List of Crap #107: Countdown to the Top 50ish Console Games of the 16-Bit Era!

[Russoguru]

As I've been told, Earthbound heavily inspired other games, like Undertale... one of my all time faves.

[stethacantus]

While designed obsolescence is definitely a thing, my original controllers still work just fine. And if not, there's always emulation.

I tried to get my controllers fixed. It turned out the contacts were made from a carbon substance instead of metal, which is why they gradually wore out. It is possible that Nintendo switched to carbon contacts and you lucked out and got controllers with metal contacts. Or maybe you just didn't play your SNES enough to wear out the contacts. But all the gaming shops I went to did brisk business selling replacement controllers, and all my friends with SNES had controllers that eventually stopped working. For me, the one wore out, so I switched them, and a year later the other wore out. I tried to get a replacement controller only to find out Nintendo had stopped manufacturing them. If I wanted new ones then I would have to by an entire SNES console.

I am currently contemplating buying the SNES Classic. It has a few games I don't have, so is worth the money. Of course, it also has a lot of games I already own. But the real question is, can it play old SNES cartages, or does it only look like it has a slot for cartrages and only plays the games it comes with. If it can't play cartrages, then do the controllers work on the original SNES.

Never played Earthbound. Was I really missing much?

It was almost as good as Legend of Zelda - Link to the Past. Think Zelda but with kids instead of Link,  regular RPG fighting, and no dungeons to solve. 

[Pastor of Muppets]

I remember that on one of my SNES controllers, the L button broke because I was holding it when I slid off the couch one dry winter day.  This generated a static shock right where I was holding it.  After that, I always went through a procedure where I would put the controller down, get up, touch something metal to discharge, then pick up the controller.  It was a tedious process, even if it was brief.

[The Lurker]

While designed obsolescence is definitely a thing, my original controllers still work just fine. And if not, there's always emulation.

I tried to get my controllers fixed. It turned out the contacts were made from a carbon substance instead of metal, which is why they gradually wore out. It is possible that Nintendo switched to carbon contacts and you lucked out and got controllers with metal contacts. Or maybe you just didn't play your SNES enough to wear out the contacts. But all the gaming shops I went to did brisk business selling replacement controllers, and all my friends with SNES had controllers that eventually stopped working. For me, the one wore out, so I switched them, and a year later the other wore out. I tried to get a replacement controller only to find out Nintendo had stopped manufacturing them. If I wanted new ones then I would have to by an entire SNES console.

I am currently contemplating buying the SNES Classic. It has a few games I don't have, so is worth the money. Of course, it also has a lot of games I already own. But the real question is, can it play old SNES cartages, or does it only look like it has a slot for cartrages and only plays the games it comes with. If it can't play cartrages, then do the controllers work on the original SNES.

Never played Earthbound. Was I really missing much?

It was almost as good as Legend of Zelda - Link to the Past. Think Zelda but with kids instead of Link,  regular RPG fighting, and no dungeons to solve. 

Nah.  It's like those plug and play system Jakks Pacific used to make, though the reset and on/off buttons work exactly the same as the SNES ones.  It can also take an optional wireless controller.

[Pak-Man]

Earthbound is so great. It's a Japanese parody of American culture, so it's got that funhouse mirror thing going for it, but it's also surprisingly moving at times. The music is some of the best on the SNES, and there are so many clever ways of working JRPG elements into modern times.

[PsychoGoatee]

Love Turtles in Time, cowabunga dudes

[Pastor of Muppets]

#11

Sonic the Hedgehog

System: Genesis

65 Points

5 of 11 Lists.  Highest Rank: #1 PsychoGoatee

Year of Release:1991

Details

Sonic the Hedgehog is a platform video game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis console. The game was first released in North America in June 1991, and in PAL regions and Japan the following month. The game features an anthropomorphic hedgehog named Sonic in a quest to defeat Doctor Robotnik, a scientist who has imprisoned animals in robots and stolen the magical Chaos Emeralds. Sonic the Hedgehog's gameplay involves collecting rings as a form of health and a simple control scheme, with jumping and attacking controlled by a single button.
The game's development began in 1990 when Sega ordered its AM8 development team to create a game featuring a mascot for the company. After considering a number of suggestions, the developers decided on a blue hedgehog with spikes along his head and spine and renamed themselves "Sonic Team" to match their character. Sonic the Hedgehog, designed for fast gameplay, was influenced by the games of Super Mario series creator, Shigeru Miyamoto. Sonic the Hedgehog uses a novel technique that allows Sonic's sprite to roll along curved scenery, which originated in a tech demo created by the game's programmer, Yuji Naka.
The game was well received by critics, being considered one of the greatest of all time, with praise given to its visuals, audio, and gameplay. It was also commercially successful, establishing the Genesis as a key player in the 16-bit era and allowing it to compete with Nintendo and their Super Nintendo Entertainment System console. The game has been ported a number of times, and inspired several clones, a successful franchise, and adaptations into other media.
The main body of the game is split into six principal zones, followed by a short 'Final Zone'. Each main zone has its own visual style, and while some enemies appear throughout the game, each zone has enemies and obstacles unique to it alone. Each main zone is split into three acts, all of which must be completed by the player. At the end of each main zone's third act, the player confronts Dr. Robotnik for a boss fight. For most of the fights, Robotnik's vehicle is fitted with different weapons. After completing the sixth zone, the player continues directly to the single-level "Final Zone" for a last encounter with Robotnik inside a large machine environment. Destroying Robotnik's machine ends the game. A brief animation shows Sonic's return to the game's first zone, with animals liberated from Robotnik.
When Sonic reaches the end of Act 1 or Act 2 of a zone while holding at least 50 rings, a large ring appears through which he can jump to enter a "Special Stage." In the Special Stages, Sonic is continually curled up in his Spin Attack animation, and bounces off the bumpers and walls of a fully rotating maze. In these levels, the player earns a continue with each 50 rings collected, but the main goal is to obtain the Chaos Emerald hidden within the maze. Colliding with any of the blocks marked "GOAL" will instantly end the level

<a href="https://youtube.com/v/dJJnxHcv1z4" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://youtube.com/v/dJJnxHcv1z4</a>

Personal Thoughts

Played this of course.  Got it for Christmas one year after having rented it a few times.  I remember being angry that I would have to go to the family Christmas gathering at my grandmother's house because I really wanted to stay home and play Sonic.  I could never get more than one or two of the Chaos Emeralds without cheating.  Even though the Sonic games got better with every 16 bit iteration, the original Sonic game was great.

