Remember The Game? #238 - Wonder Boy in Monster Land

The following podcast is intended for mature audiences. It may contain opinions and comments about Castlevania: Symphony of the Night that some might find offensive. Listener discretion is advised. Symphony of the Night is considered by many to be one of the greatest video games of all-time. It's one of the pioneers of the Metroidvania genre (hence the name), and it's easily one of the games I've been asked to review the most over the years. I'd never played it before, so when it won our Patreon poll, I was excited. I love metroidvanias, I love retro games, this should be a lay-up, right?? Well, not exactly. I gotta be honest - I didn't love this game. Truth be told, I didn't like it very much at all. It looks great, it sounds nice. I respect what it did for a genre I love so much. But I found it, kinda boring. Tedious. And "the best part of the game" is hidden in the most obnoxious fashion possible. I, I just don't get why this game is so popular.  But my guest, Bradley McCue, does. He loves this game, which is why he was the perfect ying to my yang this week. I had no choice but to agree with some of the stuff he loved, and he had no choice but to come along with a few mechanics that I hated.  And I want to be clear. There's no Angry Adam this week. I don't rip SotN a new ass or anything. I respect its legacy, and I tried my best to show as much. But I don't like this game, and this week, I'm gonna tell you why. And of course, before I completely ruin my reputation and RTG comes crashing down all around me, I run through another edition of the 'Remember The Game? Infamous Intro'!  This week, we talk about how damned good Sega Genesis soundtracks are. Were we better gamers when we were kids? And what's the best controller for the Nintendo Switch? PLUS, we have another round of 'Play One, Remake One, Erase One', featuring three pre-SotN Castlevania games - Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, Super Castlevania IV, and Castlevania: Bloodlines. Are you on social media? Of course you are. So follow us!  Twitter: @MemberTheGameInstagram: @MemberTheGameTwitch.tv/MemberTheGame And if you want access to over 200 bonus podcasts, along with multiple new shows EVERY WEEK, consider showing us some love over at Patreon. Subscriptions start at just $2/month! Patreon.com/RememberTheGame Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

19 Tammi 20221h 49min

I thought I had played all the best games that the SNES had to offer. Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts never jumped out at me as a must-play title. But I finally got around to playing it last year, and realized the error of my ways.  Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts IS a must-play title, and it's absolutely one of the best games on the SNES. Consider my stance corrected.  This game is tough as fuck, but it rarely feels unfair. Practice pays off, and it clearly subscribes to the old school logic of "get good" or die trying. And you will die. A lot. I'm not ashamed to admit that I can't quite beat this game, but as you'll hear on this week's show, it doesn't stop me from loving it anyway. The SNES isa till the gold standard for retro gaming in my eye(s), and Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts is a prime example of why.  My buddy Tyler returns to the show this week. He didn't play much of the SNES version of the game, but he sunk a ton of time into Ghouls 'N Ghosts in the arcade. So we're kinda going over both games this week and talking about how they're very hard not to love, despite the fact that it doesn't really feel like they love you back.  And of course, before we talk about fighting ghouls in your underwear, I run through another edition of the 'Remember The Game? Infamous Intro'!  This week, we talk about resellers, and whether or not they're as bad as society thinks they are. If you're new to the Xbox universe, is the Series S and GamePass all you need? And would you rather EVERY game in the future be open-world, or none of them? PLUS, we have another round of 'Play One, Remake One, Erase One', featuring three Capcom SNES  games - Final Fight 2, X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse, and Demon's Crest. Are you on social media? Of course you are. So follow us!  Twitter: @MemberTheGameInstagram: @MemberTheGameTwitch.tv/MemberTheGame And if you want access to over 200 bonus podcasts, along with multiple new shows EVERY WEEK, consider showing us some love over at Patreon. Subscriptions start at just $2/month! Patreon.com/RememberTheGame Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

