Just a hint: IF the game crashes or the power goes out or something and you don't have a password in the chapter you were in, you can always go to the password screen and type W# (replace # with 2, 3, 4 or 5) to start on that world. The game will reject that password 3 times, but then it will allow you to start on that world (w4 starts on World 4, for example) It is a shame that this game didn't use a save backup. Then again, games with save backups were almost nonexistent here in Brazil, so if this game had it, I would probably not have played it when I was a kid. And THIS would be a shame, considering how important this game was for me.
Thank you for sharing this! I know the manual mentioned something about password sorcery that wasn't totally clear to me, so it's great to know how it actually works. I hope you don't mind that I pinned your comment. This info will probably help someone out!
Bonus detail. This is actually because the game is coded with wrong password forgiveness feature. Every password the game gives you starts with w# and this was coded in incase you wrote/entered your long password down wrong. If your password doesn't work the game just checks the first two characters (always w#) and ignores the rest. It also why every world has a max level, so the game knows what you should have at the start and end of each world. The max level for each world code in just flipping the w# around so its #w.
@@chronossageI think I remember reading something about this in Nintendo Power once. It reminds me quite a lot of the "FE"/"EF" thing for the passwords in Deadly Towers.
This was my family's favorite game when I was in kindergarten. It was the first one I ever saw anyone beat; I was so excited when my mother finished it that I got my toy guitar and sang a song about it. Oddly, she almost never played videogames after that, and I still can't get her to pick them up again to this day. She always says she's afraid she'd sink into them and do nothing else. I never beat it until I started returning to my digital heritage with emulators as an adult. I was surprised by how easy it was compared to other games like it, (except for some of the bosses) and I realized how lucky I was to have this as a first game. The experience is so different when you've built up some literacy; a beginner sees a huge world and a variety of systems to explore, while a veteran sees quirky design choices and ways to break the game everywhere. Both perspectives are rewarding in their own way, and I'm sure this game has shown both sides to lots of people. I was particularly fascinated with the formations as a child, and while they can still be very powerful against certain encounters, it's funny to see how underwhelming some of them are once you know what you're doing. This game is an absolute gem, and I've spent an embarrassing amount of time imagining a modern remake of it. It's kind of obscure, so it'll probably never happen, but I thought that about ActRaiser, and we have that now. Maybe someday.
I think it's awesome that you have that memory from your mom's playthrough. It's unfortunate that she fell of the gaming bandwagon, but it's nice to know that you got to spend that time together when you were younger, and that it fostered the growth of something so important in you. I feel like coming back to a childhood game in adulthood is incredibly satisfying. I never managed to finish most of my childhood games without a Game Genie, and I only beat them legitimately after I turned 30. I wish I'd had The Magic of Scheherazade as a kid because I think I would've adored learning about the turn-based RPG stuff. I didn't really play a game like that until I was a teenager, and this feels like the perfect introduction to something like that. Thank you for sharing your experiences and memories with me here. And I will add my hope to yours for a remake someday.
I played this at a friend's house once when I was little. Years later, I couldn't remember the name. All i knew is there was two combat systems and time travel. Eventually I stumbled across a copy of the game. As soon as I saw the title, I knew it was the one I'd played so many years ago. The internet was much more limited back then so searching for it online never amounted to anything. I'm glad I found it. It is a bit rough in some areas but it does a lot well. It's always had a special place in my heart.
I'm so glad you found the game eventually. That's the best feeling, unlocking those old memories! I spent along while trying to remember a DOS game I played ages ago called Challenge of the Ancient Empires. It felt like Christmas when someone helped me remember the name of it!
@@hungrygoriyathanks for doing a lot of these videos. A few of these for the NES I've played, but some I've only read about in Nintendo Power as a kid.
Totally. I think it makes for a really interesting playthrough, though it would've been neat if they'd made the payoff a bit different for both combat styles. Either way, it was still an awesome experience.
My second favorite hidden gem! Ive never beaten the game, but i fell in love with the music, the story and the mixed rpg aspect. To me, this game is up there with faxanadu for a must play obscure game!
I'm inclined to agree with you about it's awesomeness. I would love for more people give it a try sometime. And if finishing it is something you'd like to do someday, I hope you have the opportunity to do so!
@@hungrygoriya Absolutely! While it's nowhere near perfect, it was an incredibly ambitious game for its time. I remember always getting a kick out of making the shopkeepers mad from trying to barter too much 😅 Good times.
It's nice to have a game that does things a bit differently from other RPGs, with its two distinct forms of combat, but perhaps there is a reason why more games of this style did not follow Scheherazade's lead. But I applaud the designers for not simply following the standard formula. And I agree wholeheartedly about the 'secrets' being pointed out for you. Hearing the famous jingle in the Legend of Zelda when I pushed the correct stone, bombed the right bit of wall or burnt the appropriate bush to reveal a secret entrance was one of the most tingly satisfying moments in video gaming for me!
I was really blown away at how much they put into one game. It all worked well but maybe could've used a little more polish to get it to be truly amazing. It's still fun for what it is though, without question! Coronya is a menace! I wish I had a little more autonomy over the secret-finding. Growing up, Zelda's secret discoveries were so exciting for me. This definitely didn't feel nearly as fun as that did. I'm glad we're in agreement on that!
I am so happy you got to this gem. I played a lot of this as a kid and then as a young adult, and I loved it. It's such a unique and wonderful game, despite it's flaws. I remember looking it up on youtube, and the only video I could see showcasing it's gameplay was a pair of dudebros playing the first 20 minutes and making fun of it, followed by throwing it in the trash; I guess they were trying to be the next AVGN. It saddened me and I'm glad someone finally gave the recognition it deserves. I remember renting it as a kid and getting to Curly, the second chapter boss, only to get completely stumped at how you are supposed to beat him. Simply put, the fight gets to a place where Curly just disappears and there's nothing you can do. I tried everything before I just assumed my cartridge was somehow broken and the game locked up or something, or maybe I might have missed something that you are supposed to use to make Curly vulnerable again. Sadly, no. I remember replaying chapter 2 over a few times and always getting stuck at the same point during the boss fight. Then when I played again years later as an adult, I learned what you were actually supposed to do. You knew a spell that would hit all enemies on the screen, and you were just supposed to use that several times.... that's it. I remember using it once or twice when I was 'trying everything' but I remember there being no significant feedback that what you were doing is the right thing. But if you use it like I think 5 times, you damage Curly enough that the fight proceeds.
Sometimes when I'm trying to decide what game to review, I'll have a look and see what's been covered already, and I was shocked that there were only a couple of videos about this game. I'm really glad to put something a little more in depth out there for folks to make a decision about whether or not they might like to play this for themselves. I can totally understand how you might've gotten off track with boss strategies as a kid. I alluded to it in the review, but even as a proper adult and paying attention to NPCs and taking notes, I still feel like I didn't quite have all the information I needed sometimes. I wonder if some of it was lost in translation at some point or if they just wanted you to experiment, but either way, I felt the bosses were unique if not sometimes frustrating. I'm glad you eventually got through the Curly fight!
Holy smokes! Thanks so much for taking the time to watch them all! I'm trying to get a little faster at making reviews but I appreciate the patience between posts here.
This game is one of the very first console RPGs. It predates even Final Fantasy and Phantasy Star by a few months, and Megami Tensei by about a week. As far as I can tell, only Dragon Quest 1&2 predate it (and technically Dragon Stomper, but that's a whole different kettle of fish). Magic of Scherherazade was way ahead of its time, with character portraits, a specific main character with a personal goal, and some innovative plot ideas. It's strange that a sequel was never made. It could have become a foundational series as important to the industry as the other games I listed. But instead, it just sort of vanished into obscurity. It's such a weird little nugget of history.
I agree with you. It was definitely ahead of its time and it's a shame there's been nothing done with this ever since. It really seems like it set the stage well for more to come after it.
Omg. So happy you reviewed this one. I know I missed out on the twitch stream. This is really a unique game. The music is top notch too. I always thought the two different fighting elements were neat and the class changes too were huge factors in how well you’d make progress. Don’t fear the reaper! Haha
I'm glad I finally got around to this one too. I loved this game and really wanted other people to know about it, and hopefully give this a chance for themselves. I definitely agree: there's tons here to experiment with and figure out a best way to play for your own play style. I wish I'd started up with the magician class a bit earlier, but I was content with the fighter's projectile for a long time. I didn't know what I was missing! Those reaper enemies were the worst, haha
I've heard the name of this game before and never really thought to check it out, but you've opened my eyes to what looks like an impressive RPG experience that seems a little experimental and quirky. Thanks for another great video!
My pleasure! I'm glad you liked it! The whole soundtrack really impressed me. The timestamp tune you mentioned is definitely one of the sweeter ones and I like it a lot as well!
I saw footage of this game somewhere as a kid but couldn't remember the name, I couldn't read English. Now I finally have the opportunity to play it. One of the reasons I love channels like this.
Hey thanks so much! I really enjoyed this game and I hope others give it a shot too. I think I would've really liked it if I'd had the chance to play it as a kid.
