Majora's Cat
How about that
The past decade or so has brought several masterpieces into the world of gaming. The majority of these obtain the attention that they deserve, but some tend to go unnoticed. It may be because of another major game release around the same time period or just a lack of interest surrounding the release. Some games are extremely successful at the time of launch, but later fall in obscurity and start to become ignored. Or maybe the franchise isn’t well known? Whatever the reason may be, some truly stellar games have been lurking in the shadows, largely unseen by the public eye of the modern day.
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Ten minutes into the game and you’re hooked. That’s how magnificent the second Metroid Prime game is. If there is one thing that the game gets absolutely right, it’s the balance of difficulty. While some sections of the game can be challenging, it’s immediately balanced out by a more straightforward section. However, the difficulty level does not fluctuate to the point where the player gets sucked in and out of the game.
In true Metroid fashion, MP2 progresses in a very straightforward way. Linearity is usually one of Metroid’s distinguishing characteristics, and Metroid Prime 2 doesn’t stray so far from the pack. Although at some points in the game the player must decide for himself/herself which route he/she should take, there are still a limited number of options, and enough searching and backtracking should lead you to the correct destination.
What really sets Metroid Prime 2: Echoes apart from the other Metroid Prime games is the inclusion of Dark Aether, an alternate realm that is modeled exactly like Light Aether. The world of Dark Aether is ruled by the evil Ing, who are on the verge of finally defeating the Luminoth of Light Aether and taking the entire planet for themselves. It’s up to Samus to serve as the savior of the Luminoth and defeat the Ing at the three Temples of Dark Aether. The driving force behind the gameplay (AKA the story) is well-written, but there’s a noticeable lack of voice acting.
Dark Aether is the main obstruction in the player’s progression. Dark Aether’s atmosphere rapidly drains Samus’ life if she steps out of designated safe zones, The dark energy also makes normal enemies much more powerful. To add another dimension to the gameplay, Dark and Light beams give Samus the ability to access doors, shoot platforms and perform other beam-specific functions to move along. Bosses also make appearances several times in the span of one hour, so the player should be ready for multiple heart-pounding boss battles.
The overall package is a great one. Echoes is much like the Majora’s Mask of the Metroid series because of how different and dark it is, but is also similar to Twilight Princess because of its alternate dark world. Being the sequel to Metroid Prime, MP2 had some mighty big shoes to fill. However, the game takes the best attributes from the best games and mixes them all masterfully. The product? A one-of-a-kind experience that towers above its competition.
The Legend of Zelda
What? No, you don’t think LoZ has been “overlooked”? Among the possibilities I listed in the first paragraph, I would say The Legend of Zelda fits most comfortably under the “descended into obscurity” category. We owe the existence of Zelda games today to the great originator. How is it even possibly to miss it? Well, the game is incredibly old. Younger gamers tend to go for the 3D Zelda games first. As their allegiance to the series solidifies, they take the oldies out for a spin.
I have personally ignored The Legend of Zelda. I had almost completely forgotten about its existence because I was so entangled in the affairs of the people of Clock Town and too busy sailing the Great Sea. There’s nothing wrong with that, but the massive amount of spectacular Zelda titles that have been released since the late 1980s tend to suck the attention away from the NES classic. That’s why The Legend of Zelda deserves a spot at this table of overlooked masterpieces.
Gamers should pay more attention to the oldies. Okay, great, you want to play Ocarina of Time. But that does not mean that LoZ isn’t an amazing game. As time passes by, video games get better and better (they do not get worse like perishable food), and young gamers are more enticed by these new titles. Whatever happened to saving the best for last?
Enough rambling. LoZ is good enough to stand on its own two feet and make a name for itself (even in the highly developed video game industry of today). Ignore the outdated visuals, the clunky controls due to the awkward Classic controller and the player will find an adventure every bit as engrossing and endearing as the best games on the market today. After all, most 2D Zelda games are almost just copies of the original, plus a few new items and a shiny coat of gloss to make them look visually impressive.
