow the fact you'll occasionally miss a ledge or a hit on an enemy. Let's just say I can't recall once in the game being generally frustrated at the controls, although I'd be lying if I said I didn't have one or two undeserved death (that's what extra lives are for though right?) due to the camera.
Your enemies range from mutated vegetables to human sized rat creatures to dinosaurs to Aztec warriors to Frankenstein monsters to poo bombing seagulls etc etc etc. There's a lot of enemy variations for every level with only the vegetable type enemies reoccurring generally. To progress through the many areas of a level (almost levels within themselves) you will need to collect the letters K, N, A, R and F as they unlock the door that keeps you from progressing. Whilst this could sound tedious on paper this often means exploration, puzzles and defeating certain enemies, it never feels like a chore. For the completists there are 99 nitro crates to destroy per the two main paths in any given level. Collecting them all will show JD destroying the boss's lair with a nitro bottle upon defeating them and increase your p (power) level.
Overall this game has plenty to keep you occupied and you'll be grateful it did.
5/6
Sound:
The music in this game is wonderful, an absolute delight to the ears and owes a lot to the character and atmosphere that make this game so memorable. You'll feel a breadth of emotions through this game, from epic crescendos to slower and more silent themes that evoke a feeling of isolation and loneliness as the atmosphere is rather apocalyptic due to lack of any life but that of enemies. Speaking of enemies each have their own individual sound which you'll come to recognise, as well as plenty of environmental sounds which converge to make brilliant atmospheres.
I've linked some of my favourite level themes should you wish to listen: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
6/6
Graphics:
For a PS1 game the graphics are sublime. With plenty of shape and definition you never find yourself trying to make out what the hell you're looking at. It's all very neat and preety, not to mention vibrant and varied. The art desgn itself is fantastic and the games enjoyment owes a lot to the syle and presentation which has this bitter-sweet Halloweeny vibe throughout. See level design for more.
6/6
Level Design:
The true highlight of the game, paired with the music. The world of Jersey Devil is gleefully atmospheric, charismatic and fantastical. Each level has two main paths and a secret path. The secondary path is always blocked until you complete it the first time but then you can revisit the level and the first area will have changed somehow, for example the spinning dome on top of the museum in the first level has stopped allowing you to use the door on said dome. The two paths are always completely different, for example one level sees you revisiting Knarf's mansion which you blew up in the intro. First time round you get into his family crypt and find an entrance to secret catacombs in one of the coffins. Within you have to defeat his eccentric ancestors in mini boss battles before making your way to the boss whereas the second time round you can now cross the pond that was previously inaccessible and ascend the mountain his mansion rests on. The secret paths are normally noticeable enough as they are marked with what p level you have to be to access them. This makes collecting the optional nitro crates worthwhile as they lead to fun bonus levels in which you slide down steep paths littered with goodies such as extra lives amongst the vines, gaps and obstacles in your way, great for when you need a few extra lives in a jiffy.
Overall the environments are beautifully stylised and bring a lot of character to the game.
6/6
Overall:
My all time favourite platformer as well as one of the most obscure I know. I've completed it recently and it's still a great game and an adventure I wish many more people had embarked upon.
6/6
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
Holy shit, how high do you have to be to review a game and not even recall doing so?
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
Lolz.
I liked Klonoa.
I liked Klonoa.
DanglyBrasco- Join date : 2008-08-26
Age : 33
Location : Angleland
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
Daffy Duck : Marvin Missions
Quality game
Quality game
Dont Look Angry- Join date : 2008-08-27
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
One of the most underrated games on the N64. It was right up there with Mario Kart in my mind.
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
The best 16-bit platformer, fuck Mario & Sonic. Has the best videogame music too - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2cLDX-3K-Y
Shame the new one on PSN/XBLA looks rubbish, Konami blow these days.
Shame the new one on PSN/XBLA looks rubbish, Konami blow these days.
maze- Join date : 2009-07-14
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
Yeah I wanted to try out Rocket Knight but when I saw it was all 3D'd up I lost interest. Was it a remake or what?
Klonoa was the shit, anyone play Tombi?
Klonoa was the shit, anyone play Tombi?
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
Nah it's a whole new game, looks like the devs didn't even play the original.
Tombi was great, I had both of those on PS1.
Tombi was great, I had both of those on PS1.
maze- Join date : 2009-07-14
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
Never got to play the second. Man I'd love for those to become PS1 classics as well as Klonoa.
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
Hocus Pocus
Amazingly atmospheric and exciting, this little puzzle platformer kept me occupied for many hours in DOS. Was at times immensely creepy and the game world always gave you a feeling of foreboding and isolation (after this first level). The many power-ups were always fun and the combat very entertaining at the time. Magical!
Amazingly atmospheric and exciting, this little puzzle platformer kept me occupied for many hours in DOS. Was at times immensely creepy and the game world always gave you a feeling of foreboding and isolation (after this first level). The many power-ups were always fun and the combat very entertaining at the time. Magical!
Kaptain Kaviar- Join date : 2008-08-26
Age : 33
Location : The Teahouse
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
Anyone ever play the Dizzy games. I can't remember anything about the one I played except that you play as an egg and it was awesome.
There's a bunch of them which makes it much harder to know which one I loved lol.
There's a bunch of them which makes it much harder to know which one I loved lol.