If you enjoyed this you may enjoy Little Ninja Brothers. It's the same company folding genres on each other. In Little Ninja Brothers (a spiritual sequel to Kung Fu Heroes) you traverse a traditional rpg map but encounters are a mini stage setup like Kung Fu Heroes...but wait...there's more! There's also sporting events, puzzles, and 4th wall breaking humor! It's a pretty interesting game. Fetches stupid prices but mostly worth it to experience the genre cocktail.
I second that recommendation! It got a sequel on the SNES which is the version I'm familiar with, but I'd love to see the NES original being covered in this channel
@@hungrygoriyaI think it’s your kind of game; it has an overworld and some of the bosses are Dragon Warrior style battles. There’s a sequel on the SNES as well. My brother and I loved playing Little Ninja Brothers, but it’s good as a single player game too. It also has some silly humor as well.
Magic of Scheherazade is one of my all-time favorite NES games and I'm so stoked to see you give your thoughts on it. Seriously, I would love to see someone make a reboot of this lost gem.
Right on! I loved this game and I can easily see why it'd be your favourite. And here's hoping it'll get a reboot/remake sometime. There's so much stuff here that has potential to be developed juuust a little more and be exceptional. It's also great as is though!
the developer still appears to be in business in japan but it hasnt released a game in the USA since the old nes days. they need to remaster and re release this bad boy
I remember seeing the ads for this, as well as coverage of it in an issue of Game Player's Strategy Guide to Nintendo Games, so I was always curious about this game but also unsure about it. This video covers it in the most depth I've seen so far, so thank you!
My pleasure! There was a lot more I wanted to say here, but it was getting to be a bit long. If you have any questions about anything here that was underdeveloped, please don't hesitate to ask. I hope you give it a try for yourself sometime.
5:49 "You turned into a strawberry cake, that's so adorable!" "Yeah, sure, very funny. Help me out here, this is painful." "I could just eat you whole." "Look, why don't you... wait, do you mean it?" "... let's find a way to change you back." 14:55 Perhaps they wanted to implement the time travel more fully into the game, but ran out of time/space/resources? It wouldn't've been the only time that sort of thing happened.
I feel like there are a lot of folks in the same boat as you on this! There are definitely a couple of parts that were confusing to me as an adult as well. Definitely not the easiest at times!
I loved this review, but in all fairness, I love all of your reviews. This was a fun game to play around with, though I never beat it. Heh, your description of the saint's blade was worth the price of admission alone. Thanks for all your thoughtful videos.
Awww, thanks so much! This part (the chatting with folks once the video's posted) is my favourite aspect of making videos. It's so nice to connect with people that love gaming and have played whatever I've yammered on about. Thank you for stopping by and sharing some thoughts here.
Very much enjoy your tone of voice and casual nature. Great job on explaining what you are doing without being boring or condescending like most gamers. 👍🏼
I love your detailed reviews! If you like action adventure games like this and Zelda, I highly recommend Gunpole, Gunman's Proof for the snes, It's basically a quirky link to the past but with guns!
The music in this game is so spectacular. Some of the standout tracks for me are the total banger of a title theme, both overworld themes, the turn-based battle music, and the short but delightful time door theme.
Fascinating game. Seeing that it's still a fairly early Famicom/NES game, it's really forward-looking. Another thing is, Culture Brain mostly focused on Hiryuu no Ken and Super Chinese series; many games from those series didn't come out in the West... and frankly, The Magic of Scheherazade was their magnum opus in my opinion; they really got it right early on. They also had some other series, like Hamster Monogatari and Konchuu Monsters... but I can't say much about those, since I haven't really played them much at all. Still, they must have been doing something right, seeing that they're still around, as Culture Brain Excel.
I had no idea that they were actually still around. I guess they stopped exporting their games during the SNES. They definitely have a unique list of games they have made.
@@KairuHakubi I was reading about them and they are still around but I wonder how. According to Wikipedia the last games they released were in like 2010 for the DS. What did they do for those 6 years before they rebranded as Culture Brain Excel in 2016 and what are they doing currently ? They haven't made a game in like 13 years.
I'll be curious to see what other stuff they worked on that didn't come out here. Thanks for the information! I think I have a Super Chinese series game on the Famicom I haven't tried out yet.
That level cap feature actually sounds really good. I can see how that can get the player to just keep moving on, while maintaining a floor of difficulty. Surprising that this didn’t really take off with RPGs as a whole. The closest thing that I can think of in modern games is the Bethesda approach where the enemies scale with your level, but this is still a little different. Fascinating, I’ll have to check this one out. Thanks for the time and effort spent on bringing this title back up to light.
It's a bit confusing in the typical NES fashion that games were back then. You might need a walkthrough to get past some of the more insane parts but overall it's a pretty fun game.
It's definitely an interesting take on RPGs and I just had to play it when I saw how different it was from everything else out there. The only other game I've played like this with a level cap is Illusion of Gaia, though that's a bit of a different setup since it's purely an action RPG. Enjoy this one if you play it! It has a few sticking points that might require some inventive approaches, but it's definitely worth spending some time on. Also, you're very welcome! I appreciate you stopping by!
Thanks for reviewing this. I rented this game from Blockbuster when I was 10 and never beat it (long for a rental). Also...I just found your channel and am digging the content! Keep up the great work!🎉🎉🎉
Yet another awesome review from an above average reviewer and person =) The music also had a Dragon Warrior vibe for me as well. I liked that nod to the groundbreaking game.
Oh thanks very much for saying so! I haven't played Dragon Warrior 3, but I think that's what the battle music most reminds me of. That little bit at the beginning, especially!
I was looking for a playthrough of this game when i found this video and channel. You did a great job reviewing this game and I'm happy I found somebody else talking about it. I personally thought the turned based fighting was extra long and I kinda wish they left it out. It messed me up too because you don't get into them just walking around the screen, it only happens when you trigger the screen transition from the end of the screen, so after a long fight i forgot which way i was walking lol. It is very unique and cool for the NES . When I made it to world 2 i thought I beat the game because it took me THAT long lol. It is definitely worth a shot for anyone though but for me it's a little much that's why I'm watching a playthrough instead or else id never see the ending lol. Also I don't think it's your NES's fault the game kept crashing, this game is coded very oddly and wouldn't surprise me if that's why, the game stores things wierdly. Like it takes 3 different memory addresses to store money, one for the hundreds place, one for the tens place and one for the singles place. I think it stores other things the same way and just overloads itself. Lmao @weiner sword 2:00 i first picked the saint when i started and i was like wtf is this butter knife thing its so bad hahaha Edit: sorry my comment is so long i just realized.
Oh thanks for dropping in here! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I'm also happy to know that someone else disliked the saint class as much as I did. Thanks for the confirmation on the buggy code. I was really surprised at how much this one crashed in particular! I think this one could've definitely done without the turn-based battles, but I'm not sad they were there. At least they were easy to run from, but I think they could've done a lot more with them to make them flow a little better. It's a novelty that wore out its welcome too quickly in my books!
I adore this game. It was my first ever RPG. I couldn't even understand a word in English. But I played this so much I actually learned some English. I love the gameplay and the time travel mechanic. Planting a rupia tree in the past to collect the rupee in the present was so satisfying for 8 years old me. Nowdays I finish this game once every year.
It's great that a game resonated with you so much. My equivalent to this is Faxanadu. I play it through at least once a year as well! Was the rupia tree the only thing that was directly affected by the time travel? I couldn't think of any other examples.
@@hungrygoriya Can you believe I never played Faxanadu? People ALWAYS tell me it is one of the best Nes games, but I never even touched it. It wasn't very popular here in Brazil, sadly, so I've only heard about it years later. I still plan on playing it, but I just couldn't find the time to tackle my backlog... The Rupia tree was the only thing, sadly. In fact, you hit the nail in the head in your review: the time travel thing was a missed opportunity. But honestly, as much as I love Magic of Scheherazade, I think "missed opportunities" are all around the game. The turn based battles are great, but you don't get to fight a single boss in them. In fact, they aren't even important to the game! The action combat was great, but not being able to use your partners is another missed opportunity. And so on. I still love the game, but it is FAR from perfect. :p
@@marcsm2008 I hope that you get to play Faxanadu sometime. I'll add to the collective voice that insists you need to try it out. I totally hear ya about missed opportunities being abundant here. The Magic of Scheherazade is still incredibly ambitious and fun, but with just a little bit more work in a few areas to make things more impactful, it could've been even better. I still loved it regardless!
New to your channel and what do I find? A piece of my childhood!! Thank you so much for giving this gem so love!! A few others that I had hours on my NES that you may like, Nightshade or maybe Pinball Quest but watch out for Cybernoid its was super frustrating! New Sub here, Keep up the Great Work!!
Oh right on! Thanks for stopping in here and for subscribing. I've yet to play Nightshade or Pinball Quest, so I'll add those to my list to try out soon.
Super nostalgic. Between this game and Arabian Nights MTG in the 90s, I was induced to read the old version of the 1001 nights. After reading it, I came to the conclusion that, this is basically the Bible that nobody takes literally. Good book, good vid. Stay hungry Goriya.
Glad you enjoyed the video. I haven't read any 1001 nights, but I've been exposed to some of the stories over the years through video game and movie adaptations. Sounds like something I should check out some day!
