Simply having a pixely Christmas Time

Season's greetings one and all!

With the festive period very much in full swing and the Big Day almost upon us, I thought I would take a little look at how Christmas plays a part in some of my favourite video games...tis the season, after all.

Shenmue - Dreamcast

Ryo nearly manages a smile at Christmas!

For me, there are very few sights in the gaming world that compare with that of the wonderful city of Yokosuka covered in snow and lit up at Christmas time. And as you would expect from such a magnificent game, Shenmue makes you feel as if you are really there, trudging through the crisp snow, downing cans of Jet Cola and spending all your pocket money on addictive capsule toys! And what's more, you can do all this (and so much more) to the accompaniment of some wonderful background music.

The very first time I played Shenmue was in the lead up to Christmas of 2001, and for this reason alone it will forever remain a special Christmas game to me...plus there aren't many better ways of hibernating the winter away!

Secret of Mana - Super Nintendo/Super Famicom

Christmas is saved, thanks to Salamando!

I'm not sure I've ever played another game where you have to beat the living daylights out of Father Christmas in order to help save the world...but here we have it with Square's masterful Secret of Mana! Upon arriving in the Ice Country, you find out that the jolly fat man has been kidnapped and as it turns out, possessed by the spirit of Frost Gigas. In order to stop him wreaking havoc you need to take him down fast...a few well place swings of a Flame Sabre and a couple of Fireballs help knock the sense back into Claus and save the day.

Secret of Mana will always be one of my all time favourite video games. It offers up a very rare experience, and the chance to save Christmas within it's joyous world makes that experience even sweeter.  

Christmas NiGHTS - Saturn

Nightopia, the ultimate Christmas destination...

The original NiGHTS was always a rather magical experience for me, but once you get the Christmas edition and (if need be) change the Saturn's internal clock to December...the fun starts to get really festive! Elliot and Claris journey once more to Nightopia and team up with the whimsical jester known as NiGHTS, this time to rescue the Christmas Star from the evil Gillwing. Flying around around Spring Valley while it's covered in a deep blanket of snow and with a gorgeous instrumental version of Jingle Bells as your musical accompaniment is genuinely out of this world!  

Christmas NiGHTS is not the longest or most complex game you're likely to play this year (only 2 levels long), but it another piece of unbridled joy from Sega and one which would put a smile on the face of all but the biggest of grinches.

Batman Returns - Super Nintendo/Super Famicom

Festive cheer...Gotham Style!

Not content with making one of the most accomplished beat-em-ups of the 16bit generation, Konami also saw fit to smother Batman Returns in a wonderful Christmas inspired glaze! The Penguin and Catwoman are intent on bringing chaos to Gotham during the holiday season...cue the Dark Knight and his dazzling array of moves and gadgets. In order to save the day, you must knock seven bells out of the baddies...which strangely enough, could be compared to shopping on Christmas Eve.

Although it's by far the darkest use of Christmas within this list, there is a definite allure to prowling the lawless streets of Gotham and dispensing some seasonal vigilante justice.

So there we have it. I sincerely hope this little list of games adds to your festive cheer!

To everyone who reads my written meanderings; I'd like to extend a massive thank you for your support and encouragement throughout the year. I wish you all a very happy Christmas and all the best for the New Year.

Sneaky and unassuming NPCs part I: Jianmin from Shenmue II

Behind those wrinkles hides a martial arts phenomenon! 

None player characters (NPCs)...pretty much every RPG has them in one form or another. Historically the NPC species can be split into two predominant groups; the first are your average run of the mill town folk, who will spend their days and nights aimlessly milling about villages and cities sharing snippets of (often crucial) information, running shops and inns or generally just misbehaving (ala Johnny from Final Fantasy VII). Common traits amongst these characters include looking identical to their neighbours, having their houses pillaged by adventuring types and kind of just being there to make up the numbers...it's not a prestigious existence but someone has to do it, right?

The second group, is brimmed with much more interesting and alluring personalities. It's here we find the characters that are chosen to make up the core of the story and fulfil vital roles within it's plot. Beings in this most hallowed NPC group can range from the angelic to downright satanic, usually each one will have their own distinct persona, a properly developed back story and outrageous dress sense. These are also the characters responsible for some of the most famous moments in RPG history...the wondrous Leknaat reviving the ever faithful Gremio in Suikoden for instance (guaranteed to make fans of all ages weep with joy!).

Generally speaking, it's easy to spot when one of these alpha NPCs is about to get unpleasant or is plotting the hero's demise. It is often signalled by a sudden dramatic musical score or a sweeping cut scene, occasionally though one or two will catch us out, and that meekly innocent non player character will turn to be a bit of a sly dog.

The classic text book example of this unassuming NPC has to be Jianmin Tao from Shenmue II. Although he looks very much like your typical Chinese pensioner going through his daily exercise routine, Jianmin is actually a master martial artist. And after a brief introduction he subsequently decides to teach our hero Ryo a comprehensive a lesson in speed and counter attacking, much to his own amusement it seems!

After leaving Ryo sufficiently bemused by his speed and guile, the roguish old codger decides to teach the naïve young warrior his awesome Iron Palm technique of the Tai Chi style. Aside from looking the business, this move is also powerful enough shake the very leaves from the trees! Who'd have thought it eh...

