Three classics come West for the first time
By Paul Hunter
As a kid, I used to pore over video game magazines to find out the latest Japanese games that would be heading westward, and of course, in some cases, the games never arrived. Thankfully there's been a modern trend to localize formerly Japan-exclusive titles, and Sunsoft is Back! Retro Game Selection is the latest example. This three-game bundle of Sunsoft classics packs Firework Thrower Kantaro’s 53 Stations of the Tokaido, The Wing of Madoola, and Ripple Island.
For younger gamers who may not be familiar with Sunsoft, they were a powerhouse developer for the NES (or Famicom in Japan) and arcades. Their bigger titles like Blaster Master, Spy Hunter and Batman all arrived on our shores. Now we finally get a chance to play three more of the company's classics thanks to the Sunsoft is Back! collection.
By all standards, Sunsoft is Back! Retro Game Selection delivers a quality retro game compilation package. All three games have received spotless emulation and multiple quality-of-life improvements that make them look and play their best. You can choose from multiple aspect ratios and borders, there's a new CRT Filter for those who prefer retro visuals, details 3D models of the original game cartridges, and a Gallery Mode showcasing the game's instruction manuals, artwork and promotional material. You can also conveniently rewind the gameplay at the touch of a button, and new save states let you resume playing exactly where you left off. And, of course, all three games have received English localization.
Looking at the games themselves, all three belong to different genres and give you a nice variety to enjoy depending on your current mood.
The first game I tried was Firework Thrower Kantaro’s 53 Stations of the Tokaido. In it, you play as a Japanese fireworks merchant and must travel through the 53 stations of Tokaido to reach your fiancee Momoko who's waiting for you in Edo. It won't be an easy trek though as Gozaemon, a rival merchant, gets his mercenaries to try and stop you to steal your firework crafting secrets.
Firework Thrower is an extremely challenging game not only because it's a perilous trip filled with ninjas, samurais and goons out to get you, but also because your character throws his fireworks bombs at an arcing angle that requires you to anticipate where enemies will positioned when your bombs land. And the further you get into the trek the more enemies show up on screen and the more unpredictable their movement patterns get. The good news is at any point you can rewind time to give tricky sections another run.
The second game I played was The Wing of Madoola, an adventure game with a similar look and feel to Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. You play as the last magic wielder of your clan who must take back the powerful Wings of Madoola artifact from Daltos, a deadly fiend from a rival clan. It won't be an easy task, however, as Daltos has used the artifact to summon an army of monsters to conquer the land.
At first, The Wing of Madoola is maddeningly frustrating as your sword merely stuns enemies, many of which that buzz around in annoying attack patterns and follow you as you try to escape. Luckily, just like in Zelda, you'll gradually acquire new weapons and items that make battling monsters a more manageable affair. These items include boots that increase your speed and jumping ability, upgrades to your sword strength and six different spells like a flaming sword and flash magic. There are 16 levels and multiple bosses to conquer in this challenging classic.
The final game in the compilation is Ripple Island, a point-and-click adventure game. You play as a young boy named Kyle who takes on the king's challenge to rescue his daughter from the hands of Emperor Groaker, a tyrant who plans on conquering the kingdom. Whoever rescues the king's daughter gets to marry her and get a wealthy reward.
Ripple Island is a strange place where humans and animals that can speak live together in harmony. There are five main areas in the game to explore, where you'll use your five actions (look, take, enter, hit, and push) to interact with the environment and NPC characters. I had a lot of fun with this game as it brought back the days when I used to draw maps and jot down notes with pencil and paper.
Final Score: 7/10 - Good
Developer: Sunsoft
Publisher: Red Art Games
Genre: Platformer, Action, Adventure
Modes: Single-player
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10+)
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
As a kid, I used to pore over video game magazines to find out the latest Japanese games that would be heading westward, and of course, in some cases, the games never arrived. Thankfully there's been a modern trend to localize formerly Japan-exclusive titles, and Sunsoft is Back! Retro Game Selection is the latest example. This three-game bundle of Sunsoft classics packs Firework Thrower Kantaro’s 53 Stations of the Tokaido, The Wing of Madoola, and Ripple Island.
