PC Engine/Famicom/Super Famicom reviews & manuals

[LongDi]

Please scan the manual for Super Mario World,Kirby Bowl, and Panel De Pon！！！ Thank you so much！！！I love video game den website！

[lkermel]

No problem LongDi, I think these games are already in my 'to-do' list, I'll get to them very soon :)
I remember the Super Mario World manual being a pain to scan though - it's a large fold-out manual, right ? I wonder if this is why I put that one on hold back then...

[lkermel]

New reviews and manuals:

Konami Wai Wai World - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?kww)
Balloon Fight - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?baf)
Warpman - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?wam)

[lkermel]

More updates and manuals:

Darius Plus - PC Engine (http://www.videogameden.com/hucard.htm?dar)
Super Darius - PC Engine (http://www.videogameden.com/cdrom.htm?sda)

[lkermel]

New reviews and manuals:

Dezaemon - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?dez)
Sky Kid - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?skk)

[lkermel]

New reviews and manuals:

Meta Fight - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?mef)
Splatterhouse Wanpaku Graffiti - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?spl)

[Dire 51]

Nice to see an entry for Wanpaku finally. However, there's a little something you're missing from the Omake section: this set of stickers that came with the game (http://splatterhouse.kontek.net/sh_wg_stickers.png). If you'd like to use that scan for your site, feel free.

[lkermel]

Wahoo ! Thanks Dire 51 for the set of stickers, my copy didn't come with any. I'll definitely add your scan to the site !!! Thanks mate !!!

[Dire 51]

You're welcome. :)

[lkermel]

More updates and manuals:

Super Darius 2 - PC Engine (http://www.videogameden.com/cdrom.htm?sd2)
Cotton 100% - Super Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/sfc.htm?cot)

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Contra - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?cot)

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Splatterhouse - PC Engine (http://www.videogameden.com/hucard.htm?spl)

[lkermel]

More updates and manuals:

Darius Twin - Super Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/sfc.htm?dat)
Darius Force - Super Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/sfc.htm?dfo)

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Air Fortress - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?afo)

[goatse]

Hi and thank you for filling my request of Dungeon Master manual

If you are still taking requests can you please upload the manual for Bio Miracle Upa?

Thanks and I really like your website

[lkermel]

Sure goatse ! I still take requests, and I have a pretty long list now. But I'm slooooowly going through it :)
I'll add Bio Miracle Upa in the future. I'll try to find another copy of the game though, mine is fairly clean and I don't want to damage it. These FDS manuals are so compact, scanning them usually ruins them :(

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Terra Cresta - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?tec)

[SparTonberry]

No problem LongDi, I think these games are already in my 'to-do' list, I'll get to them very soon :)
I remember the Super Mario World manual being a pain to scan though - it's a large fold-out manual, right ? I wonder if this is why I put that one on hold back then...

My best effort at scanning and Photoshopping Panel de Pon's manual. I couldn't make it perfectly line up, but it is hopefully adequate.
5 MB, 300 dpi JPG.
http://www.mediafire.com/i/?nyou7emkld6mtlw
And the quick reference card.
http://www.mediafire.com/?edp263zz531h0p7

I saved the scans in PNG as well and will probably try to edit those into a "book" type scan for my own SNES/SFC manual scan collection.
I don't mind if you want to use my scans if you'd like.

[lkermel]

Thanks SparTonberry :)

Actually, I have already scanned Panel de Pon, but thanks a lot for the scans - I still have a few more games to update from my to-do list before I get to Panel and the other games LongDi wanted. Sorry for the delay mate, I've received a LOT of requests for manual scans and reviews, and I'm slowly (but surely) going through the list. Nearly there, nearly there :D

[lkermel]

Update and manual:

Sparkster - Super Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/sfc.htm?spr)

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Contra Spirits - Super Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/sfc.htm?cos)

[SparTonberry]

I've never been able to do the Contra Spirits cheats myself. I even disassembled the code that checks button presses (yes, in Contra Spirits and not Contra III) and only found it checking the normally-used buttons (Up, Down, Select, Start, and also explicitly for the L+R+Select+Start soft-reset combination).
(so if it is indeed checking for Left/Right to make the codes work, must be in some unusual way)

Any one else been able to do it? (No offense. :) )

[lkermel]

I've never been able to do the Contra Spirits cheats myself. I even disassembled the code that checks button presses (yes, in Contra Spirits and not Contra III) and only found it checking the normally-used buttons (Up, Down, Select, Start, and also explicitly for the L+R+Select+Start soft-reset combination).
(so if it is indeed checking for Left/Right to make the codes work, must be in some unusual way)

Any one else been able to do it? (No offense. :) )

They are really tricky to do, but they do work. Because you have to press 'start', then I find it easier to position the cursor on 'option' before you start. But you're right, they are really hard to enter, and it took me several tries each time... the 'stage select' is the hardest, because if you land on 1 player, then you start the selected level in one player mode, but if you land on two players, then the two player mode starts... I hope this helps :)

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Battle Lode Runner - PC Engine (http://www.videogameden.com/hucard.htm?bat)

Also added American Turbografx-16 manuals for Deep Blue, Galaga'88, Gunhed, PC Genjin, Space Harrier & Tiger Road.

