Joe Redifer's Super-Awesome Reviews!!!! - Page 22

laicher21 · 01-11-2005, 12:25 PM

Wow Joe, you have some classic games in here. Ohhhh....MuSHA, I loooove that game. Joe you rock man. I used ot play that game for hours. Its kind of hard though.

Icarus4578 · 01-12-2005, 02:13 AM

Robo Aleste was sweet. I should pick it up. We rented it back in the day, along with a zillion other games, including M.U.S.H.A. Stop bringing back good memories Joe!!!

Joe Redifer · 01-14-2005, 07:57 AM

Castle of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse
9/10
Sega Genesis

One of the best Genesis games ever!

I hate Disney. I really do. Every time I see Mickey Mouse I want to take his face and smash it hard into a rock. Again and again and again and again! He and all other Disney characters are just too damn cute and lovable, and I can't stand that. Disney actually makes me want to commit violence in the worst way, which I don't think was Walt's original intention. Or maybe it was, and this was all just a brilliant scheme to cause chaos and wars while he laughs. But even with my hatred for Disney characters, there is no denying how awesome this game is. It is a must-have in every way, and defines the early years of the Genesis, long before Sonic came about. Sure, when you let Mickey stand still, the way he sways his hips back and forth will make you want to kick his face with your foot repeatedly for a half an hour, but the trick is to not let him stand still... the game is too much fun!

This is the same forest that was in the beginning of the movie "Raiders of
the Lost Ark". That same boulder even chases you, disguised as an apple.

Graphics: 9/10
This is a 4-meg game released on June 1st 1990, long before 8-meg games came around (well at least 6 months, anyway). Yet still the graphics shine in every way. Fortunately this game was not programmed by Disney Interactive, Sony (Mickey Mania), or anyone lame like that. It was programmed by Sega o' Japan. This game hits you right away with lush greens and up to 4 independent layers of scrolling. The makers of Castle of Illusion obviously shopped at the same waterfall store as the designers of Revenge of Shinobi did, because the same exact waterfall effect returns in this game, only now it is transparent. You also have scaling of the entire background, but only in the vertical plane (level 2-3 when the screen flips). Still, it scales at 60fps without a hint of trouble. The characters animate quite well and the sprites really stand out with the background, like hand drawn colored cells atop a painted background in a cartoon. The detail of the color and artwork in this game still blows me away now.

Don't be scared, li'l Mickey! You know that you'll live forever
just so Walt can torture us from beyond the freezer!

Sound: 9/10
The sound in this game is equally outstanding. The music was composed by Tokuhiko Uwabo (Phantasy Star 1 and 2) and if you're not listening in stereo, you are actually missing some instruments. Lots of people had their Genesis' hooked up via an RF connection back in the day, and that only output the right channel of sound, same with the audio connector on the AV cable. You had to route the audio out of the headphone jack to your powerful stereo system. But the music fits the game like a glove. It may not be something you want to listen to in your car, but I challenge you to find a more fitting and enjoyable soundtrack for this game. In level 1-3, for example, it starts out fairly shiny-happy just like you'd expect from gay-ass Disney. But then the music starts to get foreboding, and simultaneously the sky changes color and the clouds start moving, and the music is now creepy. Pure genius! The sound effects (also in stereo) are well done, too (not medium-rare like most games... ha ha I am so funny). They are pretty simple, but very appropriate and satisfying to hear.

Non-union workers obviously built that bridge.

Gameplay: 9/10
Even to this day, I still have a blast playing through Castle of Illusion and it never gets old. This is, by far, the very best Disney game ever made. It never gets old (neither does saying "it never gets old"). Some may complain that it is too short (6 rounds) or too easy. If you think it is easy then try switching to "Hard" for a tougher challenge. But more than challenging, this game is just damn fun. The controls are perfect. I can't think of a single thing to complain about regarding them, and hot-damn do I ever love to complain! And what other game do you defeat the majority of the enemies with the brunt of your ass? That's right, Mickey is a hard ass, in the literal sense. He jumps into the air, swings up his legs like he is about to take a giant dump in his little red shorts and then lands on the enemy with his ass. They die. Classic stuff, dammit! You can also throw items to destroy your evil foes, if you have them (items, not foes. You'll always have foes).

I'm not up on my Disney characters, but isn't that Puff the Magic Dragon?

