Gamer Notes - A great example of a hybrid genre game, and an odd combination at that. In Actraiser you take on the role of "The Master" (God) and it is your mission to eradicate the evil forces of Tanzra (Satan) along with repopulating the world. The Action Platforming part takes place during the aptly named action phase, whereupon you jump around and slash the crap out of things to badass music. In between action phases is the simulation phase, where you fly around as a little angel baby shooting things with arrows and encouraging the townsfolk to develop the town. You also have access to miracles/disasters that can clear otherwise uninhabitable areas, adding an element of puzzle solving to the mix. The real interesting thing about how the game works is how the two phases affect each other - your score in the action phase determines the max possible population of the towns, and the population of the towns affects the player's max health. I may write about this one later, so I'll end it there.
Bloodpool remains to this day one of my favorite video game tracks of all time.
Collector Notes - Actraiser is a classic in every sense of the word, so the physical copy retains its value despite it being available digitally. It is really on the cusp of being uncommon, but still relatively readily available to those who seek it out.
Speedrun Notes - Unfortunately, Actraiser is not a very good speed running game due to the simulation phases, and the people that do run it usually do so in the game's Professional Mode that omits them. However, this requires that the game has been completed at least once, and the speed running community tends to frown on runs with gameplay related prerequisites.
Actraiser 2
Condition - Complete in Box /w inserts
Genre - Action Platformer
Developed by Quintet, Published by Enix
Released in North America in November 1993
Price Point
Amazon - $50 Ebay - $50
Gamer Notes - Oh dear, this game is a bit of a tragedy. While Actraiser certainly wasn't a smash hit, it was popular enough to merit a sequel. Problem was someone high up either wanted to broaden the appeal to the simpler action adventure crowd or didn't understand what made the game unique in the first place and decided to remove the simulation phases. In their place they added a whole bunch of movement and attack options, as well as an expanded magic system. Don't get me wrong, Actraiser 2 is by no means a bad game, it's just a lot more, well, generic than its predecessor. Also, this game is hard, like, super hard, so those movement and attack options are much appreciated.
Collector Notes - While Actraiser 2 is only an okayish game when compared to its the first, it has the advantage of having the Actraiser name attached to it and is a pretty solid action platformer, so it's value tends to stay somewhat high.
Speedrun Notes - Actraiser 2 is a much better speed running game than Actraiser, but its infamous difficulty drives many potential runners away. PJ is the only person I know off the top of my head that runs it because he is crazy.
Aladdin
Condition - Complete in Box
Genre - Platformer
Developed by Capcom, Published by Capcom
Released in North America on November 21, 1993
Price Point
Amazon - $35 Ebay - $27
Gamer Notes - I have very fond memories of this game from my childhood. A rare aversion of the "bad movie game" rule, both this and the Genesis version (never ask which one is better unless you want to start a flame war) are both games of high quality. In this case, it's largely because of its pedigree - Capcom was arguably at their best during the 16 bit era. While it certainly didn't follow the movie terribly closely, the platforming gameplay was tight, the tunes were recognizable, and the level design was significantly better than expected from a movie based game.
Collector Notes - Being a movie game automatically makes this game common, but being a good movie game means it can still fetch decent prices. A very nostalgic game, most current adults have memories of playing this or the Genesis version, and will debate that the one they played is better until the grave. Sadly, the box and manual aren't in the greatest shape, but the game isn't terribly valuable anyway...
Speedrun Notes - This is a good speed running game - a simple platformer, tight controls and little randomness. I can't recall a runner off the top of my head, but I'm pretty sure somebody ran it at SGDQ 2014.
Brandish
Condition - Complete in Box (may be New)
Genre - Action Role Playing
Developed by Koei, Published by Koei
Released in North America in February 1995
Price Point
Amazon - $90 Ebay - $80
Gamer Notes - VERY OLD SCHOOL. I had no idea what this game was until I played it for the project. It drops you into ruins, no explanations, no plot, no nothing. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing. The game plays well, gives you just enough hints to figure it out and can be rather addicting (I played it for about an hour without even realizing it), but I can definitely see it turning people off, especially gamers that grew up in the current generation.
