Forum - View topicThis Week in Games: Classic Compilations
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Klonoa1545
Posts: 13 |
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But for real, though... A Bubble Bobble compilation would be a no brainer day one pre-order deal for me. It's looooooong overdue... And for a console like the Switch, it would be all the better!
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belvadeer
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I can't wait to play Little Dragons Café in August.
Idola Phantasy Star Saga: The future of classic and beloved RPGs from the past is mobile. Wild Arms and Arc the Lad will each be getting one eventually. It's the reality of things. Classic Collection Craziness: Since you brought up Konami, I would love to see some kind of Ganbare Goemon compilation. Package the Super Famicom titles we never got (2, 3 and 4) with the one we did get, give them highly professional translations that do the best they can with the puns and zany Japanese humor, and release it for PlayStation 4 and Switch. That's my dream compilation. Too bad this is Konami we're talking about here. |
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
 Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I would be for a Castlevania classic collection but it feels like Konami isn't remotely interested in such a thing. I'll keep holding out hope forever.
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FireballDragon
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Lord Geo
Posts: 2544 Location: North Brunswick, New Jersey |
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Takenobu Mitsuyoshi has also sung for anime a couple of times, most notably doing the 2nd OP theme for the Virtua Fighter anime... Which most people now might recognize via its rendition from Project X Zone 2.
As for my "Dream Compilations", I have a few in mind: -Sonic Retro Collection- Now that Christian Whitehead & his buddies are all done with Sonic Mania Plus, I say that, while also getting Sonic Mania 2 ready, Sega should finally let Whitehead do what he had always wanted to do originally, & give all of the 16-bit era Sonic games the Retro Engine remake treatment. This collection would have Sonic 1, Sonic 2 (both for the first time on console), Sonic CD, Sonic 3, Sonic & Knuckles, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, & Knuckles' Chaotix, with the ability to play as any of the playable characters in any of the games, like using Sonic & Tails in Chaotix, or any of the Chaotix in Sonic 1-&K (of course, also bring back "& Knuckles" mode, just for the fun of it). If you really want to get ridiculous, then also Retro-fy the Master System Sonic games & include them, & why not finally include SegaSonic the Hedgehog, too, while we're at it? Likelihood: Honestly, this could happen, especially considering how successful Sonic Mania has been, and the work has already been done for Sonic 1, 2, & CD, while initial prototype work was done for Sonic 3 (& apparently that work was copied over for Mania Plus' rendition of Angel Island Zone, as people have already hacked into & seen). -Battle Arena Toshinden Collection- Sure, Toshinden may not have aged all that well, but I still have a soft spot for it, & there is some potential here. Make Toshinden 1 a combination of the PS1 original & the Saturn "Remix", i.e. have the visuals based on the PS1 game, but include the Story Mode & Cupido from the Saturn port, and have the option to listen to the international music, or the original Japanese version (which does sound a bit different). Have Toshinden 2 be based on the arcade original, but with all of the extra content from the PS1 port, and the ability to choose between the original Q-Sound music (which made it sound like a Capcom game from the 90s) & the redbook audio used for the PS1 version (which now will NOT reset after each round, allowing you to hear the magnificence of Toshinden 2's soundtrack). Then there's Toshinden URA, the Saturn-exclusive side-story, which there may not be much to do to improve it, aside from performance, but might as well include it. As for Toshinden 3, instead of having to choose between high-res visuals at 30 fps or low-poly visuals at 60fps, give us the best of both worlds, i.e. the high-res visuals at 60fps! Finally, just toss in Toshinden 4/Subaru for the hell of it, but at least remaster the cool Studio 4°C-animated intro so that it looks even better. As for the spin-offs, like Nitoshinden or Card Quest, I don't really care if they get included or not. Oh, yes, & a Jukebox Mode so that you can simply listen to the amazing soundtracks, especially for BAT 1, 2, & 3 (but especially 2). And the Wii Toshinden game wasn't done by Tamsoft, nor does it have really anything to do with the original series, so it doesn't count here. Likelihood: Even though Tamsoft is still around, as is Takara (Tomy), this just isn't ever going to happen. Still, it'd be nice to play Toshinden 2 with arcade-quality graphics & redbook music that actually plays all the way through. -Capcom vs. SNK 2+- Okay, this is more of a "remix" than a compilation, but just hear me out. CvS2 is still one of the best fighting games of all time, but due to licensing the most it ever got in terms of a recent re-release was as a PS2 Classic over on the PS3. It never got the HD remaster treatment that SF3, Darkstalkers, JoJo, or MvC got, and that should be changed. Essentially, it's an upgraded version of CvS2, with all of the same characters, stages, & music, but also the ability to use the CvS1 stages & music, complete with those awesome stage intros, making this the definitive CvS experience! As for gameplay, make the ability/glitch of Roll Canceling something you can toggle over in the Options, add new netcode for online play, and the usual visual filters that these Capcom fighting game remasters always include. At the same time, this would allow SNK to re-release SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos, which while not an amazing game is still fun in its own, utterly broken, ways; & Match of the Millenium for the Neo Geo Pocket Color, too, of course. As for this leading into a potential CvS3... Well, unless SNK was to be making it, I wouldn't hope for anything. Likelihood: At most, as of this moment, I'd put this at having a 50/50 chance. Capcom's stuck in a really weird spot at the moment with its fighting games, while SNK has only really managed to regain some footing recently with KOF XIV (which is an outstanding game, by the way). Having the two unite again to, at least, re-release their crossover fighting games would make some sense, but it all comes down to if they really want to work directly together again, and not simply via a third-party, ala Tekken 7. |
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Kicksville
 Posts: 1175 |
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I am quite alright with there never being a Castlevania collection, if only because it makes it easier to continue not giving Konami my money. After what they did to their employees they're not getting another cent out of me. Only way I'd be on board is if they sold all their IP to someone else.
