Game:

Zoda's Revenge: StarTropics II (1994)

Duration: 2:30:07

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Originally recorded: July 25, 2021
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You know, I almost didn't think I was gonna be able to play this game this year. I kinda figured that when it didn't win the poll at the start of the year, that meant that the support just wasn't there... and if I wanted to play it, I'd have to resort to naming it as one of my two personal picks next year. But the bonus polls this year have been... unpredictable so far, to put it mildly.

The original StarTropics was a game that I'd admired from afar for the most part. Granted, I did have some minor experience with the game in the past: it was one of the games my cousin had on the NES, though that and Tetris 2 are the only games that I specifically remember him having. Zoda's Revenge, on the other hand, has remained something of a mystery to me. Maybe it's because I was given the impression that the game is significantly worse than the original, just based on reactions online.

Frankly, I don't get it. KI informs me that it may be due to a change in the original's tile-based movement, but if anything, I seem to be LESS prone to dying by moving this time around. Also, diagonal movement/aiming? Yes please. Dawn of Ys might've irreparibly broken the concept of bump combat by introducing diagonals to the formula, but that downward spiral was fun. StarTropics II gives me the same vibes, with the added bonus of not actually breaking anything in the process.

I managed to get through the first four chapters this stream. I guess that means the game is technically easier, but it's not like I'm exactly breezing through everything without consequence. I guess it's more like, learning stuff has a better impact on my ability to actually make progress -- whereas, in the first game, there seemed to be more of a reliance on luck to make it through. I originally assumed that this game would take me at least four sessions to complete. But according to KI, the game's got nine chapters... and I managed to make it through four of them on my first try. So maybe it'll be closer to three? That'd be a nice surprise.

Also, KI has made it clear that this game came out after Link's Awakening... as revenge for me comparing the original StarTropics (which came out in 1990) to the original Legend of Zelda. So, if I end up complaining about this game down the line, I've got that to look forward to.