Again, amazing video. I only wish that youtube stops showing me old videos ive already watched while hiding your new releases...this damn algorithm its really frustrating
Another great review! A friend recommended me this game recently, will try it out If you like the Arabian setting and doesn't mind much turn based battles, Defenders of Oasis for the Game Gear is a good game to play
I actually just played through Defenders of Oasis a couple of weeks ago. It was awesome! And good luck with your playthrough of The Magic of Scheherazade! I hope you enjoy it.
I was really happy to see this title pop up here, I have always had the softest of soft spots for this weird little game. I rented it when it was new, after Ultima Exodus and Dragon Warrior this was one of the very first turn-based RPGs we NES kids got. So even if the gameplay hybrid didn't quite make sense, it was still cool uncharted territory at the time. And everything about Culture Brain, from their weird name to the semi-amateurish sprite work (the portraits here are good though) in a lot of their games to the garbled English in their print ads shouted underdog. I found it easy to be sympathetic toward them, even if their output wasn't always great.
I actually really enjoy that it's a hybrid game! It's certainly different from anything else I've played and I appreciated the change from the usual fare. I'll have to have a look at some of their ads. I don't think I've had the pleasure of seeing how those came across.
I remember this game being reviewed in Nintendo fun club/ Nintendo Power and Gamepro Magazines (yes I'm Gamepro years old!😂). I wanted to try this but was playing Festers Quest and Clash at Demonhead. I remember the notorious NES flicker. With your review I want to play this now. Another good review! You are an awesome true gamer!!❤
I bet you we're pretty close to the same age! I've yet to play Fester's Quest, but Clash at Demonhead and this one are definitely both worth playing through. Thanks so much about the review. I'm glad you liked the video :)
One of my favorite hidden gems from the NES! It was ahead of it's time in so many ways, classes, casinos, companions, time travel, two different battle systems, colleges to teach you tactics, and so on. It isn't without it's flaws (password system) but for it's age, it is an amazing game.
I love the Japanese take on the Arabian Nights theme. Though, this game makes me wonder why don't we see blended combat systems like this more often. Field enemies which can be fought real time, and bosses so powerful you need Djinn allies to defeat. Super cool. Thanks for showing us this Hun, quality work as always!
I love games that do different things in them, as long as they're both done well and it doesn't feel tacked on. I would love to see more blended RPGs like this one. Thanks so much!
I've always had a soft spot for Arabian themed RPGs. Daria has talked about a few (including this one) on her channel but otherwise it's hard to find reviews for most of them. I have a Game Gear Game called Defenders Of Oasis that you would probably enjoy. I wish someone would patch it to decrease the encounter rate but it was one of my favorite RPGs as a kid. This game surprisingly not one of my favorites but I do like most games that remind me of Zelda so I don't dislike it. I never owned this one. I just downloaded it when I found out about it like 20 years ago. I honestly don't remember if I beat it or not. I guess probably not but I don't really see myself replaying it. I have so many games to get to. But it was fun to revisit and as usual I enjoyed the video. I like your channel a lot. I've recommended it several times and I'm sure I will again. It's fun to listen to your thoughts on experiencing these games mostly for the first time
I feel like Daria was the reason I learned about this game in the first place! And you know what's funny? I actually just played through Defenders of Oasis not too long ago! My husband modified a Game Gear so I could stream it and capture some gameplay from original hardware. It was a lot of fun! The Magic of Scheherazade definitely has some pretty confusing spots . Thanks for checking out the video even if you don't plan on replaying this one down the line. I appreciate you taking the time to watch! It's my pleasure to bring these first-time experiences to you all here.
Eyyyy! I remember saying/thinking you should do a review on this! I really liked this game. I also noted that Culture Brain also made Baseball Simulator 1.000.
Yeah! I still want to do one for StarTropics and The Immortal, but with some other stuff in between most likely. I think Baseball Simulator 1.000 is a robot baseball game eh? I feel like I've seen that played before, and it looked awesome!
I had played this game when I was young, but never finished it. Because of you how you displayed the cart, today I learned it was made my Culture Brain! One of my favorite NES/SNES developers. (Flying Dragon, Flying Warriors, Baseball Simulator 1000, Kung Fu Heroes, Little Ninja Brothers, Super Ninja Boys)
I wonder if more than one version of the ROM was released, because I've beaten this at least four times on original hardware since I got it as a kid and a few more on emulators, and I've never had a single crash.
The unique theme to this game had me rent it multiple times when I was a kid. Thanks for the review. Do you think you will do a review for Nobunaga’s Ambition? That was another game I replayed due to its different approach to rpgs.
We got an incredibly polished version of this. Coronya didn’t call out the Oprin targets in the JP version… and Oprin was a purchased item in the JP version. And the music was much more rough, which will be obvious if you seek out the 2023 release soundtrack for the game which features both JP and US soundtracks. I found it on both Spotify and Apple Music.
Nice review! I played this once as a rental, never got anywhere in it (lack of instruction manuals made renting RPGs interesting in the late 80s and early 90s).
Culture Brain always made wildly ambitious games that usually didn't pan out all that well; this felt like the one time they actually succeeded. This is one of my all-time favorites on the NES, but it did take me 3 or 4 tries to like it enough to even finish the first chapter; the turn-based battles were a big part of that, but after spending enough time with it, I really wound up enjoying the experience. Another thing that impressed me is how strangely well it managed to capture the atmosphere of rural living in the late '70s and early '80s; the only other game I can think of that did that was Earthbound Zero.
Another one of my absolute favorites! I admit that a lot of my love is nostalgia based, and helps me to look past its flaws. One thing that made this game great was the simplified password system. Want to start at world 3? Password 3W to start at the beginning, W3 to start the world ready to take on the boss. Fantastic for a little kid! (Might have those backwards, but you get the idea) That aside, I love that you've been hitting my childhood gems back to back lately. Battle of Olympus, Crystalis, Magic of Scheherazade.... looking forward to what's next! You're on a hot streak 😆
I remember the manual saying something about being lenient if you messed up the passwords. It'd put you somewhere close to where you were but you might have different things in your inventory! I think that's a very nice feature that a lot of little ones appreciated back in times where a wrong password could feel like a hit below the belt. Thanks for your kindness! I have a few more tricks up my sleeve here so stay tuned!
It was my second NES game I brought (The first was the first Final Fantasy). And the first one I used with The Genie. I used the Genie to get the 'lay out' of the game. Afterward I played it straight without help. I was a cautious player. I would kill as many enemies as possible outside the inn. Go in the inn to save, then go to the next town to buy weapons with the coins/money from the kills. Also would saved at inn before I went in the dungeons.
Growing up, I loved this game. And this was a very good and very fair review. 👍👍 P.S. I loved the soundtrack for this as well. Some of the best in video game history. 🎶
Hey thanks so much! Glad you like this one too. I hope more people give it a try! And I completely agree about the soundtrack. I definitely have a few of its songs in my favourite NES music playlist!
Thank you! The random battles occur when transitioning between certain screens. I'm pretty sure like the action battles, the random encounters always happen in the same spots too.
Had this recommended to me and am glad it was. This was a budget title ($19.99) when it was released, and I bought it with my own money. Got it home and was able to look past the jank because of how deep it was. Didn't hurt that the soundtrack was incredible by budget NES standards (the melancholy minor key theme from the first overworld is still one of my all time favorites). I still go back and play this every couple of years
I'm glad my video somehow found you. Thanks for taking a chance on it! It's cool that you got to buy this one for yourself back in the day. I think I would've really loved it as a kid! And that melancholy theme you're describing is my favourite song from this game, no question. I had it on repeat while I was writing up my review.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this game. It is probably my favorite game purely from nostalgia. You hit on all the major points I would bring up. The game simply lacks a 'polish'. It threw everything at the wall to see what would stick though.
You're very welcome. I genuinely think a lot of things stuck to that wall. If it'd had a bit more refinement in a couple of places, it surely would've taken the entire genre by storm. It's still really fun for what it is though!
I have a soft spot for Magic. Back in the day, it felt very unique and mysterious. Like, there was a formula to how it played but I'd still find myself surprised how it go about it. I love all the weird companions and they're really imaginative, although i also wish some of them were more outwardly useful or conversational beyond Coronya, who was basically a narrative side kick even when not used. I'd love to see this game updated for the modern era, there really isn't much like it and it has a lot of interesting ideas that just needed polish.
Agreed 100%! There's so much awesome stuff here that just needed a little more refinement to make this even better. Here's hoping it'll get the remake/reboot treatment sometime. It'd be a perfect game to update, but still maintain lots of the original aspects since they're already so well-developed.
Great review of this forgotten classic! Sadly I never played this game as a kid...it didn't get much fanfare or love from Nintendo (especially in Nintendo Power) so I avoided it for other more popular games at the time. When I finally played it as an adult I couldn't believe what I'd missed out on. It took many aspects of popular games from its era and really improved on them in my opinion. I think if MoS had received more spotlight it could have given a lot of the popular NES titles a run for their money when it was first released. It is truly one of a kind and despite its flaws you can't help but get immersed in the story and game play. I may just be a grumpy old man now but I think Nintendo purposely avoided giving this game a lot of praise so it wouldn't compete with their own titles.
