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Gaming / Re: Disappointments of Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and What Not to Repeat
« Last post by Leoughan on June 26, 2025, 01:12:42 am »
You’ve raised some fair points especially on boss variety and world depth. A quick question, do you think these design choices were aimed at a younger audience or just development constraints?
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Map Requests / Re: Mega Man Maps
« Last post by JonLeung on June 24, 2025, 11:49:18 am »

Another Japanese-exclusive Rockman phone game has been preserved; this time it's Rockman: The Puzzle Battle!

It's a "match-3" puzzle game, where weapons have various effects.  Not too complex or surprising.  As a puzzle game, there's not much to "map", but there are backgrounds unique to each Robot Master, resembling their original stages.  That might be worth capturing, and the cartoony sprites.

Why is Ice Man (at 15:33) so cute with a frowny face?
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Map Gab / Re: Sonic Advance - Sonic Colors Maps' sizes
« Last post by Cyartog959 on June 22, 2025, 07:53:19 am »
You want to know about this one, small, minor disappointment about the larger Sonic maps?(no, its not that they're too large or long.)

There's no Super Sonic option enabled to breeze past them quickly.

Having all 7 Chaos Emeralds already won through Special Stages, there's no option to enable Super Sonic, or any playable characters' super forms, to zoom through the largest maps yet quicker than normal.

Through Sonic Advance and up to Sonic Generations' 3DS version(not counting Lost World's 3DS version), only Super Sonic has been reserved to play through the Extra Zones and defeat the true final bosses there, but nowhere else. I mean, for me, its kind of hollow not to get these chances for speedrunners across the world to partake in beating regular stages, nor bosses, as Super Sonic. I mean, its OK to speedrun them as normal, but to do them as Super Sonic, that would've been quite more enjoyable.

Well, using Boost does it, given that Sonic Rush does introduce it, but, its only speedrunning through them quite less the time that way, clever bypassing tricks in their layouts or not.

I mean, if another new 2D Sonic game could be made(not made in the likes of Sonic Superstars, mind you) with us enabling Super Sonic again, and its maps made larger and longer, even surpassing Asteroid Coaster Act 2's size from Sonic Colors DS as the longest yet, I could imagine speeding through all the dangers the larger levels can offer as Super Sonic, and speed right through the whole level in less than minutes time, giving the greater satisfaction of conquering them quicker than normal.

Can any of you imagine that? I can.
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I have made a paint.net plugin that compares all visible layers below the selected layer. The result is drawn to the selected layer (transparent=same, magenta=different).
https://www.mediafire.com/file/1hititv1zm1uhon/DiffLayers.zip/file

Apparently I forgot to say thanks, as the tool did come in handy when making maps for Beyond Shadowgate (PC).

Thanks, mechaskrom!

Or rather, it came in handy to fuel my obsession with getting all the possible states that a room could look like, but maybe I won't actually show them all.

Context: while I rarely make my own maps, I did make maps for this game while putting togther my "Beyond Shadowgate: Unboxing & Review" video on my "JonLeung1" YouTube channel.

I do plan on releasing another version of the maps that would be marked, but I likely won't be indicating EVERYTHING on them, just some stuff of interest like missable rooms (of which there are only a few), where the branch for the best/worst endings is, that sort of thing.  It's more a question of wording and formatting.

I might also do an "Screens" collage with all variations of all rooms, similar to what zagato blackfist did for the NES versions of Shadowgate, Deja Vu, and Uninvited.

But perhaps it's ludicrous to show EVERY possible state that EVERY room could be in.  Maybe two will be sufficient.

Still, all my quitting-and-reloading and picking up items in a different order just to get every one of these combos was time-consuming.  I didn't use mechaskrom's plugin as much as I should have, as it worked well enough the few times that I did, to spot differences between pixels, if I needed to recreate a scene in paint.net by changing some items around, instead of trying to get it in the game just right.