[NRRork]

Got a Genesis for my 10th birthday in 1993. I had a hard time with the game and couldn't get past Marble Zone for the longest time, but my brother and I knew there was a cheat code, we used it when we borrowed a Genesis from one of his friends once. So my brother is trying it and we're looking through his old EGM's and stuff.

One night I'm getting out of the shower and I hear the Starlight Zone music, and I knew neither my brother or me could get even close to that far in the game yet. So in my excitement I just ran out just flapping in the breeze without a towel or nothin' shouting "DID YOU FIND THE CODE? DID YOU FIND THE CODE?"

Ah. . . childhood.

[Johnny Unusual]

Turtles in Time is a damned good game.  Pretty, too.

Sonic is a very good-looking game and fun for a bit, but I've never been a big fan of the franchise.  I hear the new one is pretty solid.

[Pastor of Muppets]

#10

Earthworm Jim

System: Super Nintendo, Genesis

69 Points

5 of 11 Lists.  Highest Rank: #2 Stethcantus

Year of Release:1994

Details

Earthworm Jim is a 1994 platforming video game developed by Shiny Entertainment, featuring an earthworm named Jim in a robotic suit who battles evil. Jim is a normal earthworm, until a special "super suit" falls from the sky and allows him to operate much like a human, with his "worm-part" acting as a head and the suit acting as arms, body, and legs. Jim's task is two-fold, he must evade the game's many antagonists, who are after him because they want the suit back, and also rescue and protect Princess What's-Her-Name from them. The game plays out with Jim eluding and defeating all enemies, and saving Princess What's-Her-Name. However, not only does she not return Jim's affection, but she is also crushed by the flying cow that was launched at the beginning of the game by Jim himself

<a href="https://youtube.com/v/93osCGBFG2k" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://youtube.com/v/93osCGBFG2k</a>

<a href="https://youtube.com/v/4eGrg0ydSC4" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://youtube.com/v/4eGrg0ydSC4</a>

Personal Thoughts

I rented this once.  I don't think I ever beat it.  It's a pretty fun little platformer, but I feel like I've seen a lot of games just like this in the 16 bit era.  I did watch the Saturday morning cartoon a lot, because it came on right after Freakazoid!.

[Johnny Unusual]

I know the creator of the game is a less-than-savory dude, but I still like this game.

[Pastor of Muppets]

I know the creator of the game is a less-than-savory dude, but I still like this game.

Doug Tennapel has some controversial views, but he is a pretty creative guy.  I never got into Earthworm Jim, but The Neverhood is amazing.  In that game I particularly loved that he wrote this entire huge mythology of the game world, 95% of which had nothing to do with the game.  I wish there could have been a whole series of games based on that mythology.

As for his controversial views, I ask that any curious parties go Google it and leave discussion of it out of this thread.

[Pastor of Muppets]

#9

Super Punch-Out!!

System: Super Nintendo

70 Points

6 of 11 Lists.  Highest Rank: TIE #9 Pak-Man and Russoguru

Year of Release:1994

Details

Super Punch-Out!![a] is a boxing video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It was released on September 14, 1994 in North America and again in the same region in 1996. It was released in Europe on January 26, 1995 for the same console and in Japan in 1998 for the Nintendo Power flash RAM cartridge series and the Super Famicom.

The gameplay in Super Punch-Out!! is similar to that of its arcade and NES/FC predecessors. The player controls a nameable boxer as he fights his way to become W.V.B.A. Champion. The player controls the boxer from a third-person perspective, with him being translucent on the screen. Players can attack their opponents with jabs to the face or with body blows from either hand. The opponent can deflect punches, so players must aim at the opponent's open spot (where the gloves are not) to connect. Depending on the opponents' stances, they will guard themselves differently, so players need to use the correct punches.

The player has three minutes to knock out the opponent. After three minutes, the match ends, and the player loses; the player cannot win by a decision.After losing, the player can use a continue and fight a rematch. The game ends after all continues have been used; the player must fight all opponents in the current circuit again. The game consists of four circuits in which the player must become the champion. The player can retry any circuit that has already been beaten. The game has a battery–backed memory in which players can save their data and records for future play.

<a href="https://youtube.com/v/vSr3aXd4XuQ" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://youtube.com/v/vSr3aXd4XuQ</a>

Personal Thoughts

I owned this game too and played it a ton back in the 90s.  Like Pilotwings, my younger brother was always one step ahead of me, but unlike Pilotwings he didn't have a password to hide from me.  I got through it eventually though.  Eventually I was good enough to get through without losing any matches.

[Johnny Unusual]

The Punch-Out games are fun games.  Super Punch-Out is no exception.

[Pak-Man]

Tyrant is constantly wondering why I'd like the Punch Out games when I don't even like Boxing. It's one of those sports games (Like NBA Jam, for instance) that transcends the sport to the point where it's something else. Something even non-fans can enjoy.