I'll be grumpy with you! I wish this had gotten a little more attention too. There's so much awesomeness here and it's a real shame that there aren't more people that love this one. Maybe this video might inspire a few others to give it a try for themselves. It's never too late to bring some new people around to an old game.
You ever played Flying Warriors Hungry? That is another game that has a "mutliple game in a game" style. Side scrolling platformer, fighting game, and Turn based party battle game all in one. It is pretty engaging and fun to play.
I'm pretty horrible at this game, though I do recognize the qualities it has and some they were close on such as the NPC moshing😂. Its pretty weird my copy locks up too and always makes me hesitant about picking it up and throwing it back in to try it again. Great review and very informative 👍
Your game footage is excellent, I can't tell if it's super well executed footage of a real TV or if you use CRT filter technology centuries ahead of what I have access to (Tbh it's been so long since I've played on a CRT TV I'm not the one to ask, and I know nothing about video capture, but still)
Hey thanks! I'm actually just capturing the composite signal out of the NES. I play on a CRT, but all of the footage is captured with a card. Lots of people like to mod their NESes or emulate to get that crispier look, but I'm partial to how the console looked when I was a kid.
@@hungrygoriya I'm interested in recapturing some of that lost authenticity (without buying an overpriced CRT resale). It becomes a clear issue with SNES games with pretendered cg sprites, like Mario RPG and DKC, but all sprites were made with the display in mind in the day, and I want to see that intention. CRT filters are not a science though, so I'll probably have to get a CRT TV eventually.
@@anguset You know, a lot of the CRTs we've owned here have come off the side of the road. If you keep your eyes peeled, you might be able to find one for free!
Was slightly obsessed with this game since i rented it back in the early 90s. Never found any place selling it. Great gameplay in every way except the awkward menus.
I picked this up at a flea market many years ago and playing through it was one of my best gaming experiences. The soundtrack is one of the best on the system, maybe a top 20 for the NES.
Oh wow... do you remember how much you paid for it? I absolutely adored the soundtrack here. Definitely near the top for me from the NES library as well!
@@hungrygoriya No more than five bucks. Probably around 2009, I bought that a bunch of other okay to unspectacular games. Thank god I bought a lot of it when it was still cheap. 😂
Fun timing since I'm playing through this right now! (On the 4th world currently.) I'm mostly enjoying it. I've compared it to Legend of Zelda but with more linearity and obvious hints -- separate discrete worlds and anything you need to do has *some* hint pointing you that way do that. Like you I felt a bit of disappointment, but realized that these days I would just use a guide or save states so was kind of thankful for that in the end.
Definitely some of the most silly looking characters I've seen, but the art as a whole looks really charming. I do love the changing faces of the merchants as you further anger them. You truly are a library of obscure games I've gotta check out!
The character portraits were a real treat and a half! This one's definitely worth a playthrough if you like action RPGs with a bit of turn-based stuff too. And thanks! I try to keep it obscure most of the time!
never met a person who played it..... love how the game had Q&A sections in it. also, the last question in the game can give u a game over if u answer wrong. remember also having to travel back in time to kill one powerful boss. also, MASHROUB made me laugh so much as a kid, since it means DRINK!
I definitely got a few of the recruitable characters' questions wrong and got the instant game over. So much for compassion! I enjoyed learning a few new words in a foreign language, but I loved mashroub too!
"But even if becoming a cake or a hamburger was endearing in the moment, the potential of being whittled down to nearly dead wasn't worth it." How many people do I have to meet who learn THIS one the hard way.
Another of those NES games I've always wanted to try. I kind of wish this had gotten some kind of sequel or follow-up, it seems like with a little tweaking it could have been something really special! It also sort of reminds me of Beyond Oasis, which I highly recommend if you haven't tried it!
@@spineknife2386 I actually went and looked this up! There was a sequel in development, but from what I can see it never released, though apparently elements from this game was referenced/cameoed in one of the Super Ninja Bros games, though I haven't played those yet, so I don't know for sure
I agree with you! It was very fun for what it was, but so, so much is just right at the cusp of being phenomenal. It does so many different things so well that with a little more polish, I'd be curious to know how it might've changed the scope of gaming back then. Or how many people might have it on their list as a favourite RPG instead of some of the other bigger games from the time. I haven't tried Beyond Oasis yet, but I did just play Defenders of Oasis on the Game Gear. I don't think they're related but Defenders of Oasis takes place in a similar setting to The Magic of Scheherazade.
@@hungrygoriya Defenders of Oasis actually isn't a part of the same series in it's original Japanese release, it ended up getting a similar treatment to what Square did with calling the early SaGa games "Final Fantasy Legend". Beyond Oasis is more of a Zelda-like. Come to think of it, there were a lot of Arabian-inspired RPGs in the early 90s xD
Culture Brain had some really neat ideas for their games on the NES, even though there are not many. Baseball Simulator 1.000 has a ton of depth for an NES baseball game with the ultra moves and being able to customize a teams and players. They seemed to like to shoot for the moon.
Just a hint: IF the game crashes or the power goes out or something and you don't have a password in the chapter you were in, you can always go to the password screen and type W# (replace # with 2, 3, 4 or 5) to start on that world. The game will reject that password 3 times, but then it will allow you to start on that world (w4 starts on World 4, for example)
It is a shame that this game didn't use a save backup.
Then again, games with save backups were almost nonexistent here in Brazil, so if this game had it, I would probably not have played it when I was a kid. And THIS would be a shame, considering how important this game was for me.
Thank you for sharing this! I know the manual mentioned something about password sorcery that wasn't totally clear to me, so it's great to know how it actually works. I hope you don't mind that I pinned your comment. This info will probably help someone out!
I remember this from when I was a kid. This is hands down the most respectful feature I have ever seen in a game, and I’ve never forgotten it.
Bonus detail. This is actually because the game is coded with wrong password forgiveness feature. Every password the game gives you starts with w# and this was coded in incase you wrote/entered your long password down wrong. If your password doesn't work the game just checks the first two characters (always w#) and ignores the rest. It also why every world has a max level, so the game knows what you should have at the start and end of each world. The max level for each world code in just flipping the w# around so its #w.
@@chronossageI think I remember reading something about this in Nintendo Power once. It reminds me quite a lot of the "FE"/"EF" thing for the passwords in Deadly Towers.
This was my family's favorite game when I was in kindergarten. It was the first one I ever saw anyone beat; I was so excited when my mother finished it that I got my toy guitar and sang a song about it. Oddly, she almost never played videogames after that, and I still can't get her to pick them up again to this day. She always says she's afraid she'd sink into them and do nothing else.
I never beat it until I started returning to my digital heritage with emulators as an adult. I was surprised by how easy it was compared to other games like it, (except for some of the bosses) and I realized how lucky I was to have this as a first game. The experience is so different when you've built up some literacy; a beginner sees a huge world and a variety of systems to explore, while a veteran sees quirky design choices and ways to break the game everywhere. Both perspectives are rewarding in their own way, and I'm sure this game has shown both sides to lots of people. I was particularly fascinated with the formations as a child, and while they can still be very powerful against certain encounters, it's funny to see how underwhelming some of them are once you know what you're doing.
This game is an absolute gem, and I've spent an embarrassing amount of time imagining a modern remake of it. It's kind of obscure, so it'll probably never happen, but I thought that about ActRaiser, and we have that now. Maybe someday.
I think it's awesome that you have that memory from your mom's playthrough. It's unfortunate that she fell of the gaming bandwagon, but it's nice to know that you got to spend that time together when you were younger, and that it fostered the growth of something so important in you.
I feel like coming back to a childhood game in adulthood is incredibly satisfying. I never managed to finish most of my childhood games without a Game Genie, and I only beat them legitimately after I turned 30. I wish I'd had The Magic of Scheherazade as a kid because I think I would've adored learning about the turn-based RPG stuff. I didn't really play a game like that until I was a teenager, and this feels like the perfect introduction to something like that.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and memories with me here. And I will add my hope to yours for a remake someday.
This was one of those games that I rented as a child. It made an impression on me and I had to find it and finish it as an adult.
I can see why. Something about it pulled me right in when I was playing through.
I played this at a friend's house once when I was little. Years later, I couldn't remember the name. All i knew is there was two combat systems and time travel. Eventually I stumbled across a copy of the game. As soon as I saw the title, I knew it was the one I'd played so many years ago.
The internet was much more limited back then so searching for it online never amounted to anything. I'm glad I found it. It is a bit rough in some areas but it does a lot well. It's always had a special place in my heart.
I'm so glad you found the game eventually. That's the best feeling, unlocking those old memories! I spent along while trying to remember a DOS game I played ages ago called Challenge of the Ancient Empires. It felt like Christmas when someone helped me remember the name of it!
Your videos inspired me to play through Faxanadu for the first time! I really enjoy them
Nello, Thank you for playing.
Awww right on! Thanks for telling me this. It means a lot to me! Faxanadu will always be one of my favourites. I hope you liked it :)
@@hungrygoriyathanks for doing a lot of these videos. A few of these for the NES I've played, but some I've only read about in Nintendo Power as a kid.