For younger gamers who may not be familiar with Sunsoft, they were a powerhouse developer for the NES (or Famicom in Japan) and arcades. Their bigger titles like Blaster Master, Spy Hunter and Batman all arrived on our shores. Now we finally get a chance to play three more of the company's classics thanks to the Sunsoft is Back! collection.
By all standards, Sunsoft is Back! Retro Game Selection delivers a quality retro game compilation package. All three games have received spotless emulation and multiple quality-of-life improvements that make them look and play their best. You can choose from multiple aspect ratios and borders, there's a new CRT Filter for those who prefer retro visuals, details 3D models of the original game cartridges, and a Gallery Mode showcasing the game's instruction manuals, artwork and promotional material. You can also conveniently rewind the gameplay at the touch of a button, and new save states let you resume playing exactly where you left off. And, of course, all three games have received English localization.
Looking at the games themselves, all three belong to different genres and give you a nice variety to enjoy depending on your current mood.
The first game I tried was Firework Thrower Kantaro’s 53 Stations of the Tokaido. In it, you play as a Japanese fireworks merchant and must travel through the 53 stations of Tokaido to reach your fiancee Momoko who's waiting for you in Edo. It won't be an easy trek though as Gozaemon, a rival merchant, gets his mercenaries to try and stop you to steal your firework crafting secrets.
Firework Thrower is an extremely challenging game not only because it's a perilous trip filled with ninjas, samurais and goons out to get you, but also because your character throws his fireworks bombs at an arcing angle that requires you to anticipate where enemies will positioned when your bombs land. And the further you get into the trek the more enemies show up on screen and the more unpredictable their movement patterns get. The good news is at any point you can rewind time to give tricky sections another run.
The second game I played was The Wing of Madoola, an adventure game with a similar look and feel to Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. You play as the last magic wielder of your clan who must take back the powerful Wings of Madoola artifact from Daltos, a deadly fiend from a rival clan. It won't be an easy task, however, as Daltos has used the artifact to summon an army of monsters to conquer the land.
At first, The Wing of Madoola is maddeningly frustrating as your sword merely stuns enemies, many of which that buzz around in annoying attack patterns and follow you as you try to escape. Luckily, just like in Zelda, you'll gradually acquire new weapons and items that make battling monsters a more manageable affair. These items include boots that increase your speed and jumping ability, upgrades to your sword strength and six different spells like a flaming sword and flash magic. There are 16 levels and multiple bosses to conquer in this challenging classic.
The final game in the compilation is Ripple Island, a point-and-click adventure game. You play as a young boy named Kyle who takes on the king's challenge to rescue his daughter from the hands of Emperor Groaker, a tyrant who plans on conquering the kingdom. Whoever rescues the king's daughter gets to marry her and get a wealthy reward.
Ripple Island is a strange place where humans and animals that can speak live together in harmony. There are five main areas in the game to explore, where you'll use your five actions (look, take, enter, hit, and push) to interact with the environment and NPC characters. I had a lot of fun with this game as it brought back the days when I used to draw maps and jot down notes with pencil and paper.
The Verdict
I'm all for game preservation, and it's great that finally got three more Sunsoft classics in the Sunsoft is Back! Retro Game Selection. The emulation is spot on, and the added digital game manuals and artwork are a nice touch. I do wish there were more than three games in this bundle, but the good news is the price is right at only $9.99. If you're a fan of Sunsoft or 8-bit gaming in general, this Retro Game Selection is worth checking out.Final Score: 7/10 - Good
Sunsoft is Back! Retro Game Selection details
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo SwitchDeveloper: Sunsoft
Publisher: Red Art Games
Genre: Platformer, Action, Adventure
Modes: Single-player
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10+)
A key was provided by the publisher.