Thanks again!   :D
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Map Requests / Re: JonLeung's Requests
« Last post by JonLeung on June 19, 2025, 04:25:38 pm »
JonLeung (that's me!) has started maps for Beyond Shadowgate (PC), a point-and-click adventure game that is a sequel to the NES version of Shadowgate including keeping its gameplay and 8-bit visuals.  (Note that this is not the same as the Turbo Grafx CD of the same name from 1993.)

I made them while I was also working on this unboxing and review video:


The maps that are up now are the unmarked ones.  It started out with all rooms being in their "initial" state, but some rooms are not QUITE how they look when you first enter.  For example, there are a few "rooms" in Torlin Forest that are shown with the creatures you encounter there, though that's not the true "initial" state as some only show up when you move or try to do anything, but I opted to show the creature as that's the main point of the room.

I might also replace the dark rooms that need a lantern, as it might be more useful if they were shown when they are lit up. 

I do plan on releasing another version of the maps that would be marked, but I likely won't be indicating EVERYTHING on them, just some stuff of interest like missable rooms (of which there are only a few), where the branch for the best/worst endings is, that sort of thing.  It's more a question of wording and formatting.

I have screenshots of (hopefully) every variation of every room.  Some rooms have multiple things that can be in multiple states (like numerous items to take or not, or doors that can be open or closed) which led to some rooms getting like 60 or 72 variations just because of my insistence of capturing every combination.  Since you usually can't put items back down, that meant a lot of quitting and reloading and getting them in a different order to get all these permutations of possibilities.

As I do want to make a "Screens" collage featuring every variation of every room, like zagato blackfist did with Shadowgate, Deja Vu, and Uninvited on the NES, I should probably decide if all that was really necessary or just to show two variations (like every item not taken vs. everything taken, as opposed to ALL combos of some items being taken and others not).

One room in Themiere Mansion has a clock puzzle, with the hands having to be in a different position per playthrough, determined randomly.  I decided it wasn't worth the trouble to get every combination (in a room that already has many) multiplied by every possible combination of the position of the hands on the clock.  I could just show the clock combos separately...  but really, I might have overdone it.

I'll figure it out, eventually.

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VGMaps Social Board / Re: YouTube channel! (JonLeung1)
« Last post by JonLeung on June 18, 2025, 09:19:15 pm »

Here's my unboxing and review of Beyond Shadowgate for the PC!

(Note that this is not the same as the 1993 Turbo Grafx CD game of the same name.)

It's a sequel to the NES version, and looks and plays just like it!

And yes, you heard right, I do have maps of this game in progress.  Maybe I should put up the unmarked maps for now, at least...

EDIT: The unmarked maps are now up here.
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Gaming / Re: Spark the Electirc Jester... Played it?
« Last post by Cyartog959 on June 18, 2025, 08:09:37 pm »
All three games have been sitting in my Steam wishlist for over a year thanks to a video praising the series by Nitro Rad.
I just... don't have enough free time to watch/read/play everything in my *huge* backlog. So it'll probably be a few years before I buy them, and a few more before I actually *play* them.

*sigh* Someday...

Well, when you can get to it after you purchase the first game, I'm sure you'll have a blast and like the maps' layouts. Just hope you'll endure the more longer stages.
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It's been a long while since Super Mario's had a new 2D platformer entry in the series, and I feel I should let out a few disappointing things about the latest game, "Super Mario Bros. Wonder". Didn't play the game, but, kinda wanted to unload what I think from my mind, anyway.

(Spoiler warning for those who haven't played the game yet)

As the game shows, it takes place in another new kingdom, the Flower Kingdom, neighbored to the Mushroom Kingdom, and Mario and his brother, Luigi, and his pals are there for a visit to display its potential and majesty of its amazing locale, and the Wonder Flower's brilliant potential, but, just as we expected, the evil King Bowser...

and, I do say AND mean KING Bowser. K-I-N-G, king. (quoted a little nod, here. A different nod, to say.)