[lkermel]

Update and manual:

Kirby Bowl - Super Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/sfc.htm?kbo)

Ya !

[SparTonberry]

I recall hearing there was some difference between the Special Tee Shot proto and the BS version.
But as the proto ROM has not been released to the public (if even dumped), we'll never know for sure. :(

[lkermel]

I recall hearing there was some difference between the Special Tee Shot proto and the BS version.
But as the proto ROM has not been released to the public (if even dumped), we'll never know for sure. :(

I remember reading that too, the person who found the proto mentioned that there were differences between the two releases... but as far as I know it has never been dumped...

[SparTonberry]

Anyone else own a manual for Super Snakey for the Super Famicom? (released in North America as WildSnake)
I was scanning mine and noticed the pages are stapled in the wrong order. I wonder if they're all like that or if I just got an "error" manual. :)

[lkermel]

Anyone else own a manual for Super Snakey for the Super Famicom? (released in North America as WildSnake)
I was scanning mine and noticed the pages are stapled in the wrong order. I wonder if they're all like that or if I just got an "error" manual. :)

I just checked mine and the pages are stapled in the right order... looks like you got a manual with an error :)

[lkermel]

Update and manual:

Panel de Pon - Super Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/sfc.htm?pan)

[SparTonberry]

Hey, Ikermel, I was just reading your site and noticed a few things.

Keeper was announced for a North American release as CyberSlider, though it would have had changed graphics. As you may guess, it was changed to more of a robot theme than sealife.
http://forums.lostlevels.org/viewtopic.php?t=727&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=100

For Super Pang, you list the EU release but it was also released in North America as Super Buster Bros.

About Phalanx, I remember reading a letter in EGM around 2000 or 2001, and confirmed Kemco did indeed change the NA boxart because they hoped the game would get more attention.

Again, great site.

[lkermel]

Waooo, thanks a lot for the info, this is great !! I totally didn't know about CyberSlider !!! I'll do some research and will update the review.
I'll fix up Super Pang as well, I wonder how I could miss that... And about Phalanx, I also read somewhere (It was a sort of interview if I remember well) that the people who designed the NA cover wanted to do something different than the usual spaceship/alien theme. Whether they were successful or not is another story ;)
Again, thanks a lot for your help, I love this kind of trivia/info so don't hesitate to let me know if you find more of them :D

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Attack Animal Gakuen - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?aag)

[SparTonberry]

A question...

so I finished scanning all the SFC/SNES manuals I own (for now, still have more coming).
I thought about moving on to also scan my FC manuals (much fewer, as I started collecting later than SFC, I had to settle for more loose carts). I think around 47 FC manuals vs. probably at least 100 SNES/SFC.
Well, I have a photocopied manual for one game called De-Block. Since the game appears to be at least uncommon, I'm thinking I should make an exception to my "original scans only" stance and scan this one, figuring something is better than nothing. (I've only seen a few copies on ebay the last couple years I've been watching. Lucky the copy I found I got for only like $5 with an original box.) Agree?
I've been scanning at 300dpi since for most that's adequate. But I had to go up to 600dpi for Captain Saver (probably one of the few rare manuals I have) because the actual page and thus print size is kind of small. (though there's still a bit of blur because the game used teal text on white background, but should be readable.)

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Wai Wai World 2 - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?ww2)


@SparTonberry
I'm not sure if I understand your question :) I've been scanning all my manuals at 400dpi, and as for the photocopied manuals, I'm not sure if I'd scan the whole thing myself. I've only scanned the front page of my photocopied manuals (I only have a couple), just to remind me that this particular copy of the game I own misses the original manual. Congrats in scanning all your SFC/SNES manuals ! I've been doing mine in the background for so many years that I'm not sure how many I have scanned - I think I have around 800 FC/SFC games (combined), and I have probably scanned most of them. I get a headache a just thinking about it.

[lkermel]

More updates and manuals:

Bomberman - PC Engine (http://www.videogameden.com/hucard.htm?bom)
Bomberman'93 - PC Engine (http://www.videogameden.com/hucard.htm?b93)

Yo !

[goatse]

Ah, megaupload was taken down with my links. but I can reupload them and if the OP doesnt mind Ill post links in this thread.

