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Post by grolt on Nov 3, 2008 4:00:09 GMT
I was lucky enough to pick this up on the cheap from Sinistral, and what a fine game this is. Right upon popping it in it makes a great first impression. An awesome opening animation of a sword in the ground at sunset, coupled with a real rousing theme. The music as a whole really rules in this game - every since track is really a standout. The only problem is that there is only one main level theme, so it can get very repetitive. Still, the theme has such a great beat it makes it easy to listen to it over and over. As Stan said in his scathing review, the game can definitely get repetitive. It's basically five worlds of five rounds a piece, but each world is virtually the same from the other. There is a pallet swap with each new level, and there's a new creature or two introduced at every world, but the game can become repetitive with the same level styles. At least there is a slight variety, usually with the first two levels longer and horizontal scrolling, then the next a vertical scroller that plays kind of like the vertical levels in Battletoads. After that it's a couple really short variations on the horizontal approach, but you can really zip through them if you time it right. There's basically three different bosses split up between the different worlds. Basically it goes A boss, B boss, A boss tougher, B boss tougher then C boss to end the game. The final boss is killer though, this giant lunging bull with a huge sword. It's a great final battle, and then the finale is quite nice too, with yet another stellar theme.   Even if it gets repetitive, the gameplay is pretty addicting, since you can take at the levels with a few different strategies. You can do the run and jump approach if you time it right, which makes the game very "speed run" friendly. Or, you could take it slow, using your weapon and making sure not to get hit. I made it through with all my power-ups after mastering the controls. And that's another thing, the power-ups are awesome. I really like the whole ball and chain attack thing, and how you can upgrade on the fly. It really felt like a nice hack and slash/shmup hybrid. Except if you lose all your power-ups it is okay, since you can usually get them back in a few levels, and it doesn't become insanely tough since all enemies are usually one hit no matter what (aside from a few on the later levels). So in short - unique hack and slash/shmup hybrid approach, nice power-ups, tight control, variety of strategies, awesome beginning and ending sequences and a marvelous score. The score is so good, in fact, that I played through the game again on an emulator so I could create a score on the fly. I'll be upping it to SMSpower right away here. Anyone else play this fine MarkIII game? It's a shame it never made it overseas, because even all the ending text is in English - it certainly wouldn't have taken any effort other than changing the title logo to localize it. With Rygar now in my collection, I'm definitely not regretting going all Mark III on my horde. |
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Post by grolt on Nov 3, 2008 4:08:41 GMT
The soundtrack can be found attached to my post here. |
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Post by Archeogamer on Nov 3, 2008 16:49:20 GMT
Great Game,I did not know know it's existence until now. I'm a rygar fan, since old arcade days, this seems a good version.
It's my impression or the Mark III sound is better than SMS Euro/Us?
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Post by grolt on Nov 3, 2008 18:09:23 GMT
It's my impression or the Mark III sound is better than SMS Euro/Us? Well, Mark III's with the FM adapter, or Japanese SMSs do have the capability for FM sound processing, which to most ears makes the compatible games sound better. Rygar, though, doesn't have an FM bitstream, so had it been ported over to the west, it would have sounded the same as the Japanese version (that plays on your YouTube clip). The music and sound in the game are so good though, you could be confused into thinking it was using a better sound processor than it was.  |
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Post by Stan on Nov 3, 2008 18:30:51 GMT
You should put this up as a counter review, just fill in the slots and send it in. It's not THAT bad, just really tame in comparison to the NES version. With arcade ports, I like when they either really, really closely match the original in consideration of system specs or when they do something different. I didn't think Rygar was that good in the arcade, but the NES version was stellar, totally different. The last boss is a lion. The Mark III has a lot of better games than this though. I prefer the Solomon Key version for it, though the controls are a bit off. Plus that rescue game is a lot of fun.
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Post by Archeogamer on Nov 3, 2008 20:15:53 GMT
The sound does not seem so pitchy like others MS games, I'm no expert into MS/Mark III so I asked, Grolt, but I really enjoyed more the MS Music than the Nes Version. Nes Rygar It's a good game, but slightly diferent, I'm not a fan of that version. Sorry Stan.  |
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Post by Stan on Nov 5, 2008 3:42:00 GMT
But it's so epic and well laid-out. How can you not? Everyone loves a good Lord of the Sword style game. Variety, different bosses, secrets, what more can you ask for?
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Post by grolt on Nov 5, 2008 8:45:21 GMT
Everyone loves a good Lord of the Sword style game. Oh, I certainly do, but at the same time I enjoy a good bash'em up too. Looking at the clip of the NES game, it's cool that they added the weapons and all that, but there isn't much depth there, even compared to Lord of the Sword. And that music, oh man, I could barely make it through that 9 minute clip. I did skip to the final part of that post though, and the ending screen is almost identical to the Mark III version. Minus the awesome still frame. The lunging bull boss was a lot more threatening than that two headed plant that stayed stuck in the corner. I admire that the developers really changed it up and tried to add depth to the NES port, but this is one case where I wholeheartedly prefer less depth. The quick and easy action of Rygar on the Mark III is really one of its charms. |
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Post by uffbulle on Nov 5, 2008 15:37:14 GMT
Well tbh I didn't like the game much; very repetitive, tiny graphics and the respawning enemies thing was super annoying. Even the end boss was lame.
Thanks for the music though!
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Post by Geishaboy on Nov 19, 2008 14:19:45 GMT
This is onw of those games that I hated to begin with, gave it more of a go, played it a bit and then really started to like it
Too bad I have only even played on an emulator though
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Post by grolt on Nov 19, 2008 18:21:35 GMT
Well tbh I didn't like the game much; very repetitive, tiny graphics and the respawning enemies thing was super annoying. Even the end boss was lame. Thanks for the music though! Man, the end boss rules! Such an intimidating figure. That end image when you defeat him with his fallen body in blood is totally iconic. I won't argue on it getting repetitive visually, but the control is so tight and the attacks so gratifying I cut it some slack. |
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Post by uffbulle on Nov 21, 2008 23:58:45 GMT
But isn't the last boss pretty much the same as the first like in smb? That's how I remember it which is why I thought it was lame.
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Post by grolt on Nov 22, 2008 6:53:36 GMT
But isn't the last boss pretty much the same as the first like in smb? That's how I remember it which is why I thought it was lame. No, not at all. All the bosses are different, and the final boss especially. There's a screenshot in my review there - he's the big S.O.B. The first boss is a small little pig I think, I can't remember now, but he is much smaller and doesn't lunge like that...it's more a run. Maybe that's how they are in the Nintendo version? |
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Post by uffbulle on Nov 26, 2008 16:25:04 GMT
Humm, well it has been 2 years or so since I played it. I just remember being really underwhelmed by the bosses simple patterns, and how poorly drawn they were.
The nes version was more varied in level design, it had top down levels and adventure elements. I haven't played it much (it's very hard) so I don't know about the bosses. Overall it seems lke a slightly better game but there are better action platformers for both systems.
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