Alex Kidd or Mario...?

[bb_hood]

I have always hated Sonic's controls. I know Mario had to build up a little momentum, too, but Sonic starts way too slow for my liking, and then ramps up to too fast to be played as much of a real platformer. I feel like you have to memorize the stages more than you should have to in order to play the game the way it's meant to be played. There are all those set pieces that make me feel like I'm missing something, and while the levels are meant to be explored, the game just wants me to run really fast toward the end. It's like it wants to be two different games at the same time that don't mesh well. I didn't truly enjoy a Sonic game outside of Sonic Adventure on Dreamcast, which did a good job of drawing a line between exploring and speeding toward the goal, and its movement didn't start as if Sonic was stuck in tar. Alex Kidd's control may be a little slippery, but you can get a feel for it and play it with more finesse than Sonic. I kind of resent 16 bit Sonic, because I like the graphics and sound, and they have flashes of brilliance, but then I start to hate them for tge stop/start/run really fast until an enemy pops up from under the ground or spikes pop up and make you feel stupid for losing all the rings you've painstakingly collected gameplay. What's the point of all those hidden rings if you're going to undo all of my work in one hit out of nowhere when I'm doing what the game tells me to-run really fast and occasionally jump. The games are easy to finish, but totally unrewarding to me.

Sorry, this is not about Sonic. Sonic sucks, though, and I always liked Alex Kidd better. Also, I have to agree with 8bit archaeology. I like the Wonder Boy series better than Alex Kidd or Sonic. I can only imagine it wasn't more prominently featured due to Westone also letting Hudson publish PC Engine ports and spin off the Adventure Island series...

The controls in the 1st sonic game can seem a little clumsy if you keep running into things. With practice you can fly through the levels, which is where its at. The controls in the 2nd Sonic game are even better with the introduction of the spin dash. These are games where you have to explore the levels to a certain extent so you learn the routes, then you just aim to finish the levels as fast as possible. The rings dont really matter, with practice and a little memorization only the last few stages pose any real challenge. I think the sonic games on genesis have tons of replay value. Sonic is a way better mascot then Alex Kidd, imo. And Super Mario Bros is also way better than alex kidd, no contest there.

I always thought that Sonic games had HORRIBLE controls. You couldn't walk up a hill, and running at breakneck speed meant you were exploring anything. Just rushing though like a blur. Stopping sucked, walking up ANY incline sucked. In fact, you flat out couldn't do it. You had to go back and always get a running start to clear the smallest hill. Also (and this is probably just a 'me' thing), I've NEVER been able to understand how to do the charging spin dash in any of the sequels. IIRC, letting go (of the button or D pad, I don't remember anymore) after you charge it was how it was performed, but simply letting go just never felt, I don't know, natural. I wish it launched with a button push instead.

With the first sonic you kinda do have to get a running start. The spin dash is actually super easy to master.

the fools who did the GC port of the Mega Man Collection did the same move and the game is rendered impossible to play because you need to be able to jump and gun at the same time in that game and you just can't do it. The PS2 version has it setup right, just the GC one is broken by design.

Yeah, absolutely. The GC version of Mega Man is complete garbage because of the controls. You cant even reassign the button input.

[celerystalker]

The controls in the 1st sonic game can seem a little clumsy if you keep running into things. With practice you can fly through the levels, which is where its at. The controls in the 2nd Sonic game are even better with the introduction of the spin dash. These are games where you have to explore the levels to a certain extent so you learn the routes, then you just aim to finish the levels as fast as possible. The rings dont really matter, with practice and a little memorization only the last few stages pose any real challenge. I think the sonic games on genesis have tons of replay value. Sonic is a way better mascot then Alex Kidd, imo. And Super Mario Bros is also way better than alex kidd, no contest there.

Oh, I've played a lot of Sonic. I'm well aware of how to play, and it still feels counterintuitive to me. Even after learning the control comfortably, it's exactly what I said: memorizing levels so you can hold right and occasionally jump. Rings being unimportant makes it even worse to me, as they are basically the sole reason to deviate from holding right and occasionally jumping. I know that's really simplifying things, but Sonic's play magnifies this by focusing the whole experience on running fast. Mario and Alex Kidd both only do slight deviations from their horizontal or vertical paths with rewards such as extra lives, warps, or coins you don't lose by getting touched and build toward a goal. Sonic's play control and momentum are designed to highlight his speed, but make for an experience awkward enough for me in overall feel that I don't enjoy it enough to come back to it time and again to soak it in like I will with others.

[Tanooki]

With Sonic I rarely grab rings as I don't see the point for your reasons. I'll just jump to hit them as I roll on by just so I have the one hit safety net. The design of the game is just so meant for speed that the rest just doesn't feel right so I kind of avoid it. Though those controls to tend to make it a bit more interesting on a boss fight since they tend not to be speedy.

[Zap!]

The mask has finally been removed. Look who's back and never left lol!

[buzz_n64]

Mario by long shot. Sega hasn't even considered making a new Alex Kidd game.

[Zap!]

Sega hasn't even considered making a new Alex Kidd game.

That's because they are fools, not Alex's fault.

[Rickstilwell1]

I can't think of any times in Sonic 1 where I even need to walk up a long steep incline with the routes I take and in Sonic 2 onward that is remedied by spindash. I am surprised at how many people aren't pros at the classic Sonic games although I am a member of Sonic Retro forums so I see mostly pros at the game anyway. The only Alex Kidd game I could actually enjoy was The Lost Stars.