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
Dingo wrote:There's a bunch of them which makes it much harder to know which one I loved lol.
Rebellious Backbencher- Join date : 2008-08-26
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
Yessir. I did a reference, is what I did.
Rebellious Backbencher- Join date : 2008-08-26
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
Dizzy was the business!
I think it was that one I had on the Master System, and it was one of the hardest games I've ever played. Great soundtrack too.
Black Suede- Join date : 2008-08-27
Age : 34
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
Haha, I had that on C64 when I was a kid. Way too young to remember which, like Dingo.
Moozo- Join date : 2008-08-27
Age : 30
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
depends on the system and depends on how long you consider childhood to last
anyways.... 1 image and 1 quick summary for each!
C64 - Rampage
Ahh the Commodore 64... My brother's chunky, dusty and frustratingly slow "personal computer" that played games not on floppy's like the later Amiga, but off tapes. Crazy shit. I don't know what it was, but back then... it really seemed sensible to wait 20 minutes for a game to load. I don't know if the wait was what made the game so satisfying, but smashing the fuck out of a city made of pixely squares was something that got me hooked on gaming.
Amiga - Simon the Sorcerer
My first point and click adventure game that I couldn't really play alone so got to play with my brother... until he sold it. I then baught it again afew years later in a car boot and loved it. It's no monkey island, but it's still rather classy!
NES - Bubble Bobble.
It involved 2 buttons and directions. First game I ever completed and forced my mother to play it with me all day... first video game I could independently sit and play for hours. Dispite having a frustratingly difficult end boss, I loved starting it again and again. Simple gameplay, nice graphics / character design and a not TOO annoying score make this my all time favorite time waster.
SNES - Turtles In Time.
I didn't even pick this. My brother baught it when he was 12 or so, which is just a testament to how bloody amazing it was. Turtles was undoubtedly for kids but as we'd never been exposed to streets of rage or golden axe (well, not until a few years later...), turtles in time took the side scrolling beat 'em, something we hadn't played since the NES and made it fucking awesome! Graphics was awesome, game play was really fun and it was genuinely quite funny in parts (I used to run around the house screaming "my toe! my toe!"). Unfortunately, much like MA$E, Konami has bastardized my all time favorite game into some 3D monstrocity that seems hollow in comparison with the original. If you get a chance to get this for the SNES / a rom, give it a play, its hours of fun
anyways.... 1 image and 1 quick summary for each!
C64 - Rampage
Ahh the Commodore 64... My brother's chunky, dusty and frustratingly slow "personal computer" that played games not on floppy's like the later Amiga, but off tapes. Crazy shit. I don't know what it was, but back then... it really seemed sensible to wait 20 minutes for a game to load. I don't know if the wait was what made the game so satisfying, but smashing the fuck out of a city made of pixely squares was something that got me hooked on gaming.
Amiga - Simon the Sorcerer
My first point and click adventure game that I couldn't really play alone so got to play with my brother... until he sold it. I then baught it again afew years later in a car boot and loved it. It's no monkey island, but it's still rather classy!
NES - Bubble Bobble.
It involved 2 buttons and directions. First game I ever completed and forced my mother to play it with me all day... first video game I could independently sit and play for hours. Dispite having a frustratingly difficult end boss, I loved starting it again and again. Simple gameplay, nice graphics / character design and a not TOO annoying score make this my all time favorite time waster.
SNES - Turtles In Time.
I didn't even pick this. My brother baught it when he was 12 or so, which is just a testament to how bloody amazing it was. Turtles was undoubtedly for kids but as we'd never been exposed to streets of rage or golden axe (well, not until a few years later...), turtles in time took the side scrolling beat 'em, something we hadn't played since the NES and made it fucking awesome! Graphics was awesome, game play was really fun and it was genuinely quite funny in parts (I used to run around the house screaming "my toe! my toe!"). Unfortunately, much like MA$E, Konami has bastardized my all time favorite game into some 3D monstrocity that seems hollow in comparison with the original. If you get a chance to get this for the SNES / a rom, give it a play, its hours of fun
Last edited by Ipso-Shrapnel on Wed Jun 30, 2010 7:00 pm; edited 1 time in total
Ipso-Shrapnel- Join date : 2008-08-26
Location : YOUR FACE
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
Didn't they release the original turtles in time on arcade? Or was that another Turtles 2D sidescroller beat em up thingy
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
that was the first arcade game mate, the 1980s one... still wicked, no turtles in time though!
Ipso-Shrapnel- Join date : 2008-08-26
Location : YOUR FACE
DanglyBrasco- Join date : 2008-08-26
Age : 33
Location : Angleland
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
Yeah, man, that's one game that always comes to mind.
Black Suede- Join date : 2008-08-27
Age : 34
DanglyBrasco- Join date : 2008-08-26
Age : 33
Location : Angleland
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
Yeah, I remember my cousin lent it off someone back in the day and we had loads of fun on it. Always wanted to play again but haven't since.
Black Suede- Join date : 2008-08-27
Age : 34
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
Pandemonium feels like a platformer that should definitely be more remembered. It was awesome. Only played the OPSM demo for Pandemonium 2 though.
Re: Recommend your favourite childhood games
I thought Pandemonium was good back in the day (the sequel wasn't too shabby either) but it's dated horribly.
Ipso-Shrapnel- Join date : 2008-08-26
Location : YOUR FACE
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