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Metroidvania Games on the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System Metroid)

PATREON ► / bigolewords
STREAMS ► Every Thursday 9pm EST here on KZread
METROID CLONES ►This is a look at games for the Nintendo Entertainment System that are similar in gameplay or design to Metroid. Here I'll be discussing what makes Metroid so iconic, and which NES games share qualities, take inspiration from, or are straight up ripping it off.
#retrogaming #nintendo #nes
The introduction to the NES Clones series can be found here: • What Games are Clones ...
Zelda Clones Part 1: • Legend of Zelda Clones...
Zelda Clones Part 2: • Legend of Zelda Clone ...
Mega Man Clones: • Mega Man Clones for th...
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Intro drawing by Ashley Anderson: pressstarttobegin.net/
CONTENTS OF THIS VIDEO
0:00 - Intro
0:07 - Intro
1:18 - What Makes Metroid So Iconic?
3:12 - Goonies II
5:27 - Rygar
7:16 - Clash at Demonhead
9:10 - Legacy of the Wizard
11:12 - Ufouria
13:07 - Blaster Master
14:44 - Wizards and Warriors III
16:41 - Strider
18:51 - Milon's Secret Castle
20:35 - Outro
After years of focusing on the best games for the NES, I decided to change gears and focus on lesser known cartridges that have, for one reason or another, generally escaped the public discussion and general nostalgia. This series highlights many of the relatively unknown, obscure, and unloved titles in the Nintendo Entertainment System's library. Some of these games are at best mediocre. Many are painfully bad, some of the worst NES games around. Most are hilarious for all the wrong reasons! Occasionally, OCCASIONALLY, a handful of them are actually good, borderline hidden gems.
While you won't find any of these on the NES Classic, some of these titles have managed to make their way onto the Nintendo Switch, so if you don't have an original Nintendo console or ROMs escape you ethically or technologically, there are several ways to play them.
Want more? Me too! Until then, lots of other articles where the pictures don't move and words have to be read can be found on my website: top100nesgames.com
/ bigolewords
/ bigolewords
nes, nintendo, retro gaming, retro games, gaming, video games,
nes games, 8-bit, old school, nintendo entertainment system, famicom, family computer, 8-bit games, nintendo games, Nintendo gamer, 8-bit gaming, 8 bit, 8-bit gamer, 8-bit music, chiptune, chiptunes, retro gamer, 80s, 90s, 80s video games, 90s video games, game collecting, game collection, retro game collecting, retro game collection, game room tour, gaming tour, NES Hidden Gems, Bad NES Games, Funny NES Games, Nintendo Hidden gems

Пікірлер: 362

  • @BigOleWords
    @BigOleWords Жыл бұрын

    I mentioned it briefly in the Legacy of the Wizard section, but @quwebs has a really great tutorial on how to move the blocks, I'm just too clumsy to execute it properly. Also, he has a great channel with lots of solid retro reviews so check it out: kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZKKlsbKqmcfVopM.html

  • @tylerd4884

    @tylerd4884

    Жыл бұрын

    i cant do it either

  • @childofcascadia

    @childofcascadia

    Жыл бұрын

    Quwebs is epic. Ive been subbed to his channel since he has had just a few hundred subs. I highly recommend his Abridged series for cool little 5 minute reviews of NES and SNES games.

  • @childofcascadia

    @childofcascadia

    Жыл бұрын

    Also, at 12:30 I laughed my ass off. Way reminded of a dog having an itchy butthole.

  • @goatbone
    @goatbone Жыл бұрын

    9:27 "The son is useless." I felt that.

  • @famicomkun
    @famicomkun Жыл бұрын

    "The son is useless" that was funny. you need him to beat the final boss though.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    That is true!

  • @BigBearHgX
    @BigBearHgX Жыл бұрын

    Clash at demonhead needs to be re-released so badly.

  • @jescis0

    @jescis0

    Жыл бұрын

    I second that notion! I LOVED "Clash At Demonhead"! I used to have it, but I'm collecting Japanese games nowadays! 😉😉😉😉

  • @jeremygreen2883

    @jeremygreen2883

    Жыл бұрын

    I third this! I still dust off my old cart.

  • @rockman7503

    @rockman7503

    Жыл бұрын

    I 100% Megaman Zero 2. I don't have the patience for strider wall jump. I beat Batman on NES legit. Not strider. I tried. Forever.

  • @jescis0

    @jescis0

    Жыл бұрын

    @@rockman7503 I ACTUALLY have Batman on the Famicom! 😁😁😁😁 バットマン1989!

  • @Tailstraw_xD
    @Tailstraw_xD Жыл бұрын

    The title theme of the original Metroid still gives me chills.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Same!

  • @FalsebitPakoPako

    @FalsebitPakoPako

    26 күн бұрын

    Truly a "less is more" with dark corridors. (See: Super Mario 1 with dark fortresses that were filled with Bowser portraits)

  • @Tailstraw_xD

    @Tailstraw_xD

    26 күн бұрын

    @@FalsebitPakoPako huh?

  • @GoodVibeCollecting
    @GoodVibeCollecting Жыл бұрын

    Blaster Master is the best Metroid clone on the system IMO. It was the first game that made me realize "Oh, there are other games that play like Metroid". It's biggest flaw being no saves, no passwords, and the continues are limited. Unlike the japanese version.