Great review! What an intriguing game - it's cool to see how retro developers experimented with mixing genres.
Totally. I think it makes for a really interesting playthrough, though it would've been neat if they'd made the payoff a bit different for both combat styles. Either way, it was still an awesome experience.
My second favorite hidden gem! Ive never beaten the game, but i fell in love with the music, the story and the mixed rpg aspect. To me, this game is up there with faxanadu for a must play obscure game!
I'm inclined to agree with you about it's awesomeness. I would love for more people give it a try sometime. And if finishing it is something you'd like to do someday, I hope you have the opportunity to do so!
@@hungrygoriya finishing it is in the cards if i can find a cartridge of it, havent had much luck at places i can verify it works.
My brother and I had this one as kids. The music has always stuck with me. One of my favorite NES games. Great review!
Nice! I'm glad you got to play this one when you were younger and that you got to make some awesome memories with your brother! That's awesome!
@@hungrygoriya Absolutely! While it's nowhere near perfect, it was an incredibly ambitious game for its time. I remember always getting a kick out of making the shopkeepers mad from trying to barter too much 😅 Good times.
It's nice to have a game that does things a bit differently from other RPGs, with its two distinct forms of combat, but perhaps there is a reason why more games of this style did not follow Scheherazade's lead. But I applaud the designers for not simply following the standard formula.
And I agree wholeheartedly about the 'secrets' being pointed out for you. Hearing the famous jingle in the Legend of Zelda when I pushed the correct stone, bombed the right bit of wall or burnt the appropriate bush to reveal a secret entrance was one of the most tingly satisfying moments in video gaming for me!
I was really blown away at how much they put into one game. It all worked well but maybe could've used a little more polish to get it to be truly amazing. It's still fun for what it is though, without question!
Coronya is a menace! I wish I had a little more autonomy over the secret-finding. Growing up, Zelda's secret discoveries were so exciting for me. This definitely didn't feel nearly as fun as that did. I'm glad we're in agreement on that!
this was one of those random games I would rent with zero expectations, and then it would end up turning into an unforgettable adventure
No kidding! There's a lot here and almost all of it's great.
I am so happy you got to this gem. I played a lot of this as a kid and then as a young adult, and I loved it. It's such a unique and wonderful game, despite it's flaws.
I remember looking it up on youtube, and the only video I could see showcasing it's gameplay was a pair of dudebros playing the first 20 minutes and making fun of it, followed by throwing it in the trash; I guess they were trying to be the next AVGN. It saddened me and I'm glad someone finally gave the recognition it deserves.
I remember renting it as a kid and getting to Curly, the second chapter boss, only to get completely stumped at how you are supposed to beat him. Simply put, the fight gets to a place where Curly just disappears and there's nothing you can do. I tried everything before I just assumed my cartridge was somehow broken and the game locked up or something, or maybe I might have missed something that you are supposed to use to make Curly vulnerable again. Sadly, no. I remember replaying chapter 2 over a few times and always getting stuck at the same point during the boss fight.
Then when I played again years later as an adult, I learned what you were actually supposed to do. You knew a spell that would hit all enemies on the screen, and you were just supposed to use that several times.... that's it. I remember using it once or twice when I was 'trying everything' but I remember there being no significant feedback that what you were doing is the right thing. But if you use it like I think 5 times, you damage Curly enough that the fight proceeds.
Sometimes when I'm trying to decide what game to review, I'll have a look and see what's been covered already, and I was shocked that there were only a couple of videos about this game. I'm really glad to put something a little more in depth out there for folks to make a decision about whether or not they might like to play this for themselves.
I can totally understand how you might've gotten off track with boss strategies as a kid. I alluded to it in the review, but even as a proper adult and paying attention to NPCs and taking notes, I still feel like I didn't quite have all the information I needed sometimes. I wonder if some of it was lost in translation at some point or if they just wanted you to experiment, but either way, I felt the bosses were unique if not sometimes frustrating. I'm glad you eventually got through the Curly fight!
I was just thinking how sad i was to have finished all your videos. Glad to have another. This looks like a fun game
Holy smokes! Thanks so much for taking the time to watch them all! I'm trying to get a little faster at making reviews but I appreciate the patience between posts here.
This game is one of the very first console RPGs. It predates even Final Fantasy and Phantasy Star by a few months, and Megami Tensei by about a week. As far as I can tell, only Dragon Quest 1&2 predate it (and technically Dragon Stomper, but that's a whole different kettle of fish). Magic of Scherherazade was way ahead of its time, with character portraits, a specific main character with a personal goal, and some innovative plot ideas.
It's strange that a sequel was never made. It could have become a foundational series as important to the industry as the other games I listed. But instead, it just sort of vanished into obscurity. It's such a weird little nugget of history.
I agree with you. It was definitely ahead of its time and it's a shame there's been nothing done with this ever since. It really seems like it set the stage well for more to come after it.
Omg. So happy you reviewed this one. I know I missed out on the twitch stream. This is really a unique game. The music is top notch too. I always thought the two different fighting elements were neat and the class changes too were huge factors in how well you’d make progress.
Don’t fear the reaper! Haha
I'm glad I finally got around to this one too. I loved this game and really wanted other people to know about it, and hopefully give this a chance for themselves.
I definitely agree: there's tons here to experiment with and figure out a best way to play for your own play style. I wish I'd started up with the magician class a bit earlier, but I was content with the fighter's projectile for a long time. I didn't know what I was missing!
Those reaper enemies were the worst, haha
I've heard the name of this game before and never really thought to check it out, but you've opened my eyes to what looks like an impressive RPG experience that seems a little experimental and quirky. Thanks for another great video!
I hope you do give it a try sometime. Experimental and quirky is a great way to describe this one!
Great review as always. I must say your "voice" (writing voice, not literal) has to be one my favourite in the retro video game scene.
That's extremely kind. Thank you very much!
It's always a good day when you see a new video from Hungry Goriya. Informative as always!
Thanks for taking the time to stop by here!
[8:27] Best song in the game right there, oh it brings me back. Thank you for the review!
My pleasure! I'm glad you liked it! The whole soundtrack really impressed me. The timestamp tune you mentioned is definitely one of the sweeter ones and I like it a lot as well!
Thanks for the amazing and detailed spoiler free video. I'm hungry for more content!
It's on the way as fast as I can get it out there. Thanks for watching!
@@hungrygoriya oh please take your time, good things take effort and care
The look of the action rpg segments remind me a bit of Aztec Adventure on the Master System. Great video once again :)
I have yet to play that one through for myself, but I see what you mean!
I saw footage of this game somewhere as a kid but couldn't remember the name, I couldn't read English. Now I finally have the opportunity to play it. One of the reasons I love channels like this.
Glad you're reconnected with that memory! Enjoy your playthrough!
"Use the magic of Oprin here!" I remember this game fondly, very very fun. Solid review!
Hey thanks so much! I really enjoyed this game and I hope others give it a shot too. I think I would've really liked it if I'd had the chance to play it as a kid.
If you enjoyed this you may enjoy Little Ninja Brothers. It's the same company folding genres on each other. In Little Ninja Brothers (a spiritual sequel to Kung Fu Heroes) you traverse a traditional rpg map but encounters are a mini stage setup like Kung Fu Heroes...but wait...there's more! There's also sporting events, puzzles, and 4th wall breaking humor!
It's a pretty interesting game. Fetches stupid prices but mostly worth it to experience the genre cocktail.
I second that recommendation! It got a sequel on the SNES which is the version I'm familiar with, but I'd love to see the NES original being covered in this channel
Yep Ninja Boy is good. Super Ninja Boy is great! I still hear that catchy Asian music in my head from time to time lol
Thank you for the suggestion! I'll see if I can find a copy or a way to play it sometime. That sounds right up my alley!
@@hungrygoriyaI think it’s your kind of game; it has an overworld and some of the bosses are Dragon Warrior style battles. There’s a sequel on the SNES as well. My brother and I loved playing Little Ninja Brothers, but it’s good as a single player game too. It also has some silly humor as well.
Magic of Scheherazade is one of my all-time favorite NES games and I'm so stoked to see you give your thoughts on it. Seriously, I would love to see someone make a reboot of this lost gem.
Right on! I loved this game and I can easily see why it'd be your favourite. And here's hoping it'll get a reboot/remake sometime. There's so much stuff here that has potential to be developed juuust a little more and be exceptional. It's also great as is though!
the developer still appears to be in business in japan but it hasnt released a game in the USA since the old nes days. they need to remaster and re release this bad boy
@@kurthellis Cross all your fingers!
I remember seeing the ads for this, as well as coverage of it in an issue of Game Player's Strategy Guide to Nintendo Games, so I was always curious about this game but also unsure about it. This video covers it in the most depth I've seen so far, so thank you!
My pleasure! There was a lot more I wanted to say here, but it was getting to be a bit long. If you have any questions about anything here that was underdeveloped, please don't hesitate to ask. I hope you give it a try for yourself sometime.
@@hungrygoriya I think I do want to give it a try, which will actually probably generate questions for me to ask you! 😃
5:49 "You turned into a strawberry cake, that's so adorable!"
