Wagyan Paradise (SFC) Review

Received: May 16th, 2013 / Written: December 15th-16th, 2013

Year: 1994 | Developed and Published by: Namco | [|O|]

Some of the most beautiful underwater-
looking effects you'll see in Nintendo's 16-bit
power machine  =)

There's a funny story as to how I came to be acquainted with these three games.  Sometime shortly before the Summer of '13 started, I was browsing on eBay for the Super Famicom version of Super Adventure Island II (since usually the Japanese copies of it are less expensive than the localized versions), so I entered in the search bar "SFC Adventure Island".  When the results turned up, I was like, "Oh, that's right, it goes by a different name in Japan, I forgot!"  In the Land of the Rising Sun Adventure Island is known as Takahashi Meijin no Bōken Jima.  But there was a Japanese copy of the first Super Adventure Island, which I already had for the SNES; but I had noticed it was bundled with a couple extra games I never heard of before then.  They were Super Wagyan Land and Wagyan Paradise, and being the curious gamer that I am I looked up some gameplay footage on YouTube; and a few minutes of footage were enough to convince me to try them.  I was sold!

So I looked for a bundled order exclusively Wagyan-related, which included the two games I brought up as well as Super Wagyan Land 2.  Mostly I order one Super Famicom game at a time (which I'm thinking is a big mistake), but for this case I wanted to make an exception.  I thought it would be great to try them all at once, so I bought the 3-in-1 bundle in a heartbeat.  Basically, I bought these games on a whim, which actually turned out to be one of the best whim-based decisions I've made in a long time, for they quickly became some of my favorites... errrrm, two of them, but I'll get to that shortly.  =)  Definitely worth the wait!  So what is Wagyan, you may ask?

 

Flying beside a gorgeous sunset

A Wagyan is a kind of mecha-dino creature that resides on an island comprised of other Wagyans, who have the ability to stun enemies with their loud "Wah" and "Gah" sounds (which is part of the reasons they're named what they are when you think about it).  Wagyan began life in 1987 as an attraction character for a Japanese-exclusive amusement game by Namco, but the first video game based on that would appear on the Famicom under the name Wagyan Land in 1989 (which surprisingly got a Game Gear treatment two years later, making it the only game in the series that ever got released on a Sega platform).  The action/puzzler hybrid did really well enough that it got a sequel in the form of Wagyan Land 2 for the Famicom in 1990, which implemented the power-ups for the action portions of the game and was the final game in the two that had alternative routes, leaving the rest of the series as a linear experience.  In 1991 the series finally graduated to the 16-bit console with Super Wagyan Land available for the Super Famicom, which I looked up was essentially a collection of the areas and boss battles from the first two games and was the first title in the series to utilize a password system.  Good thing too, because passwords are what you may need to finish the Wagyan series to begin with; save for one of course.

 

Our young hero traversing this breathtaking
forest

The following year in 1992, Wagyan continued its series in the slowly dying Famicom with Wagyan Land 3, which took place in a space-like setting (and enabled you to take control of the bosses should you have played in a 2-player versus mode) and concluded itself on a cliffhanger (just like The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug would end up doing two-plus decades later), leading up to the first 16-bit sequel Super Wagyan Land 2 for the Super Famicom in 1993 (yeah, try making sense of that title sequence).  While it is mostly linear and it allowed you to use equipment to aid yourself in certain stages (thanks to the help of Dr. Devil, who is not the villain this time, hard to believe) there is one hidden path which must be accessed to reveal the true complete ending.  Oh, great, something else to look forward on there.  =|  Which all leads up to the final Wagyan installment available during the '90s (until the series revived itself briefly with a Japan-exclusive Nintendo DS entry Hirameki Action: Chibikko Wagyan no Ōkina Bōken in 2009); the game known as Wagyan Paradise which Namco made in 1994 as the Wagyan series' swansong for the Super Famicom, which I'll go over today!  =)  YAY!!!!!!  =D

 

Takuto shouts "Wah"

At present I've only played the three 16-bit iterations (though I do plan on importing the DS game one of these days), so I can only share how I felt about the three.  The first Super Wagyan Land I really love, I think it is a very wonderful game, and I was surprised that I loved it as much as I did considering I didn't have much expectations for it.  No lie, I was completely addicted to it the first time I played it and it gripped me to the end, and like Alcahest and DoReMi Fantasy: Milon no DokiDoki Daibōken before it, I almost beat it the day I got it (and like the other two, I was at the final boss fight)... which pretty much says how many hours I put into it (two and a half or three, if I remember correctly), as it's a very long game (I'll get to why in a second).  =O  But I beat it eventually and I can say that it was very well worth it.  =)  Super Wagyan Land 2, I didn't like as much; and at first I thought I was going to like it more than the first one, but how wrong I was.  =(  Despite the improved visuals and slightly better sound samples, it just didn't feel as gripping as the earlier game; I probably would've liked it more if not for the certain stages that had three bosses awaiting for you in three various buildings, I thought it dragged the experience a lot.  I don't hate it, but overall I think it's okay; I've still yet to beat that one, but this is my impression of that one for the time being.

Between stages you get to see this quaint
little design as to what to expect for each
area  =)

Which brings up another question: how come these games never saw the light of day in the West, as they seem like very colorful platformers?  See, here's the thing: these games are part action and part puzzler (they range from easy and simple to challengingly difficult; none can be paused).  I don't mean like The Lost Vikings where action and puzzling must be handled simultaneously, no-no,  but more along the lines of the first ActRaiser (for example purposes; I know it's simulation and not puzzling there, but bear with me), in that there are segments where action occurs as well as separate segments where puzzling occurs, and here's the thing about the puzzles: some of them involve kanji, the Japanese form of text, and some of those puzzles are relatively difficult for the inexperienced and gamers unfamiliar with the language, particularly the shiritori (the game where you must correctly guess the image of the word beginning with the last syllable that the previous word ended in; they're manageable with some notes in hand, or in my case a laptop on your lap as you play, though it does educate a little; I had done a lot of guessing the first time I played Super Wagyan Land when it came to these, and that was a while before I started taking notes).

