The first game does a really good job of capturing that summer vacation feel. Right down to the music and landscape. Mix that in with Zelda-esque gameplay and you get a classic. I will admit the game greatly increases in difficulty toward the end and can feel cheap. Zoda's Revenge while still good just doesn't capture the same feel as the original. I prefer the grid based movement of the first and everything just has a drab and washed out look in this game. Had this been released on the SNES, it would have gotten alot more exposure and the series might still be around today.
Good channel. Short, sweet and straight to the point reviews of retro games... with an occasional dad joke. Gives me real nostalgic vibes of the Classic Game Room's hay day. Keep it up. Fill the void left by CGR.
Very well written reviews on both games. Like you mentioned, I was drawn in by the hopes of a Zelda-like experience. While I liked what I played and got a couple of bosses into the game it just wasn't scratching that Zelda itch for me and I put it down. I have both games and really should give them another shot.
I actually prefer Star Tropics over Zelda, but I still haven't played the sequel. It's a real shame the series died after the NES (the same can be said for other franchises as well, like Lolo)
was in 5th grade when the yoyo came back for "10 days" hahaha. i could never use it well but remember every boy in the grade just about having one and then never seeing anyone with one again shortly after.
As a StarTropics fan, I can't help but get my hopes up as soon as I see a palm tree in a Nintendo Direct. It's a tragedy that Nintendo let this series die on the NES, especially when it had the potential to become a staple series for them. Anyway, thanks for covering StarTropics on your channel!
What a wonderful surprise, Startropics 1 and 2 are in my list of favorite NES games, not as great as Zelda, but they have their own charm. I really enjoyed your review, thank you Trav for this great video, and remember, always carry a bottle, a piece of paper and a pen, you never know when you can be abducted by aliens.
I have actually never played StarTropics despite being aware of it and thinking it looked up my alley. I made sure to buy both on the Wii U VC before that option goes out the window.
Strange how even today there has yet to be an official release of either StarTropics games in Japan. Genyo Takeda, the head of the Kyoto-based Nintendo Research & Development No. 3 Department, directed & wrote the story for StarTropics 1 & 2 and this is fascinating since typically his department was primarily in charge of developing new hardware tech. According to Game Developer Research Institute's wiki, Locomotive Corporation, Ltd. (who helped with the programming and sound for the StarTropics games) was also based out of Kyoto. So here are these two Kyoto-based companies (one primarily first-party hardware, and one primarily third-party software) who go and make a game targeting Western audiences without ever intending to release it on their own home soil. I can only imagine how this came to be. Like maybe Takeda had a blast after vacationing in Hawaii and wanted to make a game based on a wild fever dream, and this was Nintendo's way of allowing him to take a gamble without potentially risking their first party reputation at home? At any rate this game seems like prime material for a Japanese translate/play-along.
My wife says at least the Zodas Revenge commercial encourages you to thank your grandmother! Love the video, loved the 1st game which I found as an adult and dropped at the final dungeon, want to play #2. Wish there were more, but also would have loved remakes of both with same graphics, but as random encounter non linear jrpgs, because sad both so linear. I can't wait for you to do reviews on the other games you mentioned, for this exact reason(genre), especially scheherezade and willow!
Nintendo needs to contact an indie developer like Way Forward and give us a proper sequel! These two games are pretty good B grade material that could inspire something excellent in the right hands.
Star Tropics is an odd one. To this day, I don't think either game has ever gotten a Japanese release, despite being developed in Japan, and I honestly think that's why we've never seen it followed up on. I don't think I've ever played Zoda's Revenge, I really should grab that before the Wii U shop gets obliterated
These games look good, but I can't help but admire the ads you guys got in the US. We hardly ever had video game ads and they were so much tamer and more boring.
The controls are so much better in Zoda's Revenge, but the gameplay was better in Star Tropics. Much like Zelda, there were things to do and places to explore in the over world with the first StarTropics. Zoda's Revenge overworld was much more linear and basically created for the purpose of walking from point A to point B. The ideal game would have been taking Zoda's Revenge controls and weapons and combining it with StarTropics' gameplay.
Never knew there was an ad for Startropics.
I'm pretty sure that's Endless Mike (from Adventures of Pete and Pete) in the Zoda's Revenge commercial which is hilarious...love that guy.
StarTropics is in my personal top 3 NES games of all-time. Just fantastic.
Agreed
One of your best reviews ever! Well done man!
Thanks a ton! Good seeing you around, man. Hope things are going well for you!
So glad to see Crystalis get some love. It's one of my favorite NES games, period. Both Startropics games were refreshing breaths of air.
Great review! I love these games to pieces; I usually replay once a year
The first game does a really good job of capturing that summer vacation feel. Right down to the music and landscape. Mix that in with Zelda-esque gameplay and you get a classic. I will admit the game greatly increases in difficulty toward the end and can feel cheap.
Zoda's Revenge while still good just doesn't capture the same feel as the original. I prefer the grid based movement of the first and everything just has a drab and washed out look in this game. Had this been released on the SNES, it would have gotten alot more exposure and the series might still be around today.
Good channel. Short, sweet and straight to the point reviews of retro games... with an occasional dad joke. Gives me real nostalgic vibes of the Classic Game Room's hay day. Keep it up. Fill the void left by CGR.
