Monday MAME Club [11/08/04] - Solomon's Key

[Flack]

Welcome to this week's Monday Morning MAME Club Posting. Every Monday, a member of the MAME club will pick a new game for you to play in MAME! All you have to do to participate is install MAME, download the ROM of the week from this message, and then post your thoughts about the game! You can post a full review of the game or simply tell us what you liked/didn't like about the game. Have you played this game before? Have you played it in an actual arcade? Do you like the genre? How did it run on your computer? Did you beat it? If so, how long did it take? What was your high score? How far can you get? Did you have any problems emulating the game? When writing your review, post it right here in the sticky topic and include any thoughts you have about the game. Remember, YOU are the reviewer. Let us know anything and everything you think about the game! Just remember, if you want people to respond during YOUR week, you should play along on OTHER weeks!

The ROM of the week is: Solomon's Key (available HERE!)



Club Members:

digitalpress (Battle Bakraid)
Gamereviewgod (ESP Ra.De.)
Wisesalesman (Waku Waku 7)
scooterb23 (I'm Sorry)
ddockery (Penguin-Kun Wars)
AlanD (Dr. Micro)
IntvGene (Strike Force)
NE146 (Portman)
jonjandran (Bronze Adventure)
Flack (Rollergames, Yie-Ar Kung-Fu, Liquid Kids, Ninja Clowns)
IGotTheDot (N/A)
zektor (Battle Bakraid, Haunted Castle)
buttasuperb (Blazing Star)
chadtower (Berkerk)
Sotenga (Caliber 50)
Stark (Mighty! Pang)
christianscott27 (Darius Gaiden)
ECWSandmanECW (League Bowling)
TripppsK (Lady Bug)
vespertillio (Rampart!)
ghsqb (N/A)
TheSmirk (Bomb Jack)
Flukkake (Elevator Action)
BHvrd (NARC)
ManekiNeko (Battle Circuit)
MarioAllStar2600 (City Bomber)
Ze_ro (Pandora's Palace)
slip81 (Biomechanical Toy)
Qbert (Mysterious Stones)
k8track (Go! Go! Mile Smile)
Hamsnibit (N/A)
Lady Jaye (Chuka Taisen/Cloud Master)
Sofa King Gud (Crossbow)
Schenley (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom)
Kaine23 (Super Burgertime)
Arqueologia_Digital (Burgertime)
Jiscan (Withdrew)
-hellvin- (Splatterhouse)
Acidic_Pain (Armed Police Batrider)
Gamemaster_ca_2003 (Block Out)
Vigilante (Pu-Li-Ru-La)
Hovoc (D&D: Shadow Over Mystara)
Mr.FoodMonster (skipped)
sniperCCJVQ (WWF Superstars)
A Boy (Satan's Hollow)
!!! JibbaJaba (Solomon's Key) !!!
Cauterize
youruglyclone
Ed Oscuro
Gapporin
Graham Mitchell
RockyRaccoon
XxMe2NiKxX
brykasch
Xtasy
DJ_DEEM
The_EniGma

Remember, you don't have to be a member of the club to download the game and write up a review, but by joining you get the honor of picking a game to share with the group during your week. If you would like to join, simply send me a PM and I will add you to the list!

MAME ON!

[Xtasy]

Nice game...For anyone who doesnt know whjat to do hit button 1 to make boxes/break em You may also break them by headbutting ..Make a staircase to the key to open the door at the top then make your way to the door....Be quick though or your chracter explodes


-Xtasy

Added- Button2 shoots fireballs at the enemies

[Xtasy]

Ah i forgot to mention that when the bonus counter at the top reachs 0 u die

-Xtasy

[Graham Mitchell]

Wow, what a great pick! I never knew that Solomon's Key was an arcade game, but I suppose I should have figured it was since its relation to Bomb Jack has always been so apparent. So much more colorful than the NES version! I don't remember clearly, but aren't these levels a bit different from the NES version?

I only had about 10 minutes to play it because school started again today, but from what time I had to explore it, I definitely prefer this version over the home one. I don't quite feel that way about Bomb Jack because the home version is a markedly different game.

It controls really tightly, it's easy to learn, and it looks and sounds really darn good (The graphics are really well considering the squatty characters.) I hope everybody checks this game out at least at some point in their lives. Here's your chance! I love this game.

[TheSmirk]

At work now, but I'll check it out tonite, man, the MAME Club member list seems to be longer and longer!

[Flack]

At work now, but I'll check it out tonite, man, the MAME Club member list seems to be longer and longer!

Unfortunately, the longer it gets the less people participate.

Anybody out there?

[ddockery]

I checked it out for about 5 minutes last night. Looks like a fun game, but I had some distractions to tend to, like checking out Halo 2 which I didn't expect to get until the weekend at best.