While these puzzles would've been altered or removed altogether to have garnered a Western release, it's these puzzles themselves that make the series what they are, so eviscerating them would've been no good; which is why Westerns never got to experience these games.  And it's such a shame too, for they're definitely interesting games to play because of that.  Fortunately, Wagyan Paradise doesn't include shiritori (but it does have its own good set of challenges, and a few kanji-relevant puzzles).  =)  Let us commence at once!

Some time after the events of the previous adventures, all was fine Wagyan Land and the world itself.  As Rati, a slender bird that travels around the world, is surveying things to make sure everything is fine, he notices the unthinkable: the Wagyan tree has collapsed down on itself.  Geez, that redwood just can't catch a break, can it?  =/  It was also the subject of attack in the previous games.  So Rati decides to fly towards it to see what it wrong.  Meanwhile,

every Wagyan resident notices it, including the protagonist of the last two 16-bit games father Wagyan (who knows sports a fancy mustache and smokes a pipe... interesting turn of events), the mother Mrs. Wagyan (I guess she's enrolled herself in the Mrs. Jonathan Brisby School of women who've got no first names and take their husbands' names to support them), and their two children, who are the heroes of this installment, big brother Takuto and little sister Karin.  They insist that they all go and help out the tree, find out the source of its problems, and try to fix it all their own; but Mrs. Wagyan will have none of that and believes there are other, more professional characters that can fix it.  Yeah, as if that's ever stopped anyone before.  So what do the kids do, then?

Sneak out when everyone's asleep of course!  I mean, it's not a cute, lighthearted adventure game unless the kids help solve the problems without adult supervision.  If I'm not mistaken, that's happened in pretty much all The Land Before Time DTV sequels.  =|  So Takuto and Karin wander over yonder and meet up with Rati at the top of the recently slanted tree, who agrees to take the two should they master his challenge (which they do).  It's off to a brand new adventure and save the tree that represents all of Wagyan... again!  =<  I'm just kidding, their adventure will take them to various parts of the planet, and little by little they will solve the problems and rectify the wrongs that the Nummers clan have caused.  And who is the leader of Nummers clan?

This menacing figure right here!  He and the Wagyan clan go a long way back, and it was not at all a positive experience for them.  He plans to end their lifestyles and end their happiness; will Takuto and Karin succeed in taking this guy down before he gets his way?  Play and find out!

Ice, ice, baby!

Wagyan Paradise, like the other titles in the series, is divided in two genres.  The first is platforming, which you'll do for the majority of the game.  From the start you get to choose to play as either Takuto or Karin, and their characteristics vary in terms of gameplay.  They both move, jump, and stun enemies with their "Wah"s and "Gah"s, and while they're stunned you can use them as platforms.  Takuto walks at a decent pace but cannot glide farther (which is done by holding down the B button); Karin, on the other hand, has a great gliding ability but walks really slow.  Each character has got their strengths which compensate for the others' weaknesses, but I always choose to play as Takuto because he can at least go faster.  In each stage there are stars to collect, as well as power-ups, for you may need it if an enemy shoots their sound projectile at you (in which case you lose one power-up).  As is the norm for the series, your characters dies in just one hit.  For some games it breaks them while for others it makes them, and in the case of Wagyan Paradise, it definitely makes it!  =)  The gameplay, simple though they may be, is really intuitive and versatile.  There are even areas where you do things other than platforming, but more on that later.

But what really makes this game is its puzzle sequences, or "mini-games" if you prefer, and they range from easy to slightly challenging.  There are eight in total, and at the end of most stages you'll encounter one enemy who will challenge you with any one of the following:

In this challenge you must correctly guess the name of the magnified image which is consistently rotating.  You have a wide range of guesses, and getting it wrong detracts you one of five seconds each.  You must score the requisite amount to pass; oh, did I mention that you must accomplish this in four or five tries?

Oh hi, Pac-Man cameo!  =)  Also, this game gets brownie points from me for the Nummer in the penguin costume!  =3

This challenge is a fun one.  In the center is a really big image, surrounded by four other images in circular fashion.  You must match it exactly with the one that is equal to it (in direction) while the other three will face the opposite direction.  In some cases it's pretty obvious which one is the right one, but in others you'll have to really pay attention to get it right.  Get the requisite amount (or more) right in the allotted time, and you'll pass.

This one's a slightly harder one.  In the bottom you'll see an image and the kanji pertaining to it will pop up, but there's a catch: they must unscrambled (Yoshi-style) and put in the right order, each one in the allotted time that you're given.  With the shorter words it'll be easy, but with the bigger words (maximum amount of kanji six) you may be struggling a little until you got them right.  After a certain amount of time passes, you'll be given a hint, which will ease this one's difficulty a bit.  Get the requisite amount (or more) right in the time remaining, and you will pass.

This is the first challenge you'll be contending with (as Rati's test) and it will pop up once more.  In the bottom you will find a group of kanji that form up a word which you must match with any one of the images on top.  Getting one wrong will detract five seconds from you, so choose wisely.  Should you get as many blue squares as required (or most or all of them as best you can), you will pass.  It's a bit challenging, but it's worth it in the end.

Love the Super Famicom button set-up, and that female drill sergeant I always find humorous (especially the funny bit of conversation with the winner if you win), she just cracks me up!  XD

And now it's time for a fun one!  =)  This is a simple one, but a fun one at that.  You have three buttons in front of you (Y, B, A) and at the top some notes will play.  Your goal is to follow the notes in the exact right order, and the farther you go the more complicated the notes become and should you get enough sufficient squares (or manage to get as many as you can), you'll go through.  =)  Makes me think of a charming, lighthearted moment that is so endearing and appealing:

(The Button Song scene in Wander Over Yonder)

Hahaha, that's always a classic!  =D

"I am a beefy Nummerian Van Damme clone, prepare to face my pecs and abs should you be so unfortunate enough to win!"

This is one's a pretty easy one, unless you're distracted and not paying attention there's no way you could lose.  All you have to do is click on the number that the bottom says until the final turn is over; should you wait long enough the enemy will move their mouse and pick the number themselves.  While it's easy to play, I will admit some focusing will have to be done, especially since many numbers are so near each other they almost look the same.  So it's easy but not entirely.  It's fun but will require paying attention.  You know the drill, get the requisite amount of squares right, and they'll let you pass.  Next one!