Jianmin can be found day or night (where he lives is somewhat of a mystery), practicing his Chen style Tai Chi in the beautiful Lotus Park, located in the South Carmain Quarter of Wanchai...which incidentally is also home to some of my favourite music from Shenmue II. And although his role in the game's story is ended when Ryo learns the Iron Palm technique, Jianmin is always ready for another sparring session should you wish to engage him, good luck besting him in combat though.

The South Carmain Quarter itself remains one of my favourite areas in the entire Shenmue saga. It's faded glory really captures the depth and real life feel that Sega painstakingly attempted to portray to the player. The run down and built up streets are completely without glamour and it's oppressed residents display that stoic heroism often synonymous with decaying and deprived inner city areas. Also hailing from the South Carmain Quarter is Jianmin's friend and resident Shenume II battle axe, Guixang Lee...this stern old lady also happens to be a master of Tai Chi so best be polite to her.

So the next time you're wandering around an RPG town or city, remember to keep a beady eye on the quiet and retiring NPC in the corner...you never known what surprises they might have in store for you!

Obscure gems part II: Turbans, capes and cartridge slots...

Turban? Check. Cape? Check. Weird egg mascot that you can throw? Check!

Following in the recent footsteps of Xandra's Big Adventure is another dazzling yet largely (and sadly) unknown masterpiece from the from the 16bit generation, this time for the Sega Mega Drive...or Genesis if you live on the other side of the big pond. The hilariously titled Magical Hat no Buttobi Tabo! Daiboken, loosely translated as Magical Hat Flying Turbo Adventure, is a platform game that was released by Sega in the pre Sonic era of 1990. To this day I still find it to be far and away the finest example of the platform genre on not just the Mega Drive, but on any Sega machine, period.

This game may seem strangely familiar to some people…even those who’ve never even heard of it. This is probably because it was developed by (the usually underwhelming) Vic Tokai, the same company responsible for the equally fantastic but ultimately shunned Psycho Fox on the Master System and Kid Kool on the NES. Whilst Magical Hat isn't a direct sequel to either of these titles, the lineage the three games share is plain for all to see, and many of the traits and ideas you come across in the Mega Drive title are derived straight from it’s 8bit ancestors. The other reason this wacky game may look familiar is that it did actually receive a release in the west...albeit in horrifically bastardised form, more on that travesty later though.

After 18 years, my very own copy...yay!

Magical Hat is something of a gaming Holy Grail for me. Back in 1993 I was among the staunchest of SNES fans, however the first time I encountered Hat’s fantastic world it left me floored. There were very few games around at the time that married such vivid and wonderful graphics with genuinely addictive game play. My love for it was such that I promised myself I would one day own a copy. I sort of forgot about that until recently though, and so some self-indulgent eBay action ensued and I'm now the very proud owner of an immaculate copy of Magical hat Flying Turbo Adventure! I have to say, it was worth the £20 for box art alone.

The bad news regarding this little impulse purchase is that I own a PAL Mega Drive…which doesn’t play NTSC games. So rather than bother with a boring universal adapter I decided to perform some minor "home surgery" on my console, which involved filing away the little plastic tabs that shape the cartridge slot. Once these had been rounded off, the game slotted in perfectly, I adore this novel approach to regional security from Sega, it's wonderfully barn door. To anyone who is thinking of attempting this little operation, I can happily confirm that it is fairly straightforward and only took me about 30 minutes in all. Just be sure to refer to one of the many useful internet guides, like this rather helpful one I happened across.

Back to the game then…

The story (I think) goes something like this; an earthquake has literally ripped apart our hero's island home and so he dons his excellent turban and sets off to reunite the scattered lands and defeat the (awesome looking) Demon King. To accomplish this feat, Hat must traverse seven different continents, each containing three stages laden with cunning traps, numerous secret passages and insane looking enemies. Although the game features the obligatory ice, desert and water levels, the design and complexity is nothing short of exceptional...especially when you take into consideration the game's age, eighteen years old! As well the traditional left to right routes, the player must explore the heights and depths of each level whilst scouring all over for hidden objects (necessary for progression in later stages).

I'm chuffed to say that Hat is a breeze to control, and his epic quest is made so much more enjoyable by the magnificent array of abilities he has at his disposal. Accompanying the main man on his journey is a strange grinning egg which can be hurled about the place to help fend off enemies. As well as helping Hat with attacking his enemies, the little maniacal egg also acts as a kind of extra layer of protection, offering to take a hit for you. Hat can also collect various different potions and pills which unleash a plethora of flashy moves such as; a rapid fire attack, a shield (which a certain Hedgehog seems to have took a shining to), a hidden turban gun and the best by miles...he can even transform into a giant robotic ape (how Japanese is that)!! It's true to say that every quality platfomer begins with a lovable and distinctive character and Hat's game is no different, his mannerisms are top notch and his wacky animations would put the likes of Bubsy to shame...the face he pulls when you accidentally walk off a ledge for example, is nothing short of hilarious!

Go go baggy pants...