Zelda games certainly lack a sense of overwhelming difficulty nowadays. That can be both a good thing and a bad thing. LoZ’s enemies were ridiculously powerful. This is made worse by the fact that Link is poorly equipped to go out into the overworld. Dungeons could be conquered in a span of 20 minutes, but the real challenge came in the form of enemies and bosses. If Link dies, he is brought right back to the same spawning point in the overworld every time. This can be infuriating, and add on top of that the fact that there is no in-game overworld map and that there are numerous dangers in the heavily populated overworld, and LoZ becomes one of the most frustrating Zelda games ever.
The above paragraph seems mostly negative, doesn’t it? Wrong! All Zelda games can be frustrating at times. Our love for the series is based on our hatred. Zelda is the franchise we love to hate. And if that’s truly the case, then LoZ is one of the greatest offenders. Spread the love and hang on everyone, because LoZ is one hell of a rollercoaster ride.
Cave Story
The PC classic of 2004 was the highest-rated game on MobyGames, a very peculiar aggregate review score site that has a strange arrangement of the top rated games. However, Cave Story does deserve one of the top spots. The game was eventually moved to Wii’s Virtual Console, which is where I stumbled across this lovable game.
To sum Cave Story up in a few words, it is pure platforming bliss. The weapon upgrades are fun, and I liked how when the player sustains a certain amount of damage, their weapons gets downgraded. The soundtrack is so ingenuous and nostalgic that part of me thinks that I’m playing some old 8-bit NES game. Gameplay is relatively simple, but Cave Story is no ordinary 2D shooter. Different weapons have different capabilities, and it’s up to the player to figure which weapons are best to use on which enemies.
CS is a well-paced title. There are small villages that serve as safe havens, and there are some more dangerous areas in the game. The player will oftentimes come across a power-up that cannot be accessed at the time (very much like Metroid). It’s almost as if the game’s developers are taunting you, but when you come back later in the game and find a way to access the item you so cherish, all you can do is smile.
The Wii release wasn’t really big news, but it remains the second highest-rated VC game behind World of Goo. Still, Cave Story doesn’t get enough recognition for its brilliance these days. Many do not even know of its existence, and I am disheartened at the thought of that. Any fans of platforming games should look into Cave Story because it is a must-have for any and all retro gamers.
So those are the three games that I think deserve much more attention. What games do you guys think you or the general public overlooked?
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Ten minutes into the game and you’re hooked. That’s how magnificent the second Metroid Prime game is. If there is one thing that the game gets absolutely right, it’s the balance of difficulty. While some sections of the game can be challenging, it’s immediately balanced out by a more straightforward section. However, the difficulty level does not fluctuate to the point where the player gets sucked in and out of the game.
In true Metroid fashion, MP2 progresses in a very straightforward way. Linearity is usually one of Metroid’s distinguishing characteristics, and Metroid Prime 2 doesn’t stray so far from the pack. Although at some points in the game the player must decide for himself/herself which route he/she should take, there are still a limited number of options, and enough searching and backtracking should lead you to the correct destination.
What really sets Metroid Prime 2: Echoes apart from the other Metroid Prime games is the inclusion of Dark Aether, an alternate realm that is modeled exactly like Light Aether. The world of Dark Aether is ruled by the evil Ing, who are on the verge of finally defeating the Luminoth of Light Aether and taking the entire planet for themselves. It’s up to Samus to serve as the savior of the Luminoth and defeat the Ing at the three Temples of Dark Aether. The driving force behind the gameplay (AKA the story) is well-written, but there’s a noticeable lack of voice acting.
Dark Aether is the main obstruction in the player’s progression. Dark Aether’s atmosphere rapidly drains Samus’ life if she steps out of designated safe zones, The dark energy also makes normal enemies much more powerful. To add another dimension to the gameplay, Dark and Light beams give Samus the ability to access doors, shoot platforms and perform other beam-specific functions to move along. Bosses also make appearances several times in the span of one hour, so the player should be ready for multiple heart-pounding boss battles.