  • @williamprice5079

    @williamprice5079

    Жыл бұрын

    It took me 35 years to realize Blaster Master is CLEARLY a Metroidvania lol

  • @GoodVibeCollecting

    @GoodVibeCollecting

    Жыл бұрын

    @@williamprice5079 But it's not a Metroidvania. It's Metroid-esque. XD.

  • @DondoDiscGolf
    @DondoDiscGolf Жыл бұрын

    Metroid changed my Life. This game is Still amazing & that classic metroid music is very soothing to my soul. Keep up the amazing Content!!!

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Hey thanks so much!

  • @otterspotter

    @otterspotter

    Жыл бұрын

    Mine too! I remember renting it as a kid and thinking no way could a game be this good!

  • @tookmyjob
    @tookmyjob Жыл бұрын

    Legacy of the Wizard: yeah, I screwed up on the Dad's block moving quite a few times. I finished the game just so I don't ever have to play it again. Blaster Master: My wife was watching me play the overhead view and says "Are you playing Hello Kitty?" Strider: one of the first games I ever beat and the music got me hooked to 8-bit soundtracks.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Haha your wife nailed it!

  • @SirRosser
    @SirRosser Жыл бұрын

    With the exception of Uforia and Goonies 1, every single one of those games, even the ones just mentioned in passing, are ones that I owned, rented or borrowed repeatedly when I was a kid or teen. Good times!

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Damn lucky you! I didn’t play most of these til years later.

  • @GenerationPixel
    @GenerationPixel Жыл бұрын

    That Point and Click comparison is astoundingly insightful 👌 Fun Fact, on the 8 Bit Microcomputers, yes my beloved Spectrum yet again, there was a third Metroidvania, released at the same time. The Sacred Armour if Antiriad. You should take a look at it if you can 😎👍

  • @Raukodraug

    @Raukodraug

    Жыл бұрын

    Those old 8bit PCs were great. I first played the original Goonies on my old Spectravideo computer that ran off cassette tapes.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Now that looks like a Metroid clone!

  • @GenerationPixel

    @GenerationPixel

    Жыл бұрын

    @@BigOleWords Antiriad was released a few weeks after Metroid, and a few before Castlevania. If it wasn't for the 8Bit Microcomputers being very UK prominent, I dare say we might be talking about MetroidAntiriadVainias 😉

  • @GenerationPixel

    @GenerationPixel

    Жыл бұрын

    @Raukodraug this is the first I've heard of the SpectraVideo! I thought the Commodore 64, Texas Instruments TU 99 and Tandy CoCo were the only North American 8Bit Microcomputers! Now I need one of these!! 🤣

  • @BainesMkII
    @BainesMkII Жыл бұрын

    Getting near the end of Blaster Master only to run out of continues (or have your mother make you turn off the system because your supper is getting cold) was crushing. It was also annoying that getting hit in the overhead areas downgraded your gun, which made it more likely that you'd get hit again and meant you needed to spend more time farming gun upgrades to get back what you lost. It feels a bit weird to see Blaster Master on a list without it being accompanied by Fester's Quest, as the two always felt pretty similar to me. Also, if you just cannot accommodate NES graphics anymore, Blaster Master Zero is an option. It's a pretty decent modern re-imagining with some additional content.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Fester is included in the Zelda Clones video :)

  • @PowerPandaMods

    @PowerPandaMods

    Жыл бұрын

    Blaster Master Zero (the entire trilogy) is a hidden gem.

  • @toddhouchin3252
    @toddhouchin3252 Жыл бұрын

    Don't badmouth Rygar, that's my dog!

  • @The_Badseed
    @The_Badseed Жыл бұрын

    Metroid, Goonies II, Rygar and Blaster Master are probably my favorite NES Games. I remember the old days before internet looking at Nintendo Power for a Walkthrough and trading tips and secrets with my friends. Good stuff

  • @carn9507
    @carn9507 Жыл бұрын

    "the son is useless" Yep, that's me in my family apparently

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Right there with ya!

  • @entertainmentgremlin2214
    @entertainmentgremlin22144 күн бұрын

    The Addams Family is an often overlooked title in the genre. Can't wait to see Zelda 2 vid! I think these kind of videos really help anyone navigating the NES library to find the games they're most likely to enjoy. Please keep up the series. I really appreciate your unique and obsessive dive into the topic (I can relate all to well). Thanks!

  • @PowerPandaMods
    @PowerPandaMods Жыл бұрын

    Blaster Master got a remake/reboot on modern consoles with the Blaster Master Zero trilogy. They are in the same vein as something like Shovel Knight... NES style gameplay fine tuned to perfection. Everyone who enjoys this channel should go play them.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    I’ve heard a few folks echo your sentiments. Sounds rad!

  • @tylerd4884
    @tylerd4884 Жыл бұрын

    I cracked up at the line dammit jake what are you paying me for here?

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    I mean, he had one job

  • @FFVison
    @FFVison Жыл бұрын

    There was another game for the NES in the same series as Legacy of the Wizard and that's Faxanadu. Very fun game if you haven't played it. Another game kinda Metroidy is Xexyz. It has some platformer areas as well as some shoot em up your levels. I have fond memories of this one.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    I’ll get to Faxanadu with Zelda 2. Xexyz is a great title but I don’t feel like there’s much exploration really.