...showed up to cause trouble for Mario, as usual, and seeks to confiscate the Wonder Flower for his plans, but, unexpectedly, the flower melded him, his Koopa Clown Car and the Flower Castle, and gave rise to Castle Bowser, and warped him with Wonder Power to cause crazy mayhem all across the kingdom, and with his son, Bowser Jr. and Kamek in tow, along with his new additions to his ever-expanding army of monster minions, Bowser commences his newest conquest scheme of the Flower Kingdom, but Mario and his pals are up to the task of stopping him and separating the power from him and saving the kingdom by collecting Wonder Seeds and Royal Seeds to continue their newest, heroic quest.

Yes, Princess Peach is joining in on that adventure instead of being kidnapped again. At least.

Now, to the disappointments...

Out of the disappointments the game gives, I do have a strong one, but I'll go with those others have experienced.

I'll even leave you a video link about some disappointments in "Super Mario Bros. Wonder" made by PK Sandstorm here, just so you can watch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zE4C1HfPu2s

Disappointment #1 - Lack of New Power-Ups

One thing we should usually expect out of a new Super Mario Bros. game is new power-ups to help traverse through all-new worlds and courses, but Wonder only gives out 2 new power-ups alongside the classic, usual power-ups. The two new ones are Elephant Fruit, that changes whoever plays the character into their Elephant form, and the Bubble Flower, another Fire Flower recoloration to suit the bubble aesthetic.

I'd kinda expected more, such as having the ability to zap through courses more quickly and perhaps bypass tough obstacles, or cause stronger ground-pounds to send enemies flying away via seismic shockwaves, or even cause whirlstorms to clear blockages to paths or uplift bigger enemies, but only 2? I find it quite disappointing. And I'm not counting the Wonder Flower being one. It only changes specific courses to a more surrealistic state, and I don't mind it. Would've been more purposeful for it.

Disappointment #2 - World Amount and Course Length

As people usually expected, 8 Worlds would come up to a Super Mario Bros. game, and they'd be completely all-new locations coupled with amazing new aesthetics and locales to better distinguish other games' past locations. New Super Mario Bros. U did it, so I'm not complaining about that, there. Wonder does gave out lovely new worlds that stood out across many, and I love seeing crazy new worlds sometimes.

However, the amount's dropped down to 7, and there's no Bowser-themed locale that could've depicted his far more twisted nature caused by his misuse of the Wonder Flower's power, not even giving out some cool colored, Wonder Flower induced lava to stand it out across prior places that hold the usual red-hot lava. And, there's not much of a super-massively-huge-fortified new fortress to station Bowser there for his plans. Disappointing to say. We could've had maybe about 9 Worlds or 10. And the game's price point? Please! Could've been more worth if it had been a few worlds longer than that, and more.

And, the courses' length are still no closer to being longer than many past games' courses. They all still last no more than a few minutes or less, even to skilled players that STILL expected more longer, and sometimes, challenging courses.

I mean, come on! Sure, for game devs, its nice to, for many reasons, compress games' sizes down by different means, and still have crisp, clear audio, stylishly cool graphics, regardless of choice being 2D or 3D, and loads of voice acting, but the courses could still stand to be more longer and complex than many.

I mean, hello, Nintendo? When it comes to stage/course length and design, get with it from other gaming companies and pour more thought and heart into them! Even indies! Its not the days of short courses from NES days anymore. We're already used to longer levels in games, and will still be as they keep on getting longer by gradual adaptation. Sure, short levels are not so bad now and then, but still, not too crazy short and such like that. Very disappointing to say, too.

Disappointment #3 - COMPLETE LACK of Boss Variety

We have seen past Mario games that have original bosses since Super Mario Bros. 3 at the end of each world(not counting Super Mario Bros. 2/Yume Kojo Doki Doki Panic being that game/those games), and Yoshi's Island about mini-bosses in each world, where their variety stood out, but Wonder... I'm extremely disappointed to see that there's not be a single new original boss ever in the entire game! NOT A ONE. Not even a enemy turned boss variant, even by the Wonder Flower! All the bosses the game's got are repeats of Bowser Jr. messing around with Wonder Power over and over again, and not even giving the idea of kicking his imagination on overdrive for it! It could've been far different for the game to have towers with a few new mini-bosses or each unique, but there's none to be fought at all.