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Sqoon - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?sqo)

[SparTonberry]

For some reason I thought Spelunker II was IREMs #8 release, and wondered why it had an LED and Kid Niki (#7) didn't. Now that I realize Spelunker II is #6, makes sense.
Though I don't get why they changed their cart design (to one like Nintendo's, but with an IREM logo molded above the label) with Gardic Gaiden (which was #8, released 1988) yet they randomly brought the old cart design back for Major League (#13) and Gekitotsu Yonku Battle (#15), both released in 1989.

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Senjou no Ookami - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?sno)

@SparTonberry
That's an interesting point about Gardic Gaiden... I know that third party companies had to order their cartridges to Nintendo, sole manufacturer of the carts for the system (that was part of the licensee agreement, right ?). But what was the deal for the actual cart design ? I wonder...

[lkermel]

Update and manual:

Bomberman'94 - PC Engine (http://www.videogameden.com/hucard.htm?b94)

[lkermel]

Thanks Bernie Lindell for supplying the Turbografx-16 manual scans for Aero Blasters, Airzonk, Alien Crush, Bomberman, Bonk's Revenge, Bonk's Big Adventure, Devil's Crush, Dragon's Curse, Jackie Chan, Neutopia, Neutopia 2, RType, Shockman & Veigues Tactical Gladiator !!!

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Metal Flame Psy Buster - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?mfp)

[lkermel]

Thanks Bernie Lindell for supplying more Turbografx-16 manuals !!! Dungeon Master, Forgotten Worlds, Gate of Thunder, Lords of Thunder and Monster Lair !!!

[lkermel]

I didn't have time to work on a new review this week... so instead I uploaded more Japanese PC Engine manuals - Afterburner II, Aoi Blink, Atomic Robo Kid, Ballistix, Bloody Wolf, The Kung Fu and Ordyne !

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Donkey Kong - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?dok)

[SparTonberry]

Nice, but I think the DKC re-release trivia is slightly incorrect (unless I'm reading it wrong, specifically the DKL part).
DKC1 was ported separately to GBC and GBA.
DKC2 and DKC3 were ported only to GBA.
Donkey Kong Land 1 (Super Donkey Kong GB in Japan) was released only on the original GB.
Donkey Kong Land 2 (Donkey Kong Land in Japan) was released on the original GB.
Donkey Kong Land 3 was only released on the original GB in the west. Supposedly it was announced for release as Donkey Kong Land 2 in Japan (pretty sure I have an old Game Informer that mentions the game in a report from a TGS or Spaceworld or something). But it never made it out there (this was in '98, after the western version was out. But I guess it's not unheard of for Japan to get it later. I hear the original non-GBC-enhanced version of Wario Land II never made it out in its native country).
Instead the Japanese got an exclusive colorized version 3 years later called Donkey Kong GB: Dinky (Kiddy) Kong & Dixie Kong (possibly also known as Donkey Kong 2000, the GBC port of DKC was known as Donkey Kong 2001 in Japan).

[lkermel]

Ok, SparTonberry, you caught me there ;)
I just didn't want to overload the article with all the SDK GB titles (there are so many of them), this is why I kept it short (and saved that for the Super Donkey Kong review I may add to the site in the near future). Wahoo, I didn't know about Donkey Kong GB Dinky Kong & Dixie Kong, thanks for pointing that one out !!!!

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Kamen no Ninja Hanamaru - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?knh)

[goatse]

Hi, I have a request for you.

Can you compile a list of all of the games that you rated FIVE stars?

thank you.

[lkermel]

Someone else asked me the same thing... I thought that maybe I could add the average ratings to my 'game finder' pages, such as this one:

http://www.videogameden.com/gamefinder.htm?fc

What do you think ? Do you have a video game system in mind or would you like to see the highest ratings for all systems reviewed on the site ? I'm asking that because I don't have any 'game finder' pages for the PC Engine sections yet...

Or I could just list here all the '5 stars' games I've reviewed, as it'll probably be a dozen or two...

[SparTonberry]

New review and manual:

Terra Cresta - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?tec)

Surprised I never posted this here, but am I the only one who thinks the music sounds slightly different between the Famicom version and the NES version?
Here's a clip of me playing the game on my AV Famicom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpAHr7jlVgY
And here's NESguide's video, which say this captured from a real NES.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_SimFEVqXM

[lkermel]

@goatse

I've added ratings to my gamefinder pages. I've only done the Famicom and Famicom Disk so far:

http://www.videogameden.com/gamefinder.htm?fc
http://www.videogameden.com/gamefinder.htm?fds

I'll add ratings to the Super Famicom page soon. The PC Engine will come later though, as I still have to create the game finger pages for that system...