  • @kevinhibbard320
    @kevinhibbard320 Жыл бұрын

    I have never made past like the first few screens of Metroid. But that intro music makes me nostalgic af

  • @RetroPixelLizard
    @RetroPixelLizard Жыл бұрын

    Fun little fact: Kid Icarus and Metroid run on the same enginr I think you covered every non homebrew Metroid. The NES version of The Addams counts but It's not good, there's Gargoyle's Quest If you're fine with the JRPG overworld/towns between action stages. An Interesting thing to note, Legacy of the Wizard Is the 4th Dragon Slayer game, since you're planning on a videof or Zelda II clones I should bring up that Faxanadu Is a spin off of Dragon Slayer 2, just a fun little connection I found out. By the way, I remember a Japan only JRPG worth checking out, Lagrange Point, heard It's music on a retro game radio and thought they made an error on the system, but then I booted It up and once the Intro started...

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    I was just watching some Lagrange Point. That game looks and sounds AMAZING

  • @GeovaneSanciniSR
    @GeovaneSanciniSR Жыл бұрын

    The American version of Blaster Master is kinda frustrating, that's why I always recommend the japanese version, Cho Wakusei Senki Metafight, which have unlimited continues and save features.

  • @minimoe2807
    @minimoe2807 Жыл бұрын

    So happy to see Ufouria get love. Discovered this game not long ago and was amazed.

  • @ChaossX77

    @ChaossX77

    Жыл бұрын

    Ufouria* in case anyone sees this and wants to Google it and missed the correct spelling elsewhere.

  • @minimoe2807

    @minimoe2807

    Жыл бұрын

    @@ChaossX77 Good catch! Fixed it

  • @georged7627
    @georged7627Ай бұрын

    I was 10 when the NES released in Australia and absolutely loved it then and absolutely love it now 🤘🏽

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Ай бұрын

    Nice!

  • @geraq0
    @geraq0 Жыл бұрын

    Nice list! I seem to recall Adventure Island 4 had some non-linear exploration to find items. Another one is my all-time favorite non-linear NES game James Bond Jr, I played that one a lot as a kid.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Oh shit I totally forgot about James Bond Jr! Totally right!

  • @seansells8305
    @seansells8305 Жыл бұрын

    I feel your pain regarding both The Legacy of the Wizard's block moving, and Stryder's wall jump. Both parts have stymied me in these games. Eventually I overcame the obstacles, but it took a ridiculously long time in both cases for me.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Glad I’m not the only one!

  • @Tailstraw_xD
    @Tailstraw_xD Жыл бұрын

    Oh! Legacy of the Wizard was the first video game I ever played! Always such a surprise when anyone mentions it, it seems like such an unknown game

  • @Smaxx
    @Smaxx11 ай бұрын

    Map size in Legacy of the Wizard is a really interesting topic. I didn't compare it with other games directly, but just judging from your map screenshots at 16x16 screens it's twice as big as Legend of Zelda's overworld map (and I think it's actually the same size as LoZ's dungeon maps combined). But these seem to be unique without reusing rooms at all.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    11 ай бұрын

    Damn that is huge!

  • @kri249
    @kri24910 ай бұрын

    I remember renting Uforia at the video store as a kid and remembering how awesome it was. I got to the last boss but never beat him and had to return the game. It really was a damn good metroidvania, and game in general. I'm surprised the US never got it, they got the majority of good games we never got.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    10 ай бұрын

    That’s awesome you were able to rent it. It’s so good

  • @Hardworlder
    @Hardworlder11 ай бұрын

    Fun trivia: Legacy of The Wizard is technically in the same franchise as the modern Trails JRPG series, as they both come from the Dragon Slayer series.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    11 ай бұрын

    Never heard of that series, neat!

  • @bananonymouslastname5693
    @bananonymouslastname5693 Жыл бұрын

    I love metroidvanias, and have finished just about all of these. Rygar is one of my favorites, and I think people might remember it more fondly if it had a password or save feature. Speaking of which, Milon's Secret Castle... what got me over the hump was playing the Game Boy version later. It is the same game, but with a password save feature. Beating it there got me to where I could do it on NES. Legacy of the Wizard is a personal favorite for me. I found it completely inscrutable as a kid, but when I came back to it in my late teens with a more developed brain, I loved it. Once I realized that the room with the dragon in the middle is essentially a hub for each of the characters to brach off to their crowns, it blew it wide open for me. The orb item allows you to warp back to the surface. As for Xemn and his glove mechanic, what got me through was taking it slowly, and mostly doing it from on top of each block when possible. I just jump straight up without touching the D-pad, then tap the D-pad in the direction to move the block while still holding A. Ufouria I played on the Japanese PS1 of all places. Sunsoft released 6 volumes of Sunsoft Memorial collections, each containing 2 NES games on the PS1. Games like Hebereke, Gimmick, Super Spy Hunter, Wing of Madoola, Journey to Silius, etc. are there on Sony hardware. A couple of Metroid-esque games I like are Dr Chaos (I know you hate that one), Getsu Fuuma Den (which has a lot in common with Gargoyle's Quest for structure, so I can see why it wasn't included), and Space Hunter, which could as easily be argued as a Zelda clone, but is super English-friendly.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Dr. Chaos

  • @jdd3786
    @jdd3786 Жыл бұрын

    It's cool that Blaster Master has been released for the Evercade Vs. The system has a quick-save function, allowing you to save at any point in the game. Now I may be able to get to the end!