[Vigilante]

I found this game to be pretty hard. It's simple, yet it kicked my ass all over the place. Looks like mostly a puzzle game, and I'm into that sort of thing, so I'll have to go back for a second look. I didn't evne know that game was in the mame list, otherwise I would have played it before. It doesn't stand out or anything. Just a simple little game.

[cr0n0]

I know I am not part of this club, but I have played the game (NES and Arcade) and it is awesome. One of those games that skipped the whole graphics idea in favor of good old fashion brain teasing and innovation. I could NEVER get past level 33 (or 32, I forget). This sucker's hard. I forgot what levels exactly, but there are a few that have warp points and one even has BOMB JACK in it. He makes a cameo after you hit a block or something and just jumps around screen. I did this in the NES version, so I do not know if these things can be unlocked in the Arcade.

I apologize if I anger some by posting, but I have played the game. By the way, MAME RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jibbajaba]

I know I am not part of this club, but I have played the game (NES and Arcade) and it is awesome. One of those games that skipped the whole graphics idea in favor of good old fashion brain teasing and innovation. I could NEVER get past level 33 (or 32, I forget). This sucker's hard. I forgot what levels exactly, but there are a few that have warp points and one even has BOMB JACK in it. He makes a cameo after you hit a block or something and just jumps around screen. I did this in the NES version, so I do not know if these things can be unlocked in the Arcade.

I apologize if I anger some by posting, but I have played the game. By the way, MAME RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dude, you don't have to be part of the club to post about the game. You only have to be a member of the club to *pick* the game of the week. Post away, my friend.

I guess since I picked the game, I should post a review.

Chris

[Flack]

I know I am not part of this club, but I have played the game (NES and Arcade) and it is awesome. One of those games that skipped the whole graphics idea in favor of good old fashion brain teasing and innovation. I could NEVER get past level 33 (or 32, I forget). This sucker's hard. I forgot what levels exactly, but there are a few that have warp points and one even has BOMB JACK in it. He makes a cameo after you hit a block or something and just jumps around screen. I did this in the NES version, so I do not know if these things can be unlocked in the Arcade.

I apologize if I anger some by posting, but I have played the game. By the way, MAME RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dude, you don't have to be part of the club to post about the game. You only have to be a member of the club to *pick* the game of the week. Post away, my friend.

Couldn't have said it better myself -- thanks for posting, cr0n0! And, if you want to join the club, just drop me a PM and I'll add you to the list!

[Ed Oscuro]

Hmm...finally decided to play the game. Seems much flashier than the Famicom port, I like it! The game relies a great deal on timing and it certainly helps to plot out your course of action beforehand...but it's not really possible to do that unless you want to break out the paper and pencil. I was able to get through 3-3 with no trouble, though I forgot to cast a spell on the key like I was told =P

One other thing - check out the coin counter, it's crazy! After 99 coins the counter will start replacing the number with symbols from its character table...you can get up to I5 coins; then the single digit counter becomes a I0 (this is 0 coins; you've rolled over baby!); you won't be able to start a game at this point. Put in another coin and the game flashes black and you're back to one coin (one player start only), as normal. Oh fun!

[DaBargainHunta]

This is my first post for the MAME club.

First of all, I just have to say...WOW! Solomon's Key is one of my favorite NES games ever, and until this week, I had no idea that an arcade version even existed. When I fired it up in MAME, I wasn't sure exactly what to expect. Well, what I got was the classic gameplay, but with an amazing-looking fresh coat of paint. What a treat! Everything is so rich, vibrant, and detailed. I've never been a graphics whore, especially for games like this, but the improved visuals really do enhance what is already a pretty magical experience.

From the few levels I played, the puzzles seem to be pretty faithful to the NES version I grew up with. That could change as I progress through this version, of course (not that I'd mind new puzzles - in fact, I'd welcome the challenge).

It's hard to put into words exactly what makes this game so charming and addictive. I guess it's the feeling of accomplishment that comes after figuring out a particularly hard puzzle. Not too many games can challenge your mind AND remain fun, but Solomon's Key pulls it off brilliantly.

[Jibbajaba]

Okay time for a game review.



The arcade version of Solomon's Key was released in Japan by Tecmo in 1986. Starring a wizard named Dana, the point of this action/puzzle style game is to obtain the key in each level, which unlocks the door which must then be reached. This becomes progressively more difficult as it becomes less obvious how to get to the key and the door unharmed. The gameplay is deceivingly simple: place and delete blocks which Dana uses to move about the level. These blocks can also be used to destroy certain enemies by luring them onto a bock and then deleting that block, causing the enemy to fall. Enemies can also be destroyed through the use of fireballs which can be collected in most levels. Fireballs must be used sparingly however, as there is a limited supply and one does not want to be caught without at least one in his arsenal. Death of the player can be brought about in a number of ways. Some enemies can spit fireballs or breathe fire, and as in most games, simply touching an enemy will cause death. Various bits of score-swelling treasure are strewn about in each level, and bells can be obtained which cause the appearance of flying fairies. The collection of 10 fairies yields an extra life. Spanning nearly 50 levels or "rooms", this game has the potential of eating up quite a few quarters were someone to attempt to complete it. Subsequent ports of this game were released on the Commodore 64, Sinclair ZX Spectrum, and most famously the Nintendo Entertainment System. Solomon's Key 2 was released in Europe in 1992, and was released as "Fire 'N Ice" in the U.S. the following year.