12 Tammi 20221h 39min

I've never hidden the fact that I'm a card carrying Mega Man fanboy. I love that little blue bastard so much. And we've reviewed of a few of his games on the podcast over the years, but his debut title has slipped under the radar. Admittedly, that might be because it just isn't as good as most of his other games, but it's a still a really fun, solid (and tough) NES platformer. It's also where the Blue Bomber started, and it's time to give it it's due.  I'm rolling solo this week, not because I couldn't get anyone to talk Mega Man, but because I didn't want to bug any of my friends to record a podcast over the holidays. And I'm so damned passionate about this game (and franchise) that I had no problem carrying a conversation on with myself.  I get that Mega Man isn't for everyone, but if I turn even one more person onto the greatness that is the Mega Man series with this episode, I'll sleep easy knowing I made the world a better place. And before I go down on that Mega Man meat, I stumble through another edition of the 'Remember The Game? Infamous Intro'!  This week, I talk about the way female characters are portrayed in video games. Someone asks what advice I would offer myself if I go back to the launch of this podcast. And does anyone else feel pressure to get to the end of a game that seems to be taking too long? PLUS, we have another round of 'Play One, Remake One, Erase One', featuring three Capcom NES  games - Ghosts N Goblins, Bionic Commando, and Little Nemo: The Dream Master. Are you on social media? Of course you are. So follow us!  Twitter: @MemberTheGameInstagram: @MemberTheGameTwitch.tv/MemberTheGame Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

5 Tammi 20221h 30min

I'm away for holidays this week, so I thought I would release an episode of our Patreon exclusive show 'Expansion Pass' for everyone to enjoy. This was episode #50, and I ranked my favourite SNES games of all-time.  I hope you enjoy the podcast, and Happy Holidays! And if you're interested in gaining instant access to our entire bonus podcast library, check out Patreon.com/RememberTheGame! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

29 Joulu 20211h 40min

I've said it before, and I'll say it again; the Nintendo GameCube is the greatest (pre-online) multiplayer console in history. And while the Mario Kart, wrestling games, and Mario Parties were fun, the Mario sports games are the titles that I have the best memories of. Baseball, golf, tennis, and soccer. It's like the Mount Rushmore of Mario sports games. And it's about time we start talking about them.  The Waluigi to my Wario, former hall of fame Mark McCue returns to the show this week, and we're taking a nice long look at Super Mario Strikers (Mario Smash Football on the other side of the pond). It was Nintendo's golden goose's first attempt at playing some footie, and it's didn't disappoint. From fun gameplay, to 'easy to learn/tough to master' mechanics, to electrocutions, this game is just straight up fun to play. Especially with friends. I fucking adore this game, and I'm pray that this episode of the podcast wills the gaming Gods into giving us another entry in the Strikers franchise in the near future.  And before we get our red cards or whatever soccer players get, I sneak in the final 2021 edition of the 'Remember The Game Infamous Intro'!  This week, we talk about the games that are on the "no fly" list here at RTG Industries. Is multiplayer a better experience online, or in person? And if Adam could design a Christmas video game, what would it be like? PLUS, we have another round of 'Play One, Remake One, Erase One', featuring three other "arcadey" sports games - Mutant League Hockey, Base Wars, and MegaMan Soccer. Are you on social media? Of course you are. So follow us!  Twitter: @MemberTheGameInstagram: @MemberTheGameFacebook.com/MemberTheGameTwitch.tv/MemberTheGame And if you wanna check ol' Mark McCue out on TikTok, hit him up @barkmccue Thanks for all the love this year, hot dogs. Happy Holidays! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

22 Joulu 20211h 40min

Final Fantasy X is one of the games that listeners have been asking us to review ever since we launched the podcast. And seeing as it's the 20th anniversary of Tidus & friends here in North America this week, I figured it was time to talk Blitz Ball.  I didn't play a ton of PlayStation 2 back in it's prime, but Final Fantasy X was one of the few PS2 games that I dedicated some screen time to. I didn't get around to finishing the game until this year when I picked it up for my Switch, but I've always enjoyed my time with it. Great graphics, good story, fun combat, one of the best mini games in Final Fantasy history. I have some minor nitpicks, but by and large, this is a hell of a video game. One of our Discord moderators, Keegs, makes his RTG debut this week, to talk about one of his favourite games of all-time. I don't know if I hold it in that high of regard, but FFX is one of the most iconic games in gaming history, I respect the hell out of (most of) it, and it's about damned time we showed it some love on this stupid show. And before we laugh ( HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, ugh), I sneak in another edition of the 'Remember The Game Infamous Intro'!  This week, we talk about games that we can just lose ourselves in for hours at a time. Did you ever lend someone a game and never get it back? And is it harder to review a remake or remaster if you're nostalgic for the original version of a game? PLUS, we have another round of 'Play One, Remake One, Erase One', featuring three PS2 RPG heavyweights - Dragon Quest VIII, Persona 4, and Final Fantasy XII. Are you on social media? Of course you are. So follow us!  Twitter: @MemberTheGameInstagram: @MemberTheGameFacebook.com/MemberTheGameTwitch.tv/MemberTheGame And if you're interested in supporting my 24 hour Extra Life charity stream on December 18 and 19, you can find more information at RememberTheGamePodcast.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