This one's another easy fun one!  =)  A form of blocks will construct themselves in the center, and you must have it connected by a matching block that's its exact shape.  There are five pieces going round and round it in a circle, and once the word "Hit" is on the shape that you want, click on it and it will go down.  Mind you, they'll be rotating at a swift pace, so pay close attention.  Get the required am--, oh I think you've got it at this point.  =)

Here is the last one; on the right-hand panel will be a number concealed by six blocks.  It's your job to correctly guess the number; from time to time a couple blocks will rotate exposing a bit of the number leaving you a clue.  Should you feel confident, click on the number you think is right.  Also, in the final battle, you get to choose three of the challenges out of a possible eight.  Sweet!  Have fun!!!  =D

 

James Cameron's The Abyss is a really great
movie, but it's got nothin' on this

Now let's talk about the music, and it is good!  =)  The sound quality is really pleasant for the ears to the listen to, for a lot of the songs sound catchy, with a few that sound either ambient or soft and slow for a few.  The intro sequence sounds sweet, bouncy, and charming, and a lot of the songs sound incredibly lighthearted and enjoyable.  The sand theme is slow and ambient, the ice theme is lightheartedly chilling, the underwater themes are marvelous, the volcano theme is imposing, the flight theme sounds slightly Western, and a few of the fortress themes sound soft and mysterious.  The boss themes vary and are all good in their own right, and the final boss theme sounds really epic.  =)  The sound effects are really decent, for Takuto and Karin's sounds are different, the star sounds are cool, and as a bonus, there is even a sound effect lifted straight from Namco's Japan-exclusive arcade coin-op Libble Rabble (as a really cute nod to that game, it's played whenever you open a chest inside the sunken ship level)!  =D

 

Neon-like lights abound, and they impress

Another thing about this game, the visuals are absolutely gorgeous!  Oh, my God, this has got to be one of the best-looking Super Famicom games I've ever laid eyes on!  Yes, it's one of those visuals that are more colorful than they are detailed, but for the details that are there; good God do they count!  =)  I am in love with this game's look and feel, it's got the semblance of a really good pastel-toned anime, and here's another thing; it's also got some of the best pastel colors I've seen in 16-bit games that implemented that visual type (alongside the likes of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster Busts Loose!, DoReMi Fantasy: Milon no DokiDoki Daibōken, and TwinBee: Rainbow Bell Adventure) times a hundred!  Each area has got its own distinct detail, and what's awesome about these areas is that (aside from the fact there is a huge amount of parallax scrolling, some of the best I've seen) they've also got a wide range of color schemes that match and seamlessly blend in with the surroundings (even the characters and enemies)!  Oh, I just can't get enough of these visuals!  =D

 

Would you look at those dazzling reflecting
lights!  =D

Where to start?  How about the stage with some neat lighting and shading effects on the tree as you bounce and traverse from each branch?  Or how about the first underwater stage where it's all consumed in a turquoise hue with multi-scrolling layers following and the shimmering lights shining down from time to time?  There are a couple inner volcano areas where red is abundant everywhere, and everything blends in that.  There is this base area almost full of windows by your side with reflecting lights everywhere, and it is very astonishing!  The next one that takes place at dawn is bright outside, but the characters and enemies are darker.  The ice area is serene and white, and there is one underwater area in a sunken ship where from time to time giant eel fish passes by the portholes and leaves a bright illumination.  Little attention to details here and there are what make this game.  Ohhh, it's one of those times I wish I could go over everything but I can't, you just have to see it for yourself to believe it!  =D

 

It's details like this that absolutely make
Wagyan Paradise come to life!  =)

Another neat thing about the game is how it's told in a story-like fashion, with in-between screens showing small detailed versions of what area you will be in.  The characters Takuto and Karin have got really round and adorably likable designs, and they're really charming characters (especially the victory animations).  =)  The animations are really smooth, and the enemy designs are varied, especially the bosses.  Many of the bosses are Nummers, and many of them have different roles or looks; some are soldiers, some are generals, one is a female drill sergeant, one of them is a robot, there's one who dons on a penguin suit (it's just so cute), and the final boss has got a really good enemy design, et al.  It's games like these that prove that you don't need a lot of Mode 7 to create a great-looking Nintendo 16-bit game!  =)

 

So, what is the challenge value of this game?  But first, here are some bonus games for ya:

After some stages you'll be given a chance to partake in one of three bonus games, a chance to get extra lives, and here they are right now!  =)

First bonus will have your character balance themselves riding on a ball towards the goal.  You've got three chances, but get to the goal and you'll get extra lives (including the chances you did not lose).

Second bonus is a chance to earn some lives by sliding yourself over.  At the starting line you must hold down on the gauge bar until you feel satisfied, and then your character will be sliding on over until the gauge gradually empties itself.  Don't overdo it though, otherwise you'll fall off the ice and not get any points.  Good luck getting up to 50, for its right at the edge of the ice.

Third and final bonus is pretty self-explanatory.  =)  You start out with a hundred balls, and you must try to get them inside the "In" box which moves automatically.  Once it's in it will signal the top, motioning through it like a roulette until it stops.  If it lands on the Wagyan symbol a life will pop up, but if not then you get nothing.

 

Sand, sand everywhere

And you know what the best part about these bonus games is?  They're entirely optional!  That's right, you don't even have to do them.  I mean it's not like you need all the lives, especially since you start off the adventure  with twenty, and the fact that for the most part the game is relatively easy; but I feel it's so nice that you are given a choice whether to accept the bonus or not.  =)  It's nice to do the bonus games, don't get me wrong, but a lot of the time I'll choose to just continue the adventure.  For that matter: twenty lives??  That sounds a little too generous, don't it?  I thought so too at first, but then I played Rushing Beat Shura (the Super Famicom version of *moan* The Peace Keepers, most ironic beat'em up name ever!) last month, and was surprised to find that you begin that game with thirty continues (each of which is the equivalent of one life)!  So yeah, that makes Wagyan Paradise's twenty-life starter seem reasonable by comparison.