"Yeah, sure, very funny. Help me out here, this is painful."
"I could just eat you whole."
"Look, why don't you... wait, do you mean it?"
"... let's find a way to change you back."
14:55 Perhaps they wanted to implement the time travel more fully into the game, but ran out of time/space/resources? It wouldn't've been the only time that sort of thing happened.
Delicious strawberry cake
This was a great game I remember playing it as a kid and never beating it lol.
I feel like there are a lot of folks in the same boat as you on this! There are definitely a couple of parts that were confusing to me as an adult as well. Definitely not the easiest at times!
Great thorough review.
Thank you!
Thank you very much for reviewing this! I never new this existed and I'm now interested in finding one!
Good luck on the hunt! Last time I checked, it was still reasonably priced.
@@hungrygoriya 😊👍
Omg one of my favourite so happy you reviewed it.
I'm surprised at how little there is out there on this game. It's a great one and deserves a lot more attention than it gets!
8 eyes. 8 eyes has this vibe to it. Nice work, Hun. This was fun.
Ooooo! I've been meaning to play that one sometime.
I loved this review, but in all fairness, I love all of your reviews. This was a fun game to play around with, though I never beat it. Heh, your description of the saint's blade was worth the price of admission alone. Thanks for all your thoughtful videos.
Awww, thanks so much! This part (the chatting with folks once the video's posted) is my favourite aspect of making videos. It's so nice to connect with people that love gaming and have played whatever I've yammered on about. Thank you for stopping by and sharing some thoughts here.
I appreciate your response, now I'm an even bigger fan.🎉 You've responded to me before, but this certainly was quick.
Very much enjoy your tone of voice and casual nature. Great job on explaining what you are doing without being boring or condescending like most gamers. 👍🏼
Hey thanks! I appreciate the feedback.
I love your detailed reviews! If you like action adventure games like this and Zelda, I highly recommend Gunpole, Gunman's Proof for the snes, It's basically a quirky link to the past but with guns!
I've seen a few folks playing Gunman's Proof and I'd love to try it out sometime. It looks like something I'd really enjoy. Thanks for the suggestion!
The music in this game is so spectacular. Some of the standout tracks for me are the total banger of a title theme, both overworld themes, the turn-based battle music, and the short but delightful time door theme.
It's all good stuff. My favourite's still Overworld 2. It's so melancholy, but also very hopeful.
Fascinating game. Seeing that it's still a fairly early Famicom/NES game, it's really forward-looking. Another thing is, Culture Brain mostly focused on Hiryuu no Ken and Super Chinese series; many games from those series didn't come out in the West... and frankly, The Magic of Scheherazade was their magnum opus in my opinion; they really got it right early on. They also had some other series, like Hamster Monogatari and Konchuu Monsters... but I can't say much about those, since I haven't really played them much at all. Still, they must have been doing something right, seeing that they're still around, as Culture Brain Excel.
I had no idea that they were actually still around. I guess they stopped exporting their games during the SNES. They definitely have a unique list of games they have made.
Oh wow, this was Culture Brain? I loved Hiryu no Ken on N64 so much. I feel like I never see them anymore..
@@KairuHakubi I was reading about them and they are still around but I wonder how. According to Wikipedia the last games they released were in like 2010 for the DS. What did they do for those 6 years before they rebranded as Culture Brain Excel in 2016 and what are they doing currently ? They haven't made a game in like 13 years.
@@Gatorade69 Must be like Valve. Which.. actually is pretty on-brand for them.
I'll be curious to see what other stuff they worked on that didn't come out here. Thanks for the information! I think I have a Super Chinese series game on the Famicom I haven't tried out yet.
That level cap feature actually sounds really good. I can see how that can get the player to just keep moving on, while maintaining a floor of difficulty. Surprising that this didn’t really take off with RPGs as a whole. The closest thing that I can think of in modern games is the Bethesda approach where the enemies scale with your level, but this is still a little different. Fascinating, I’ll have to check this one out. Thanks for the time and effort spent on bringing this title back up to light.
It's a bit confusing in the typical NES fashion that games were back then. You might need a walkthrough to get past some of the more insane parts but overall it's a pretty fun game.
It's definitely an interesting take on RPGs and I just had to play it when I saw how different it was from everything else out there. The only other game I've played like this with a level cap is Illusion of Gaia, though that's a bit of a different setup since it's purely an action RPG.
Enjoy this one if you play it! It has a few sticking points that might require some inventive approaches, but it's definitely worth spending some time on.
Also, you're very welcome! I appreciate you stopping by!
Thanks for reviewing this. I rented this game from Blockbuster when I was 10 and never beat it (long for a rental).
Also...I just found your channel and am digging the content!
Keep up the great work!🎉🎉🎉
It's my absolute joy to play these games and talk about them here. Thanks so much for your kindness and for stopping in. I appreciate it!
Great review Goriya, I've been meaning to play this one for a long time. I should make room for it soon.
You definitely should!
Yet another awesome review from an above average reviewer and person =) The music also had a Dragon Warrior vibe for me as well. I liked that nod to the groundbreaking game.
Oh thanks very much for saying so! I haven't played Dragon Warrior 3, but I think that's what the battle music most reminds me of. That little bit at the beginning, especially!
I was looking for a playthrough of this game when i found this video and channel. You did a great job reviewing this game and I'm happy I found somebody else talking about it. I personally thought the turned based fighting was extra long and I kinda wish they left it out. It messed me up too because you don't get into them just walking around the screen, it only happens when you trigger the screen transition from the end of the screen, so after a long fight i forgot which way i was walking lol. It is very unique and cool for the NES . When I made it to world 2 i thought I beat the game because it took me THAT long lol. It is definitely worth a shot for anyone though but for me it's a little much that's why I'm watching a playthrough instead or else id never see the ending lol. Also I don't think it's your NES's fault the game kept crashing, this game is coded very oddly and wouldn't surprise me if that's why, the game stores things wierdly. Like it takes 3 different memory addresses to store money, one for the hundreds place, one for the tens place and one for the singles place. I think it stores other things the same way and just overloads itself. Lmao @weiner sword 2:00 i first picked the saint when i started and i was like wtf is this butter knife thing its so bad hahaha
Edit: sorry my comment is so long i just realized.
Oh thanks for dropping in here! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I'm also happy to know that someone else disliked the saint class as much as I did.
Thanks for the confirmation on the buggy code. I was really surprised at how much this one crashed in particular!
I think this one could've definitely done without the turn-based battles, but I'm not sad they were there. At least they were easy to run from, but I think they could've done a lot more with them to make them flow a little better. It's a novelty that wore out its welcome too quickly in my books!
@@hungrygoriya Thank you so much, you are super nice 🙂. I started following your twitch channel too! Agreed!
@@JohnGunn- Awww thanks so much for checking out the streams! I've been playing a lot of StarCraft and enjoying my first RTS experience.
I always enjoy your reviews!
Awww thanks so much!
I adore this game. It was my first ever RPG. I couldn't even understand a word in English. But I played this so much I actually learned some English. I love the gameplay and the time travel mechanic. Planting a rupia tree in the past to collect the rupee in the present was so satisfying for 8 years old me.
Nowdays I finish this game once every year.
It's great that a game resonated with you so much. My equivalent to this is Faxanadu. I play it through at least once a year as well!
Was the rupia tree the only thing that was directly affected by the time travel? I couldn't think of any other examples.
@@hungrygoriya Can you believe I never played Faxanadu? People ALWAYS tell me it is one of the best Nes games, but I never even touched it. It wasn't very popular here in Brazil, sadly, so I've only heard about it years later. I still plan on playing it, but I just couldn't find the time to tackle my backlog...
The Rupia tree was the only thing, sadly. In fact, you hit the nail in the head in your review: the time travel thing was a missed opportunity. But honestly, as much as I love Magic of Scheherazade, I think "missed opportunities" are all around the game. The turn based battles are great, but you don't get to fight a single boss in them. In fact, they aren't even important to the game! The action combat was great, but not being able to use your partners is another missed opportunity. And so on.
I still love the game, but it is FAR from perfect. :p
@@marcsm2008 I hope that you get to play Faxanadu sometime. I'll add to the collective voice that insists you need to try it out.
I totally hear ya about missed opportunities being abundant here. The Magic of Scheherazade is still incredibly ambitious and fun, but with just a little bit more work in a few areas to make things more impactful, it could've been even better. I still loved it regardless!
New Hungry Goriya video!! Let's goooo
New to your channel and what do I find? A piece of my childhood!! Thank you so much for giving this gem so love!! A few others that I had hours on my NES that you may like, Nightshade or maybe Pinball Quest but watch out for Cybernoid its was super frustrating! New Sub here, Keep up the Great Work!!
Oh right on! Thanks for stopping in here and for subscribing. I've yet to play Nightshade or Pinball Quest, so I'll add those to my list to try out soon.
Great content and coverage as usual. Enjoyed the video all the way through. ✌️
Hey thanks very much! I appreciate you stopping by!
Super nostalgic. Between this game and Arabian Nights MTG in the 90s, I was induced to read the old version of the 1001 nights. After reading it, I came to the conclusion that, this is basically the Bible that nobody takes literally. Good book, good vid. Stay hungry Goriya.