In graphical terms, Magical Hat really is up there with the best the Mega Drive has to offer...it even rivals some of the more illustrious offerings from the Super Nintendo. The characters are large, bold and bursting with colour, the artists really outdid themselves by blessing the game with hoards of amazingly well designed sprites, all of which perfectly fit the setting and background of the game. Kudos must also go to the music composer because this game is awash with gloriously upbeat tunes that really get inside your head from the first level onward. It's this almost unnecessary level of detail that propels Hat's world to the top tier of the platform theatre.

Although this game looks cute and colourful, it also possesses a proper mean streak and it can easily catch you off guard. The difficulty level can make it extremely frustrating at times and as with most platformers of the day, one hit and you're dead. Luckily the delightful bonus levels in-between the stages will keep you stocked with extra lives, this is countered though by the fact that you'll probably end up ploughing through them at rate of knots.

Understandably Sega wanted to push Magical Hat into the lucrative markets of Europe and North America, at the time however, the localisation of many Japanese games went much further than mere text changes and a bit of censorship here and there. Games of Japanese origin were often considered a bit too weird and wacky for us easily offended westerners, as a result some would undergo a process known as Americanisation. This was a practice that pretty much ripped out any and all interesting content and ideas, and set about replacing it with stuff that was deemed more "familiar and acceptable" for it's new audience. Basically, it would amount to nothing more than removing the heart and soul of games that underwent the process, and Magical Hat along with Ranma 1/2 on the SNES (which became the appalling Street Combat) is by far the worse example of this that I've ever witnessed.

And so, as a result of this questionable and deplorable method of localisation, Magical Hat Flying Turbo Adventure emerged in the west as as Decap Attack.

"Whaa...where'd all the colour go!?"

Now to be honest, (and putting aside my bias for Japanese games) Decap Attack is actually a pretty solid attempt and if you've never had the pleasure of trying Magical Hat, then you quite could happily consider Decap Attack to be a title of real quality. However, when the two games are compared side by side, the ugly truth is impossible to hide from. Decap Attack is completely devoid of life and imagination, also (just to make matters worse) it was swathed in some of the most dull and drab colours you could possibly think of. It's worlds are home to boring characters who inhabit not very interesting surroundings. It is obvious to me that Sega were trying to make a game that would appeal to a mass market, but what depresses me most about Decap Attack is that by removing the patented Hat lunacy, they also took away the majority of the game's charm and identity...which is unforgivable.

The molestation of Magical Hat was truly abhorrent in my eyes and the fact that Sega, a company well renowned for bold (if possibly ill judged) gaming decisions, made the call to basically lobotomise it, makes the whole situation even more rancid. As is well known, the 90's thrust upon us an extensive collection of generic and unimaginative platform pulp in the form of smelly turds such as Family Dog and Cool World. Magical Hat would certainly have brought some welcome creativity and spark to these shores, had it arrived here untouched. As it was, we in the west were fobbed off with another run of the mill platform game, and this is truly a great shame because Magical Hat had so much to give us. It boasted not only the visual finery to match the very best of the generation, but also, terrific game play...most of all though it was fantastic fun to play.

So if you enjoy great platform games or just happen to be searching for a bit of the magic and humour that seems absent from many of today's games, then Magical Hat is an absolute must. Along with the likes of Streets of Rage 2, Gunstar Heroes and Phantasy Star, Magical Hat Flying Turbo Adventure finally made me acknowledge the Mega Drive as a truly great console…one thing I would say though is do yourself a big favour and play the proper Japanese version, it's just better.

In my humble opinion, it was this game and not Sonic that was the Mega Drive's true answer to Super Mario World, and praise doesn't come much higher than that.

As a final note, Magical Hat Flying Turbo Adventure also occupies a slot in my Underrated games list. It's a place where unloved games can be showered with much deserved attention, have a quick gander, you might just find your new favourite (old) game!

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30-ish Criminally underrated games

Here we have a short list of video games that far too many people have never heard of, and even fewer actually care about...but I adore them none the less.

I feel a certain sadness when genuinely good games miss out on commercial success, it seems a crime that all the love and effort the developers put into it is wasted. What makes me even more irate is that these gamers are often over looked because some generic piece of turd has just been released and given a massive advertising campaign to the convince the hordes that they must buy it.

Anyways, listed below are 30 games that I feel deserved more recognition from Joe Public, so without further ado...

Lost in Shadow/A Shadow's Tale - Nintendo Wii

Whilst ICO has (rightly) taken the plaudits as the critic's moody and artistic game of choice, this little gem has had to be content with watching (aptly) from the shadows...which is a shame because it's a cracking game.

The game is played from the unique perspective of a shadow and so, the majority of the action takes place in the background. The graphics and ambient soundtrack are wonderful and you actually feel empathy for your poor character's plight.

Unusually for a Wii title, this has depth and character in abundance...which shows what the little white machine can do in the right hands.

Earthbound - Super Nintendo

When I first laid eyes on Earthbound as a kid, I remember thinking that compared with Final Fantasy VI and Secret of Mana et al, it looked pretty shoddy. Years later, when I realised what a blind little whelp I had been, I finally got to play the game and was totally blown away.