Oh, if only you could see this tree rotate in motion  =)

In the battle events, I said before that the difficulties with each mini-game widely vary from easy to hard.  The easy ones are fun and manageable, while the slightly challenging ones take a bit of effort to do.  The ones that I personally have trouble with are the concentration event with the magnifying lens and the one where the word pops up in the bottom where you have to correctly select the image that matches it; I guess it doesn't help any that I can't read much Japanese.  =(  But even then, they're still manageable if you stick with them and persevere long enough.  The dialogue the enemy or characters say can be sped up (continuously with the Select), but be careful not to press Select at any time during the event otherwise you will forfeit and have to start over.  Unlike the last two 16-bit games where you picked up from the nearest checkpoint after you lost a life to the boss, you start exactly at the boss battle again once you lost.  I find that to be very convenient.  =)

 

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming!

Most areas you'll explore will end in a boss fight, but there are a short number that will let you off scot-free, which is a refreshing breather as it will have you take a break from boss battling until the next area.  For the most part this game is a platformer, and the platforming stages are all well-designed and fun to navigate, even though they aren't overly complex.  While the majority will have you go straight and/or go all around the area, there is a small number where your Wagyan character finds themselves in a vertical scrolling segment.  And that's another great thing too; depending on the area you'll find yourself in a different situation; most areas you'll be platforming, but there are even times when you'll be swimming around, sliding yourself down a hill from an avalanche or lava coming after you, a couple times you'll be flying on Rati, and there is a literally a stage where you submerge yourself down the abyss, among a few examples.  All that helps keep the game experience feel fresh as you progress.  =)

 

This little guy is a friend  =)

The gameplay is really fun and intuitive, simple though it may be.  Namco even threw in some special spins on it for certain areas; for example, in this one dark room save for the blue light coming from below you there are times when you have to move forward by shouting the sounds on a tube, which will encase said sound in a bubble once it comes out the other side so you can ride on it.  Another instance is during the ice stage, where your character can still make the sounds to stun enemies, however in here they will become frozen thereby becoming platforms you can jump on (I liked when that happened in Super Wagyan Land, so I was glad to see it come back here).  =)  I liked the various ways this game tried to challenge you, it's really ingenious.  Now as great as the platforming segments are, they wouldn't be complete without the mini-games themselves; which as a whole in my opinion makes Wagyan Paradise the very game that it is: a truly enjoyable experience!

 

This stage, like Wagyan Paradise, is on fire!!!  =D

This is one of those rare times when I talk about a game and have little to nothing to say as to what I didn't like about it.  It's one of those nearly flawless experiences for the Ninendo 16-bit console for me, and one of the most succinctly colorful games too.  Even though it's got a password system, it can be beaten in one sitting (and out of the three Wagyan games I've experienced, this one's the easiest and more manageable); as far as I'm concerned it's an hour and a half's worth of fun (though those that are more experienced at this game than I might be able to beat it in less time).  =)  With that said I do acknowledge that this game (and the series itself) may not exactly be import-friendly--particularly due the fact that there are some mini-games with kanji in it--nor might it be for everyone.  But if you're willing to give it a shot and decide to persevere and stick with it long enough, I promise you it is worth every penny.  If you're only going to play one Wagyan video game though, then make it be this one.  =)  In my book, this is one of my Top 5 favorite Super Famicom games of all time (it's fun, it's engaging, it's in-depth, it's lighthearted, and it's cute), and it's a really fun game to play during the Summer, and I always enjoy playing it every now and then.



 ( >'.')>TO EACH THEIR OWN<('.'<)

P.S.: Initially I was going to make a 3-in-1 special talking about all three Wagyan games during the Summer, but I'm glad I didn't go through that otherwise I don't think I would've gone into much detail for Wagyan Paradise.  =)

P.S. 2: Since I brought Pac-Man up, I'm sure some of you might be wondering what my thoughts were on Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures.  My thoughts on the show, from what little I saw of it were: ehh!  It's average kiddie fare, in my opinion; it's got good designs (especially the four classic ghosts, I mean wow) and it's colorful (with some serviceable CGI), but it doesn't take itself seriously.  That wouldn't be such a bad thing if it took the audience seriously, but it doesn't!  I mean how am I supposed to take that show seriously if it doesn't take me, the viewer, seriously?  =(  Honestly, that show is not for me, but I am aware that it's found itself an audience, so to each their own.  Also, I miss the classic Pac-Man look.

 

P.S. 3: I just had to throw in that Wander Over Yonder clip, I had to!  XD  As a devoted fan of that Craig McCracken animated show I felt obligated to sneak that clip in my review; also, it's one of my favorite moments from the show--takes me back to the days of Dexter's Laboratory.  =)  Best Show of 2013, hands down!

 

P.S. 4: Funny how the kin in this game are able to swim but Wagyan himself could not in the preceding titles.  As Phelous of ThatGuyWithTheGlasses.com once humorously touted and jokingly thumbed up: "Great continuity!"  That, or the children are a little more evolved than their parents were.  Hmmm...

 

P.S. 5: As far as sequels are concerned, what did I think of Thor: The Dark World, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug?  Loved theeeeem!  =)

 

Thank you for reading my review, please leave a comment and let me know what you thought!  Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and take care!  =D

 

Hey, I didn't know Spike was in this game!  =O

Alcahest (SFC) Review

Written: September 8th-14th, 2013

Year: 1993 | Developed by: HAL Laboratory

Published by: SquareSoft | [|O|]

Last year I made an impressions post about this game, but it only had one screenshot and three paragraphs.  I wanted to express my thoughts a little more this time around, in a bit more detail.

So, before I talk about the game, I'm going to share a brief little story.  Ever since I played DoReMi Fantasy: Milon no DokiDoki Daibōken on the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console (the only SFC import in the American VC service) back in 2008, not to mention often visiting RVGFanatic's "Obscure SFC Hub" section of reviews (I still do sometimes), I've been inspired, curious about and wanted to play more Super Famicom games.  But there was one problem: at the time I played that game, I didn't have an SNES console, and after being loaned an SNES console several months later by one of my cousins (as well as some of his games), the problem was I could not import.

