Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
The most accurate video game about James K. Polk ever made..png)
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431. POLK
Polk is a badly-made, janky pinball game. It’s by Nice Code, and was also released as Pinball. (I don’t think we’ve seen it before, though.)
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What the heck is on this $10 Retro Game handheld? Let’s find out!
- Thread starter Beowulf
- Start date
...I just noticed that somebody tagged this thread "best of talking time", and I'm all verklempt.
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433. PORTER
A set of block-pushing puzzles that gets tricky very quickly. Apparently an unlicensed clone of Boxxle with original puzzles. It shows up as part of Caltron/Myriad 6-in-1 compilation game. In case you wanted more detail on the puzzles, somebody wrote a GameFAQs entry for it.
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434. POWER ROBOT
A Nice Code game I thought I had seen before, but I can’t figure out where: You’re a springy robot trying to bounce on the moving platforms to collects stars and gems. It was also called Kangaroo or Spring Jester, but neither of those is in this collection.
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435. POWER SOCCER
This is a pretty decent soccer game, all told—there some strategy to maneuvering your team, and it zooms in to a different view when you approach the goals. I don’t like sports game and this brings back unpleasant memories of little league soccer, but that’s not the game’s fault.
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436. PRO WRESTLING
This is actually Tag Team Wrestling (not to be confused with the NES game Pro Wrestling), but it was called The Big Pro Wrestling in Japan. It’s better than MUSCLE was?
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437. PULVERATION
My initial thought was that this is a Battle City hack or some kind of advanced version. There are different levels of tanks, some of which you can counter their shots and some you can’t; and the screen scrolls upwards to reveal more terrain.
Turns out this is an advanced hack of/bootleg based on Battle City, originally released by Inventor and called Alienis. Nice Code then released it as Bugs, Monster War, Pulver, Pulveration, and Pulverize.
433. PORTER
A set of block-pushing puzzles that gets tricky very quickly. Apparently an unlicensed clone of Boxxle with original puzzles. It shows up as part of Caltron/Myriad 6-in-1 compilation game. In case you wanted more detail on the puzzles, somebody wrote a GameFAQs entry for it.
434. POWER ROBOT
A Nice Code game I thought I had seen before, but I can’t figure out where: You’re a springy robot trying to bounce on the moving platforms to collects stars and gems. It was also called Kangaroo or Spring Jester, but neither of those is in this collection.
435. POWER SOCCER
This is a pretty decent soccer game, all told—there some strategy to maneuvering your team, and it zooms in to a different view when you approach the goals. I don’t like sports game and this brings back unpleasant memories of little league soccer, but that’s not the game’s fault.
436. PRO WRESTLING
This is actually Tag Team Wrestling (not to be confused with the NES game Pro Wrestling), but it was called The Big Pro Wrestling in Japan. It’s better than MUSCLE was?
437. PULVERATION
My initial thought was that this is a Battle City hack or some kind of advanced version. There are different levels of tanks, some of which you can counter their shots and some you can’t; and the screen scrolls upwards to reveal more terrain.
Turns out this is an advanced hack of/bootleg based on Battle City, originally released by Inventor and called Alienis. Nice Code then released it as Bugs, Monster War, Pulver, Pulveration, and Pulverize.
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438. DADA
This is a hack of the Popeye game (#368)! If there was any doubt, the Popeye theme song still plays when you grab the spinach.
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439. DEFENSIVE
Another variant of the Nice Code Galaga clone that we first saw as Fire Base (#10). This is not to be confused with the Galaga clone that was Astrosmash and we’ve also seen repeatedly, but is apparently a different code base and counts as a different game. (This version is much better than Fire Base, as the enemies don’t just slide in with an easily predictable pattern.)
This one was also released as Aether Fighter, Alone, Archer, Crisis, Cryptic Base, Gallagant, Garden War, Jet Defender, Lunarian, Resistant, Robot, and Space War.
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440. DEFLOWER
A Lode Runner hack—you need to pick the flowers and avoid the blue landshark guys. This was clearly not named by a native English speaker. Somebody apparently ripped it from a multicart and put a patch on romhacking.net.
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441. QUARTH
A fascinating mix of shooter and puzzle/casual game—you shoot at the approaching shapes, not to destroy them, but to fill them in. Once they’re proper rectangles, they’ll disappear. I have vague memories of the Game Boy version existing (likely from Nintendo Power) but hadn’t played it before this.
I am constantly surprised at how many times Quarth has been ported; I only ever saw it on the Gameboy.