Collector Notes - It's certainly a unique experience, and that's probably why the price is kinda high. My copy is really beautiful, the box, cart and manual are all perfect :)
Speedrun Notes - While it doesn't seem particularly good for a speed run game, I suppose it could be possible. I would have to do some tests to see if there is any RNG in terms of dungeon generation.
Breath of Fire
Condition - Complete in Box /w Map
Genre - Role Playing Game
Developed by Capcom, Published by Capcom
Released in North America on August 10, 1994
Price Point
Amazon - $40 Ebay - $75
Gamer Notes - The first entry in Capcom's RPG series. As expected, it's a pretty basic RPG, but has some pretty nice animations and enemy designs from what I've played. Have never actually finished it, so I can't really comment on the plot, but BoF 3 and 4 have pretty good plots, so I have faith in this one.
Collector Notes - Box is a bit dinged up, but I have the map so that adds a bit to the value. A relatively fondly remembered series, even if 5 jumped the shark and 6 is going to be a mobile game. If six is ill received it might actually boost the value of 1-4.
Speedrun Notes - I don't think any runners exist for this game. Most of them opt for the superior Breath of Fire 2, 3 or 4 for PSX, or one of the more interesting/shorter RPG's on the SNES.
Castlevania: Dracula X
Condition - Complete in Box
Genre - Action Platformer
Developed by Konami, Published by Konami
Released in North America in Septermber 1995
Price Point
Amazon - >$300 (no listing for this condition) Ebay - $440
Gamer Notes - A solid playing game, with a very solid soundtrack. It has much more of that "Classicvania" feel, sort of like Bloodlines for Genesis. I really haven't played Rondo of Blood, the game it's based on, so I can't really comment on how it stands up against that game.
Collector Notes - This game is a bit curious from a collector's standpoint. It is a port of Rondo of Blood for TGFX 16, but is generally considered inferior from a gameplay and graphics standpoint, and a remastered release was made for the PSP in the early 2000's. Still, this game retains it's price simply due to it's rarity, along with the fact that this is the only "true" way to experience the game in English on a 16 bit system.
Speedrun Notes - Surprisingly enough, there are runners for this game, despite it's rarity. Classic Castlevanias (pre-64) are always good speed run games due to their straightforwardness, and there are plenty of cool tricks and damage boosts contained within.
Donkey Kong Country
Condition - Complete in Box /w inserts (may be New)
Genre - Platformer
Developed by Rare, Published by Nintendo
Released in North America on November 21, 1994
Price Point
Amazon - $40 Ebay - $30
Gamer Notes - One of Nintendo's flagship series and a killer app for the Super Nintendo, Donkey Kong Country was a smash hit when it came out and the series continues to produce titles to this day. While they look crude by today's standards, the graphics were mind blowing at the time, and the gameplay was fast and fluid. Two stage types stick out in my head - the water stages (mostly due to the music) and the mine cart stages, which added an enormous amount of stress to my young self.
Collector Notes - Since it was a noted system seller, it's pretty common. Sadly, not new.
Speedrun Notes - Many, many people speedrun this game. Notable runners include New Age Retro Hippie and Garrison. The general mantra for a DKC speed run is "If you're using Donkey Kong and you're not going for a Donkey Kong specific trick, something went wrong." Diddy Kong is much faster than Donkey and has a smaller hitbox to boot, so it's rare to see him during the run. Also, due to a wrongwarp glich, it is possible to warp from world 1 to world 3, skipping around half of the game.
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
Condition - Complete in Box /w inserts (may be New)
Genre - Platformer
Developed by Rare, Published by Nintendo
Released in North America on November 20, 1995
Price Point
Amazon - $50 Ebay - $40
Gamer Notes - The sequel to Donkey Kong Country, it started the trend of adding things to collect that will eventually spiral out of control. Surprisingly difficult. Birds are jerks. The Roller Coaster stage where you're being chased by the ghost will forever haunt my dreams.
