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NSO Exploring NSO together... Randomly! (Game #14 picked!)

Introduction and Game #1
    • jnWake

    jnWake

    i have 50 characters and i'll use them, all of 'em
    Introduction

    If you're like me, you are a member of NSO ever since it launched in 2018. Then, you played some retro games, likely ones you already knew you liked, but didn't play much more than that. Then, when the Expansion Pak released you did the same, bought the service, played a couple of your favorites and then stopped until another favorite came out...

    Because of this, I've been wanting to try some more NSO games, but I could never figure out how to do it. I also thought it'd be fun to do it with the community here, so I came up with this thread idea.

    Exploring NSO

    So, what is this about then? Well, the idea is to pick games from NSO with certain criteria and then just... play them! I know playing games sounds like a wild concept but I guess we can give it a try.

    So, how do we choose which game to play? Randomly, of course!
    • First, I'll randomly pick a number from 1 to 4 (EDIT: now 6!), to represent each of the currently available consoles for NSO + EP: 1 is NES, 2 is SNES, 3 is N64 and 4 is Genesis. (EDIT: 5 is GB, 6 is GBA). The number picked will be our console of choice for the game to play.
    • Then, I'll randomly pick a number between 1 and the number of games released on NSO for the console picked in the previous step. I'll use this number on Wikipedia's list of NSO games to pick a game.
    • Finally, if I've already played this game or it's not available in US NSO then I'll roll step 2 again until a game that I haven't played and is on US NSO is picked.
    After a game is picked, the idea is to play it!

    Sharing impressions

    While playing the game, I'll be sharing impressions and I hope people from the community chime in as well, either by playing through the game with me or sharing their thoughts of it if you've already played it before.

    There'll be no pressure to finish games for this, just play along and share impressions!

    I don't really have plans to keep a schedule for new games as the randomness may throw games of any length so the idea will be to play along and pick new games after I'm/we're done with the current one. The plan is to explore NSO but not to feel stressed about it after all!

    Let's begin!

    So, let's pick our first game! As I said, first I'll roll a random number to pick a console (using random.org):

    1-console-roll.png


    Our first pick is the SNES! According to my list, there are 72 games on SNES NSO, so we'll pick a number from 1 to 72 and...

    2-game-roll.png


    Number 36! Going by my list, the game is...

    3-picked-game.png


    Mario's Super Picross!

    Mario%27s_Super_Picross.jpg


    I've played a fair share of Picross but never this one so... let's go!

    I'll try to play this sometime soon and share my impressions. Anyone interested can join me!
     
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    • Game #2
    • Ok, so time for game #2!

    First, let's roll a console:

    1-console.png


    #2 is the SNES again! Once again, we'll roll from the 72 available games...

    2-game.png


    Number 6! Looking at my list, that game is...

    3-table.png


    Kirby's Dream Course!

    Kirbydreamcourse.jpg


    I've never played this one before so it'll be fun! I imagine many people here will have played it before so I'm interested on any impressions.
     
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    • Game #3
    • Ok, I lied. I have some free time today so I decided to roll the next game!

    First, let's pick a console:

    1-console.png


    New console this time! N64 it is. Sorry for those without the Expansion Pass. According to my list there's 23 games currently on N64 NSO (and I've played several of them) so rolling one may be a little harder but let's give it a try!

    2-game.png


    Number 20! Full disclosure here, this is the second roll. First one was #16 which is Pokémon Snap, a game I've played before. So, what's #20?

    3-table.png


    Wave Race!

    Wave_Race_64_Coverart.png


    I've actually never played this before and had been wanting to since it released on NSO so now's the time! I imagine several people here have already played it before so share your opinions! And those who haven't played it before feel free to join me!
     
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    • Game #4
    • Double post! Not much progress on Wave Race 64, Expert is super tough so I've decided to call it quits. I had a fun time but I have no interest on grinding Expert really.

    That means, it's time for a new game! First, let's roll a console:

    1-console.png


    Wow, the SNES again... Anyway, let's roll a game from the 72 possibilities!

    First roll was #68, Kirby's Dream Course SP... Skip!
    Second roll was #58, Earthbound... I've played it before so skip!
    Third roll was #22, Breath of Fire 2... another one I've played before, so skip!

    2-game.png


    #43, the 4th roll! Let's see what it is...

    3-table.png


    Tuff E Nuff!

    maxresdefault.jpg


    I have no idea what this is, but the boxart has heavy 90's vibes... I guess the point of exploring NSO is playing weird stuff like this, right? If anyone knows what the hell this is please let us know, otherwise I hope you join me and try whatever this is!
     