Also; “Galagant” is another excellent Nice Code title
Also; “Galagant” is another excellent Nice Code title
Endless love for the Tag Team Pro Wrestling Famicom box art:
This game has a poor reputation but I've had some good fun with it. It's got a very strange system where when you grapple an opponent, you have to quickly select the appropriate special move from a single-word menu that appears over your wrestler's head. The strongest move is near the end of the list, but if you cycle too fast, it loops back to the beginning. Some of your signature moves are more powerful against certain opponents. Of course there's only like four guys in the whole game, but it's still fun for a few minutes.
It also has a tag team known as the "Strong Bads," for which we owe Data East infinite thanks.
This game has a poor reputation but I've had some good fun with it. It's got a very strange system where when you grapple an opponent, you have to quickly select the appropriate special move from a single-word menu that appears over your wrestler's head. The strongest move is near the end of the list, but if you cycle too fast, it loops back to the beginning. Some of your signature moves are more powerful against certain opponents. Of course there's only like four guys in the whole game, but it's still fun for a few minutes.
It also has a tag team known as the "Strong Bads," for which we owe Data East infinite thanks.
Kzinssie
(she/her)
the Pizza Boy's visage upsets and delights me in equal measure.png)
those are the trans flag colors
ArugulaZ
Fearful asymmetry
Yeah, it really gets around. Case in point!
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Guess we're not gonna see any RPGs or adventure games on this thing. Can't say I'm too surprised (Language barriers are more of a hurdle with 'em and aside from the ones with awful passwords most would require having save data back-up on the device) but it's still a pity such a huge and interesting chunk of the NES/Famicom library has more or less no representation on this collection of pirated ROMs.
Oh, there are critical swathes of the Famicom/NES library that could be on a device with no save but still isn't on this device--no Castlevania, no Metroid or Kid Icarus, only one Mega Man, no Ducktales, etc. The lack of Zelda/Final Fantasy/Dragon Quest games feels reasonable under the circumstances; but those don't. When I hit #500, I'm going to take a peek at a few other multicarts and devices just to see if any of them are better about that.
I bought a copy of Tag Team Wrestling only because it helped to spawn this guy.
I think he’s the only reason anyone payed attention to that game.
Imagine my surprise to see Strong Bads original colour scheme of blue and yellow on that Famicom box Drac posted!
Is that Hitler or J Jonah Jameson refereeing the match? Either way you know he is going to be biased towards the heels. Who even let him be ref in the first place!?Endless love for the Tag Team Pro Wrestling Famicom box art:
This isn't a Kunio-kun game is it? The sprites are obviously smaller than the usual designs but the title screen has that look...
I'm pretty much certain it's not--we saw those (as Hot Blood Soccer) a long time ago.
Chrontendo covered Power Soccer in their latest episode (released 3 days ago!) and all I remember was that it was not a Kunio-kun game.
Endless love for the Tag Team Pro Wrestling Famicom box art:
This game has a poor reputation but I've had some good fun with it. It's got a very strange system where when you grapple an opponent, you have to quickly select the appropriate special move from a single-word menu that appears over your wrestler's head. The strongest move is near the end of the list, but if you cycle too fast, it loops back to the beginning. Some of your signature moves are more powerful against certain opponents. Of course there's only like four guys in the whole game, but it's still fun for a few minutes.
It also has a tag team known as the "Strong Bads," for which we owe Data East infinite thanks.
Data East was responsible for the NES game (and publishing/distributing the arcade game), but it was originally a Technos joint! The first in their long and prestigious line of pro wrestling games (from here they would go to Mat Mania, then Mania Challenge, then WWF Superstars, then one of the all-timers, WWF Wrestlefest).
Bunch of interesting Nice Code titles today.
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442. RABBIT VILLAGE
A Nice Code game of frantic rabbit-rescue. You need to move left and right to pulley the basket up and down to rescue the rabbits, but the plane is dropping bombs on you and sending down chomper monsters at the other rabbits. Also called Rabbit's Crisis, and apparently Bugs Bunny appeared in one version.
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443. RIVER JUMP
You need to jump Elmo to whichever shape matches the one he’s standing on, and then across the river for points. You lose lives by jumping on the wrong shape. (And yes, the Bootleg wiki agrees that’s Elmo.) This is also by Nice Code.
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444. ROAD WORKER
Yet another new Nice Code title! You need to replace broken road pieces with ones from the bank at the bottom, so that the car can pass through the entire area before time runs out. This was also released as Road Man and the delightful title Repair Urgently.