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Ooooohhh neat!

  • @alexshadowfax1119
    @alexshadowfax11192 ай бұрын

    Uforia is super fun, I did get to a point of "where the hell do I go" and put it down out of stubbornness of not wanting to always resort to looking up a playthrough on KZread, but I'll eventually go back to it.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    2 ай бұрын

    Yeah that’s me with all of these games!

  • @rawrfawks5180
    @rawrfawks5180 Жыл бұрын

    Since the Adventure Island series was so well known in the west, but never got a release of the 4th, I would think it would fit an obscure Metroid-Vania hidden gems list quite well. I've only recently gotten hold of a repro translation, and it's enjoyable so far! Haven't gotten super deep, but there seems like a lot of items and weapons available to find with typical staggered progression/exploration elements. Plus the A.I. series is cute. Thanks for the great content!

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Hell yeah, I may add that to the next video :)

  • @costby1105
    @costby1105 Жыл бұрын

    Ufouria was on the Wii and WII u Virtual Consoles when they were open.

  • @CrazyHomelessWeirdo
    @CrazyHomelessWeirdo4 ай бұрын

    It's been a while since I found an old school Video game channel that i've liked as much as yours

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    4 ай бұрын

    Hey thanks so much, glad you like it!

  • @CrazyHomelessWeirdo

    @CrazyHomelessWeirdo

    4 ай бұрын

    @@BigOleWords Now, why do you think that style was called metro Vinia gameplay.Wherebyou had a big open map to explore with areas.You couldn't reach until you completed other areas and got power ups.But the original Zelda was much the same way. Like if you played legend of Zelda today with no prior knowledge of the game, it would take a lot of work to figure out exactly where to go and what to do in the game to move forward and figure out the levels and the puzzles in the game, because it's not exactly obvious what To do.

  • @skRapKlan
    @skRapKlan Жыл бұрын

    Thanks for yet another awesome video! I can never get enough of Ufouria.. One of my all time favorite games on NES! Please find a reason to bring it up in all future videos..? hahah

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    I always try to! I think I’ve discussed it at least three times now including a full review :)

  • @skRapKlan

    @skRapKlan

    Жыл бұрын

    @@BigOleWords Keep up the great work dude!

  • @SuperDrunkdragon
    @SuperDrunkdragon Жыл бұрын

    I first played Ufouria on my Wii through the Virtual Console thanks to a recommendation from none other than Nintendo Power back in the early 2010s and I instantly fell in love with it. From the goofy character designs and huge map to explore, I knew I was gonna play something fun and exciting haha Definitely one of my favorite NES games

  • @namebrandmason
    @namebrandmason Жыл бұрын

    Rygar is not the most polished game; but its mythology was always kind of fascinating. I guess it resembles a lot of 80s science fantasy movies, but it caught 11 year-old me's attention. I'm still bummed that the Playstation game placed Rygar in a generic Greco-Roman setting.

  • @JohnDoe-wq5eu

    @JohnDoe-wq5eu

    Жыл бұрын

    It was PS2 but yeah actually I like that game Greco-Roman setting and all. Yeah I do wish it had been more fantasy based but what can you do.

  • @kidgruesome407

    @kidgruesome407

    Жыл бұрын

    yes it feels unfinished, but good gameplay. the music is EXCEPTIONAL too.

  • @joelkurowski7129

    @joelkurowski7129

    Ай бұрын

    It always upsets me that this game never got a proper sequel. I do not consider that PS2 game to be in the same universe whatsoever. I really dig that Gonzo fantasy aesthetic.

  • @Dahandax
    @Dahandax Жыл бұрын

    Thank you for all the time you use to do this video, really amazing man!

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    You got it!

  • @RobsRetroGaming
    @RobsRetroGaming Жыл бұрын

    Nice review! Quite a few games here I need to dig into and play!

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Thanks!

  • @jubeibob
    @jubeibob Жыл бұрын

    great job on the opening, awesome video

  • @robertdobbs4156
    @robertdobbs4156 Жыл бұрын

    Dude! Legacy of the Wizard man I haven't thought about that in years!

  • @BainesMkII
    @BainesMkII Жыл бұрын

    It's funny and a bit sad that I don't remember finding the wall jump in Strider being that much more frustrating than the wall jumps in other NES games, but videos today all talk about how painfully difficult it was to perform. Jeremy Parish, in his Metroidvania Works series, is extremely critical of the game as a whole. As a kid, it felt like everyone had played Strider.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Maybe it’s just me!

  • @BainesMkII

    @BainesMkII

    Жыл бұрын

    @@BigOleWords Oh, the wall jump probably is really frustrating. I doubt I could stand to play through NES Strider today, even though I beat it as a kid. And if you don't have to do it during combat or with time pressure, I likely just kept trying until I succeeded. Meanwhile, in a game like Batman or Ninja Gaiden, messing up a wall jump likely led to taking damage you couldn't afford to accumulate, if not outright death. So failing 10 attempts in Strider could ultimately be less frustrating than failing 1-in-10 attempts in a game with "better" controls.