[Zap!]

The only Alex Kidd game I could actually enjoy was The Lost Stars.

That's usually considered the worse AK game too. I liked it, just not as much as the others.

[megasdkirby]

I love Alex Kidd, specially Miracle World. It was one of the best SMS games I ever played. Shinobi World was good, but just didn't have that *spark* Miracle World had.

I also liked Lost Stars quite a bit. It was very repetitive and it took some time to learn the patters and master it. It takes me roughly an hour to go through the entire game without failing once. I don't remember the ending much, but I recall being quite disappointed. Still, I continued playing and enjoying the game, nevertheless.

Never liked Hi Tech World. For me, that game simply didn't make any sense...and years later when I found out it was another game with sprite changes, then I realized why. It isn't a bad game...just not a good one. Hell, it's my least favorite AK game...I enjoyed The Lost Stars more!

I can't say much on the Genesis game, as I barely played it. I recall being excited that it resembled Miracle World, but for some reason it did have the same charm. I recall collision detection being ass.

So which one do I choose? Alex Kidd or Mario? I have to choose Mario.

As much as I love AK and will continue playing the game nonstop, even today, Mario has more depth, length, playability, variability...the list goes on. Rarely has a Mario game been bad, so I am always safe when I start playing one. The thing I hated most with Mario, specially Mario 3, was the lack of any save feature. Thankfully, the SNES version saved the day with battery backup support.

I will never abandon Alex though. And I wish they would create a new game...and not fuck it up on the process.

[Arkanoid_Katamari]

I can't think of any times in Sonic 1 where I even need to walk up a long steep incline with the routes I take and in Sonic 2 onward that is remedied by spindash. I am surprised at how many people aren't pros at the classic Sonic games although I am a member of Sonic Retro forums so I see mostly pros at the game anyway. The only Alex Kidd game I could actually enjoy was The Lost Stars.

I've been playing the first Sonic game since the early 90s and I still haven't beaten it. The classic Genesis games, imo, were incredible, but suffered from one single flaw, and that was no save states. Legend Of Zelda had a battery pack in 1986. The technology was there, and it was Sega's big game. Luckily Sonic 3 has one. But even a password system would be fantastic, even the NES Mega Man games have passwords after u finish a level, and those levels are much shorter.

I just remember playing Sonic a ton, getting so far in the game and then just running out of lives, and having to go all the way back to the beginning, and the games are not short like Mega Man. So eventually I'd just get sick of playing it.

[Arkanoid_Katamari]

As for Alex Kidd vs Mario, I've only played the Enchanted Castle on Genesis, and almost all the classic pre-N64 Mario's, but Mario without a doubt wins for me. Is there an Alex Kidd game that rivals SMB 3?

[Arkanoid_Katamari]

Even SMB 1, I'd rather play then Enchanted Castle. I like Alex Kidd, but not like Mario.

[Rickstilwell1]

I've been playing the first Sonic game since the early 90s and I still haven't beaten it. The classic Genesis games, imo, were incredible, but suffered from one single flaw, and that was no save states. Legend Of Zelda had a battery pack in 1986. The technology was there, and it was Sega's big game. Luckily Sonic 3 has one. But even a password system would be fantastic, even the NES Mega Man games have passwords after u finish a level, and those levels are much shorter.

I just remember playing Sonic a ton, getting so far in the game and then just running out of lives, and having to go all the way back to the beginning, and the games are not short like Mega Man. So eventually I'd just get sick of playing it.

You didn't know about the level select code?

And also the reason why Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars had a crappy ending was because it was an arcade game that was ported to the Sega Master System rather than an SMS original.

[tom]

I'm still with the original, Bounty Bob

[mario-fan]

Mario, definitely. I mean, SMB1 & 3. Nuff said.

[tom]

I'm still with the original, Bounty Bob

Besides Bob, has to be Mario, it being an original Atari console character.

[Emperor Megas]

I've been playing the first Sonic game since the early 90s and I still haven't beaten it. The classic Genesis games, imo, were incredible, but suffered from one single flaw, and that was no save states. Legend Of Zelda had a battery pack in 1986. The technology was there, and it was Sega's big game. Luckily Sonic 3 has one. But even a password system would be fantastic, even the NES Mega Man games have passwords after u finish a level, and those levels are much shorter.

I just remember playing Sonic a ton, getting so far in the game and then just running out of lives, and having to go all the way back to the beginning, and the games are not short like Mega Man. So eventually I'd just get sick of playing it.

You could start from any stage in the game though. Just use the debug mode.

[Dire 51]

As much as I love AK and will continue playing the game nonstop, even today, Mario has more depth, length, playability, variability...the list goes on. Rarely has a Mario game been bad, so I am always safe when I start playing one. [...]

I will never abandon Alex though. And I wish they would create a new game...and not fuck it up on the process.

Well spoken. You've summed up my feelings almost perfectly.

[Gentlegamer]

Mario has proven the better character and series. In addition to the "main" Super Mario games, his cast of characters has invented whole new genres like Super Mario Kart, Mario Party, and even Super Smash Bros.

It's too bad Sega gave up on Alex Kidd, he could have been something similar, even after the advent of Sonic. Kid Chameleon could have been an Alex Kidd game. Alex Kidd would have made more sense for most of the adventure parts of the Sonic Adventure games.

[sloan]

Alex Kidd, to me, was always just OK. Sort of amateurish in art and play style.

Super Mario Bros. 1, 2, and 3 tore it up, went on to Super Mario World, and never looked back.