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    • Game #5
    • 10-end.jpg

    I'm Tuff E Nuff!​

    Hate to triple post, but I did it, beat the final boss legit on Normal! One thing I forgot to mention in my last post is that Tuff E Nuff features a Replay system after every match. For anyone curious I'll post my final shot of every match:

    11-replay-1.jpg

    Round 1
    12-replay-2.jpg

    Round 2
    13-replay-3.jpg

    Round 3
    14-replay-4.jpg

    Round 4
    15-replay-5.jpg

    Round 5
    16-replay-6.jpg

    Round 6
    17-replay-7.jpg

    Round 7
    18-replay-8.jpg

    Round 8
    19-replay-9.jpg

    Round 9 - This one was a timeout win!
    20-replay-10.jpg

    Final Round!​

    Anyway, time for game #5! First, let's roll a console:

    1-console.png


    #4 is Sega Genesis! A new console this time! There are 37 games on Genesis NSO so we roll a number between 1 and 37...

    2-game.png


    #22! Checking the list...

    3-table.png


    The new game is Light Crusader!

    250


    I have no idea what this game is about, but maybe someone here can enlighten me! In any case, I'll try during the upcoming weeks and share my impressions. I hope to see some more positive impressions of this one (also hope I don't have to quadruple post lol).
     
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    • Game #6
    • Finally finished Light Crusader!

    14-final-boss.jpg
    15-end.jpg

    Ultimately, it's fun but super janky, to the extent that it'd be unplayable for me without the rewind function of the emulator. Not sure if I'd recommend it to be honest. It's short enough at least though, it took me around 6 hours to beat.

    Now, time to roll a new game! Since GB and GBA were just launched I'll roll just for those 2 consoles this time.

    First, let me roll a console, 5 is GB and 6 is GBA:

    1-console.png


    Gameboy it is! There are 10 possible titles here so let's roll!

    2-game.png


    Checking the list...

    3-table.png


    Game & Watch Gallery 3!

    Game_and_Watch_Gallery_3.webp


    I honestly have no idea what to expect here. I can't imagine this being a particularly lengthy/deep game so it'll probably go by quickly. Interested to hear any impressions from others who have played it or are interested in playing it now.
     
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    • Game #7
    • I managed to finish the game earlier than expected!

    17-end.jpg

    Credits roll around the 50 stars!​

    So, it's time to roll a new game. This time, I'll roll for the 6 consoles instead of just GB and GBA:

    1-console.png


    Console 6 is actually GBA! That's convenient. There's only 6 games to roll here, so let's go!

    2-game.png


    (Disclaimer: I rolled 2 first but I've already played through Minish Cap so I discarded that roll)

    Number 5... Let's check the list:

    3-table.png


    Mario Advance 4!

    1200px-Super_Mario_Advance_4_Box.png


    I have, of course, already played through Super Mario Bros 3 before, but this one includes extra levels so I'll allow it! Anyone is free to share their experiences with either the original SMB3 or the extra levels here. I'm actually pretty excited to see what's different here!
     
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    • Game #8
    • Ok, time for a new roll! First, we need to pick which console gets its chance:

    1-console.png


    It's Game Boy time again! As of today, there's 19 games available for GB NSO, so let's roll!

    2-game.png


    Let's look at the list:

    3-table.png


    The chosen game is Wario Land 3! As you can see, I have Tetris and Yakuman marked in red. I do that for games I'll skip either because I've already played them or because they're only available in JP NSO.

    220px-Warioland3.jpg


    I've never played a Wario Land game before and I know a ton of people like them, so I'm pretty excited to try out this one!
     
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    • Game #9
    • K, so I'm kinda alone in this thread... I finished Wario Land 3, so let's do a mini review!

    4-title.jpg

    NSO has the GBC version of the game!​

    So, as I said in my previous post, Wario Land 3 is a cross between a platformer and a Metroidvania, with its main gimmick being that Wario can "transform" after being hit by certain enemies.

    7-zombie.jpg
    8-fat.jpg

    Zombie Wario and Fat Wario are some examples of transformations!    ​

    Each level features several exits, each one reached by solving puzzles that involves Wario's transformations and the power-ups you discover through the game. It's a fun gameplay loop, clearing a level to unlock something new, either a new level, a new power-up or a new unlocked path in an old level. I'll say though that, sadly, the game kinda stops surprising the game very early on. Most of Wario's transformations are shown to the player in the first 2 worlds and the latter half of Wario's power-ups are basically upgrades to his moveset, like a higher jump or a stronger tackle. There's no moment like unlocking the Shinespark or the Space Jump in Metroid, which completely change how you look at the game.

    9-golf.jpg

    There's also a 2D golfing minigame inserted into the game!    ​

    Anyway, so that was my adventure with Wario Land 3. I enjoyed it a ton, but I have to say that a big part of it was thanks to the Rewind button. In this game, Wario can't really die and there's no "Game Over" screen (only against the final boss) so the way the game punishes you for mistakes is basically returning you to early parts of a level and making you waste time. If I were playing this on original hardware I'd have probably lost my patience quite early into the game.