There are few RPGs I've ever played which can match Earthbound's humour, sentiment and sense of morality. It is a wonderful journey that any RPG fan should experience, and shows that the Japanese can do 'American' better than even the Americans themselves!!

It's quirky, basic and looks a bit old fashioned...and I just don't care.

Terranigma - Super Nintendo

I'll come clean now...Terranigma is my favourite RPG of all time, and my thoughts are probably best summed up in this blog rambling about it.

This game is cruelly unknown to many SNES and RPG fans alike, it suffered the terrible fate of never receiving a north American release, and as such has never gained the reputation it deserves. In my eyes the world missed out a piece of unadulterated majesty because of this, it's literally nigh on perfect.

Please, I beg of you, do anything you can to play it.

Ico - Playstation 2

ICO is the game that probably best defines this entire list, when it was originally released back in 2001 it was largely ignore by a public that was more interested in the likes of FIFA and Grand Theft Auto.

The importance of the game simply cannot be understated, it really kicked off the whole "games as art" movement with it's stunning vistas, minimalist dialogue and huge emphasis on the intense relationship between it's two main characters.

Mercifully, thanks to a HD re-release ICO is now starting to garner some of the success it deserves.

Shenmue II - XBox


After the hype, furor and commercial disaster that was Sega's incredible Shenmue, many eyebrows were raised when Microsoft ploughed yet more dollar bills into releasing Shenmue II for the XBox, complete with brilliantly comedic voice actors.

Although it too never sold well enough to even begin paying back the investment, I personally couldn't care less because it gave me the chance to experience more of one of gaming's finest works of art.

Shenmue II carries on where the original left off and thrusts the player into the bustling world of Hong Kong. Words don't really do this one justice, so just try your best to play it...please?!

Rez - Dreamcast


Being released on the Dreamcast meant Rez was never going to have much of a life in the public eye, and even though Sega's wonder machine was years ahead of it's time, the fact it didn't say Playstation on the lid meant it was doomed.

Still, Rez is one of those games that when you eventually play it you wonder how you've only just heard of it. It's a kind of on the rails shooter with mesmerising visuals and a barn storming techno inspired soundtrack. Probably one of those games that you have to play to realise just how amazing it is...so go on!!

Also, playing Rez on a massive TV with a good pair of headphones on really is one of life's little pleasures.

Beyond Good and Evil - Playstation 2


Another game that was released into the fickle world of the PS2 with no hope of grabbing the attention of the public.

Time has at least been kind to Beyond Good and Evil though, and over the years it's reputation has only grown. A recent HD remake should also ensure that it experienced by many who missed it first time round.

Combining (with great skill) adventure, stealth, fighting and driving along with a wonderful story and high class soundtrack, Beyond Good and Evil is definitely worth the meager few pounds it can be picked up for these days.

Paladin's Quest - Super Nintendo


A bit of a strange one this, if you like your console JRPG's then it's definitely worth a portion of your time...if you don't, then steer well clear.

Asmik's attempt at a SNES Dragon Quest clone wasn't very well received back in 1994 but being a pointy hat fan, I loved it. It's got really bizarre visuals and an innovative battle system that really help it to be different, don't get me wrong, it's a bit basic and it'll never rock the boat of Chrono Trigger et al...but it's a blinder in my book.

Bahamut Lagoon - Super Famicom


Underrated probably because it never received an official translation or release outside of Japan, but these days, thanks to the efforts of ROM hackers, this genre defining tactical RPG can now be sampled by those of us who can't read Kanji.

Boasting a story and graphics that rival any of Square's other legendary SNES offerings, Bahamut Lagoon is an absolute must for anyone interested in RPGs. It's easily 60 hours long and has such an intense battle system, that you can find yourself losing hours in it.

A marvelous fan translation also keeps the plot riveting.

Jet Set Radio - Dreamcast


Another of the Dreamcast's pioneer titles that shone briefly before being forgotten.

Jet Set Radio is possibly (still) one of the greatest looking games I've ever played, making perfect use of the then revolutionary cel shading technique. Add in lovable characters, a stomping soundtrack and gameplay that aims to get you spraying graffiti tags all over Tokyo...you can soon see why this was a special game.

It's amazing that a game so old can still have that wow factor, and I can never help but be amazed every time I fire this thing up.

Shadowrun - Super Nintendo


A unique RPG for the SNES which was based around the world of cyber-punk...which is cool as we all know.

Shadowrun took a radically different approach to the majority of other role playing games of the era by being gritty, violent and very dystopian in appearance.

You start the game on a slab in the morgue(!) and after coming to, you have to find out who fried your head and basically seek revenge.

For being so original, this game deserves a portion of any gamer's time, be warned though, it's hard as nails to beat.

Front Mission - Nintendo DS


Another game that was deemed unworthy of an official release in the west back in the 90's. It's hard to see why though, it's got big robots, awesome characters, and looks stunning...and that's before you even get to the brilliant combat system.

Square realised their error (finally) when they re-released Front Mission on the DS many years later. Now there's no excuse not to play this mecha masterpiece.

Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom - XBox 360


A fairly new offering from Namco here, and one that's suffered greatly from the influx of FPS games into the console markets...this is a particular shame because it's a glorious action adventure title that has lots to offer any gamer.