Glad you enjoyed the video. I haven't read any 1001 nights, but I've been exposed to some of the stories over the years through video game and movie adaptations. Sounds like something I should check out some day!
Again, amazing video. I only wish that youtube stops showing me old videos ive already watched while hiding your new releases...this damn algorithm its really frustrating
I appreciate you digging for the new stuff.
Another great review!
A friend recommended me this game recently, will try it out
If you like the Arabian setting and doesn't mind much turn based battles, Defenders of Oasis for the Game Gear is a good game to play
I actually just played through Defenders of Oasis a couple of weeks ago. It was awesome! And good luck with your playthrough of The Magic of Scheherazade! I hope you enjoy it.
I was really happy to see this title pop up here, I have always had the softest of soft spots for this weird little game. I rented it when it was new, after Ultima Exodus and Dragon Warrior this was one of the very first turn-based RPGs we NES kids got. So even if the gameplay hybrid didn't quite make sense, it was still cool uncharted territory at the time. And everything about Culture Brain, from their weird name to the semi-amateurish sprite work (the portraits here are good though) in a lot of their games to the garbled English in their print ads shouted underdog. I found it easy to be sympathetic toward them, even if their output wasn't always great.
I actually really enjoy that it's a hybrid game! It's certainly different from anything else I've played and I appreciated the change from the usual fare. I'll have to have a look at some of their ads. I don't think I've had the pleasure of seeing how those came across.
I remember this game being reviewed in Nintendo fun club/ Nintendo Power and Gamepro Magazines (yes I'm Gamepro years old!😂). I wanted to try this but was playing Festers Quest and Clash at Demonhead. I remember the notorious NES flicker. With your review I want to play this now. Another good review! You are an awesome true gamer!!❤
I bet you we're pretty close to the same age! I've yet to play Fester's Quest, but Clash at Demonhead and this one are definitely both worth playing through.
Thanks so much about the review. I'm glad you liked the video :)
@@hungrygoriya Always. You're welcome.
One of my favorite hidden gems from the NES! It was ahead of it's time in so many ways, classes, casinos, companions, time travel, two different battle systems, colleges to teach you tactics, and so on. It isn't without it's flaws (password system) but for it's age, it is an amazing game.
It's got so much cool stuff going for it. It was honestly a joy to play through it and experience it all even these days. Better late than never!
This is the 4th time HG has shown me a new awesome NES game that I should have known about but havent. Thank you!
It's my pleasure! Thanks so much for stopping by.
Another wonderful review. Thank you H.G. 💖
My pleasure! Thanks for stopping in!
I love the Japanese take on the Arabian Nights theme.
Though, this game makes me wonder why don't we see blended combat systems like this more often.
Field enemies which can be fought real time, and bosses so powerful you need Djinn allies to defeat.
Super cool.
Thanks for showing us this Hun, quality work as always!
I love games that do different things in them, as long as they're both done well and it doesn't feel tacked on. I would love to see more blended RPGs like this one.
Thanks so much!
I've always had a soft spot for Arabian themed RPGs. Daria has talked about a few (including this one) on her channel but otherwise it's hard to find reviews for most of them. I have a Game Gear Game called Defenders Of Oasis that you would probably enjoy. I wish someone would patch it to decrease the encounter rate but it was one of my favorite RPGs as a kid. This game surprisingly not one of my favorites but I do like most games that remind me of Zelda so I don't dislike it. I never owned this one. I just downloaded it when I found out about it like 20 years ago. I honestly don't remember if I beat it or not. I guess probably not but I don't really see myself replaying it. I have so many games to get to. But it was fun to revisit and as usual I enjoyed the video. I like your channel a lot. I've recommended it several times and I'm sure I will again. It's fun to listen to your thoughts on experiencing these games mostly for the first time
I feel like Daria was the reason I learned about this game in the first place! And you know what's funny? I actually just played through Defenders of Oasis not too long ago! My husband modified a Game Gear so I could stream it and capture some gameplay from original hardware. It was a lot of fun!
The Magic of Scheherazade definitely has some pretty confusing spots . Thanks for checking out the video even if you don't plan on replaying this one down the line. I appreciate you taking the time to watch! It's my pleasure to bring these first-time experiences to you all here.
This has to be one of the most impressive NES games
It certainly has a lot going on and does most of it very well. I agree!
Eyyyy! I remember saying/thinking you should do a review on this! I really liked this game. I also noted that Culture Brain also made Baseball Simulator 1.000.
Yeah! I still want to do one for StarTropics and The Immortal, but with some other stuff in between most likely. I think Baseball Simulator 1.000 is a robot baseball game eh? I feel like I've seen that played before, and it looked awesome!
Holy cow .... I'm 36 bought this with my chore money when I was 10........ Loved the game never knew the name .
Thank you...
Nice! I'm glad you found a lost memory again. That's the best feeling!
Good vid. Learned about this later in life, always mean to play it.
I didn't learn about it until later in life as well. I hope you'll try it out sometime. It's great!
Great review! Just ordered cloud master for the MS to try a shooter on the platform
Oh nice! That one's pretty quirky. I hope you like it! I've gotten through a couple of stages and have enjoyed what I've played so far.
Whoa 1 minute ago excellent choice for a review!
Thank you! I couldn't believe there weren't more videos on it already.
I had played this game when I was young, but never finished it. Because of you how you displayed the cart, today I learned it was made my Culture Brain! One of my favorite NES/SNES developers. (Flying Dragon, Flying Warriors, Baseball Simulator 1000, Kung Fu Heroes, Little Ninja Brothers, Super Ninja Boys)
Yeah! I don't think I've played anything else by Culture Brain yet, but this was definitely a great introduction to the crew!
I wonder if more than one version of the ROM was released, because I've beaten this at least four times on original hardware since I got it as a kid and a few more on emulators, and I've never had a single crash.
Interesting! There may be different revisions with different degrees of stability.
The unique theme to this game had me rent it multiple times when I was a kid. Thanks for the review. Do you think you will do a review for Nobunaga’s Ambition? That was another game I replayed due to its different approach to rpgs.
We got an incredibly polished version of this. Coronya didn’t call out the Oprin targets in the JP version… and Oprin was a purchased item in the JP version. And the music was much more rough, which will be obvious if you seek out the 2023 release soundtrack for the game which features both JP and US soundtracks. I found it on both Spotify and Apple Music.
Neat! I didn't realize there were so many regional differences.
I've been meaning to check this one out. Especially after getting into the Renaissance album Scheherazade and Other Stories.
I hope you like it if you play it!
Nice review! I played this once as a rental, never got anywhere in it (lack of instruction manuals made renting RPGs interesting in the late 80s and early 90s).
Oh goodness... I can't imagine approaching this one without a manual. It's definitely worth tackling as an adult if you're ever wanting to revisit it!
Bought and beat this game last year. I liked it!
Nice! Congratulations on getting through this one. There are definitely some puzzling bits.
Culture Brain always made wildly ambitious games that usually didn't pan out all that well; this felt like the one time they actually succeeded. This is one of my all-time favorites on the NES, but it did take me 3 or 4 tries to like it enough to even finish the first chapter; the turn-based battles were a big part of that, but after spending enough time with it, I really wound up enjoying the experience. Another thing that impressed me is how strangely well it managed to capture the atmosphere of rural living in the late '70s and early '80s; the only other game I can think of that did that was Earthbound Zero.
I'm glad this one eventually clicked with you!
Another one of my absolute favorites! I admit that a lot of my love is nostalgia based, and helps me to look past its flaws. One thing that made this game great was the simplified password system.
Want to start at world 3? Password 3W to start at the beginning, W3 to start the world ready to take on the boss. Fantastic for a little kid! (Might have those backwards, but you get the idea)
That aside, I love that you've been hitting my childhood gems back to back lately. Battle of Olympus, Crystalis, Magic of Scheherazade.... looking forward to what's next! You're on a hot streak 😆
I remember the manual saying something about being lenient if you messed up the passwords. It'd put you somewhere close to where you were but you might have different things in your inventory! I think that's a very nice feature that a lot of little ones appreciated back in times where a wrong password could feel like a hit below the belt.
Thanks for your kindness! I have a few more tricks up my sleeve here so stay tuned!
It was my second NES game I brought (The first was the first Final Fantasy). And the first one I used with The Genie.
I used the Genie to get the 'lay out' of the game. Afterward I played it straight without help.
I was a cautious player. I would kill as many enemies as possible outside the inn. Go in the inn to save, then go to the next town to buy weapons with the coins/money from the kills.
Also would saved at inn before I went in the dungeons.
Grinding's a good way to be safe in RPGs. Nice strategy!
@2:01 The what sword?
You heard right!
Growing up, I loved this game. And this was a very good and very fair review. 👍👍
P.S. I loved the soundtrack for this as well. Some of the best in video game history. 🎶
Hey thanks so much! Glad you like this one too. I hope more people give it a try! And I completely agree about the soundtrack. I definitely have a few of its songs in my favourite NES music playlist!