On a lighter note, I love that Haunted Castle promo. Everyone involved is clearly giving their all! |
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BadNewsBlues
Posts: 5915 |
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Unless they remake Segasonic from the ground up that ain't happening given the original game used a trackball.
Could be worse it could be like the original Megaman.
Aren't those games awful?
I find this funny given the SNES version cut out parts from the original Rondo of Blood. Also where's the PSP remake?
Which should feature the english dub from the PSP port along with including some of the stuff from the Saturn version.
Missing Dawn Of Sorrow (which would have to be reworked), Portrait Of Ruin, and Order Of Ecclesia. |
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Hoppy800
 Posts: 3331 |
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Mobile is the Friday night deathslot of gaming. That's the place most franchises go to die, unless you are Puyo Puyo or Idolmaster.
As for collections, give me a Cotton collection but Fantastic Night Dreams must be the PC Engine version, better music and not so easy compared to the arcade. |
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LightningCount
 Posts: 229 |
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Some thoughts and clarifications...
The one thing I will say is that there have been rumblings online since June 2017, and as recent as June 2018, that Konami is exploring their options and might be preparing something Castlevania-related for Nintendo Switch. It started with a Konami rep promoting Bomberman on Switch, and then continued with rumors from the internet user who "leaked" that Ice Climbers and Ridley were coming to the new Smash Bros.; and then came (according to translators) a vague report by French video game outlet Gamekult during E3 2018 of a new unannounced game, and finally another internet user who helped "leak" the Resident Evil 2 Remake said something was happening on this front also. Now, one of these rumors was tied to the idea that Simon Belmont coming to Smash would be one part of this reveal...but that has not happened, so it may just be scrambled net junk. Or it may be yet to come. If and when it ever happens, whether or not this will be a compilation or a new game, though, is another matter.
Interesting fact here. While Circle of the Moon is an "IGA-vania" in name, IGA was not involved with it. It was developed by the Kobe branch of Konami that developed the underrated N64 titles. As such, it's a more thorough blending of traditional Castlevania "action-platforming" and "RPG exploration" than most IGA-vanias. Even so, Circle of the Moon was highly influential on the Castlevania series going forward (it basically established the groundwork for what the magic system would become and the "rivals"-based story progression), and it seems to have helped bring IGA back into the fold of developing these kinds of games. I was happy you included the N64 titles in the Castlevania collection. Sure, they're rough around the edges, but they're still the most comprehensive and accurate translation of Castlevania into 3D, in my opinion. The first entry is more tightly realized overall in its level progression and use of cut-scenes, but the second entry (basically what we'd call DLC today) has more content and cleans up some gameplay and camera issues. Honestly, if Konami wanted to revive Castlevania in 3D, I'd use these games as the base and build them up from there. (Unlike later 3D Castlevanias, these didn't feel like they were trying to be Devil May Cry or God of War; they felt like they were trying to be Castlevania in 3D as seen through a longitudinal lens--it has gameplay elements from the whole of Castlevania, both the linear and non-linear type.) That said, neither of the Castlevania games for N64 even included all of the content that was promised during its pre-Beta and Beta videos, so a comprehensive remaster of what Castlevania 64 was intended to be would be amazing in and of itself. Interesting that you didn't include the PS2 Castlevanias...but I kind of agree. Lament of Innocence is all right, but Curse of Darkness--while not without its points of interest--was a slog to get through. You could include these with a second collection, if need be. ...I do start to wonder how many games could go into one collection. Perhaps there should be the Classicvania and the IGA-vania sets? But even with that, it gets unwieldy, I suppose...
Yes! While the PC Engine version is more ambitious, I think the SNES version is more fun. It has an arcade-style feel to it and a sense of finality to its alternate stage progression that makes it really fun to pick up and play--even if it can be very difficult to master for newcomers. Plus, the painterly art direction (and accompanying special effects) is more to my liking than the PC Engine version, and the music oddly sounds a little more fleshed out as well.