It's a bit like a cross between Shadow of the Colossus, the new Prince of Persia games and Metroid Prime. You must help Tepeu restore peace to the kingdom by enlisting the help of the Giant Majin...much graphical finery ensues and a thoroughly enjoyable adventure unfolds.

As a result of consumer indifference, you can pick Majin up on Amazon for buttons these days.

Astonishia Story - PSP


This game really is a personal pick on my part and even I won't try and pretend it's not riddled with faults (which have made it the butt of many a joke).

However, for anyone who is a fan of traditional 16bit RPGs, you can do far worse than Astonishia Story. It looks like an uprated SNES game and has beautifully drawn and animated characters, a decent grid based battle system and a fairly lengthy story...that is let down terribly by a ropey translation.

Definitely not for everyone, but those willing to part with a few pounds and put in the effort will surely see the rewards.

Magical Hat Flying Turbo Adventure

A platformer from the glorious 16bit era, when I first laid eyes on it's wacky appearance I was hooked, but luckily there's also a really tidy game underneath the insanity. I get the feeling it's based on an anime of some sorts but I'm not sure, what I am sure about is that it's one of the most imaginative games I ever played on the MegaDrive

Magical Hat was boringly re-branded as 'Decap Attack' for it's western release and consequently lost 90% of it's charm. So if Japanese games are your thing, then this game is a must.

It also remains to this day, the perfect excuse for taking a file to your Megadrive and performing some home modification to the cartridge slot!

Legend of Mana - Playstation


When Legend of Mana was released for the PSX back in 2000, the entire industry expected a proper sequel to Secret of Mana (to make up for the Secret of Mana 2 debacle). What we got instead was a game that rather than spinning a long epic story, took the path of scores of smaller intertwining tales.

This direction was met with much apathy and as a result, Legend of Mana was consigned to the missed opportunity bin.

In my eyes though, it needs to be looked at as it's own game rather than any sequel, if you do this, you soon realise that it has boat loads going for it.

Stunning water-colour style visuals, epic soundtrack and a solid battle system...without doubt one of the best ARPGs on the PSX. No it's not as good as Secret of Mana, but then what is??

Wild Arms - Playstation


When the PSX was first released, the world was infatuated with the likes of Ridge Racer and Tekken, so much so that Wild Arms with it's 16 bit roots kind of went unnoticed to all but the keener eyed gamer.

Those who did take a punt on it though were rewarded with what must be one of the generation's greatest RPGs. Taking the direction of wild west meets cybernetics, Wild Arms shied away from Final Fantasy VII style cut scenes and instead relied on brilliant story telling and well crafted characters.

I've yet to meet anyone who played this game and didn't enjoy it. Being rare these days it can get pricey, it remains however, a worthwhile investment.

Vandal Hearts - Playstation


Another of the first wave of PSX RPGs, and another to go largely unloved. Konami's first tactical RPG offering stylishly combined classic story telling with an addictive battle system and lashings of violence.

Although probably largely overshadowed by the (superior) Suikoden duo, it still remains one of the PSX's unknown gems and provides a stiff challenge in comparison with many of today's games.

Xandra's Big Adventure - Super Famicom


A classic platformer from the early days of the SNES featuring what looks like a green jelly baby wielding a pitch fork as it's lead character (although he's actually from another Namco series).

Xandra's Big Adventure combines great controls with a ball breaking learning curve, it can get pad smashingly hard, but it's worth the effort.

Xandra himself remains one of the best obscure lead characters I've ever seen. His animations are top notch for the time and his facial expressions are hilarious.

Neo Geo Battle Coliseum - Playstation 2


For a fighting game fan like myself, I was astonished to see this game languishing in the bargain bin so soon after it was released.

Neo Geo Battle Coliseum pits some of SNK's most famous (and some not so) fighters against one another in classic 2D arcade style. A massive roster with tag team play, loads of team combination attacks and some sweet unlockables make this game one of my all time favourite PS2 fighters.

Perhaps not as good as Capcom vs SNK, but a very close second.

Fighters Megamix - Sega Saturn


Fighters Megamix came on the scene around the time that Tekken ruled the fighting game kingdom with an iron fist, and while it probably never matched Namco's behemoth, it was a corking game in it's own right and really appealed to fans of Sega's AM division fighters.

Bringing together characters from Virtua Fighter, Fighting Vipers and some of Sega's less predictable series (Virtua Cop anyone?), Fighters Megamix proved the misunderstood Saturn could indeed handle a fantastic 3D brawler.

It's also got a fighting palm tree...what more can you ask for?!

Einhänder - Playstation


Square's first (and only I think) foray into SHMUP territory was something of a graphical and sonic tour de force. Einhander came along when Square were at the peak of their powers and it really shows just how much they were able wring out of the PSX.

Anyone familiar with the shoot 'em up genre will be instantly at home with this game. It's usual mix of legions of enemies topped off with a huge over the top boss at the end of the level.

It's not particularly revolutionary and doesn't last forever, but it's certainly a stand out PSX title for me and will keep you coming back for more if you enjoy beating high scores.

Muramasa: The Demon Blade - Nintendo Wii


Probably one of the prettiest games to have graced the Wii, Muramasa is a glorious hark back to the old school values of vivid 2D graphics and addictive gameplay.