Collector Notes - Arguably the most popular of the DKC's, there is generally a good demand for it, but it was also really popular, so there is a good supply as well. My copy is pristine, and may have been new, there were no save files on it.
Speedrun Notes - Also an extremely popular speed run game with several really weird tricks and wrong warps, so it's fun to watch to. Notable runners include Twig and Garrison.
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
Condition - Box, no manual :(
Genre - Platformer
Developed by Rare, Published by Nintendo
Released in North America on November 22, 1996
Price Point
Amazon - $35 Ebay - $40
Gamer Notes - The third entry in the DKC series which introduced even more crap to collect. Great gameplay-wise. Enemy design is kinda weird. Like, some enemies like the rats are hyper-realistic while other enemies remain cartoony. Kremlings look really weird for some reason. Overworld system is interesting.
Collector Notes - No manual *Sadface*
Speedrun Notes - Not nearly as popular as the other 2 on the SNES, but I know it does have runners.
Earthworm Jim 2
Condition - Complete in Box /w inserts
Genre - Action Platformer
Developed by Shiny Entertainment, Published by Playmates Interactive Entertainment
Released in North America on December 25, 1995
Price Point
Amazon - $60 Ebay - $45
Gamer Notes - Very... Err... "Groovy." Has a lot of weird and sometimes infantile humor, so that may turn some people off. Has some cool concepts but levels are waaaay too long (or maybe I'm just spoiled now).
Collector Notes - Sadly, the terrible 64 games were the nail in the coffin for the series, and it was unable to evolve with the time. This sometimes taints the nostalgia, but it has a good enough following due to the cartoon.
Speedrun Notes - There are people who speedrun this game, but I can't remember any off the top of my head. Personally I feel like it wouldn't be a very good game for it, just because of how long and annoying some of the levels can be (particularly the Peter Puppy levels).
F-Zero
Condition - Complete in Box
Genre - Racing
Developed by Nintendo, Published by Nintendo
Released in North America on August 23, 1991
Price Point
Amazon - $10 Ebay - $10
Gamer Notes - A very chill racing game and a showpiece for mode 7, there really isn't a lot to say about the gameplay, and there's not much of a plot. Fun racer that controls well with rubber band AI.
Collector Notes - An early Super Nintendo game, and a racing game on the system not named "Mario Kart," this game is quite common and not very sought after, thus the low price point even for Complete in Box.
Speedrun Notes - I don't think the SNES version has any runners. Most go for the GCN or N64DD games in the series, as they are significantly more fun, interesting and challenging.
Final Fantasy Mystic Quest
Condition - Complete in Box /w inserts (may be New)
Genre - Role Playing Game
Developed by Square , Published by Square
Released in North America on October 5, 1992
Price Point
Amazon - $40 Ebay - $50
Gamer Notes - The only Final Fantasy to ever be released first the in United States, Mystic Quest was intended as a "beginner RPG," sort of a gateway drug into the world of spiky haired protagonists. The overworld is similar to Super Mario Worlds, and battle and inventory are extremely streamlined. Still, it was a pretty solid game, if really easy and incredibly straightforward.
Collector Notes - The game is more often brought up as a punchline than an actual game, and Square made a lot of them because they were confident in their business plan, so the game isn't worth terribly much. Still, there are some RPG fans that seek it out due to pure novelty. Mine is in perfect shape.
Speedrun Notes - Believe it or not, there are some runners for this game. This is probably due to the fact that it is easy, short, and extremely straightforward. I recall there being some cool tricks as well, but there is a boss that is pretty RNG heavy and can cost several minutes due to bad luck.
