The Nintendo Download: Phantasy Monkey Battle League

The original Phantasy Star is cute and all, but I wish SEGA would have translated those 2 remakes from the SEGA AGES collection and just released them on Wiiware.

bjorked

@nworobes: the art style games are great for what they are, but why give us like 10 of those and only 1 mario vs. donkey kong(for example)?

@phantomK: got flipnote, and yes, it is quite full of awesome. my problem is there is such a ridiculous kewlware/shovelware ratio, it's killing me.

@someone_else: This also took me a long time to figure out. I love the game, but the problem with it was that it was not nearly as suited to the SMS hardware as PS was...it had a dated look even in its time. That's not to say it wasn't good, but it wasn't as cutting edge...on the SMS at least.

@Piata:

Phantasy Star III isn't better than anything. In fact it's easily one of the worst games in the series and one of the worst RPGs of that era. I say fact, but a lot of people agree with that sentiment and in retrospect everyone realised they had made a mistake calling that game Phantasy Star.

AlucardsQuest

Phantasy Star is one of the best and most influential RPGs of all time, and it is clearly the best 8-bit RPG ever. From its graphics (much better than 8-bit rivals) to its scope (3 different planets), to its story line (engaging and actually makes sense) to its gameplay (fast battle sequences, good battle system).

The only thing about the game that can be controversial is its 3-D dungeons and tough learning curve (you need to grind for about 30 minutes before you can explore). I always like the dungeons, and have wonderful memories of pulling out the graph paper and learning how to beat the dungeon. You get the sense of actually exploration, you get atmosphere, and you get the sense of accomplishment unavailable in other RPGs of the time.

PSIV may be better now, but judged against it's own time, PS is the best of the lot because none of its contemporaries even came close.

@(Plant) soulsiphon:
Flipnote !!! Flipnote Studios is amazing and free

@Chestnut Bowl: Too right! This is my favourite old-school RPG of that era. It is actually responsible for getting me interested in becoming a game developer and a copy of it now sits on my desk at the office.

I still want to see Cruis'n World...

twinturbo2

@mintycrys is HOT for Bayonetta: Bingo!

Phantasy Star 4 is one of the best RPGs ever made.

Did they fix the glitch the maze glitch on Phantasy Star? The one where you get stuck and have to reset the game?

Mr. Lonely Chaser

@LAGamer: I LOVED my RPG Sega Master System games.

Phantasy Star - Miracle Warriors - and Y's

I can't remember which one, but one of those the battery went bad in it and I remember I kept my system on for about 2 weeks as I played for many hours at a time... but could not turn it off or I would lose my progress.

[en.wikipedia.org]

Miracle Warriors - Now when is someone going to do something with that game?

[en.wikipedia.org]

Hum.... not sure if I want to sit on my TV these days and play Y's - too bad they can't get that out on the Nintendo DS

I see you forgot to mention that Phantasy Star is the greatest 8-bit RPG.

@Orionsaint: I waited to buy it back in 89, because it cost a crazy 69.99 at the time. So i waited till it dropped to 49.99 in 1990.

And just think: it's $30 now for a Genesis compilation with all four Phantasy Star games and another 30 or 40-odd titles.

spiderweb1986

/ducks down and to the left

I can ALMOST see up that skirt!

@Piata: Heck yeah! Warcraft 1-3 are way better than WoW.

@Piata: I've only played the first one, but I highly doubt that considering PSO is several dozen times better than any other MMO. It's by far the best in every category aside from logical drop rates, and the amount of content. Unfortunately the last thing is kind of really important...

Danved

@(Plant) soulsiphon: While it's unfortunate that DSiWare hasn't had anything as solid as Lost Winds or the Bit.Trip games, I won't stand for you putting down the Art Style games. I won't. You can't ask anything more from a small puzzle game.

nworobes

@Piata:

Agree!

@IamTheS: I also have the Power Base Converter; since it doesn't properly fit on a Genny 2 (which was the only one I had at the time and I had found the PBC used for 4.99 at (then) Electronics Boutique), I opened the PBC up to see where all the components were, then proceeded to hacksaw the back of it so it WOULD fit properly.

Worked like a charm (and still works whenever I get the hankering for some Master System action).

The first Phantasy Star? Freakin' finally. Now where's Contra?

gold163 BLOOD HEAT

@LAGamer: me too.. how long did it take you to find the last dungeon... stupid riddle.. if only i had paid attention to jasons strides being twice that of a ordinary man

@suburbancowboy: I still have both my original Master System and Genesis, although I wish I had a Power Base Converter though. Might have to look on ebay for one. I also have a CDX which played Genesis and Sega CD games, but the 32x and PowerBase Converters will not fit on it though.

@JethroTheGreatx: So now would be a bad time to tell you that I preferred Warcraft 1 - 3 more than World of Warcraft? :P

Piata

@Losstarot: I can totally see why II & III bored you, I disagree, but do understand,

But why did PSI bore you, you have to but it into context, it was released in 1989...

Ok so it could be a bit "grindy" but there was so much variety, and those dungeons were amazing

@someone_else: I have to agree, Miracle Warriors was a very good RPG. It was actually the first RPG I beat on the SMS.

Man, Phantasy Star was so awesome. I remember getting Zelda II for Christmas and my best friend got Phantasy Star. After seeing PS in action, I was pretty jealous. Definitely an 8bit classic.