15 Joulu 20212h 15min

Every month, our supporters on Patreon get to vote for a game that want to hear us cover on the podcast. The poll is made up of games listeners have been asking for, that I've never played. Sometimes this results in an episode where I just get pissed off at how bad a game is. And sometimes it results in me finally playing a game that I should have played a long-ass time ago.  Fortunately for all you Luigi's Mansion fans, this time around, its scenario #2. This game is a must-play for any Nintendo GameCube fan. I'm still confused as to why they launched a console with a vacuuming simulator starring the character that was previously relegated to younger siblings, but at the end of the day, I guess it doesn't matter. From the graphics, to the sound, to the mansion itself, Luigi's Mansion oozes charm. I had a fucking blast playing this game. My buddy Darren returns to the show this week, and we spent a good hour chatting about the many things we loved about this game, as well as the minor nitpicks that we didn't. We tried to figure out why Nintendo decided to come out of the gate with this game instead of a Mario title, too. If you're a GameCube fan, you're gonna dig this episode. And before we bust (or suck?) ghosts, I sneak in another edition of the 'Remember The Game Infamous Intro'!  This week, we talk about the increasing number of video games being made into TV shows. Sony doesn't really have one "front and centre" mascot, and maybe they don't really need one. And what does Adam think of the Angry Video Game Nerd? PLUS, we have another round of 'Play One, Remake One, Erase One', featuring three of the GameCube's best - Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, Metroid Prime, and Animal Crossing. Are you on social media? Of course you are. So follow us!  Twitter: @MemberTheGameInstagram: @MemberTheGameFacebook.com/MemberTheGameTwitch.tv/MemberTheGame And if you're interested in supporting my 24 hour Extra Life charity stream on December 18 and 19, you can find more information at RememberTheGamePodcast.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

8 Joulu 20211h 42min

Every time we talk about a Sega Genesis game, I bring up that I was a Nintendo kid in the 90's, and I love discovering great games that I missed out on. And this week, that all applies again. I fired up Gunstar Heroes after hearing for years that it's one of the best titles the Genesis has to offer, and damned if that isn't spot on. I'm a huge Contra fan, but this might be the best run and gun I've ever played (that isn't called Cuphead.) Saturday morning cartoon graphics, customizable weapons, characters with different traits and perks, levels that are playable in any order you want, a banging soundtrack. This game has it all. I thought Streets of Rage 2 was a lock for my favourite Genesis game of all-time, but Gunstar Heroes has me reconsidering that number 1 spot. My pal Chris returns to the show this week. He's a fitting guest considering he's one of the Sega kids that has been hounding me to play this game forever, and we had a great time talking about a great game. Gunstar Heroes is a retro gaming gem, and if you haven't already played it, I hope this podcast convinces you to right that wrong ASAP. And before we become heroes, I sneak in another edition of the 'Remember The Game Infamous Intro'!  This week, we sing the praises of the PlayStation 4 game library. I talk about games that I'm scared to start playing, despite wanting to figure them up. And on the heels of last week's Ocarina of Time podcast, a listener asks me to try and convince them the game is worth playing, despite my mixed opinions on it. PLUS, we have another round of 'Play One, Remake One, Erase One', featuring three of my favourite Genesis games - Shinobi 3, Earthworm Jim 2, and ToeJam and Earl. Are you on social media? Of course you are. So follow us!  Twitter: @MemberTheGameInstagram: @MemberTheGameFacebook.com/MemberTheGameTwitch.tv/MemberTheGame And if you're interested in supporting my 24 hour Extra Life charity stream on December 18 and 19, you can find more information at RememberTheGamePodcast.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1 Joulu 20211h 24min