Bosses from key past Mario games did have more than 3 hits to defeat, so it never hurts for them to put a bit more thought into that, and adding a different attack pattern or two as they kept taking damage. Leaving bosses with the same amount of hits over and over again really feels too repetitive. And trying to cram so much danger in so very little hits won't make any difference until they get increased to make it a bit worthwhile, but not too crazy on the danger in it.

And, the final boss is, of course, Bowser, and he could've done a far better job at causing the final battle to be more tougher than such past battles. He'd at least took on a different form as a phase to his final battle, or two.

And Kamek's not even stepping up to do his job of hindering our heroes with his magic that pumps up enemies to be bosses, or create new original monsters to be all-new bosses, even mini-bosses, too. The Koopalings, they could've been additional bosses, maybe, but they'd have been for Bowser's additional defense lines to his fortress, too.

I mean, it can be very easy to create batches of new enemies in any new game, but creating rosters of all-new, original bosses, even if its major and mini-bosses, should not be hard to do for any game dev, programmer, and artist. Wonder gives us almost 70+ new enemies, aside throwing in many past enemies, like the Goombas and Koopas, but Nintendo's dev teams didn't even think of sparing some effort to create a single new boss in there, not even stationed in each world's end. EXTREMELY disappointing. No brevity on that for Wonder, too.

We're still used to seeing all-new enemies and all-new bosses in games because they help stand them out and keep them from being repeatedly boring. Past enemies, not bad now and then, but not every single time.

If we even had SOME new, unique bosses in Wonder, it'd been at least worth it to fight them. At least. Nintendo could've stepped up the imagination and brevity about that, there.

Disappointment #4 - Lack of Unique New Rewards

What people expected of any new Nintendo game, even a platformer, are new, unique rewards for beating the game at about completing specific tasks and/or getting up to 100%. We could've gotten something far more cooler than what we had in past games that were completed at 100% block blast and/or above.

At what could've been more enjoying about completing them out of said rewards are a hidden world and new, far more tougher courses than prior courses with a true final boss to fight at the end to see the game's true ending to conclude its story. So far, no Mario game gave out a true final boss, which could've been a new villain serving as the true mastermind to whatever Bowser was planning in that kingdom and overthrowing his role as the main villain and putting Mario and his pals' skills to the greater test to overcome the greater evil and saving the kingdom for real. Disappointing that we didn't get to see that in Wonder.

I know there's a couple more minor annoyances in the game people discussed, but I don't feel like talking about them here.

Despite the game doing well for many, at least, so far, I can obviously see and state out reasons of what Wonder lacks here and there, and what other game companies and devs can do to avoid repeating key disappointing steps and decisions that keeps people away from playing them.

Any in the community feeling the same, here, feel free to express your key disappointments about what really lacks from Wonder.

Up to me, one of the biggest missed opportunities in Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the lack of meaningful character differentiation. Every character plays identically, despite the rich potential for unique abilities like Peach's float or Luigi's higher jump. This design choice reduces replay value and undermines the diversity of the playable roster.
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Map Gab / Re: Eternal Daughter
« Last post by Cyartog959 on June 16, 2025, 03:10:31 am »
Well, that's one more Metroidvania map jotted down for the atlas, especially a free one. Nice work, KoBeWi!
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Map Requests / Re: List of unmapped NES games
« Last post by dark_lord_zagato on June 14, 2025, 11:18:03 pm »
Bomberman II was mapped by Alisa and removed from the list!

I'm currently working on the rest of the Tengen games.

https://bootleggames.fandom.com/wiki/Tengen
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