See above. Contrary to popular belief, this is a total reimagining of the PC Engine game rather than a limited port. They're two different games that share the same general name. Interestingly, the 2.5D Dracula X Chronicles took some tips from the later SNES entry, like the consequential "bad path" Annette fight and the art direction for her human form as well.
Heidi said non-DS in this case. But these could be in a later collection with the PS2 entries and, potentially, the multiplayer Harmony of Despair.
I can understand why they did it, but it is missing the 2004 PS2/Gamecube console RPG side-story called "Mega Man X: Command Mission." I was skeptical of the game initially, but it did a great job turning the world of Mega Man X into an RPG in the same way that Mario RPG did to Super Mario back on the SNES. Plus, it has some really great art design in it and expands the world of the series as RPGs often tend to do. As an aside, the PSP Maverick Hunter X and to some extent the pair of GBC games missing is a shame, as the former is a quality remake that's probably more accessible for today's audiences, and the latter games, while largely scaled-down remixes, elaborate further on the world of the games while introducing some interesting new characters. The X games are really inconsistent in terms of overall polish, yes. The first two games are probably the most solid, with the first one being arguably the most polished of them all. That said, I enjoyed them all to some extent. I think you really have to be a fan of the art design and world of Mega Man X to get through some of the later entries, though. Still, I think each one has its merits. I think I prefer the maligned X6 over X5 in terms of ambition, art direction, and story; and even X7 was not a total loss, because if nothing else, it tried to evolve the series. While perhaps inevitable, I dislike it when video game developers are forced to give up evolving something because an experiment doesn't fully work or isn't what was expected. Mega Man X really needed a few more opportunities to grow into something unique in 3D, as X8 wasn't quite what the doctor ordered, either. But if we applied the "bottle-necking" of the X series to Mario or Zelda, we never would have gotten to Mario 64 or Zelda: OoT. ...Now, how about a Ghosts 'N Goblins collection? Include the first three entries, the PSP entry (both versions), and the iPhone games mapped to traditional buttons. Oh, and for kicks, we could probably fit the two Maximo spinoff games on there. That would be amazing! Last edited by LightningCount on Thu Jul 26, 2018 4:03 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Zin5ki
 Posts: 6680 Location: London, UK |
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Perhaps my spendthrift nature blinds me to the appeal of the concept, but I've never appreciated the need for classic compilations in the age of emulators. For the most part, the player ends up with both fewer titles and fewer customisation options by buying an official collection. I have to resignedly guess that there is a large userbase with no patience for tweaking emulator settings each time they add a game to their virtual pile. (Now there is a pastime I strangely enjoy.)
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rizuchan
 Posts: 974 Location: Kansas |
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Thank you, THANK YOU for that video of Takenobu Mitsuboshi, because it made my day. I'm thrilled to see that his enthusiasm is just how I always imagined it every time I heard that song.
But speaking of my Sega Saturn nostalgia, how could you talk about a hypothetical Virtua Fighter Compilation without including Virtua Fighter Kids!? ...Okay, yeah, it's mostly just a VF2 clone with SD characters, but I was always disappointed that I never got to play it outside of the store demo. |
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I would be for a Castlevania classic collection but it feels like Konami isn't remotely interested in such a thing. I'll keep holding out hope forever.
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Lord Geo
Posts: 2544 Location: North Brunswick, New Jersey |
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Yeah, that's the point of using the Retro Engine. Whitehead & Stealth didn't simply port over Sonic 1, 2, & CD, they outright rebuilt those games using that engine in order to make those new versions. Really, that's the only way to finally get SegaSonic, since they could find a way to redo the controls to make them more controller-friendly. I'd say make extensive use of an analog stick, which can at least imitate the different levels of speed someone can spin a trackball via moving the stick in different amounts. |
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WingKing
Posts: 617 |
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I can think of a couple collections I'd enjoy.
Double Dragon: Besides the three arcade games, it should also have Super Double Dragon (SNES), Double Dragon V (SNES/Genesis), and the Double Dragon head-to-head fighting game that came out for the Neo Geo. Maybe Double Dragon Neon too, but I don't know if Arc System Works got the rights to that one when they bought the rest of the franchise. Sega Racing Collection: Think about how many iconic driving and racing games Sega released over the years. Daytona USA. Out Run. Sega Rally. Super Monaco GP. Hang On. Crazy Taxi. They could easily make 3 or 4 collections, but what I'd like to see is one showcasing the evolution of their racing games over most of three decades, from Turbo in 1981 up to 2008's R-Tuned Street Racing. |
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belvadeer
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Well you aren't wrong there, Hoppy. Once beloved series all seem to end up there eventually, while other lasting franchises like Final Fantasy continue to build up their popularity on phones as an added incentive (and in FF's case, they have three mobile titles that are all performing successfully as we speak). |
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