The overall package is a great one. Echoes is much like the Majora’s Mask of the Metroid series because of how different and dark it is, but is also similar to Twilight Princess because of its alternate dark world. Being the sequel to Metroid Prime, MP2 had some mighty big shoes to fill. However, the game takes the best attributes from the best games and mixes them all masterfully. The product? A one-of-a-kind experience that towers above its competition.
The Legend of Zelda
What? No, you don’t think LoZ has been “overlooked”? Among the possibilities I listed in the first paragraph, I would say The Legend of Zelda fits most comfortably under the “descended into obscurity” category. We owe the existence of Zelda games today to the great originator. How is it even possibly to miss it? Well, the game is incredibly old. Younger gamers tend to go for the 3D Zelda games first. As their allegiance to the series solidifies, they take the oldies out for a spin.
I have personally ignored The Legend of Zelda. I had almost completely forgotten about its existence because I was so entangled in the affairs of the people of Clock Town and too busy sailing the Great Sea. There’s nothing wrong with that, but the massive amount of spectacular Zelda titles that have been released since the late 1980s tend to suck the attention away from the NES classic. That’s why The Legend of Zelda deserves a spot at this table of overlooked masterpieces.
Gamers should pay more attention to the oldies. Okay, great, you want to play Ocarina of Time. But that does not mean that LoZ isn’t an amazing game. As time passes by, video games get better and better (they do not get worse like perishable food), and young gamers are more enticed by these new titles. Whatever happened to saving the best for last?
Enough rambling. LoZ is good enough to stand on its own two feet and make a name for itself (even in the highly developed video game industry of today). Ignore the outdated visuals, the clunky controls due to the awkward Classic controller and the player will find an adventure every bit as engrossing and endearing as the best games on the market today. After all, most 2D Zelda games are almost just copies of the original, plus a few new items and a shiny coat of gloss to make them look visually impressive.
Zelda games certainly lack a sense of overwhelming difficulty nowadays. That can be both a good thing and a bad thing. LoZ’s enemies were ridiculously powerful. This is made worse by the fact that Link is poorly equipped to go out into the overworld. Dungeons could be conquered in a span of 20 minutes, but the real challenge came in the form of enemies and bosses. If Link dies, he is brought right back to the same spawning point in the overworld every time. This can be infuriating, and add on top of that the fact that there is no in-game overworld map and that there are numerous dangers in the heavily populated overworld, and LoZ becomes one of the most frustrating Zelda games ever.
The above paragraph seems mostly negative, doesn’t it? Wrong! All Zelda games can be frustrating at times. Our love for the series is based on our hatred. Zelda is the franchise we love to hate. And if that’s truly the case, then LoZ is one of the greatest offenders. Spread the love and hang on everyone, because LoZ is one hell of a rollercoaster ride.
Cave Story
The PC classic of 2004 was the highest-rated game on MobyGames, a very peculiar aggregate review score site that has a strange arrangement of the top rated games. However, Cave Story does deserve one of the top spots. The game was eventually moved to Wii’s Virtual Console, which is where I stumbled across this lovable game.
To sum Cave Story up in a few words, it is pure platforming bliss. The weapon upgrades are fun, and I liked how when the player sustains a certain amount of damage, their weapons gets downgraded. The soundtrack is so ingenuous and nostalgic that part of me thinks that I’m playing some old 8-bit NES game. Gameplay is relatively simple, but Cave Story is no ordinary 2D shooter. Different weapons have different capabilities, and it’s up to the player to figure which weapons are best to use on which enemies.
CS is a well-paced title. There are small villages that serve as safe havens, and there are some more dangerous areas in the game. The player will oftentimes come across a power-up that cannot be accessed at the time (very much like Metroid). It’s almost as if the game’s developers are taunting you, but when you come back later in the game and find a way to access the item you so cherish, all you can do is smile.
The Wii release wasn’t really big news, but it remains the second highest-rated VC game behind World of Goo. Still, Cave Story doesn’t get enough recognition for its brilliance these days. Many do not even know of its existence, and I am disheartened at the thought of that. Any fans of platforming games should look into Cave Story because it is a must-have for any and all retro gamers.
So those are the three games that I think deserve much more attention. What games do you guys think you or the general public overlooked?