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445. ROUTE16 TURBO
A giant maze to explore (what you start on is only one of 16 screens you can move between), and you need to avoid crashing into other cars (and mysterious giant feet) as you zoom around collecting flags and jewelry. The arcade version of Route-16 was released in the states; this port was apparently Japan-only.
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446. DEPTH BOMB
A fancy clone of Battleship by Nice Code. The bomb-dropping animation is annoyingly slow. Also called Bomb King and Ghost Ship.
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447. DEVILDOM DOOM
A simple arcade-style arcade arena fighter. This is a Nice Code port of the Intellivision title Night Stalker. Nice Code also released this as Battlefield, Hobbs Voyage, Warrior, and Warrior Lemon.
442. RABBIT VILLAGE
A Nice Code game of frantic rabbit-rescue. You need to move left and right to pulley the basket up and down to rescue the rabbits, but the plane is dropping bombs on you and sending down chomper monsters at the other rabbits. Also called Rabbit's Crisis, and apparently Bugs Bunny appeared in one version.
443. RIVER JUMP
You need to jump Elmo to whichever shape matches the one he’s standing on, and then across the river for points. You lose lives by jumping on the wrong shape. (And yes, the Bootleg wiki agrees that’s Elmo.) This is also by Nice Code.
444. ROAD WORKER
Yet another new Nice Code title! You need to replace broken road pieces with ones from the bank at the bottom, so that the car can pass through the entire area before time runs out. This was also released as Road Man and the delightful title Repair Urgently.
445. ROUTE16 TURBO
A giant maze to explore (what you start on is only one of 16 screens you can move between), and you need to avoid crashing into other cars (and mysterious giant feet) as you zoom around collecting flags and jewelry. The arcade version of Route-16 was released in the states; this port was apparently Japan-only.
446. DEPTH BOMB
A fancy clone of Battleship by Nice Code. The bomb-dropping animation is annoyingly slow. Also called Bomb King and Ghost Ship.
447. DEVILDOM DOOM
A simple arcade-style arcade arena fighter. This is a Nice Code port of the Intellivision title Night Stalker. Nice Code also released this as Battlefield, Hobbs Voyage, Warrior, and Warrior Lemon.
I never knew this! Neat!
"Devildom Doom" is my new favorite Nice Code title, until your next post, when I'm sure I will find a new favorite.
Phantoon
I cuss you bad
I have no idea how Nice Code are so good at this
Violentvixen
(She/Her)
I would have gone with that but "Repair Urgently" is too great.
It was mine too, until I read the next sentence and saw "Warrior Lemon"
Usually NiceCode does good sprite art as well, but those are some lazy-ass elongated ships there.
446. DEPTH BOMB
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448. SEAPORT GUARL
You’re the tank at the bottom. The battleship sails back and forth, shooting at you. You need to shoot off the turrets to clear each stage. Those green barriers? The enemy bullets can cross them, but you and your shots can’t. Nice Code; also released as Fateful Battle and Revenge of the Flyer.
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449. DONKEY KONG3
Donkey Kong 3, the one with the bugs and flowers. We saw a hack of this as Battle Beasts (#160).
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450. DONKEY KONG2
Donkey Kong Jr, which we saw hacked into Optimus Minor (#361).
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451. SCORING
A hack of Arkanoid made by Inventor. (for the most part, it seems like just a title screen hack.) Noted as having appeared on the 101-in-1 Arcade Action II.
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452. SEAMAID
You’re a mermaid and need to collect the coin/pearl/orbs. You need to avoid the bubbles and the fast-moving green fish, as they both bounce you to the top of the screen. (You can’t die.) This has 5 stages, and finishing them all (which takes all of two minutes) returns you to the title screen. This is by Nice Code. According to the wiki, there were later revisions of the game where the screen scrolls downward and the levels are larger. Also called Jewel Dive and Sea Man.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
This is not as sexy as the title implies. Still pretty sexy, though.
451. SCORING
A hack of Arkanoid made by Inventor. (for the most part, it seems like just a title screen hack.) Noted as having appeared on the 101-in-1 Arcade Action II.
This looks like a sprite error for Seaport Guard.... but it's a great name anyway.
448. SEAPORT GUARL
ArugulaZ
Fearful asymmetry
I'm just going to come out and say that the worst part of Famiclones is the unpleasant "sproink" noise that too many of their games make. You've heard it, I'm sure. It makes you cringe slightly and sends a chill up your spine every time it rings out. It's the ring tone everyone's phone has in Hell.
Phantoon
I cuss you bad
Famiclonic progress goes "sproink"?