Jeremy Parish

June exclusive #2 - NES Works Gaiden Epoch 09: Lupin III & Nebula (Patreon)

Published:

2023-06-11 09:09:37

Imported:

2024-04

Tags:

epoch exclusive lupin iii nebula nes works gaiden pitfall scramble super cassette vision

Content

Solid bonus episode this month. Since we've already seen a Lupin III game (way back in the early days of Game Boy Works), I don't need to go into detail on the background of this property as it makes its debut on Super Cassette Vision. Instead, I can focus in on the fact that, wow, there are two pretty solid titles for Super Cassette Vision here.

Lupin III is a simple but challenging scrolling runner game that feels charmingly authentic to the source material—a lot more so than that generic Game Boy game we saw ages ago. And Nebula is a satisfying redux of Astro Command for Cassette Vision, a take on the Scramble formula with enough difficulty and originality to make its existence worthwhile. In summary, this is why I embarked on this project in the first place: A chance to discover and play enjoyable, little-known games that totally sailed beneath the American radar.

Files

Loopin' the third: Lupin III & Nebula | NES Works Gaiden: Epoch-09

Well, glory be. This episode at last brings some content of real substance for the Super Cassette Vision, a pair of games on par with the kind of material that you saw on Famicom and SG-1000 at the end of 1984—content that actually made Epoch's console feel competitive with the other major offerings on the market. Lupin III, which plays a bit like Pitfall! interpreted as a single-directional scrolling running, stacks up quite well to other platformer offerings available for Japanese consoles at the time. It's not quite up there with Flicky, which also shipped in December 1984 for SG-1000, but it's a solid and convincing take all the same. And Nebula, a wholly original shooter (if by "wholly original" you mean "highly derivative of Konami's Scramble but with its own twist"), outclasses any other horizontal shooter available on the Japanese market in 1984. That admittedly wasn't stiff competition—basically it was this and Orguss and various mediocre interpretations of Scramble or Super Cobra on underpowered machines like Gakken TV Boy—but Nebula has a lot going for it. I mean, it has something that closely resembles Moai heads, and a variable secondary weapon system. It's pretty OK! Too bad about the system's controller, though. Production notes: Video Works is funded via Patreon (http://www.patreon.com/gamespite) — support the show and get access to every episode up to two weeks in advance of its YouTube debut! Plus, exclusive podcasts, eBooks, and more! Super Cassette Vision footage recorded from original hardware via Epoch OEM RGB SCART cable. NES/Famicom footage captured from Analogue Nt Mini. SG-1000 footage recorded from Analogue Mega Sg. Arcade footage captured from MiSTer when possible, with thanks to MiSTerAddons. Video upscaled to 720 with Micomsoft's xRGB Mini Framemeister. Special thanks to @EviesRevue (backbit.io).