As someone who has played the NES game for many years, the first blatantly obvious difference for me between it an the arcade is the graphics (isn't it always?) The arcade version has a very Super Nintendo-like feel to it, and the graphics are obviously better that it's 8-bit counterpart, with more colors displayed on-screen and more detailed backgrounds. While the NES version has a standard red brick pattern background, the arcade version has backgrounds which vary from one level to the next, and are much more detailed. The characters and objects in the game are also much more colorful and detailed.

The gameplay is almost a spot-on match between the two versions, although I would give a slight edge to the NES version. In both versions, the controls are very responsive. The joystick or D-pad controls movement, with a jump being performed by pressing up. The game uses 2 buttons; one for waving Dana's wand and creating or deleting blocks, and the other for shooting fireballs, if the player has any. I found the movement in the arcade version to be slightly sluggish, although this may vary from one game controller to the next (I use a PSX pad mated to a USB adapter). The vast majority of the levels are the same, but there are some differences. The first level in the arcade version is completely different than it's counterpart in the NES version, and the arcade version contains bonus levels which are missing in the NES version.

In the sound category the NES version has the MAME version beat, hands down. This may be due to an emulation error within the MAME software, however, as the sound seems a bit off. The music for this game is one of my favorite video game theme songs though, and the arcade version sounds great. I still prefer the NES version, but that's probably because it sounds "right" to me while the arcade version sounds different. The sound effects are definitely better in the NES port, and sound too subdued in the arcade version. I think that I would have to play the game on an actual arcade cabinet before I could really make a call regarding the sound.

Solomon's Key definitely offers up a challenging gaming experience. The difficulty level is well balanced; starting off easy and growing progressively harder. A patient gamer will have a hard time getting frustrated, as with each death should come the realization of what was done wrong and what can be done differently to avoid the same mistake on subsequent attempts. The game is just challenging enough that the player will feel motivated to keep trying to complete a problem level without throwing his or her hands up in the air and walking away.

Final thought: The gamer that denies him or herself the experience of playing this game is really doing themselves a disservice. For me, games like this are what being a gamer is all about. This game will suck you in and you won't stop thinking about a particular level until you have solved it. If you haven't already done so, download the ROM or pick up a copy of the NES version. You'll be glad you did.

Scores (compared to other games from the same time period):

Graphics: 8

Nice graphics, but not a lot of animation and certainly nothing razzle-dazzle. Pretty good for 1986 though.

Sound Effects: 6

I would score this higher if I knew that the MAME emulation was to blame.

Music: 9

One of the best theme songs of it's time. Definitely gets stuck in your head.

Gameplay: 9

If you like puzzle games with a little bit more action, then it doesn't get much better than this.

Challenge level: 10

I love games that don't give you the feeling of unfairness through seemingly arbitrary death.

Overall: 9

A solid game that offers something for almost every gamer.

-Chris

[Ed Oscuro]

Going off base a bit but...why did they have to throw a nearly naked guy on the arcade flyer? That's NOTHING like the arcade game! Wierdness...

[CRV]

With all this mentioning of the NES version, I feel the need to mention that there's a version for the Sega Mark III/Master System in Japan.

[kainemaxwell]

The music is something I find myself whistling every now and again too.

[TheSmirk]

This game is alot of fun to play so far all I could get was to room 4-3 and 97,560 points, just like my pick (Bomb Jack) great graphics and sound, very fun and a pain in the ass at times though

[Jibbajaba]

I forgot this in my review, but I also wanted to add that there is a great website which contains NES music played on a piano. Someone has posted about this before, but it bears mentioning again in this thread because one of the songs which can be downloaded from their web page is the theme music to Solomon's Key!

http://vgpiano.com/msystems/

Click on "MP3s" It is the fifth song in the first series. Defintely a must-download for any Solomon's Key fan!

Chris

[Sotenga]

D'OH! I played this game long ago, but forgot to talk about it on here. A crime that was too, because what an awesome title this is. Action/Puzzle games are always a guaranteed recipe for addiction (Wario's Woods, anyone?), but I think Solomon's Key was one of the first of its kind. There's just something enthralling about being able to create your own platforms and reach virtually every corner of the playing field that way. I found myself hooked... until the utter difficulty of the fifth level (particularly 5-2) made me decide that it would be best to run away and tackle this another day. But what a great game this be. Kudos, Tecmo!