  • @MicBain
    @MicBain Жыл бұрын

    Always great to see Ufouria get some love, it was definitely my favourite game on NES when I was a kid. Could never find it in stores so I had to rent it many times.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    At least you were able to play it!

  • @MicBain

    @MicBain

    Жыл бұрын

    @@BigOleWords yeah, so weird it was PAL only. Normally it was our region who were missing out!

  • @actuallynotsteve
    @actuallynotsteve Жыл бұрын

    Blaster Master is legit one of the best hard-but-fair games of all time. We beat it once when I was a kid, and took a picture of the end screen just to have some proof. Even if you use the freeze glitch on bosses, it's still absurdly hard.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    I actually forgot all about that freeze glitch!

  • @actuallynotsteve

    @actuallynotsteve

    Жыл бұрын

    @@BigOleWords Works on I think 6 of 8 bosses, iirc, and the game is near impossible without. Even getting to level 8 is a Lovecraftian nightmare, and the final boss is ridiculous.

  • @zenitpro
    @zenitpro Жыл бұрын

    Very cool video! I remember being fascinated by Strider on the NES back then, I thought it was so interesting and different from the Genesis version! But yeah, the jumping mechanics is so wretched that it got on my nerves more often that not. I'm really thinking of giving it a try once again, just to see if I can get any further than I did back then. As for Goonies 2, I had this cartridge back then too, and I think I was some kind of wizard for having beaten this game with no FAQ whatsoever. Such an underrated game, I'm a sucker for anything Goonies-related, and this game didn't fail to give me that Goonies adventure vibe!

  • @Krristopher
    @Krristopher Жыл бұрын

    I always call those Metroid style games "Goonies-like" since VS The Goonies came out a few months before Metroid and Castlevania I think.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Hmmm you may be right!

  • @NoobixCube

    @NoobixCube

    Жыл бұрын

    Doesn't it just all go back to Jet Set Willy?

  • @user-jf6ij2jm4h
    @user-jf6ij2jm4h14 сағат бұрын

    A 1984 game called Impossible Mission (I played the crap out of it as a kid on my Commodore 64) was perhaps the first game I played that was kind of like Metroid before Metroid was even developed. You didn't have power ups but you did get this pass cards to manipulate any given room. You had to search for puzzle pieces in every object in every room and you had only six hours to do it. Every time you die a certain amount of mins was taken off your time so you had to be careful. There's more too it but I won't spoil anything. If you ever get interested in it, avoid the NES version. Grab a Commodore 64 emulator and play that version. It's simpler than Metroid and not near as big but you might make the same connection I did. Plus the animation of your character is very very impressive. Might have been rotoscoped.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    11 сағат бұрын

    I've only played the NES version is it really different?

  • @user-jf6ij2jm4h

    @user-jf6ij2jm4h

    4 сағат бұрын

    @@BigOleWords It is but mostly by look and feel. I think the game mechanics are different too. I loved it on the C64 but I tried it a couple of times on the NES and didn't like it. Epyx games just never translated well on the NES for some reason.

  • @chadcox2052
    @chadcox2052Күн бұрын

    Great video! Just came across your channel and subscribed lots good videos .. I enjoy bunch these games just went thru Rygar for the fun of it the other day cause hadn't played it in awhile. The Nes is my favorite system of all time. Goonies II was fun as well. I'll tell u another game that plays like Goonies II that fun and flys under the radar imo as far as Nes games if you like Goonies II that's Dr Chaos fun game 🎮

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    11 сағат бұрын

    Dr. Chaos is my nemesis! Some day I'll sit down and review it fully.

  • @bluestrife28
    @bluestrife284 ай бұрын

    That’s wild that Anne Ramsey will live forever in the game Goonies II as one of the best baddies of the 80’s: Mama Fratelli. When they find the skeleton of the explorer and her son says the kids must’ve gotten him. “Sure right before they ate him.” 😂😂😂

  • @CrazyHomelessWeirdo
    @CrazyHomelessWeirdo4 ай бұрын

    Clash at demon head is also one of my favorite indian soundtracks

  • @novelezra
    @novelezra Жыл бұрын

    Goonies 2 probably has one of my all time favorite NES themes; the Password music. Just absolutely beautiful and ethereal.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Y’know, I’m not sure I’ve ever entered the password, sounds like I’m missing out!

  • @novelezra

    @novelezra

    Жыл бұрын

    @@BigOleWords You like The Advantage right? They did an incredible cover of it

  • @MrClawt
    @MrClawt Жыл бұрын

    When I was a kid I had the Strider wall jump down enough to beat the game, now I have no idea how I did it.

  • @StewNWT
    @StewNWTАй бұрын

    LOL Rygar's fun weekend. Sign me up

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Ай бұрын

    Oh yeah!

  • @CrazyHomelessWeirdo
    @CrazyHomelessWeirdo4 ай бұрын

    Ragnar also has one of my favorite Songs from nintendo game

  • @guillevalecillo2298
    @guillevalecillo2298 Жыл бұрын

    I love so much your channel, I improve my listening with your video. I learn english watching your amazing videos. Thanks Ole, greentings from Venezuela

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    That’s awesome! Some of my favorite people in Atlanta are from Venezuela, so I assume everyone there is amazing too :)

  • @autoneurotic
    @autoneurotic Жыл бұрын

    Got back into gaming about two years ago and while I've picked a couple of these titles up I've never really played them, only dabbled a little in Metroid. Working on Legend of Zelda for the first time right now. Looking forward to when I circle my way back. Thanks for this list!