The game requires a wee bit of memorization to make it through in the best possible status, but that's OK by me. You also get 2 continues. Jumping around in this game with a genuine Sega controller (3rd party controllers always suck) is absolutely mounds of fun. This game spawned some offshoots like Quackshot, which was a pretty good game for Donald Duck and longer than Castle of Illusion. Sega also created the semi-sequel called World of Illusion which threw both Mickey and Donald into the game. While that was a fantastic game in its own right, it's not quite as good as this one and that's a review for another day. I can hear you now: "Hey Joe, you forgot to mention Fantasia and Mickey Mania you dungwad!" Well first of all, Fantasia is so tremendously bad that it does not count, and we should never speak of that game's existence again. Secondly Mickey Mania wasn't even made by Sega, and it is nowhere near as good as this (though the Sega CD version makes a good bargain-bin purchase due to the animation and music alone). So this remains the best Disney game of all time ever. Yes, better than Genesis Aladdin. Way better. It's the best. Just accept it.

Sega knows that Castlevania is awesome, so they decided to pay tribute to that
fine game in this level. No flying Medusa heads, but plenty of annoying bats.

Wrap up:
Suppress the violent urges that Disney naturally instills in people and enjoy this fantastic game now!

Icarus4578 · 01-14-2005, 09:44 AM

You don't get any credits when you play CoI on Hard, which is the only way to fully complete the game. That clocktower area was dumb in comparison to those in Castlevania. Back then this game kicked mighty ass, but now it's just typical hop-&-bop fanfare with stupid enemies which mostly just move left and right and some cheesy bosses. If given the choice I'd take Strider over this anyday, anytime.

Vicviper · 01-14-2005, 10:49 AM

Thanks Red. That was a great review of an equally great game.
You are right about the music being fitting as I recall playing this game in my parents family room back in High School(I didn't have my own TV yet) and my mother commenting on how cute the music was compared to other games that I played. Definately a top tier game for the Genesis.

sharky~ · 01-14-2005, 03:15 PM

Castle of Illusion, I have that right over there *points*
That game is a good memory.

Paper exe · 01-14-2005, 05:36 PM

I have World of Illusion but I don't remember playing the castle level
I think they remove it or I just forgot about this level

Icarus4578 · 01-15-2005, 01:28 AM

The final stage is in the castle, hence the armored knights and bats, etc. The clocktower is the final area before the boss, but then the real showdown comes after on.

NES4EVER · 01-15-2005, 01:35 AM

Joe, was the Master System version exactly as the Genny version? having same gameplay, music, levels, etc & just toned down graphics or does the Genesis version have something more to offer? Reason being is I remember playing the SMS version, don't recall if I beat the game, but was wondering if my Genesis version would be worth breaking out for a new experience in this title as I don't have grand memories of this game as it looks to be on the version you rated. I'm wondering if I were short-changed by playing the SMS version and never trying the SG after-the-fact.

Joe Redifer · 01-15-2005, 02:05 AM

The Master System/Game Gear version of this game is completely different, and to be honest I could never quite get into it. On the SMS, Mickey can pick up rocks and throw them and the control was much more loose. About the only similarities are the box cover and the fact that the first stage is in a forest. A lot of people felt that the SMS version was superior in the gameplay department, but I just don't see it.

NES4EVER · 01-15-2005, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Redifer

The Master System/Game Gear version of this game is completely different, and to be honest I could never quite get into it. On the SMS, Mickey can pick up rocks and throw them and the control was much more loose. About the only similarities are the box cover and the fact that the first stage is in a forest. A lot of people felt that the SMS version was superior in the gameplay department, but I just don't see it.

Cool, Thanks man! I'll be sure to break it out then and have a go at it on Genesis. :bigsmile:

Paper exe · 01-21-2005, 08:33 AM

Quote:

This is my favorite Mario game. Well it's probably a toss-up between this and Mario 64 (N64 version).

What do you mean by saying the N64 version?
did you hate the NDS version?

Joe Redifer · 01-21-2005, 07:14 PM

The N64 version is much easier to control than the DS version. I saw no reason to purchase the game on the DS with inferior controls, so the N64 comes out on top as the winner between the two.

Paper exe · 01-22-2005, 07:37 AM

Who said that,I have no problem with the control,don't tell me you belived what IGN and EGM and the like of them said about the NDS version because they just want the NDS to look bad
they are just some idiots that worship Sony

I will tell you how to control Mario it is very easy just move your thumb leaft Mario will go leaft move you thumb right Mario will go right ect
is that too hard to control?
even my 9 years old cousien(girl) say it is easy to control
what a littel girl is better gamer then all of them??
just give it a try
I only speaned less then 1 minute to learn the control and I know that you are better gamer then I am so just try it and see for your self it may have some problems but in some areas it is better then the N64 control
just give it at most 5 minute

Joe Redifer · 01-22-2005, 07:58 AM

I have played the DS version. I like the N64 controls better. Nintendo sure likes to re-release every single game they ever made on new consoles (look at the GBA... almost every SNES game is available for it. Now N64 games will be available for the DS).

