[2011-12-28] R3: Ca. of Illusion Vs. Phantasy Star

Well, people vote for different reasons, I vote mainly by emotions and go after what I know I like better. And at previous rounds (and it still applies) the question that was asked was your favourite game/s. Sure, I know Phantasy Star is great and was amazing for it's time. But it's a game that I know I can't enjoy without a FAQ or PAR cheats. So out of the two, it's not my favourite game. And while it might be a definitive game for the SMS in terms of technical achievements and depth, for me the SMS is a great under-appreciated plattform system and CoI is one reason why.

I don't think games so Phantasy Star age all that well so it was Castle of Illusion for me.

Phantasy Star is a Milestone. The Best 8 Bits RPG, the one that created a standart that is followed today... Almost 25 years later.
Superb graphics, excellent music, great playability...How can a game like this lose to COI...How???
Castle is a really excellent game...don´t get me wrong, but is no match to COI. I finished both games several times...and Castle can´t light a candle near Phantasy Star.
It´s democracy in action... but it´s a damn shame that a game like this is eliminated soo soon... like Sonic 2 was.

I had to vote Phantasy Star, unfortunately it's still losing.

Phantasy Star, while not being a TRUE RPG in the sense of the term RPG, it was so big, the 3D dungeons, the amazing story, the fact is wasn't bested/tied with any other game in it's series until the 4th game, the exploration, the map drawing, I could go on. It's just so great.

Castle of Illusion? Yes it's fun and very pretty, but if you want to run from left to right jumping on enemies and over holes, games like that are a dime a dozen back in this era, there were not many Phantasy Star type games, and even fewer that were as fun.

I will say, one strike against PS, I hate just random battle after random battle, which aren't really random, you're wandering around HOPING they pop up so you level grind to get stronger and/or money grind to buy new equipment to make you stronger, that gameplay mechanic is for the birds, however I will also say, if you're playing blind, no walkthru no pre-drawn maps, just fly by the seat of your pants there will be enough random encounters to supply you with what you need... aside from the FIRST bit of level grinding so you can actually walk a screen or two away from your hometown, which as I already said, is for the birds.

Castle Of Illusion,i can just pick the game up and get straight into it and it will keep me interested.

I think Phantasy Star is considered the defining game of the Master System, in America. Elsewhere the console really shined with its platform games. Whereas a US gamer will say Phantasy Star is the best or most recognizable SMS game, in Europe your much more likely to hear someone say Alex Kidd or Sonic. Castle of Illusion is very much up there with the best of platform games for the Master System, or any console for that matter. The graphics are beautiful, every level has a unique theme, there are loads of secrets, great music, tons of cool ideas not seen in other games at the time. Castle of Illusion is near perfect, there aren't even any annoying levels in it - which Sonic games for instance usually suffer from.