VC Friday: 250
by Chris Greenhough 
{ Sep 5th 2008 at 8:59AM }
People, say hello to the 250th title on the combined PAL Virtual Consoles: it's ... one of the below. Woohoo! Let's say Ys Book I and II, as that's the one this blogger is most looking forward to trying out. On a sadder note, this is the last week of the current Hanabi Festival; we shall remember it fondly! Mainly because of, you know.
- Ys Book I & II -- Turbografx-16 -- 800 Wii Points
- Spelunker -- NES -- 600 Wii Points
- Chase H.Q. -- Turbografx-16 -- 600 Wii Points
- DoReMi Fantasy: Milon's DokiDoki Adventure -- SNES -- 900 Wii Points
Ys Book I & II (Turbografx-16)
Spelunker (NES)
Chase H.Q. (Turbografx-16)
DoReMi Fantasy: Milon's DokiDoki Adventure (SNES)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sisyphus @ Sep 5th 2008 11:46AM
Remember, folks. In Ys Book I & II, if you hit an enemy straight on, you may get damaged. If you hit them off center, you'll never get damaged. Trying to manuever to hit them off center is one of the things that makes this game different and fun.
Michael Sliczniak @ Sep 5th 2008 1:42PM
I just want to make a comment that Ys Book I has not aged well. I am at the point in the game where I am about to fight the last boss, so I have a good deal of play time to say this. Why I think this is that the game has not held up over time is not because of the graphics, but because of cheap tricks used over and over again to extend game play time. I do like the not turn based nature of the battles though.
One trick is how there are many parts where you are in a dungeon and need to leave to deliver something only to have to go back to the dungeon afterwards to continue to the next level of the dungeon. For example there is a point where I was at the door of the final boss and got a book and I had to go back 10 levels in a dungeon to show to book to a character in order to get the 'key' to that door that now I need to redo the 10 levels again.
This is so bad in the game, that there is an actual item you can purchase, the wing, that takes you out of dungeons to a city of your choice. But guess what they take this item away from you before entrance to the final dungeon.
For the second half of the game there is no way to purchase items any more. In fact there is a place where in if you use one item and another breaks (yes there is a useable item that can break when you use it and then you can no longer use it again with no way to get another one) you really will have a very difficult time getting past the narrow corridor with many enemies coming directly at you from the front and behind. A few levels a in the dungeon is a weapon that makes these enemies one hit, I guess if you get stuck here you can grind to improve your abilities.
There is a limited visibility dungeon, one of the cheapest tricks in the book. You literally only see one character length in front of you and enemies suddenly come at you. There are also some portal mazes which were actually fun, but again you need to do them at least two more times each because of the dungeon designs so by the third time through there is no fun anymore.
Also there is grind in this game especially early on. There are enemies that are virtually impossible that with only reaching the next level of experience suddenly become only one or two hits to kill, that is not a proper difficulty curve that rewards skill in avoiding enemies and hitting them off guard.
bc @ Sep 5th 2008 7:33PM
Oh, I thought "250" referred to the # of memory blocks this game takes up, which prevented me from buying it the other night...hint, hint, Nintendo.
But after reading the above review, I may just save my 9 bucks. I'm an Ys III fan from Super NES days, so this always was a bit of a nostalgia purchase - but sounds like I wouldn't have any fun playing (I hated grinds when grinds were au courant).