2016/11/17: Sega Master System: Rambo: First Blood Part 2, Zillion II: The Tri Formation

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VideoGameCritic
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2016/11/17: Sega Master System: Rambo: First Blood Part 2, Zillion II: The Tri Formation

Postby VideoGameCritic » November 17th, 2016, 8:13 pm

Check out my latest set of Sega Master System reviews.

Rambo is a re-review and slight downgrade from A to A-. Zillion II is new.

Comments?

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scotland
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Re: 2016/11/17: Sega Master System: Rambo: First Blood Part 2, Zillion II: The Tri Formation

Postby scotland » November 20th, 2016, 2:53 pm

You were teasing us on the Zillion II for a long time.

Zillion and Zillion II are from an anime series, so it deserves TV set icon. The series also inspired the look of the SMS light gun.

Did you play with the joylad or arcade stick? The button layout may work better on the control stick, but then again, the Sega Control Stick is relatively backwards compared to the SMS and NES joypads with having the directional joystick on the right side. Its not wrong, buts its interesting the two controllers are not simpatico.

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MoarRipter
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Re: 2016/11/17: Sega Master System: Rambo: First Blood Part 2, Zillion II: The Tri Formation

Postby MoarRipter » February 19th, 2017, 6:47 pm

I think Zillion II may be the first video game my parents ever purchased for me. Growing up in the 80s my three older brothers had the three major consoles of the mid-late 80s. One of the games my brother had that I was fascinated with was Zillion.

One day my parents bought a different game for each of us at the store, being that I love Zillion and had finished it numerous times I picked out Zillion II that day. After playing it I didn't really care for it. I really didn't like that you could only switch to Apple or Champ once, and only on the odd numbered stages, and then the only benefit it gave you was a full health bar. I much preferred how you could utilize your teammates in the first Zillion, being able to change-up back and forth like in TMNT and how they had different abilities such that Apple was weak but nimble and could jump high, and Champ was slow and heavy yet strong. The bosses in Zillion II also move in very predictable patterns. Baron Ricks at the end of the game is so easy it's stupid. Still, the game grew on me and I held out hope that a Zillion III would be released, perhaps for the Genesis. However, much like a possible Starflight III, it was never to be and the series died. :(

Tim
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Re: 2016/11/17: Sega Master System: Rambo: First Blood Part 2, Zillion II: The Tri Formation

Postby Tim » February 23rd, 2017, 3:20 pm

Zillion II was the first SMS game I ever played and at the time it blew me away (up until then, I'd only had a ZX Spectrum!) In hindsight though, it's really mediocre. The level designs are lazy, the bosses in particularly being the Moonwalker-style "lots of standard enemies at once" variety. It's generally easy, and switching to the other characters by using the second controller is awkward beyond belief. It's nowhere near as original as Zillion, which is a much more unique platformer. Still, I have to say I do fire up Zillion II now and again, probably for nostalgia.

I have to say on a different note, I'm really surprised the VGC has never reviewed Castle of Illusion on the SMS, considering how clearly you are a fan of the Megadrive version. It's one of the best SMS games out there and for me, slighly eclipses its 16-Bit cousin - it plays similarly but is really a very different game, with more interesting level designs. I'd be very interested to see if you agree!


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