We need a third game on the Switch
I would say both titles are essential for a N.E.S. collection and, having beaten all four, prefer both over the first two Zelda games.
Very well written reviews on both games. Like you mentioned, I was drawn in by the hopes of a Zelda-like experience. While I liked what I played and got a couple of bosses into the game it just wasn't scratching that Zelda itch for me and I put it down. I have both games and really should give them another shot.
I actually prefer Star Tropics over Zelda, but I still haven't played the sequel. It's a real shame the series died after the NES (the same can be said for other franchises as well, like Lolo)
Lolo is at least part of a much larger series!
I'm starting to regret being a child of the 90s by proxy of the marketing.
The StarTropics series is exclusive to countries outside Japan.
I still need to go through and beat both games. I actually own the letter on the first one
The backward title on the second game drives me crazy as well.
This example as well as Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link not being The Legend of Zelda 2.
was in 5th grade when the yoyo came back for "10 days" hahaha. i could never use it well but remember every boy in the grade just about having one and then never seeing anyone with one again shortly after.
My friend loved both growing up. Never really played ST until the NSO release.
As a StarTropics fan, I can't help but get my hopes up as soon as I see a palm tree in a Nintendo Direct. It's a tragedy that Nintendo let this series die on the NES, especially when it had the potential to become a staple series for them. Anyway, thanks for covering StarTropics on your channel!
More Startropics videos? Heck yeah!
Doing what I can
the star tropics tv ad... was that voiceover Billy West? kind of sounded like him. (and kind of sounded like Futrama's Fry at times)
Hmm yeah, I can hear that
What a wonderful surprise, Startropics 1 and 2 are in my list of favorite NES games, not as great as Zelda, but they have their own charm. I really enjoyed your review, thank you Trav for this great video, and remember, always carry a bottle, a piece of paper and a pen, you never know when you can be abducted by aliens.
Haven’t gotten around to playing part 2 much past the first couple stages, but I loved part 1!!
Happy Wednesday everyone!
I have actually never played StarTropics despite being aware of it and thinking it looked up my alley. I made sure to buy both on the Wii U VC before that option goes out the window.
Strange how even today there has yet to be an official release of either StarTropics games in Japan.
Genyo Takeda, the head of the Kyoto-based Nintendo Research & Development No. 3 Department, directed & wrote the story for StarTropics 1 & 2 and this is fascinating since typically his department was primarily in charge of developing new hardware tech.
According to Game Developer Research Institute's wiki, Locomotive Corporation, Ltd. (who helped with the programming and sound for the StarTropics games) was also based out of Kyoto.
So here are these two Kyoto-based companies (one primarily first-party hardware, and one primarily third-party software) who go and make a game targeting Western audiences without ever intending to release it on their own home soil.
I can only imagine how this came to be.
Like maybe Takeda had a blast after vacationing in Hawaii and wanted to make a game based on a wild fever dream, and this was Nintendo's way of allowing him to take a gamble without potentially risking their first party reputation at home?
At any rate this game seems like prime material for a Japanese translate/play-along.
My wife says at least the Zodas Revenge commercial encourages you to thank your grandmother!
Love the video, loved the 1st game which I found as an adult and dropped at the final dungeon, want to play #2.
Wish there were more, but also would have loved remakes of both with same graphics, but as random encounter non linear jrpgs, because sad both so linear.
I can't wait for you to do reviews on the other games you mentioned, for this exact reason(genre), especially scheherezade and willow!
Nnnnnnnnes friend. Love these games. And hope you get Gary Kitchen on the drunk friend podcast and ask him about making kids sad.
Haha one day!
The jumping on the blocks looks like Q-Bert.
The chief going mlmamamlmka at 1:15 still cracks me up to this day. I wonder where the guy who played that chief is now 😁
Nintendo needs to contact an indie developer like Way Forward and give us a proper sequel! These two games are pretty good B grade material that could inspire something excellent in the right hands.
word! three is a much more setteling number than two. what if ST3 got an NES release
Couldn't get into Star Tropics. Maybe I should give it another go.
I loved the sequel due to it's quirky and punny humor. It was like it was written for me.
Star Tropics is an odd one. To this day, I don't think either game has ever gotten a Japanese release, despite being developed in Japan, and I honestly think that's why we've never seen it followed up on.
I don't think I've ever played Zoda's Revenge, I really should grab that before the Wii U shop gets obliterated
OINK OINK
These games look good, but I can't help but admire the ads you guys got in the US. We hardly ever had video game ads and they were so much tamer and more boring.
There's very few ads I actually remember. Sometimes finding these old ones is a shock even to me!
The controls are so much better in Zoda's Revenge, but the gameplay was better in Star Tropics. Much like Zelda, there were things to do and places to explore in the over world with the first StarTropics. Zoda's Revenge overworld was much more linear and basically created for the purpose of walking from point A to point B. The ideal game would have been taking Zoda's Revenge controls and weapons and combining it with StarTropics' gameplay.
you're so right on this, thats how Star Tropics 3 should be created. On the NES of course
1930s? No. Yoyos have been around since the time of early Greece. I just so happen to own one made of terracotta that's nearly that old.