I heard that it was possible to play SFC games on an SNES if you modded that console, and as enticing as that thought was I just could not bring myself to do it as I heard that the console would no longer be working if one wrong move was made.  So because of that I refused to put my console in harm's way (I wouldn't have had the heart to do it anyway), but it wouldn't be until four years later (in 2012) that I would begin importing SFC games.  And now the following, which is brought to you by learning things the hard way.  =|

Any time I'm on eBay, there will always be descriptions pertaining to the item, what it's condition is, and what capabilities it can do.  I often read that a Game Genie, aside from accessing elements that weren't in the final product or is a tool to help one play with enabled settings (ergo, cheat), was also able to play Super Famicom games.  So I decided to import both it and the game on the same day, and for my first Super Famicom cartridge I wanted to start by buying something a bit cheaper, and Alcahest was the first game that came to mind (since I looked up some interesting things about it).  The Game Genie arrived first, but since the cartridge for Alcahest was flying from Japan it would take a little longer for it to arrive, and once it finally came on May 22nd I was excited.  =)  Unfortunately, it did not last long.  =<

Naturally the first thing I did was try to fit the cartridge in the Game Genie peripheral, but one of the first things I noticed about the game cartridge was how different it was in shape and size compared to the SNES games from America.  The NTSC games would fit on the Game Genie, but the main issue was the flap on said peripheral cartridge which meant you had to make sure it doesn't break.  It was a pretty heavy blow for me, but I learned the hard way that day that

Super Famicom games would not fit on the Game Genie, thereby dashing my hopes of importing further 16-bit Nintendo games from Japan.  I would not have gotten a Game Genie if it did not have that description on eBay.  Either a) there is a Game Genie peripheral cartridge I don't know of that is capable of doing such wonders and I got stuck with an inferior version; or b)

Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me at all if it was the latter, because there are some sellers that will try to con the buyers into getting what they least suspect to be an inferior product and/or it may not pull through to the promises it claims.  Game Genie; it doesn't help any that I don't use it all that often, and any time I tried to access a code with it before it wouldn't work.  Basically I'm a Game Genie illiterate, and while I don't regret buying it, it wasn't worth the disappointment.  =(

As a result I was a little despondent about those series of events, that is, until I went to the 3D Games store a couple days later.  That day I bought three SNES games (one of them being Pocky & Rocky), but I've also noticed something; something that I've never taken into consideration as much before: a Retro Duo console.  Capable of playing not only NES games but SNES games as well, I remember having looked up that it allowed you to play Super Famicom games from Japan (I even got to try one of the games there before buying it).  All hope was restored!  =D

Buying a Retro Duo - one of the best gaming decisions I ever made!  =D

So the following Thursday I decided to pay another visit to buy the Retro Duo (mascot edition), which was being sold at a decent price in my opinion, and when I brought it home that day I fit Alcahest in the front slot; and once I turned it on, guess what?  It worked!!!  Yaaaaaaaay!  =D  I was so happy that day; May 31st will be a day I'll always remember.  At the moment I've got seventeen Super Famicom games, so how has my experience been with my first ever SFC cart?  Well, whatever the case; it was well worth the wait!  =)

Now then, let's talk about one of HAL Laboratory's more obscure titles that sadly never hit the West even to this day: Alcahest!

A long time ago, there was a time when the people prospered greatly, until a menacing entity called Alcahest, God of Destruction, was trying to wreak havoc to the land and people that lived there.  Fortunately, a hero came!

That fateful night, the legendary hero (who looks strikingly similar to bare-legged Simon Belmont from his later Castlevania games) lay Alcahest to rest once and for all with the aid of the four Guardians.

Or so it seemed!  A thousand years have passed since then, and for the most part things have gone well.  In time though, there have been forces that have been planning for a while to attempt the God of Destruction's resurrection, but who will stop them this time?  A millennium is a pretty long time, you know.

Luckily, our savior has been summoned and found by a Guardian as he was in a tight spot.  His name is Alen, and he is the last descendant of the legendary hero.  It's going to be a long journey, and he'll need all the help he can get; will he be successful in stopping the evil forces and possibly accomplish what his late ancestor could one thousand years ago?

Only by defeating this Guardian boss will
Alen prove his worthiness

Alcahest was HAL Laboratory's second (and last) attempt at crafting an RPG after their initial attempt Arcana on the SNES didn't do so well with gamers (specifically in America).  While that game was a first-person Tarot card-themed turn-based RPG, this game opts for a more action-oriented RPG style viewed from the bird's eye view.  You take control of Alen, who attacks with his sword and can move around in all eight directions.  And as it's an RPG, of course you'll have to contend with a series of enemies and bosses, do a bit of navigating around to locate items essential to your progression, you'll be increasing your stats, and you'll be learning some new techniques as you move on.  If there's one downside to the controls it's that running (done by double-tapping any direction) can get a little unresponsive sometimes and at times it might be sticky.  Fortunately the rest of the controls are competently handled.  In most of the areas you'll be stepping on jump pads which will have you levitate to a specific section that it points to, plus there's a pad which will have you speed straight through.  Throughout your quest you'll find new Guardians which will join you (one by one), as well as be accompanied by one companion.  And here they are, in order!  =)

Garstein

This young intellectual wizard has got magic that will serve you greatly.  Not only does Garstein have magic powers that homes in on enemies, but also an explosive spell that will dispel a group of enemies or cause some potent damage during boss battles.

Elikshil

The princess of the land, she agrees to join Alen when he lets her know that he may be the newest legendary warrior and after a town has been destroyed during an invasion.  She shoots small projectiles straight ahead and masters the prowess of healing.

Sirius

This serious-looking relative of Dirk the Daring is a well-known knight, and one that tried to stop the forces himself.  After getting stuck together, he decides to ally with Alen and bring forth justice.  His special capabilities are a multi-shot technique (which makes him look as if he's using a machine gun; odd that it occurs in an alternate time period with no pistols of any kind) and he carries a powerful whip that is incredibly long that it makes the whips from the Castlevania series blush.

Magna

This advanced android is a man-like machine.  He's a good helper, and his regular attacks are charging large round shots which ricochet off walls (huh, when did this suddenly become Turrican?); as for his special attack, he fires a slew of rockets as time temporarily freezes over which are either powerful enough to destroy enemies or can deal enough damage to certain bosses.