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Nice, good luck! There’s a Clones video(s) for Zelda games as well if you’re looking for more!

  • @alynapuhskinti
    @alynapuhskinti Жыл бұрын

    No more ‘CHECK THIS SHIT OUUUUT’? 😢

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    It’ll probably be back…

  • @IOwnMyWiiULEGIT
    @IOwnMyWiiULEGIT Жыл бұрын

    Thank you for reviewing Uforia. I bought it on the Wii U e-shop before it closed and didn’t know much about it but it looked pretty solid and cute.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    You chose wisely!

  • @ragnarrandom7367
    @ragnarrandom7367 Жыл бұрын

    my cousin had legacy of the wizard when we were kids. i loved that game, and it took me a while to find it later in life cuz i forgot what it was called.

  • @00Clint
    @00Clint Жыл бұрын

    Just found your channel a few weeks back and it was an instant subscription for me. Love the break downs on all your videos. If I had the extra cash I’d throw you some Pateron bucks and get even more content.

  • @00Clint

    @00Clint

    Жыл бұрын

    @@ChaossX77 I fixed it. Was supposed to be was an instant subscription. Damn fat fingers

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Hey glad you’re digging it :)

  • @scottbogfoot
    @scottbogfoot Жыл бұрын

    Nice!😃 that Elucidus drawing is awesome!

  • @Elucidus

    @Elucidus

    Жыл бұрын

    I approve this message.

  • @xJackieBx
    @xJackieBx Жыл бұрын

    Wizards & Warriors III looks kinda fun, might give that game a try :)

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    It can be a little obtuse and frustrating, but it is really rad

  • @Alianger
    @Alianger3 ай бұрын

    The closest to clones on NES would be Blaster Master and Cosmo Police Galivan but they still have some notable differences (the latter is actually level-based). Zillion and Cyborg Hunter on SMS are also pretty close. Platform Adventures experienced a boom in the 8-bit era which sadly didn't really carry over to the 16-bit era besides Wonder Boy, Gargoyle's Quest and Super Metroid, as well as a few portable games like Tails Adventures and TMNT 3.

  • @chronoscat3371
    @chronoscat3371 Жыл бұрын

    I loved Strider as a kid. It was one of the games I replayed many many times (and not just because it was one of the first few games I owned). But yeah, the wall-jump in it is infuriatingly hard. (With practice you can sort-of get the hang of it, but it's never fun or easy.)

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    11 ай бұрын

    That's so tough. I love Super Metroid right up until the wall jumping sections. Then I curse it's terrible name!

  • @jefflindquist6138
    @jefflindquist6138 Жыл бұрын

    Great coverage James !!! Your channel is growing and your subs are going up ! You will have 20k subs before you know it. 🙂

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Thanks Jeff!

  • @gamingtheologian8515
    @gamingtheologian8515 Жыл бұрын

    As said above, the son in Legacy is the only one who can use the Dragonslayer and defeat the dragon. Love that game.

  • @BainesMkII
    @BainesMkII Жыл бұрын

    I vaguely recall that beyond the basic annoyances of the gameplay, you can lock yourself out of being able to beat Milon's Secret Castle if you do things wrong? I don't recall if I ever made it past the first boss.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Is that true? Damn you Milon!

  • @JB-sm5sm
    @JB-sm5sm Жыл бұрын

    [19:58] Page 9 of the instruction booklet for Milon's Secret Castle (NES). "SECRET INFORMATION… You can access this 'Continuing Option' by pushing on the left side of the movement control button and the Start Button."

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    11 ай бұрын

    Bastards! I never checked the manual!

  • @playmooregames371
    @playmooregames371 Жыл бұрын

    Excellent list! I enjoy Blaster Master but man, that game really needs a password/save feature.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes it absolutely did!

  • @NightSprinter
    @NightSprinter Жыл бұрын

    Also with Clash: the disarm for the bomb at the end is randomly-generated, and you only get five tries. If you don't get it right or run out of time, everything blows up and ya get a bad ending.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Yeah o didn’t make it that far this time, but I gotta say I was pretty pissed when the bomb blew up after hours and hours of playing!

  • @marscaleb
    @marscaleb Жыл бұрын

    I played Strider on the NES when I was a kid. In fact I recall playing it a LOT because I was so enamored with the way you could visit all these different areas (and altogether, the metroidvania mechanics, though I didn't understand that back then.) Going through one of the tube-things and winding up in Australia or wherever just blew my mind! But I could never get anywhere because that triangle-jump WAS JUST IMPOSSIBLE! It burned me on wall jumping so much that I was just livid when I saw other games using that mechanic, like Super Metroid. For ages wall-jumping was just my most-hated gameplay mechanic. It took a long time before I realized that it's actually a really cool ability but Strider SUCKS at it! My brother was really good at it though; he could even pull off two successive wall jumps!

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Agreed. Super Metroid is one of my all-time favorite games, BUT, that wall jump drives me crazy.