Final Fight
Condition - Complete in Box
Genre - Sidescrolling Beat em up
Developed by Capcom, Published by Capcom
Released in North America in 1991
Price Point
Amazon - $30 Ebay - $32
Gamer Notes -
Collector Notes -
Speedrun Notes -
King of Dragons
Condition - Box, no Manual :(
Genre - Side Scrolling Beat em up
Developed by Capcom, Published by Capcom
Released in North America in April 1994
Price Point
Amazon - ~$70 (No listing for this condition) Ebay - $60-$90 (No listing for this condition)
Gamer Notes -
Collector Notes -
Speedrun Notes -
Kirby's Avalanche
Condition - Complete in Box
Genre - Puzzle
Developed by HAL Laboratory, Published by Nintendo
Released in North America on April 25, 1995
Price Point
Amazon - $40 Ebay - $25
Gamer Notes -
Collector Notes -
Speedrun Notes -
Kirby's Dream Course
Condition - Complete in Box
Genre - Puzzle
Developed by HAL Laboratory, Published by Nintendo
Released in North America on February 1, 1995
Price Point
Amazon - $65 Ebay - $45
Gamer Notes -
Collector Notes -
Speedrun Notes -
Kirby Super Star
Condition - Box, no Manual :(
Genre - Action Platformer
Developed by HAL Laboratory, Published by Nintendo
Released in North America on September 20, 1996
Price Point
Amazon - $65 Ebay - $40
Gamer Notes -
Collector Notes - I'm really sad I don't have a manual for this guy.
Speedrun Notes -
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Condition - Complete in Box
Genre - Adventure
Developed by Nintendo, Published by Nintendo
Released in North America on November 21, 1991
Price Point
Amazon - $80 Ebay - $100
Gamer Notes -
Collector Notes -
Speedrun Notes -
The Lion King
Condition - Complete in Box
Genre - Platformer
Developed by Virgin, Published by Disney Interactive
Released in North America on December 8, 1994
Price Point
Amazon - $30 Ebay - $25
Gamer Notes -
Collector Notes -
Speedrun Notes -
Updated 8/4 - Completed up to Final Fantasy Mystic Quest.
Updated 8/25 - Added Videos through Kirby's Dream Course
Hey everybody! Those who know me know that I own a lot of video games... Let me rephrase that... A LOT of video games, to the point where I've honestly lost track of what I do and do not own. Therefore, it is my intent to use this blog to record my collection. However, in my opinion a static listing of games is a bit dull, both for myself and for anyone who might want to look at it. I'd like to make it fun, interesting and informative for all involved, so here is my vision -
First off, general information - This will include a picture of my copy of the game, the game's condition, the game's genre, developer, year of release, and any other information I feel is pertinent. Next I'll attempt to form a standard price point for both Amazon and Ebay. Here's an example -
Actraiser
Condition - Complete in Box /w Inserts
Genre - Action Platformer/Sim
Developed by Quintet, Published by Enix
Released in North America in November 1991
Price Point
Amazon - $50 Ebay - $75
Next, I'll comment on the game from three different perspectives:
Gamer Notes - my thoughts as a general gamer and video game historian, including how familiar I am with the game, tidbits and information, memorable moments, etc.
Collector Notes - my thoughts as a collector, including additional notes on condition, rarity, cause of rarity, etc.
Speedrunner Notes - my thoughts as a speedrun enthusiast, including if I think the game is/would be good to run and why, notable speedrunners and notable tricks where applicable.
Finally, to give complete immersion and to satisfy those of you who hate reading (you know who you are) I plan to capture video for each and every game in my collection. I haven't quite hammered out what I want the length or content of these to be, but at present I'm thinking maybe the first 15-30 minutes of the game to give a good introduction along with commentary. Obviously I'll get further into and be able to show off more in games that I know well, but discovering how to play a new game can be entertaining as well. For those who may not know, I do have some experience at this from streaming (twitch.tv/shingouryu), and I may eventually start streaming this gameplay and archiving it here depending on how comfortable I get with it/how many people are actually actively following this.
Obviously, this is a large undertaking and I am dedicated to producing high quality content. In order to not drive myself insane, I'm going to be doing this is small chunks, with the goal of releasing at least one entry per month. To that end, if people are actually following this thing and it's been a while since my last entry, I encourage you to bug me so I get off my lazy ass and get something done. Obviously, feedback and constructive criticism is appreciated. I've already started working on my boxed SNES collection, so expect the first part of that pretty soon.
Here's hoping you'll join me on this hopefully fun and interesting project!