    10-end.jpg

    -----------

    I'm not really seeing much interest on this thread lately but I'll keep going at it since I have fun playing NSO games... Unsure if I'll keep making reviews with screenshots though, as those take a bit of time.

    In any case, let's roll a new game! First, the console...

    1-console.png


    NES! First time we roll this console. According to my records, there's 98 NES games on NSO, but a lot of them are SP versions which I'm ignoring, I'm hoping rolling for a game doesn't take that long...

    2-game.png


    Number 81! This was actually my first roll and it's...

    3-table.png


    Rygar!

    MV5BMDVlNjE3NWItMTBmYy00MzYyLTgyOGYtM2VlMTk2MDIzNmEwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzg5OTk2OA@@._V1_.jpg


    I've never heard of this lol, but a quick read of Wikipedia says this is some sort of adventure game so... Let's dive into it! If anyone here has any experience playing this game, please share!
     
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    • Game #10
    • K, so I rolled a new game!

    First, console:

    1-console.png


    SNES! I seem to roll this one a lot. Now, let's roll a number!

    2-game.png


    (actually rolled 43 first, but we already played that one!)

    Number 20 is...

    3-table.png


    Super Soccer!

    SupersoccerSNES_boxart.jpg


    Umm, not gonna lie, not the most exciting pick haha. I think I actually owned this game when I was a kid, but it may have been some other SNES soccer game. Anyway, I'm not really expecting much from this one, I doubt a SNES soccer game is particularly deep or even particularly fun... but the point here is to play random games so I'm gonna play this!

    If anyone has any memories or anything about it, please share!
     
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    • Game #11
    • K, enough hours passed. It's time for a new roll!

    As always, first we roll for one of the six available consoles:

    1-console.png


    ... SNES again. Out of 11 rolls, 5 of them have been SNES. Randomness can be nutty at times.

    ANYWAY, there's 73 games on the SNES NSO list so let's roll a number:

    2-game.png


    New number! And the game is...

    3-table.png


    Wild Guns!

    images


    I don't think I've played this game before, but reading about it seems like it's actually a good game! Excited to try it out. As usual, anyone with experience on this is welcome to share it!
     
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    • Game #12
    • Mer.Saloon said:
    Love me some Wild Guns! Such a stylish arcade shooter.
    Click to expand...
    Indeed, I forgot to mention this on my review but the visuals in Wild Guns are super good. Beautiful pixel art, fun designs for characters/enemies and the animations are pretty cool as well. It manages to be hectic but still readable, unlike some other games in similar genres.

    Amishpriest said:
    So when I typed this post, I was actually thinking of Super Tennis, not Super Soccer (lol). I did go try Super Soccer for a bit, and wound up enjoying it more than I expected to. Granted, I don't really play soccer games so I don't have much to compare it to.

    Wild Guns is another I haven't played before, looking forward to trying it when I have some time.
    Click to expand...
    Haha, I hope I don't roll too many of those old sports games like Super Tennis or, worse, the NES black box sport titles. I can't imagine them being particularly good.

    ----------

    I seem to be in a burst of motivation for this so I decided to roll the next game today! As usual, first we roll for a console (please don't be SNES again...)

    1-console.png


    3! That's Nintendo SIXTY FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUR. There's 31 N64 games on NSO so we'll roll the game next:

    2-game.png


    Number 13! Let's see...

    3-table.png


    F-Zero X!

    s-l1200.webp


    I don't have too much experience with the F-Zero franchise. I played the SNES one and although I thought the controls were good I absolutely hated the difficulty in Grand Prix mode. I've also played some runs of F-Zero 99 which I think is super fun, despite the fact that I haven't won a race yet.

    In any case, I imagine there's many fans of this game in here, so I'm interested in hearing from you!

    Did the emulation issues on this game ever get fixed? I hope they aren't too annoying.
     
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    • Game #13
    • Double post! New roll!

    As usual, first the console:

    1-console.png


    3 is N64! Again!

    Thanks to last week's Rare megadrop we now have 32 games, so let's roll a number:

    2-game.png


    #29! It is...

    3-table.png


    Jet Force Gemini!

    EpUZctxXUAIwr-j.jpg


    I think I rented this one once when I was a kid but I couldn't really progress much, it was pretty hard. I hope this one is decently playable on NSO with Joycons, a quick glance at the manual makes me think it'll be a little rough...

    Anyway, I don't know much about this game so I'm interested on any impressions!
     
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    • Game #14 New
    • Double post! Time for yet another new roll...

    First, console!

    01-console.png


    Number 4 is the Genesis! This is the second time, after Light Crusader last year. There are currently 45 games for Genesis NSO, let's see...

    02-game.png


    Number 24! This was the first roll and the game is...

    03-table.png


    Shining Force II!

    s-l400.jpg


    I don't know much about this series but I think it's like Fire Emblem... probably means this game is fairly long so it'll likely take a while to beat. In any case, I'm excited to try it since I love FE. If anyone has any impressions/recommendations, please share!
     
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