  • @marscaleb

    @marscaleb

    Жыл бұрын

    @@BigOleWords Not as bad as the Strider triangle jump, but still bad enough to make me shy away from half the ROM hacks. But either way, you'll notice any game using a wall jump mechanic these days makes it WORLDS easier.

  • @gamet2004
    @gamet2004 Жыл бұрын

    Honestly... I think U-Four-Ia is a much better game than Metroid for me

  • @toddburgess5056
    @toddburgess5056 Жыл бұрын

    I bought Strider for the Nintendo Wii back when their online gaming store was still up and running. I'm not sure what drew me to that one, as it wasn't a title i owned back when I was collecting games.

  • @dustanglx50
    @dustanglx50 Жыл бұрын

    Strange button combos for continues are usually in the instructions.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Are they?!

  • @jamessnedeker4799
    @jamessnedeker4799 Жыл бұрын

    I snagged Ufouria just before the Wii U eshop closed but haven't tried it yet. Apparently, they've got a remake comign this year but information seems pretty scarce at the moment.

  • @SegaCDUniverse
    @SegaCDUniverse Жыл бұрын

    Interesting video buddy

  • @jiminboo
    @jiminboo Жыл бұрын

    Dude, clean your carts! Lol 😂 There’s like 40 years of grime on them… hmmm nostalgic! 😁 great video thanks for sharing!

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Never!

  • @darktetsuya
    @darktetsuya Жыл бұрын

    Okay I loved Goonies II, Rygar, Clash at Demonhead, and Blaster Master... though I have to 100% agree with your comments on Legacy of the Wizard! a few years back I picked up the NES Namco Museum collection that had it included, and sure enough I'm still stuck on Xemn's block puzzle nonsense. great game up until that point for sure.

  • @ShawnRecinto
    @ShawnRecinto3 ай бұрын

    I think Rambo for the NES was another Metroid before its time too

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    3 ай бұрын

    Similar! It’ll come with the Zelda 2 Clones video

  • @silveredgrunion7196
    @silveredgrunion7196 Жыл бұрын

    Yeah! This is the start of my weekend so this is great! World courageous, Atlanta brave, here we goooo!

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Haha love it!

  • @DadRacer
    @DadRacer Жыл бұрын

    Legacy of the Wizard! I grew up with that one, so I’m nostalgic for it, but damn it’s impossible. Excellent tunes though!

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    It is a jammin soundtrack!

  • @LevitatingCups
    @LevitatingCups Жыл бұрын

    Guardian legend is "metroid-esque", also theres the bonus mode that skips all of the overworld, using password TGL, funnily enough in credits there is a credit for someone who made the password system, but its not a real password, even though its listed exactly as same as the TGL code.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    I talked about Guardian Legend in the Zelda Clones video: kzread.info/dash/bejne/YoCZusaYlcavebg.html

  • @NoobixCube
    @NoobixCube Жыл бұрын

    As an Australian, can confirm, Australia _is_ just a certified death trap.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Hahaha

  • @buttsexandbananapeels
    @buttsexandbananapeels Жыл бұрын

    Blaster Master is brutal and fantastic. Wizards and Warriors 3 is also another great game.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Agreed on both!

  • @Elucidus
    @Elucidus Жыл бұрын

    Life's goal achieved: get a shoutout in a video review / guide for one of my favorite genres and games: Metroid(vania)! Did a tear come out? Maybe a little. But mostly because those wise men in Rygar don't offer much beyond some lip service.

  • @Elucidus

    @Elucidus

    Жыл бұрын

    P.S. It's really cool, thank you! :D

  • @HylianFox3

    @HylianFox3

    Жыл бұрын

    Maybe I should donate so I can get a shoutout in the upcoming Zelda 2 Clones video? That'd totally make my day.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    I’ll allow it!

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Well deserved ;)

  • @atmaweapon2803
    @atmaweapon2803 Жыл бұрын

    Adventure Island IV. People forget about this one because it was a Famicom exclusive, Japan only. I honestly didn't even know it existed until the mid aughts when I REALLY got into emulation. It's basically Adventure Island for people who like Metroid better. Gone is the dashing constantly to find food to stay alive. Now you can just explore and find items. It's a great game that I wish came stateside, because I would have LOVED it as a kid.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    I’ve never played 4!

  • @atmaweapon2803

    @atmaweapon2803

    Жыл бұрын

    @@BigOleWords check it out! It was weird when I discovered it as an adult, it felt like I was peering into an alternate dimension lol

  • @ldrelick

    @ldrelick

    Жыл бұрын

    Came here to say this! Really fun game, the last official release for the Famicom, so very expensive.

  • @atmaweapon2803

    @atmaweapon2803

    Жыл бұрын

    @@ldrelick interesting! I didn't know it was the last Famicom game.

  • @atmaweapon2803

    @atmaweapon2803

    Жыл бұрын

    ​​​​@@BigOleWordsanother game that just came to mind, if you are looking for ideas for a future Zelda II clones episode, is the Famicom game Chester Field. It takes place entirely in side scrolling, and would probably be somewhere in between Metroidvania and Zelda II. As an aside, I'm sure you're already going to include Battle of Olympus. Ah just remembered another one: one of my absolute favorite Famicon games of all time is Mashin Eiyuuden Wataru Gaiden, and definitely fits in this category. You travel from town to town, fighting through dungeons and upgrading your mecha...yes, you fight with a mecha. And all battles take you from top-down exploration into a combat screen where you fight side-scrolling against your opponent. It has extremely fluid, responsive controls and very competent graphics.

