Pt. 1 of the Sunsoft Seven — Welcome to the Fantasy Zone

[timewarpgamer]

I recently uploaded the first part of a new feature, looking at the best Sunsoft games for the NES. I thought y'all might like it:

http://timewarpgamer.com/features/sunsoft_seven_pt1.html

Enjoy!

[Oldskool]

Cool! Good reads. Thanks.

[ccovell]

Nice comparison, but the SMS CPU was never clocked at 2.5Mhz. It's 3.58 Mhz in the SMS, but as with any Z-80 CPU, the actual internal clock is about 3x slower than the input clock speed.

So, comparing unlike CPUs anyway, you could say the 1.79 Mhz CPU in the Famicom is going against the ~1.2 Mhz CPU in the SMS.

Also, if you want to get a clear idea how Sunsoft suddenly started developing astounding games, how about checking out the origin/history of Tokai Engineering for us?

[buzz_n64]

Nice comparison, but the SMS CPU was never clocked at 2.5Mhz. It's 3.58 Mhz in the SMS, but as with any Z-80 CPU, the actual internal clock is about 3x slower than the input clock speed.

So, comparing unlike CPUs anyway, you could say the 1.79 Mhz CPU in the Famicom is going against the ~1.2 Mhz CPU in the SMS.

Also, if you want to get a clear idea how Sunsoft suddenly started developing astounding games, how about checking out the origin/history of Tokai Engineering for us?

I always wondered what Tokai Engineering had to do with Blaster Master or "meta Fight" they aren't even credited in the American version. Info on them would be fantastic.

[NayusDante]

Hmmm... I always liked the Tengen port of Fantasy Zone...


I'd like to know why Chou Wakusei Senki Meta Fight was changed AT ALL in the localization. The changes are absurd.


They added a silly intro story.
They changed the screen where the tank first moves from a hangar to a tunnel.
They added a frog sitting on the tank in the ending, to tie in with the new intro.
In Meta Fight, the PLANET is named Sophia the 3rd, not the tank!
The story for Meta Fight is just that you're Sophia III's last hope in a fight with meta beings.


For a game with no narrative story, they had to replace the entire story?

[CRV]

Also, if you want to get a clear idea how Sunsoft suddenly started developing astounding games, how about checking out the origin/history of Tokai Engineering for us?

I'm not sure what it does, but it's apparently still around, and it owns 19.7% of Sun Denshi. As far as I know, it was used to publish games. You'll notice on the back of the boxes that Tokai is the "hatsubaimoto." Capcom and Jaleco did the same thing with Status (an insurance company) and DCE (a subsidiary that owned an aquarium supply store).

[megasdkirby]

After reading the review, and playing the Famicom version, I actually enjoyed the SMS version much more.

Granted, the NES version had great music and overall great graphics and gameplay, but there is just something about the SMS version that stands out. Can't really say what in particular, but it seems a bit more "groovy".

Also, part II on the NES really looks pathetic (in my opinion) than on the SMS. SMS version is leagues better (regarding part II).

[ShinobiMan]

I read your review. Very nice. I must say though, I've played both versions (although the SMS more) and the SMS version of Fantasy Zone is better in almost every respect.

The music is brighter, the graphics are overflowing with color, and the game itself just has more charm. The NES counterpart, while a worthy port, feels like it's missing something.

The SMS version of Fantasy Zone is one of those defining titles in the SMS library. It helped paint the picture of what I love about the SMS, which is probably why it just seems out of place on NES hardware.

[exit]

The music/sound in the SMS version is far superior and a lot more catch than it's NES counterpart, saying otherwise is just blasphemous.

[Brianvgplayer]

After reading the review, and playing the Famicom version, I actually enjoyed the SMS version much more.

Granted, the NES version had great music and overall great graphics and gameplay, but there is just something about the SMS version that stands out. Can't really say what in particular, but it seems a bit more "groovy".

Also, part II on the NES really looks pathetic (in my opinion) than on the SMS. SMS version is leagues better (regarding part II).

Which Fantasy Zone are you referring to? The JP Famicom and US NES versions are different ports, so using Famicom and NES interchangeably makes things confusing. Please refer to JP games as Famicom and US games as NES.

Part II is also a Famicom game, not NES.

The review shows pictures from the Tengen version and has them listed as "Famicom".

Edit: the music on the site is the famicom version

[megasdkirby]

Which Fantasy Zone are you referring to? The JP Famicom and US NES versions are different ports, so using Famicom and NES interchangeably makes things confusing. Please refer to JP games as Famicom and US games as NES.

Part II is also a Famicom game, not NES.

The review shows pictures from the Tengen version and has them listed as "Famicom".

Was referring to the "Famicom" versions of part I and II, not the Tengen US version.

Although I did enjoy Tengen's version as well. However, the SMS version is superior to the Famicom versions, specially Tears of Opa Opa (FZII).

[Brianvgplayer]

Although I did enjoy Tengen's version as well. However, the SMS version is superior to the Famicom versions, specially Tears of Opa Opa (FZII).

The odd thing is that, according to gdri.smspower.org, FZII Famicom was done by Sanritsu (same company that did the gg FZ). FZI Famicom was programmed by Sunsoft.

[timewarpgamer]

After all your comments and some more gameplaying, I revised my original column a bit, making it more balanced, and taking it easier on the SMS version.

Also, I recently added the second part of this Sunsoft series, which can be found here:

http://timewarpgamer.com/features/sunsoft_seven_pt2.html

[sheath]

Sunsoft really was one of the best devs who ever made a game. I have never heard of Famicom Fantasy Zone, but everything I have played from Sunsoft in the States has been solid gold.

[kainemaxwell]

Great article on Blaster Master.