I remember playing a game that had action segments and turn based combat sections, I think it was called Super Ninja Brothers
Yeah! A few folks here have mentioned that as something I should check out. It looks awesome from what I've researched about it so far.
great video as always
Thank you very much!
Very nice! I'm curious, though: what triggers the turn-based battles? I was unfortunately never able to see your Friday streams where you played it.
Thank you! The random battles occur when transitioning between certain screens. I'm pretty sure like the action battles, the random encounters always happen in the same spots too.
Had this recommended to me and am glad it was. This was a budget title ($19.99) when it was released, and I bought it with my own money. Got it home and was able to look past the jank because of how deep it was. Didn't hurt that the soundtrack was incredible by budget NES standards (the melancholy minor key theme from the first overworld is still one of my all time favorites).
I still go back and play this every couple of years
I'm glad my video somehow found you. Thanks for taking a chance on it! It's cool that you got to buy this one for yourself back in the day. I think I would've really loved it as a kid!
And that melancholy theme you're describing is my favourite song from this game, no question. I had it on repeat while I was writing up my review.
I had only played this game for a couple of minutes. I didn't know there was turned based RPG elements I might have to play through this game
Yeah! It's got a whole bunch of cool gameplay options. I really liked the turn-based battles.
I never saw this game as a kid. Looks like it'll make a diverting EMU game, thank you!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this game. It is probably my favorite game purely from nostalgia. You hit on all the major points I would bring up. The game simply lacks a 'polish'. It threw everything at the wall to see what would stick though.
You're very welcome. I genuinely think a lot of things stuck to that wall. If it'd had a bit more refinement in a couple of places, it surely would've taken the entire genre by storm. It's still really fun for what it is though!
I have a soft spot for Magic. Back in the day, it felt very unique and mysterious. Like, there was a formula to how it played but I'd still find myself surprised how it go about it. I love all the weird companions and they're really imaginative, although i also wish some of them were more outwardly useful or conversational beyond Coronya, who was basically a narrative side kick even when not used.
I'd love to see this game updated for the modern era, there really isn't much like it and it has a lot of interesting ideas that just needed polish.
Agreed 100%! There's so much awesome stuff here that just needed a little more refinement to make this even better. Here's hoping it'll get the remake/reboot treatment sometime. It'd be a perfect game to update, but still maintain lots of the original aspects since they're already so well-developed.
Whoa now I've never seen this one before. I'm going to have to try this one out!
I hope you do! Good luck on your adventure!
Great review of this forgotten classic! Sadly I never played this game as a kid...it didn't get much fanfare or love from Nintendo (especially in Nintendo Power) so I avoided it for other more popular games at the time. When I finally played it as an adult I couldn't believe what I'd missed out on. It took many aspects of popular games from its era and really improved on them in my opinion. I think if MoS had received more spotlight it could have given a lot of the popular NES titles a run for their money when it was first released. It is truly one of a kind and despite its flaws you can't help but get immersed in the story and game play. I may just be a grumpy old man now but I think Nintendo purposely avoided giving this game a lot of praise so it wouldn't compete with their own titles.
I'll be grumpy with you! I wish this had gotten a little more attention too. There's so much awesomeness here and it's a real shame that there aren't more people that love this one. Maybe this video might inspire a few others to give it a try for themselves. It's never too late to bring some new people around to an old game.
You ever played Flying Warriors Hungry? That is another game that has a "mutliple game in a game" style. Side scrolling platformer, fighting game, and Turn based party battle game all in one. It is pretty engaging and fun to play.
Not yet! It's on my list of things to check out though!
I'm pretty horrible at this game, though I do recognize the qualities it has and some they were close on such as the NPC moshing😂. Its pretty weird my copy locks up too and always makes me hesitant about picking it up and throwing it back in to try it again. Great review and very informative 👍
Thanks very much about the review. Misery loves company I suppose, so I'm glad my cartridge isn't the only finicky one out there.
Your game footage is excellent, I can't tell if it's super well executed footage of a real TV or if you use CRT filter technology centuries ahead of what I have access to
(Tbh it's been so long since I've played on a CRT TV I'm not the one to ask, and I know nothing about video capture, but still)
Hey thanks! I'm actually just capturing the composite signal out of the NES. I play on a CRT, but all of the footage is captured with a card. Lots of people like to mod their NESes or emulate to get that crispier look, but I'm partial to how the console looked when I was a kid.
@@hungrygoriya I'm interested in recapturing some of that lost authenticity (without buying an overpriced CRT resale). It becomes a clear issue with SNES games with pretendered cg sprites, like Mario RPG and DKC, but all sprites were made with the display in mind in the day, and I want to see that intention.
CRT filters are not a science though, so I'll probably have to get a CRT TV eventually.
@@anguset You know, a lot of the CRTs we've owned here have come off the side of the road. If you keep your eyes peeled, you might be able to find one for free!
Was slightly obsessed with this game since i rented it back in the early 90s. Never found any place selling it. Great gameplay in every way except the awkward menus.
Oh nice! The menus were a little weird, but I got used to them pretty quick. Glad you enjoyed this one!
I picked this up at a flea market many years ago and playing through it was one of my best gaming experiences. The soundtrack is one of the best on the system, maybe a top 20 for the NES.
Oh wow... do you remember how much you paid for it? I absolutely adored the soundtrack here. Definitely near the top for me from the NES library as well!
@@hungrygoriya No more than five bucks. Probably around 2009, I bought that a bunch of other okay to unspectacular games. Thank god I bought a lot of it when it was still cheap. 😂
Fun timing since I'm playing through this right now! (On the 4th world currently.) I'm mostly enjoying it. I've compared it to Legend of Zelda but with more linearity and obvious hints -- separate discrete worlds and anything you need to do has *some* hint pointing you that way do that. Like you I felt a bit of disappointment, but realized that these days I would just use a guide or save states so was kind of thankful for that in the end.
Oh nice! I'm glad you're enjoying it for the most part. All the best in completing the game!
Have had this one kicking around for ages, I really need to give it a go.
I hope you will sometime. It's a great game!
Definitely some of the most silly looking characters I've seen, but the art as a whole looks really charming. I do love the changing faces of the merchants as you further anger them. You truly are a library of obscure games I've gotta check out!
The character portraits were a real treat and a half! This one's definitely worth a playthrough if you like action RPGs with a bit of turn-based stuff too.
And thanks! I try to keep it obscure most of the time!
never met a person who played it.....
love how the game had Q&A sections in it.
also, the last question in the game can give u a game over if u answer wrong.
remember also having to travel back in time to kill one powerful boss.
also, MASHROUB made me laugh so much as a kid, since it means DRINK!
I definitely got a few of the recruitable characters' questions wrong and got the instant game over. So much for compassion!
I enjoyed learning a few new words in a foreign language, but I loved mashroub too!
"But even if becoming a cake or a hamburger was endearing in the moment, the potential of being whittled down to nearly dead wasn't worth it."
How many people do I have to meet who learn THIS one the hard way.
Right? Those food forms were so cute!
Another of those NES games I've always wanted to try. I kind of wish this had gotten some kind of sequel or follow-up, it seems like with a little tweaking it could have been something really special!
It also sort of reminds me of Beyond Oasis, which I highly recommend if you haven't tried it!
I could be wrong but I think there is a sequel
@@spineknife2386 I actually went and looked this up! There was a sequel in development, but from what I can see it never released, though apparently elements from this game was referenced/cameoed in one of the Super Ninja Bros games, though I haven't played those yet, so I don't know for sure
I agree with you! It was very fun for what it was, but so, so much is just right at the cusp of being phenomenal. It does so many different things so well that with a little more polish, I'd be curious to know how it might've changed the scope of gaming back then. Or how many people might have it on their list as a favourite RPG instead of some of the other bigger games from the time.
I haven't tried Beyond Oasis yet, but I did just play Defenders of Oasis on the Game Gear. I don't think they're related but Defenders of Oasis takes place in a similar setting to The Magic of Scheherazade.
@@hungrygoriya Defenders of Oasis actually isn't a part of the same series in it's original Japanese release, it ended up getting a similar treatment to what Square did with calling the early SaGa games "Final Fantasy Legend".
Beyond Oasis is more of a Zelda-like. Come to think of it, there were a lot of Arabian-inspired RPGs in the early 90s xD
Culture Brain had some really neat ideas for their games on the NES, even though there are not many. Baseball Simulator 1.000 has a ton of depth for an NES baseball game with the ultra moves and being able to customize a teams and players. They seemed to like to shoot for the moon.
I suppose shooting for the moon is a good thing when it turns out well, like this game. I need to try that baseball game one of these days.
I’ve had this laying on the shelf for a long time, I need to finally fire it up for more than 30 minutes
Do it! It's a great game and I'm sure you'll have fun with it!
I always score monecom twice in act 1, one to fire the run off and the second to boost in the later part of the game
Sounds like some good strategy!
the variety of combat is quite interesting, I will surely give this game a chance, it's like Willow meets Dragon Quest type of game.
It's a great genre mashup. I hope you like it!
I remember this game stumping me as a kid... I only saw the ending here on youtube lol.
There were definitely some tough parts to work through. I got stuck as an adult a few times if it's any consolation!