@SparTonberry

That's a really interesting find... I don't own the NES version, so I won't be able to test that on the real hardware. But I'll investigate for sure. Great find ! :)

[lkermel]

update and manual:

Son Son 2 - PC Engine (http://www.videogameden.com/hucard.htm?son)

[lkermel]

@goatse

Ratings for the Super Famicom section are now available !

http://www.videogameden.com/gamefinder.htm?sfc

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Son Son - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?son)

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Solomon no Kagi - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?sok)

[goatse]

Someone else asked me the same thing... I thought that maybe I could add the average ratings to my 'game finder' pages, such as this one:

http://www.videogameden.com/gamefinder.htm?fc

What do you think ? Do you have a video game system in mind or would you like to see the highest ratings for all systems reviewed on the site ? I'm asking that because I don't have any 'game finder' pages for the PC Engine sections yet...

Or I could just list here all the '5 stars' games I've reviewed, as it'll probably be a dozen or two...

yes thank you, something like this is good, though i had the pc engine in mind

[Tron 2.0]

New review and manual:

Solomon no Kagi - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?sok)
Nice it be some thing if you could review solomon's key 2 next ;)

[lkermel]

@Tron 2.0

Ah ah ! Yes ! I'd love to review Solomon's Key 2 next, but it is a bit too expensive for my budget - but yeah ! as soon as I can find an affordable copy, I'll definitively review it :)

@goatse

I've started a PC Engine HuCard version of the game finder:

http://www.videogameden.com/gamefinder.htm?hucard

It'll take some time to finish it though... and I'll then add one for the CDRom section :)

[SparTonberry]

Most disappointing thing about Solomon's Key 2 is that the Japanese version has SRAM to save (22) custom levels but the US and EU versions don't (you can make a custom level, but you have to recreate it every time).
(and possibly the PAL version running slowly.
I haven't played enough of the game to know whether that would help in later levels. :D )

[lkermel]

New update and manual:

Circus Lido - PC Engine (http://www.videogameden.com/hucard.htm?cli)


@SparTonberry
That's interesting, I didn't know the SRAM got removed from the US/EU releases... they tried to save money on manufacturing costs I guess.... it's kind of a shame though...

[lkermel]

New update and manual:

Akumajou Dracula XX - Super Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/sfc.htm?axx)

[TheDoctah]

awesome reviews, thanks so much for putting the time into this, its a big help!:)

[lkermel]

awesome reviews, thanks so much for putting the time into this, its a big help!:)

You're welcome ! I love working on the site and sharing all these obscure (and not so obscure) games with the community. This is hard work, but I hope to continue to do so for a very long time. Glad you're enjoying it, I really appreciate your feedback :)

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Chack'n Pop - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?chp)

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Fuzzical Fighter - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?fuz)

[Tron 2.0]

@Tron 2.0

Ah ah ! Yes ! I'd love to review Solomon's Key 2 next, but it is a bit too expensive for my budget - but yeah ! as soon as I can find an affordable copy, I'll definitively review it :)


It'll take some time to finish it though... and I'll then add one for the CDRom section :)
Yeah solomon's key 2 can be pricey boxed but a more cheaper loose.

[lkermel]

New update and manual:

Don Doko Don - PC Engine (http://www.videogameden.com/hucard.htm?don)

@Tron2.0
I usually buy my games boxed with instructions... but I know I'll find a good deal someday... and I'm not worried, I still have hundreds of games in my collection to review in the meantime ;)
More seriously, I've found a few rare/expensive games this way - I just wait and a copy eventually shows up at a good (realistic) price.

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Thexder - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?the)


And Happy new yeeeeear everyone !!! :)

[dgffxiv]

I originally wanted to buy, but I think that is too expensive, so I decided to play a copy to get it.

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

GunForce - Super Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/sfc.htm?gfo)


@dgffxiv
Even today, I think, Thexder is definitively a 'try it before you buy' kind of game...

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Yume Penguin Monogatari - Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?ypm)

ya !

[SparTonberry]

The copy protection will also reduce the time limit.
I tried that and couldn't finish the first level. I could get within sight of the goal, which makes me think it might be possible to still finish the first level in "pirate" mode if one where to play perfectly (keeping Pentarou thin so he can run is certainly a contributing factor). But wouldn't it be wonderfully cruel of the game designers to make the game just short of possible in pirate mode? :D

[lkermel]

New review and manual:

Miracle Girls - Super Famicom (http://www.videogameden.com/sfc.htm?mgi)

@SparTonberry
Waooo, I didn't know it also reduced the time limit, I'll have to test that out. Thanks for the info.
I tried the 'Pirate' mode as well and you're right, it *may* be sort of possible to complete the game, but the shooting phases are brutal... I love what Konami did here, if you 'pirated' the game back in the days and quickly tested it, you could have thought that the copy worked :)