Nevis

This goddess who is literally from a different planet is the last partner that will join you in the game, but not before you challenge her first.  She does roundhouse kicks which will fire up a flurry of ice attacks all above her, and she can transform into a fire-breathing dragon too!  That's awesome!

Slaying a dragon then saving the princess?
Screw that crap!  How about slaying a dragon
alongside a princess instead???  =D

Alen can only have one partner with him at a time (luckily they're pre-chosen for you), but later on there will be a way to choose which one of the five you want to be with you via the A button (when all of them will join you via a special summoning item).  While they're not AI-controlled, they do follow your every move and do their regular attacks when Alen attacks with the Y button.  To perform an ally's special move, all that you have to do is press the X button; however two partners only require one SP while the other three will use up two.  Since the special moves cannot be used in limitless fashion, it's best to use them only if you need to.  Think of it as something along the lines of Magic Sword; only it's viewed from the top perspective, uses RPG elements, has various spells and sword tactics to use, plus it's more linear in style.

These labyrinthine-like sewers are one of
the game's most atmospheric of areas

Yes, like Arcana before it, Alcahest is divided into chapters; and usually if a game is divided into chapters there's no returning to the previous areas, for you'll only be allowed to peruse around the areas that the current chapter presents to you.  That is the case here.  No matter what happens, Alen will always carry the same sword, shield, and armor on him (a rarity in an ARPG).  He does however, get assistance from the Guardians that he meets, which you can cycle through with either shoulder button.  Depending on which one you select (represented as magenta-white, blue-purple, yellow-azure, and yellow-green), if you hold down the Y button until the gauge is full, you can release to unleash a massive sword attack.  The regular blue-white outfit lets you sword-spin around briefly, Guardian 1 (magenta-white) lets you swiftly jab in front of you with three times the power, Guardian 2 (blue-purple) allows you to spin wildly ending with an ice flurry in the direction Alen's facing, Guardian 3 (yellow-azure) lets you jump-attack/home in on enemies and bosses, and Guardian 4 (yellow-green) makes you dash ahead.  The thing about the gauge-charging is you have to hold still otherwise if you move it will pause the gauge until you remain stationary again (and that admittedly can be a bummer sometimes).

Hey, I didn't know that the Master from
ActRaiser 2 made a cameo here!  =O

Like the companions that join Alen in his quest, the Guardians have special powers too.  Their powers are potent and can help you in a big way; but you have to make sure that you're wearing the Guardian's representative color outfit to summon them with the B button.  Guardian 1 will launch giant spheres of power to Alen's foes, Guardian 2 will form a couple of spheres which will circle around him that will briefly fire off arrow beams in any current direction that you will face, Guardian 3 will home in on enemies and throw powerful fist attacks, and Guardian 4 gives you a momentary force field so no harm will come to you.  Like the companions with their SP, the Guardians require the usage of two MP, so only use them sparingly and if you need to.

You can't tell from looking at it out of
motion, but the rain effects are simple yet
pretty to look at

All right, let's talk visuals!  Alcahest has got very solid visuals, and while for the most part they do not require the usage of Mode 7 rotating or scaling effects, I think they do a good job portraying the game very well.  =)  The game begins with a cool cinematic sequence with detailed characters and visuals highlighting what happened a millennium prior.  What's nice about the areas is that they vary in terms of style and design, and I think that may be the best part of the visuals.  Each area has got a great decor, and most of the time you won't be seeing the same area twice; the amount of detail given is exceptional without going too overboard.  Alen will be going through mountain cliffs, volcanoes, castle sewers, the interior of some castles, a dark cliff with breathtaking rain effects, an airship, et al.  Some of my favorite areas are the inside of a volcano with its brooding sense of danger and adventure, the sewers are dark but can be atmospheric and mysterious when you travel there (especially if it's filled with water or not), the rainy cliff gives a perfect sense of action, the castle dungeon is fun to explore, and the airship is highly advanced as far as design goes (plus the view of the bottom is cool).

Airship, a great place to be!  =)

The character designs are solid (and human-like), with decent animations and detailed design.  I like the various animations that Alen can exhibit; what's fascinating is how he does not have jumping and running animations, but when you step on a jump pad good ol' HAL found a way to make it look like he was jumping (when really they reused his sword-swinging sprite to good effect).  The Guardians are designed greatly, and the secondary characters are designed nicely too.  What I feel is a good touch is when the dialogue box pops up a profile (wonderfully designed ones by the way) of a character (or nemesis) speaking is shown if they are important characters; though for some strange reason Alen does not have one.  Um, he's the main character of the game, right?  If they wanted to keep his look secret, then HAL should not have made him appear in the cover art-looking like a cross between Richter Belmont and Ryu from Street Fighter.  =|

If it helps, try walking in the opposite
direction you're facing

The enemies are designed and animate decently too; the roster ranges from wolves, sewer flowers that spew deadly poison, human opposing soldiers, statues, ghouls literally protruding from shadows in the ground, robed Alcahest worshipers, dangerously fiery wisp enemies, hulking chained up slaves that amass a deadly breath attack, and most menacing of all: mimic chests!  =O  Oh, mimic chests, aren't those just fun kinds of enemies?!  You know, the monsters disguised as chests that appear in games such as Brain Lord, SoulBlazer, and to a lesser extent, Mickey no Tokyo Disneyland Daibōken?  Yeah, those ones!  The bosses are big and detailed, and many of them have really great designs!  The Guardian Boss looks cool and menacing (I love the wavy effect during that time to make it look sizzling), the scaly black dragon boss is great, many of the bosses' second forms are huge, and both of Alcahest's forms look nice!  The thing I find funny is how no one character or enemy shows any running animation, they just appear to be walking fast.  It's actually pretty humorous, to be honest!  XD

Human Enemy Soldier: "Hey, there's an intruder in this castle, get him!!!"