As the name and box art probably suggest, Muramasa is very Japanese in appearance and is essentially an action RPG with platform elements thrown into the mix. It really goes against the now accepted grain of "realistic is best"...and for this I salute it.

There is no doubt that there are games out there with deeper plots, but as a package Muramasa is one of the Wii's best offerings for real gamers and fans of quality hand drawn visuals.

Body Harvest - Nintendo 64


Before they were famous worldwide for the GTA series, DMA (now known as Rockstar North) were busy making brilliant but unknown games like Body Harvest for the N64.

The objective of Body Harvest is to travel through time to various periods of human history and fight off an invasion of aliens looking to harvest humanity for their own evil gains. Perhaps a blueprint for the future GTA games could be seen here with it's liberal approach to violence and open world feel.

Graphically, it lacks the panache of the likes of Goldeneye and Ocarina Of Time but it's still very much worth a bash, and takes it takes an age to beat.

Body Harvest went against Nintendo's then stringent anti violence policy and showed the world that the N64 could quite happily produce a "grown up" title full of gore.

Mischief Makers - Nintendo 64


Another throw back to simpler times, Mischeif Makers was a rare beast indeed...one of the N64's few 2D games, and a true platform classic. Developed by Treasure, long time purveyors of the gaming world's most uniquely obscure (and usually rare) games.

Mischief Makers was no different from the the Treasure norm, with bizarre and colourful graphics and a cast that could have only been dreamed up by a Japanese studio...it was a gentle reminder that 3D and polygons were not the be all and end all.

If you retain any interest in platform games, then this is definitely worth some of your time. It's insane, funny and really well put together.

Final Fantasy Adventure - Gameboy


One of the very first RPGs available in the west for the Gameboy and one never got anywhere near the amount of attention that it warranted (thanks to a certain Link getting stranded on Koholint Island).

Final Fantasy Adventure is actually the first game in the legendary Mana series, Square thought a little name change would help get it noticed outside Japan.

It's easy to see the Mana lineage at work here, Square crammed a great little story into this little cart along with a large, interesting world that was ready to be explored. The gameplay is basic compared with it's SNES brother but it's solid and for a Gameboy title is pretty amazing.

The GBA remake of this game is also glorious, but the original has the innocent charm that you just can't capture in a remake.

Opoona - Nintendo Wii


Opoona has often been (unfairly) referred to as an introduction to RPGs for the younger gamer, but this really unfair in my eyes. Sure, it is nowhere near as complex as Xenoblade or as good looking as Twilight Princess but it's got a certain magic to it...almost like an old Enix game.

This may be because many of the heavies responsible for the Dragon Quest games were involved in it's conception and development.

Opoona offers a light hearted and novel approach to battles and the ability to take on a number of jobs which helps to open up the world...classic RPG stuff.

Graphically it's a little bland but crisp, and some brilliant character design from Akira Toriyama saves the day, musically it's pretty good too, with tunes that you soon start humming to yourself.

It's certainly not a genre defining title or anything but Opoona is really surprisingly deep RPG.

Tobal No.1 - Playstation


Tobal was Square's first attempt at breaking into the fighting game market, and recognising that they had no chance of dethroning the likes of Tekken and Soul Edge, Square decided to take a different route.

Tobal combines traditional fighting game mechanics with RPG style adventuring. Whilst in adventure mode, the player can engage in battles against other characters from the game. Tobal also gave us a fairly comprehensive counter attack system, which heavily influenced a lot of games released after it.

it's a little obscure and probably lacks the overall quality of something like Street Fighter EX, but it has a certain charm to it that makes it worth a look.

Monster Max - Gameboy


Anyone familiar with Rare's classic Head Over Heels from the C64/Spectrum days will be instantly at home with Monster Max. For those not familiar, it's an isometric puzzle platform game that was released for the Gameboy in the early 90's.

If you like this sort of game then it's genuinely addictive with devious traps and puzzles waiting to do you in at all times. It also happens to have what is probably the greatest soundtrack of any Gameboy title.

If you want to know what Rare were upto before the likes of Perfect Dark and Donkey Kong Country the here it is.

Hanna Barbera's Turbo Toons - Super Nintendo

On the face of it, this game is appalling. It's got not very good graphics, and the gameplay is so basic that I could have programmed it myself. However, it remains one of the most addictive games I've ever come across.

All you need is a multi-tap and 5 players and this unassuming game becomes of the funniest things you're ever likely to play.

The basic premise is to race one of your Hanna Barbera characters (Yogi, Top Cat etc) around a static track against 4 opponents. I know it doesn't sound much like fun, but it's really one of those games that needs to be played rather than talked about.

In my eyes, this is even better than Micro Machines V3 for multi-player madness.

So there we are, for anyone bored of the likes of FIFA and Call of Duty, you could do much worse than give one or two of these runts a look in. They're not all triple A admittedly, and won't appeal to all tastes but there should be something there that everyone will enjoy.

This list can also be found in it's original form over at Listal.

Neugier: A rose tinted retrospect?

Although it looked fairly standard, this could've been a hit on western shores

Now this one really is obscure...