Soygen

@mintycrys is HOT for Bayonetta: I'd have to agree. Personally, 1-3 bored me to tears. 4 was great.

@Piata: It's kind of like comparing apples to oranges. It'd be like comparing World of Warcraft to Warcraft 3.

That being said, i had far more fun with PSO v1 then i did with the older Phantasy Star titles. ( but that's just my opinion , and as i said this whole comparison is failed.)

JethroTheGreatx

@MyBigToe: I still have my Master System, and a Genesis with Power Base Converter, and a Pioneer LaserActive which plays genesis games, but the Base Converter won't fit in it. The power base converter was this huge dome that sat on top of the Genesis. It had a slot for cartridges, and for cards. The only SegaCard game I ever bought was Spy Vs. Spy, and that game sucked.

@Orionsaint: Did you ever try Miracle Warriors, also for the SMS, it was inferior in every way to Phantasy Star, but very very good for its time, and I still enjoy it now, although that may well be rose tinted glasses

In my opinion, the Wii version is a pass considering you can get Phantasy Star I-IV in the Sonic's Genesis Ultimate Collection. Personally I would have rather seen 'Miracle Warriors: Seal of the Dark Lord' released on the VC instead.

@someone_else: You're right about the names, and I agree with what you had to say about IV. Still my personal favorite is oddly PSII since it was the first I played in the series.

But when PSO came out at the time, it brought a sci-fi action-RPG (I don't believe it's an MMO, by any standards) that just sucked you in. As far as I know, there wasn't anything like that at the time. It was something new at the time, plus the fact it was Phantasy Star just sold me more on the product. Oi, nostalgia.

As far as a new, single player, classic Phantasy Star, I wouldn't hold my breath since most franchise titles with few exceptions from Sega seem to be hit or miss.

Ah, Phantasy Star. The first RPG I ever beat. I waited to buy it back in 89, because it cost a crazy 69.99 at the time. So i waited till it dropped to 49.99 in 1990. Wonderful game at the time. Playing it today takes me back.

@Piata: Phantasy Star IV is better than any Phantasy Star ever made.

Fixed.

mintycrys is HOT for Bayonetta

@Thejamielynch: Hmm it is damn sweet, I kinda know what you mean about the characters swapping in and out, but it makes sense,

No idea how far you are so dont want to spoil it, but the swaps are pretty well explained, with the possible exception of Ghryz, and the first time Rune leaves, other than that it makes sense.

What I don't like is that by the end of the Game Hahn is the hardest of the bunch

@Devil Azite asks: LEADY TO LUL?: Meh.. Phantasy star online share nothing in comman with phantasy star with the exception of the name.

I guess its a matter of taste if you prefer the old games or the online ones.

Personally I am waiting for PSV as a traditional JRPG, completely offline solo experience that is menu driven

I can but hope, but fear I may be waiting a very very long time

@Piata: Those are two different stories, they just took the system to make the base of the game, even phantasy star III seems out of the series.

Love for the SMS!

MyBigToe

@someone_else: i just started playin the 4th one on my genesis ultimate collection it is pretty effin sweet just dont like how the characters change out and in so much

@ToKeN2k6: It was an official addon, id have bought one, had i not owned a master system too

MyBigToe

Ok I have only completed phantasy star about twenty times, so may not be an "expert" but am I missing something, glowing daggers? Crossbow? I think not... the closest is the light saber, hardly a dagger (second best sword in the game) and the needle gun? hardly a crossbow, but I suppose it is close enough.

I wonder if the people who write this stuff have actually played the game,

@IamTheS: a Genesis w/ Power Base Converter? This allows it to play master system games? Is this an official add-on? I remember the good ol' 32x as being the only thing you could get for the Genesis...

@Piata: ...Come on man. Don't get me wrong, PS I-IV are awesome. But PSOV1? When it first came out? It was like crack, man.

@Noyse: Amen to that.. I honestly think PSIV is the best JRPG ever,

The battle system was perfect, it had macros, you could combine attacks for some awesome combos

PSIV also had so many nods to the previos games,

It has great replayability and amazing side missions,

Plus the best part was the amazing manga style "cut scenes" the were better than anything else in the 16bit era and only bettered by FFVIII in the 32 bit (as much as I love VII and IX they did not really cut it in terms of cutscenes or FMV)

@Slanzinger: I know, I know.........*sobs*.....

@(Plant) soulsiphon: But it's Nintendo's download service, outside of Japan! What did you expect? Decent shovelware?

@Piata: Daaaaaaaaaaamn right!

I just got my Genesis (with Power Base Converter) hooked up again, so I'm going to pass on downloading Phantasy Star. Good to see that they actually drop something worthwhile every once in a while on Virtual Console, though. It's far and few in between, unfortunately.

dude, DSiWare is seriously letting me down. I don't want 200 revisions of brain age and a million art style puzzlers, followed by more puzzlers. more racing, platformers, how about that shmup that japan is getting? a little more of that, please?

Phantasy Star I - IV are better than any 3D Phantasy Star ever made.

Piata

\looks at GoW collection post

Thats great nintendo. The Wii still 250 huh.

@Piata: Lol not what i meant. I mean ones an mmo and ones a strategy game. They are completely different game genres!

JethroTheGreatx