*walks menacingly towards intruder*
 

Niiiiice mecha dog...!  Gooooood mecha dog...!  D=

The soundtrack, like the majority of HAL Laboratory's library of games (mostly consisting of the Kirby series), was composed by none other than the talented and underrated Jun Ishikawa.  And I'm going to be right upfront with you: this is literally one of the best soundtracks I've heard from a Super Famicom game, and that says a lot!  It's somewhere in my Top 5 SFC video game music list.  First of all, there's his trademark sound style, so expect some great unique sound quality.  Secondly, every single song matches perfectly with each area that they accompany.  Thirdly and finally, the sense of atmosphere in Alcahest is very high because the music works so well!  =D  *nods approvingly*
 

I love these dialogue sequences  =)

The title music sounds both cheerful and epic (if that makes sense), and it really invites you to start your adventure.  The intro is theme dark, adventurous, and sets you up for a grand adventure.  The volcano theme is dark yet mysterious, the sewer theme is very slow and ambient, the castle dungeon theme is one of the best songs in the game sounding consistently heroic, the airship theme is filled with high energy and gives you a soaring feeling, the lost advanced labyrinth sounds quiet yet intriguing, and the space theme is epic.  The various boss themes are all great; one of them is incredibly ominous and dark (it works best when you play the game as opposed to out of context).  The theme for when you get introduced to a new Guardian is very mystical, the credits theme is wonderful, and the ending themes are truly rewarding to hear once the adventure is over (particularly the first of the two).  Fun fact: the sound effects are nice, and a lot of them would eventually be recycled for Kirby Super Star.

A cool thing about Alcahest is that there is a sound test in the options screen (yes, there's an options screen in an RPG!  I know, mindblown!), and if you wait a little while after the ending message "End" appears, then the soundtrack will be playing from the beginning (a couple of songs are even longer in length than the in-game moments showcase), which makes video game music lovers such as myself giddy with joy.  In short, I love Alcahest's music so much, it's pleasant to listen to, and since I'm a nice blogger I'll share with you the links to some of the best the soundtrack has to offer found on YouTube: "Sewer", "Title", "Dungeon", "Cave", "Big Boss 2", "Friends", and "Alcahest (First Form)".  Enjoy!!!  =D

No, the solution to this puzzle is not what
you think it is (as enticing as it looks)

Right then, let's talk difficulty!  One of the things I looked about up about this game before having played it was that aside from the fact that it was made by HAL Laboratory, it was an A-RPG that consisted of chapters and that it did not have battery back-up at all, which meant that if you wanted to pick up where you left off you had to use passwords.  What kind of RPG relies on passwords anyway?  I know, it sounds fairly unusual for the genre but if you're willing to stick with it to the very end it can be beaten in one sitting.  Another thing that I found intriguing about this RPG in particular: Alen does not have infinite continues, there are a set amount of lives.  =O  Don't worry, it's not as bad as it sounds... for the most part.  Oh, and if for some reason you cannot bring yourself to continue, don't worry; HAL has got you covered big time!

Yyyyyyeah, want my advice?  =/  Play it in one sitting, or if you don't have the time to do it, then I recommend you take a photo of the stage title's overall kanji, because chances are if you attempt to write the kanji by hand it will not appear the same (not to mention some bits of kanji appear in various increments).  Some titles are shorter than others, and fortunately they can be accessed when you pause the game and any time you see the next chapter title.

Now how many ARPGs do you know of that
have at least one setting be in outer space?

Alcahest is an ARPG that's got not one, not two, not three, but four difficulty settings!  If you decide to play it on Easy mode you'll start off with eight lives, if you choose Normal you'll begin with five lives, on Hard you commence with three lives, and should you accept the task of playing the Pro difficulty mode then you'll start off with zero lives.  Don't worry, though, since this is an RPG you will be earning experience points by defeating enemies and bosses (reaching a certain incremental score will give you another life); the bigger the amount of lives you have the more points it will take to get new ones.  Losing a life, however, will start your experience point count back to zero however, so bear that in mind.  The game is linear due to its chapter system, but luckily most chapters have areas you can navigate around; thorough searching is also key if you wish to get an important item that will allow you to progress a little forward (save for one chapter, there are four special items exclusively used during the individual chapters you're playing).  Examples of these vital items include boots that enable you to walk on lava without sustaining damage, keys that will unlock certain doors, hammers that break blocked caves that either conceal a treasure chest or secret entrance, and an item that makes you access an elevator.

And since this is a HAL Laboratory title, expect some enemy respawning if you left a screen portion of an area and then came back to said screen portion.  A lot of the bosses have second forms, and in a few moments it can sort of feel like a boss-a-thon where you fight boss after boss.  That's not necessarily a bad thing, though, if you can handle the challenge.  There are a few differences between each mode, boss attacks will either go faster or slower depending on the difficulty, and then there's the grail.  Since Alen is the only character you're controlling he is the only character that takes damage, thus Alen is the only one that can die.  On Easy you'll start off with a grail by your side if you died, and what the grail does is that it revives you after you lose all your health but it doesn't refill it whole.  On Normal and Hard you have to find it in a chest (search every one of them; you never know if one will contain a health increase, health restoring, MP increase, MP restoring, SP, et al; sometimes enemies will drop one of said items).  On Pro you do not have the grail at all, so be careful.

There is one room later on that will stump you for a little while (I know that it stumped me the first time I played it), with six tiles that you must step on in a certain order to gain access to the next room.  I'm not telling what the answer is, but you can look up information on the items you obtained when going to the menu.  Each section of each chapter takes several minutes to complete, and most times it takes over ten minutes to beat a chapter.  Regardless of what you do, a little trial and error is required.  Each boss has a pattern to follow, and how much damage they take depend on which Guardian you use against them or which powerfully charged sword attack you use on them.  Experimenting is key, I love that!  =)  The last two chapters are basically a rehash of the bosses you've fought in the past, with a couple new ones in the mix.

If there's one downside to Alcahest is Alcahest himself; he takes way too much damage to kill, and his first form is more annoying because he constantly keeps moving and covering his weak spot.  The second form is less annoying, but it still takes long to oust him; you must especially be careful since he (and his powers) can damage you badly.  As a result of this, the final boss is the one you'll be fighting the longest in the entire game (around seven to ten minutes, if not longer); and trust me, it's going to take you several tries until you defeat him successfully.  >=(  None of the hardest of the bosses comes close to this entity; you must conserve and use a companion's SP and Guardian's MP wisely.  But it's all worth it to see the ending, I promise, since it rewards you for your hard efforts (unlike Arcana's ending, which was absolute and complete shit).  Perseverance will help you prevail.  =)

Go Nevis, go!