'Neugier Umi to Kaze no Kodo' is a title that will be pretty much unknown to most SNES fans. Released in Japan for the Super Famicom in 1993 by Wolf Team, it's a short (very short actually) action RPG in the mold of Soulblazer, Lagoon and the Ys games.

For some reason this game always has always interested me (funny that Neugier is actually German for 'curiosity'). I first caught sight of it in an old copy of Super Play (issue 10), and it was literally only a few screenshots and a couple of paragraphs about how this neat little Zelda clone would be worth a look once it was given a US release as 'Journey Home: Quest for the Throne'. Something about those pictures really caught my eye though and the game reached out to me as an RPG starved Brit (the fact that it looked like a slightly more basic Zelda III wouldn’t have done it any harm either). For the next few months, I kept a keen eye on all US game releases, eagerly awaiting more news.

To be honest that was pretty much the last I heard of Neugier. The US release had just dropped off the radar (no Internet back in those days meant this happened a lot), and so it was filed away in a dusty part of my brain as another missed opportunity...until earlier this year.

Spurred on by a reborn love for gaming and SNES RPG's in particular, I found myself excitedly searching my ROM collection for old RPG gems, and eventually I happened upon Neugier. Much to my dismay though, there was no English ROM to be found, a quick dig around Google yielded answers.

By all accounts the game did receive an English translation, and subsequently a US release was planned (it even got as far as the box art being produced, which being American, was nob). However the project was scrapped when Sega acquired Renovation Products, and immediately pulled the plug on all Nintendo projects (Renovation were the North American publishing arm for Wolf Team's parent company, Telnet Japan). The west was once again denied a decent RPG, and Sega had once again pissed on my chips.

By the by, the remnants of Wolf Team and Telnet would eventually go on to form tri-Ace and Namco's Tales Studio, who are responsible for behemoths such as the Star Ocean series and the Tales series...from small acorns eh.

Anyways, further Googling brought results that really lifted my spirits, ‘Haeleth’ and ‘RPGOne’, two heroes of the fan translation scene, had hacked the ROM, performed some crazy magic and released their own translated version of the game...HA, in your face Sega!!

After a wee bit of Lunar IPS patch magic I was finally able to play Neugier: Journey Home...it had certainly felt like a journey to me.

So what about the game then?

Well, you play as Duke, the banished son of Count Wein, the ruler of the realm of Neugier. Duke is journeying home amid rumours of pirates and witches wreaking havoc in the place he once resided in. First impressions are that the story does a job but was never designed to worry the RPG aristocracy, but actually, take time to read between the lines slightly and there's more going on here. Very early on in the game, we see innocent people viciously slaughtered, kidnap and a thick veil of deception...not bad for an action RPG. There are also a couple of fairly decent plot twists (for the time) thrown in throughout the journey to keep you interested.

Graphically and sonically, Neugier weighs in at above average for the SNES, falling short of Enix, Square and Capcom standards, but trouncing offerings such as Lagoon, YSIII and Arcus Spirits. And while it is let down badly by it's (criminally) short lifespan, the developers, aware of this, added in a ranking system which dished out a score based on completion time of the game...which does add replay value I guess.

Duke himself is a joy to control and actually reminds me somewhat of a more basic Ark from Terranigma (someone from Quintet obviously played this game). He use the obligatory RPG sword as a main weapon, but he also gains a pretty nifty grappling hook. This is another of Neugier’s standout features, because as well as repelling enemies, it also allows Duke to reach otherwise inaccessible areas of the game and hurl rocks and crates at his enemies. This all action style game play is where Neugier really excels and separates itself from the other games in it’s genre, which are so often mired in mediocrity. Small wonder the ‘Tales of’ games are so well engineered, with such talented staff working on them.

For me, it’s a crying shame that this game never made it to the west in an official capacity, in those days we in the English-speaking world were crying out for solid RPG titles, and very rarely did we receive. It's even fair to say that this game would probably have amassed a pretty decent die-hard fan base (me included), there were enough features to make it stand out amongst rivals at the time and it could hold it's own in most departments. Unfortunately though, it became just another obscure footnote in the annuls of the all conquering SNES, left to toil in the shadows of more elaborate cohorts, it's few supporters being those who discovered the awesome fan translation. This is quite a tragedy in my eyes, as this little game deserved much better.

And so, as I was merrily blasting through the game and thinking to myself "this is ace", I was struck by a quite profound and relevant thought...was this game really as good as I was telling myself? Or was I just caught up in the joy of finally snaring something that had eluded me for 15 long years?

To help answer this, I cast my mind back and tried to predict what the mercurial Super Play and in particular, the mighty Zy Nicholson (RPG overlord) might have made of it all. After much deliberation, I concluded that it probably would have received an above average 65%, with praise for the battle system, character control and possibly music, but a slamming for the longevity and a mild chastising for the graphics for hardly pushing the machine. Overall, a worthy addition to the RPG scene, and that was that.

But I don’t know, for me, on this day…it’s clearly an 8 out of 10 game.

So there we have it, and this brings me neatly on to the final question. Does this viewpoint mean that my glasses are indeed rose tinted?

It appears so...and long may it remain that way.