01-11-2005, 12:25 PM	#316
laicher21 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 251	Wow Joe, you have some classic games in here. Ohhhh....MuSHA, I loooove that game. Joe you rock man. I used ot play that game for hours. Its kind of hard though. __________________ games im playing now pc: halo(again), raven shield, battlefront xbox: psi ops, halo 2, ESPN sports games I am the eggman, I am the walrus

01-14-2005, 07:57 AM	#318
Joe Redifer Olé! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 20,144	Castle of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse 9/10 Sega Genesis One of the best Genesis games ever! I hate Disney. I really do. Every time I see Mickey Mouse I want to take his face and smash it hard into a rock. Again and again and again and again! He and all other Disney characters are just too damn cute and lovable, and I can't stand that. Disney actually makes me want to commit violence in the worst way, which I don't think was Walt's original intention. Or maybe it was, and this was all just a brilliant scheme to cause chaos and wars while he laughs. But even with my hatred for Disney characters, there is no denying how awesome this game is. It is a must-have in every way, and defines the early years of the Genesis, long before Sonic came about. Sure, when you let Mickey stand still, the way he sways his hips back and forth will make you want to kick his face with your foot repeatedly for a half an hour, but the trick is to not let him stand still... the game is too much fun! This is the same forest that was in the beginning of the movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark". That same boulder even chases you, disguised as an apple. Graphics: 9/10 This is a 4-meg game released on June 1st 1990, long before 8-meg games came around (well at least 6 months, anyway). Yet still the graphics shine in every way. Fortunately this game was not programmed by Disney Interactive, Sony (Mickey Mania), or anyone lame like that. It was programmed by Sega o' Japan. This game hits you right away with lush greens and up to 4 independent layers of scrolling. The makers of Castle of Illusion obviously shopped at the same waterfall store as the designers of Revenge of Shinobi did, because the same exact waterfall effect returns in this game, only now it is transparent. You also have scaling of the entire background, but only in the vertical plane (level 2-3 when the screen flips). Still, it scales at 60fps without a hint of trouble. The characters animate quite well and the sprites really stand out with the background, like hand drawn colored cells atop a painted background in a cartoon. The detail of the color and artwork in this game still blows me away now. Don't be scared, li'l Mickey! You know that you'll live forever just so Walt can torture us from beyond the freezer! Sound: 9/10 The sound in this game is equally outstanding. The music was composed by Tokuhiko Uwabo (Phantasy Star 1 and 2) and if you're not listening in stereo, you are actually missing some instruments. Lots of people had their Genesis' hooked up via an RF connection back in the day, and that only output the right channel of sound, same with the audio connector on the AV cable. You had to route the audio out of the headphone jack to your powerful stereo system. But the music fits the game like a glove. It may not be something you want to listen to in your car, but I challenge you to find a more fitting and enjoyable soundtrack for this game. In level 1-3, for example, it starts out fairly shiny-happy just like you'd expect from gay-ass Disney. But then the music starts to get foreboding, and simultaneously the sky changes color and the clouds start moving, and the music is now creepy. Pure genius! The sound effects (also in stereo) are well done, too (not medium-rare like most games... ha ha I am so funny). They are pretty simple, but very appropriate and satisfying to hear. Non-union workers obviously built that bridge. Gameplay: 9/10 Even to this day, I still have a blast playing through Castle of Illusion and it never gets old. This is, by far, the very best Disney game ever made. It never gets old (neither does saying "it never gets old"). Some may complain that it is too short (6 rounds) or too easy. If you think it is easy then try switching to "Hard" for a tougher challenge. But more than challenging, this game is just damn fun. The controls are perfect. I can't think of a single thing to complain about regarding them, and hot-damn do I ever love to complain! And what other game do you defeat the majority of the enemies with the brunt of your ass? That's right, Mickey is a hard ass, in the literal sense. He jumps into the air, swings up his legs like he is about to take a giant dump in his little red shorts and then lands on the enemy with his ass. They die. Classic stuff, dammit! You can also throw items to destroy your evil foes, if you have them (items, not foes. You'll always have foes). I'm not up on my Disney characters, but isn't that Puff the Magic Dragon? The game requires a wee bit of memorization to make it through in the best possible status, but that's OK by me. You also get 2 continues. Jumping around in this game with a genuine Sega controller (3rd party controllers always suck) is absolutely mounds of fun. This game spawned some offshoots like Quackshot, which was a pretty good game for Donald Duck and longer than Castle of Illusion. Sega also created the semi-sequel called World of Illusion which threw both Mickey and Donald into the game. While that was a fantastic game in its own right, it's not quite as good as this one and that's a review for another day. I can hear you now: "Hey Joe, you forgot to mention Fantasia and Mickey Mania you dungwad!" Well first of all, Fantasia is so tremendously bad that it does not count, and we should never speak of that game's existence again. Secondly Mickey Mania wasn't even made by Sega, and it is nowhere near as good as this (though the Sega CD version makes a good bargain-bin purchase due to the animation and music alone). So this remains the best Disney game of all time ever. Yes, better than Genesis Aladdin. Way better. It's the best. Just accept it. Sega knows that Castlevania is awesome, so they decided to pay tribute to that fine game in this level. No flying Medusa heads, but plenty of annoying bats. Wrap up: Suppress the violent urges that Disney naturally instills in people and enjoy this fantastic game now! Last edited by Joe Redifer; 01-14-2005 at 08:08 AM.

