Obscure Arcade Games Ep. 2

Channel:

Esoteric Arcade

Subscribers:

3,310

Published on June 17, 2015 11:52:24 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE3mkZwi1rI

Game:

Blazing Star (1998)

Duration: 22:39

6,668 views

53

We continue to explore some lesser-known arcade games with six more obscure titles.

Black Heart by UPL (1991)
This horizontal shooter is pretty standard fare for its time. The graphics, sound and gameplay make it feel like a Super Nintendo game. Shame, it would have been a nice first-gen game for the system had it been ported. The game is a little on the easy side thanks to the ability to hold down the fire button (a big sin for arcade shooters IMO), but it keeps the action fresh and interesting with some unusual enemies.

Black Panther by Konami (1987)
Black Panther allows you to play as, you guessed it, a black panther. The unfortunate thing about this is as a black panther, you don't have a variety of attacks. The game scrolls along rather quickly which I'm sure was impressive in '87 but combat consists of pressing one button (swipe) and the gameplay becomes repetitive within a few minutes. I like how Konami tried a new concept here, I mean panthers are cool and all but the execution falls as flat as the music and sound in this game. I wouldn't spend more than 50 cents on it.

Black Tiger by Capcom (1987)
This came out the same year as Black Panther, but the talented team at Capcom brought their A-game on this title. Black Tiger looks gorgeous for a game from the 80s. The sound is well-done and isn't grating at all. The controls are tight and that's good because this game is an excellent challenge. Getting to buy items from the people you rescue is a nice addition and the items really come in handy with the action being as tough as it is. I recommend this to fans of Ghouls and Ghosts or really just anyone who is looking for a solid 2D platformer.

Blazing Star by Yumekobo (1998)
This Neo Geo title combines fast-paced horizontal shooting with polished anime-inspired visuals and an enjoyable orchestral soundtrack. The "bonus" and "powerup" announcements get a little old, but you won't really notice them after a while. The background scrolling adds a nice touch and have a look at that red sky during the boss fight. Great stuff. I liked this game and will come back to complete it with a friend.

Block Block by Capcom (1991)
This is a Breakout/Arkanoid-style block breaking game. What makes this title stand out is its vibrant colors and variety of enemies you encounter along the way. The analog control is sensitive, which is great for games like this (you don't want to miss getting the ball because you accidentally moved the paddle too far.) It would have been nice to see some more original power ups as most are exactly the same power ups as Arkanoid. If you're a fan of these kinds of games, this one is well worth playing.

Bonze Adventure by Taito (1988)
An interesting platformer I ran across is Bonze Adventure. The first stage is reminicent of Ghouls and Ghosts (taking place in a graveyard) but the challenge feels even greater than that since this is a one-hit-kill game. That's right, you need to make it through the level without touching anything and there are no health power ups. The graphics and sound are both rather mediocre but the level and enemy design keeps things interesting. I was always wondering what the next enemy would look like. There are an insane number of things to collect and after a while I lost interest in getting them all (all most do is give you points). This game is a good challenge and I'm surprised it never got a console release.

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