  • @rockman7503
    @rockman7503 Жыл бұрын

    Legeacy of the wizard gives me alot of noatalgia.... because I spent a hundred hours cursing blocks deep in dungeons. Oops! You forgot to equip one of the 3 items you need to progress!!! Tine to risk a soft lock with the wrong block move

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Nightmare levels of frustration

  • @habloverdi7047
    @habloverdi70478 ай бұрын

    I thought you would discuss Rouge Dawn in this video. (A Metroid Hack that might as well be a new game.)

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    8 ай бұрын

    I don’t get into hacks and homebrews too much on this channel…yet ;)

  • @alejandrofrancetich4607
    @alejandrofrancetich4607 Жыл бұрын

    Including Blaster Master, I guess it would only be fair to also include Metal Mech 😅

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    No it would not! Also that game does not have any Metroid elements, so I never have to play it again!

  • @TinchoX
    @TinchoX Жыл бұрын

    Milon's Secret Castle is a difficult game, but pretty good! I brute forced it as a kid many times but could only beat it only once or twice.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Props to you! It can be done if you know the continue code and are a total masochist.

  • @Zarathustra-rj4yz
    @Zarathustra-rj4yz Жыл бұрын

    I loved zelda 2 when it came out and castlevania 2 as well. Two very metroid like games to me back then. The original game sorely needed a map imo. I needed that book nintendo put out with the maps to beat it. Game tips and tricks or something similar. I'm pretty sure i still have it stored away.

  • @Zarathustra-rj4yz

    @Zarathustra-rj4yz

    Жыл бұрын

    Loved Goonies 2 as well. Had some fun weekends with my cousins figuring that game out.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    It definitely could’ve used a map!

  • @alanfike
    @alanfike3 ай бұрын

    8:10 You had _one job_ Jake!! I don't trust Jake with anything, man.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    3 ай бұрын

    What are you paying me for?!

  • @asa-punkatsouthvinland7145
    @asa-punkatsouthvinland7145 Жыл бұрын

    You are not wrong, the wall jump in Strider is broken beyond belief; especially given Capcom made the game. Ninja Gaiden & Batman both have good wall jumping but Strider seems to attempt wall jumping with roller skates on for grip 😂

  • @luisbermudez4756
    @luisbermudez4756 Жыл бұрын

    How about the other half of the Metroidvania genre - Castlevania! In this case, Simon's Quest, as the first Castlevania was more linear and not quite Metroidish yet.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    I’m gonna lump simons quest in with Zelda 2 and come back to it later :)

  • @childofcascadia
    @childofcascadia Жыл бұрын

    Im playing Blaster Master Zero right now. And its everything good about the original, but 500x better and less frustrating. I had played 2 and 3 of zero, but not the first one since I thought it was "just a remake". Its totally worth it. It takes the annoyance out of the NES version. Its still challenging but not hair pulling. And the story, while still not a riveting work of art has been redone so its not the absofekkinglutely ridiculous version we in the US got. With proper 80s gundam style anime cutscenes instead of some white bread boy falling down a hole after a frog and somehow finding a tank.

  • @HylianFox3

    @HylianFox3

    Жыл бұрын

    The Zero series is sooooo good. I've played all 3 and am so hoping for a 4th I love how they incorporate elements from both the US and Japanese versions of the original game

  • @childofcascadia

    @childofcascadia

    Жыл бұрын

    @HylianFox3 Yeah. Im about ready to 100% it. Prob got another hour. I loved how they put the 2 stories together too! Even as a kid playing blaster master on the NES in the 80s, when I saw the story I was like ...wut? My cousin had the famicom version so I was expecting something similar. That story is admittedly better. I love the cutscenes too. Im so glad they made Jason look like a proper anime char and not Generic White Boy #2™. I really hope they make a 4th one too.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Sounds awesome!

  • @PazonBoy
    @PazonBoy Жыл бұрын

    I think the great Faxanadu fits here

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    I’ll save that for the Zelda 2 video ;)

  • @danatello8489
    @danatello8489 Жыл бұрын

    Interesting to see Legacy of the Wizard compared to Metroid, but I get your reasoning. Although in my head I always grouped in nearer to Legend of Zelda given the fantasy theme, squat characters, open world, combat style, shops, items & life points.

  • @BigOleWords

    @BigOleWords

    Жыл бұрын

    Mostly the distinction is the platforming, but I see your point

  • @EvanHarp
    @EvanHarp Жыл бұрын

    uforia is way underrated

  • @EpicLebaneseNerd
    @EpicLebaneseNerd Жыл бұрын

    wait...wait....wait.... why ? i came to make a joke about ''CHECK THIS SHIT OUT'' and it is not here 😢 i am heart broken, that phrase would make my day when i hear it....and not it is gone....i don't know what to do and say, i am just depressed now.

  • @toddburgess5056

    @toddburgess5056

    Жыл бұрын

    I know !!!! 😦😦😦

  • @ChaossX77

    @ChaossX77

    Жыл бұрын

    I'm sure you'll get over it... Eventually. Maybe.