So on the whole, I love Alcahest!  =)  Yeah the final boss does drag on for a bit, a few portions of the game are longer than they need to be, and playing on the hardest difficulty setting will prove to be quite a challenge to overcome.  But overall, I think this is a highly great and well-crafted ARPG.  The soundtrack is some of the best ever heard in the console, the serious-looking visuals and anime-like profiles are really good, the gameplay is mostly rock solid and intuitive, and a lot of these chapters' areas are well-designed.  If there's one minor problem I have with the game is that it's rather short considering its genre, but depending on how you do (or if you feel like looking for every treasure chest) or how many lives you lose it might take about two and a half to three hours tops to beat Alcahest.  And that's too bad, 'cause otherwise it would've been a better game; on the other hand, though, it's probably for the best that it ended before it would begin to drag on too long.  Also how many RPGs do you know of that have actually horses in them?  =)

Yes, there's actual horseback riding in an RPG, I can't think of many games in the genre that had that.  In a genre that usually has dogs, cats, sheep, birds, deer, cows, and other animals, it's refreshing to see an RPG with horses in them (they're also one of my favorite animals, so I guess that makes it better).  Tenchi Sōzō (Terranigma) didn't have any horses in it, and that game is the best Super Famicom title ever (in my eyes)!  When I first saw it I could not believe my eyes, but it truly happened.  That's just awesome!  =D

Despite being entirely in Japanese, it's actually pretty manageable to play without a guide due to its linearity and arcade-like substance.  The amount of challenge is good, and beating it in the hardest difficulty setting will prove to be most rewarding!  I felt like I was whisked into another world entirely when playing this game; and to be fair, that same assessment could be applied to any game I played that's got Japanese dialogue in it.  When I bought a Retro Duo and got to play Alcahest for the first time, the console opened up a new world of possibilities for me, and it allowed me to explore more and broaden my horizons.  In retrospect, Alcahest may have been a weird choice for my first SFC cart (hey, when trying new things, you have to start slow), but I don't regret it one bit.  If you're a fan of Kirby or HAL Laboratory games in general, I think you should check this game out and import it.  It's full of surprises plus it offers an engaging two-plus hours of fun adventure!  =)

I do think it's a shame that there are sellers on eBay that boast how Super Famicom games can be played on a Game Genie, because the truth is they can't.  Had they not made the description and gave me high hopes I would've never got the peripheral cartridge to begin with.  But I suppose I cannot be too mad; had I not done so, I probably would've never considered getting a Retro Duo after heading to 3D Games, and I would've never have a current collection of seventeen physical Super Famicom cartridges.  With all that said, I only have one thing to say: I love you, Retro Duo, you opened up a new world that I at one point never would've thought was possible and gave me hope again when I felt despondent.  =)  Thank you!  *hugs Retro Duo console*

*"Ending 1" theme playing*

(Any time I listen to this brief song it gives me chills)

I used to find Arcana better than Alcahest, but over time I've grown more fond of Alcahest and love it even more than Arcana.  I must find some way to make it official!  =D

Re-review Arcana.

Uh, what?  o_o

Re-review Arcana!

Oh, do I have to?  =(

You gave that game in your original review a 9!  A freaking 9!!  That's too high for that game, you know that!!!

I was young, I didn't know any better!  And besides, it's not like I've changed my perception of the game drastically!

Oh, that's not true!  You have changed your perception of Arcana to some degree, don't lie to yourself!

But it's a hard game to talk about, fairly under-appreciated by a bulk of the gaming crowd that's played it.

Then make it un-hard to talk about!

But...

DO IT, OR YOU'RE FIRED!!!

Fiiiiine!!!!  -_-  One of my future reviews will be of Arcana.  Dammit, I blame myself!  =(

Update: To read my current take on it made on October 23rd, 2014: click here.

( >'.')>TO EACH THEIR OWN<('.'< )

P.S.: The only games I play on my Retro Duo are NES games, Super Famicom games, and the Super Game Boy.  If I decide to play an NTSC SNES game, I'll do it on my NTSC SNES console.

P.S. 2: I'd like to say that it would be nice if this game got remade for the West as a 20th anniversary present, but since 2013 is over in three months that's not likely to happen any time soon.  =(

P.S. 3: The art in the cover, which is pretty good, has good qualities but there's something I'm not entirely certain about.  Yes, Alen is there alongside Garstein and Nevis in dragon form (red as opposed to gold).  Is the blonde woman on there supposed to be Elikshil?  She looks nothing like her!  I'd say that it's Nevis' human form, but then why would her dragon form be appearing as well?

P.S. 4: Alcahest is proof that a HAL Laboratory game can be awesome without the involvement of either Kirby or Lolo in the lead role...  though that would probably offend them both if they were to hear me say that, so "shhhhhh"!  This is between us!

P.S. 5: The Last Airbender screengrab taken from my Region 1 DVD, and the movie is the property of Paramount.

P.S. 6: I've recently seen the newest episodes of Wander Over Yonder, and I'm convinced: that newest Disney show is in the right capable hands (I'll share my thoughts on them in the next blog post)!  It's very charming; a lot of the jokes work (not just for kids but for older viewers too); it's incredibly fun (nonsensical maybe, but it works because it wallows in its pure nonsensicality); the characters are likable; it's not demeaning, mean-spirited, or condescending to the viewers; it's a show with a heart; the animation, shading, and lighting is wonderful; the timing is great; watching it makes me feel like a kid again; and it just leaves me with a big smile on my face.  =)  I know what show I'm gonna watch any time I need cheering up.  That, or I could resort to Kirby's Epic Yarn any time I feel down, which I personally feel is the best feel-good video game ever made (hey, it was made by Good-Feel after all).  =)

P.S. 7: This game is very enjoyable and is not overly dark.  What could possibly prevent it from leaving Japa--

HOLY, THAT IS TERRIFYING!!  D=

Thank you for reading my review, please leave a comment and I hope you all have a great day!  Take care!  =D