An ode to Shenmue

Ryo Hazuki...all round good guy, fond of hair gel

Firstly, let me start by saying that I'm in no way a Sega fan boy. In fact, during the console wars of the 90's I was a foot soldier of the big N, and would've argued until there was no air left in my lungs that the SNES was superior to the MegaDrive. And whilst I appreciated some Sega games, I never gained true respect for Sega as a company until the release of the Dreamcast...this stance (to me anyways) makes it even more pertinent when I say that Yu Suzuki's Shenmue is one of the finest games ever produced, not just on a Sega machine, but period.

Shenmue is one of those very rare gems and it's very easy to find yourself taking about how it "transcends gaming" and is an "experience like no other". I'll try not to though because it's a bit embarrassing isn't it.

Before we get cracking, there’s the bad stuff. Whilst Shenmue may indeed "transcend gaming" (damn), it is far from perfect, hideously clunky controls (which aren't helped by the controller itself), voice acting that borders on B-movie, and a plodding style of gameplay are all enough to put a lot of people off. However, if you're willing to accept all this and persevere, you'll find brilliance the likes of which is all too rarely seen.

For those who are unfamiliar with the game, here’s a brief summary of what's what.

You play as Ryo Hazuki, an 18 year old Japanese lad (with more than a nod to Virtua Fighter's Akira) who returns home one stormy night to find the family dojo being ransacked by a group of Chinese thugs (called the ChiYouMen) led by the mysterious Lan Di. Ryo arrives just in time to see his father get his arse handed to him in the most comprehensive way. After some talk and much violence the villains make off with the mystical Dragon Mirror. Ryo, with his father left dying in his arms, vows to track Lan Di down and have his revenge no matter what...epic stuff. All these events are viewed through glorious in-game cut scenes (no CG/FMV nonsense here!), which are fully voice acted and beautifully animated.

You’re then thrust into the fabulously constructed world of Yokosuka, Japan in 1986…and when I say world, I mean world, seriously, the depth of detail in this game borders on scary and insane. You’ll find near enough everything in game that you’d expect to see in the real world and what’s more, pretty much everything is interactive…to the point where you can buy a chocolate bar from the local shop and then literally examine the wrapper, right down to the image on it (I know that sounds dull, but try it)! Even the weather is famously accurate and was matched to actual weather conditions experienced in Yokosuka in 1986/87, how detailed is that!!

Throughout the days that follow you're tasked with talking to the residents of the town, completing errands and progressing the story (much like any RPG), but it's the way that Shenmue goes about this that makes it stand out from the crowd. You can speak to almost everyone you encounter and unlike a lot of games, each person looks different, sounds different and has something unique to say. The quests and side quests are set out so they never become monotonous and there's even a time when you're required to get a job(!), unbelievably this is also ace. If you so choose, you can spend days or even weeks of the in game calendar just dicking about and enjoying living another life.

Some totally ace and pointless things you can do in Yokosuka:

• Spend the day playing (full versions of) Space Harrier and Hang On
• Spend all your allowance at the vending machines buying awesome toys!!
• Go and knock at random houses to see who’ll answer the door
• Visit bars and play tunes on the juke box
• Go rooting through your house and whip out the Saturn

Another brilliant touch is the (now much copied) Quick Time Event (or QTE). This certainly keeps you on your toes and breaks up the game's sometimes plodding feel. One minute you're walking around the main street and then an incident occurs, you're then tasked with pressing the correct buttons at right time to make it through the event. It can be frustrating if you don't possess quick reactions, but it certainly adds to the gameplay and keeps the game feeling fresh.

For me, the true joy of Shenmue lies in the intricacies that are woven into the game...you do actually feel like you're living Ryo's life, and the ability to do as much or as little with it as you like is truly liberating. I've never played another game where you feel so connected to the people who share your day to day life. And to people not used to or uninterested in this kind of experience, playing a game where you have to hold down a job and need to hone your fighting techniques might sound terrible, but trust me, it's delivered in such a way that it never becomes boring. Each day you have a full and vibrant town to explore and each day there is something different to experience...the only downside really, is that you've only got a set time to finish the game (although that time is a decent number of "game months"). Throughout the adventure, Ryo meets many people and makes a boat load of friends, guaranteed you'll remember each and every one of them.

The game is also not short on humour (though unintentionally), some of the things that Ryo comes out with are gold dust, anyone who's fond of the game will never forget the lines "I'm looking for sailors" and "ah...good" (that one's from when he's just downed a can of fizzy drink...in one go). So although the storyline is pretty serious, you'll still chuckle too.

This game is classed as a ‘third person action/adventure game’, but that’s honestly like classing an Aston Martin DB9 as ‘just some car’. It is without doubt (still) a shining beacon of what can be achieved when the producer/developers have a vision and (perhaps more importantly) when they have bosses who take a risk and just let them get on with it. And when compared to the myriad of uninspiring first person shooters on the shelves these days, the depth and originality of the game seem even more stunning.

Now, as is commonly known, Shenmue cost the equivalent of a small country’s GDP to make and never sold very well. As such, it’s now quite rare and can be pricey to buy, however I implore anyone who can, to go and buy a Dreamcast, a VGA cable and a copy of this game and experience first hand one gaming’s most divine moments.