01-14-2005, 03:15 PM	#321
sharky~ Out Run Master! Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: UK Posts: 4,158	Castle of Illusion, I have that right over there points That game is a good memory. __________________ Segabits

01-15-2005, 01:35 AM	#324
NES4EVER Gibby Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Virginia, US Posts: 1,097	Joe, was the Master System version exactly as the Genny version? having same gameplay, music, levels, etc & just toned down graphics or does the Genesis version have something more to offer? Reason being is I remember playing the SMS version, don't recall if I beat the game, but was wondering if my Genesis version would be worth breaking out for a new experience in this title as I don't have grand memories of this game as it looks to be on the version you rated. I'm wondering if I were short-changed by playing the SMS version and never trying the SG after-the-fact. __________________ My Retro Game Room Wii Code - 1038 5611 2297 5641 XBOX Live Tag - XXGIBBYVAXX PSN ID - GIBBYVA

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01-12-2005, 02:13 AM	#317
Icarus4578 Deal with it. Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 12,548	Robo Aleste was sweet. I should pick it up. We rented it back in the day, along with a zillion other games, including M.U.S.H.A. Stop bringing back good memories Joe!!!

01-14-2005, 09:44 AM	#319
Icarus4578 Deal with it. Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 12,548	You don't get any credits when you play CoI on Hard, which is the only way to fully complete the game. That clocktower area was dumb in comparison to those in Castlevania. Back then this game kicked mighty ass, but now it's just typical hop-&-bop fanfare with stupid enemies which mostly just move left and right and some cheesy bosses. If given the choice I'd take Strider over this anyday, anytime.

01-14-2005, 10:49 AM	#320
Vicviper Hello handsome! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 3,081	Thanks Red. That was a great review of an equally great game. You are right about the music being fitting as I recall playing this game in my parents family room back in High School(I didn't have my own TV yet) and my mother commenting on how cute the music was compared to other games that I played. Definately a top tier game for the Genesis.

01-14-2005, 05:36 PM	#322
Paper exe Pwnd Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 9,118	I have World of Illusion but I don't remember playing the castle level I think they remove it or I just forgot about this level

01-15-2005, 01:28 AM	#323
Icarus4578 Deal with it. Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 12,548	The final stage is in the castle, hence the armored knights and bats, etc. The clocktower is the final area before the boss, but then the real showdown comes after on.

01-15-2005, 02:05 AM	#325
Joe Redifer Olé! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 20,144	The Master System/Game Gear version of this game is completely different, and to be honest I could never quite get into it. On the SMS, Mickey can pick up rocks and throw them and the control was much more loose. About the only similarities are the box cover and the fact that the first stage is in a forest. A lot of people felt that the SMS version was superior in the gameplay department, but I just don't see it.

01-21-2005, 07:14 PM	#328
Joe Redifer Olé! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 20,144	The N64 version is much easier to control than the DS version. I saw no reason to purchase the game on the DS with inferior controls, so the N64 comes out on top as the winner between the two.

01-22-2005, 07:37 AM	#329
Paper exe Pwnd Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 9,118	Who said that,I have no problem with the control,don't tell me you belived what IGN and EGM and the like of them said about the NDS version because they just want the NDS to look bad they are just some idiots that worship Sony I will tell you how to control Mario it is very easy just move your thumb leaft Mario will go leaft move you thumb right Mario will go right ect is that too hard to control? even my 9 years old cousien(girl) say it is easy to control what a littel girl is better gamer then all of them?? just give it a try I only speaned less then 1 minute to learn the control and I know that you are better gamer then I am so just try it and see for your self it may have some problems but in some areas it is better then the N64 control just give it at most 5 minute

01-22-2005, 07:58 AM	#330
Joe Redifer Olé! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 20,144	I have played the DS version. I like the N64 controls better. Nintendo sure likes to re-release every single game they ever made on new consoles (look at the GBA... almost every SNES game is available for it. Now N64 games will be available for the DS).