Thought I'd try something new: Write medium length essays (which I love) about things other people might like, but have them be about something I like. Make sense? Sorry about the name, though. Got it caught in my head while I was on the can and couldn't shake it (sorry about the pun, also).
Whenever a top ten (or twenty) list of all time favorite games is started on the Internet, or during podcasts when gamers talk about gaming innovation, design, or just a fond childhood remembrance, Clash at Demonhead (CaD) is usually mentioned. Now I'm not calling it revisionist history or anything, but things weren't always like that.
In the halcyon years of my youth (and yours, no doubt), the NES was the talk of the playgrounds. Until junior high, video games would be the object of most serious talks, with the NES being at the forefront of many of these discussions. Strategies for Mario and Zelda were oft debated seriously, with secret tricks and special moves being coveted and closely guarded by their creators. However, in 1989, there was no talk of CaD. At this time, the gameplay (what Wikipedia calls an open platformer) was unique. Castlevania 3, which would become the closest comparison for gameplay was over a year away from release. The only proof that this game was real consisted of a small (in it even existed) two-sided flap at Toys R Us, and a small preview in Nintendo Power, but when you are sharing shelf (and page) space with games like TMNT and Ninja Gaiden, this effort was not enough to garner much attention.
As some of you know (the database says , the CaD is a wonderful game, and one of the many elements that made the game so enjoyable was its size. There were many other games that featured hubs (hubs being screens connected together to form a continuous world, with the ability to traverse backwards or forwards at will), but none that also featured exploratory gameplay elements last featured in Metroid. Nearly any body of water, lava, or a seemingly bottomless pit contained more screens. Simply buy a jetpack, scuba gear, or a lava suit from the merchant and you can traverse anywhere. And that brings about the items. While there certainly isn't a multitude, there were enough to keep a gamer satisfied throughout the length of the game. Mix in the afore mentioned suits and jetpack with three different weapons, a shield, power boots (for jumping), a few potions, and three special powers (earned after reaching certain parts of the game) and you have a real winner. If that wasn't enough, there are tons of enemies, with a larger than average amount of bosses to fight. The visual style of the game is definitely anime, with many of the enemies giving off a serious Mega Man feel. The main character, Bang, looks like he was lifted directly from an anime cartoon, and will even shout over his shoulder (at the player, maybe?) if you don't move him constantly. Really, there is just so much fun here, you even mine for gold at one point. Well, you shoot the wall, but you still get gold!
But as in any game there are a few cons. The first and foremost is that it is not always apparent that you are doing damage to a boss. Most have hitting animations, but they also sometimes look the same as a weapon having no effect at all. Also Bang's main weapon fires a small bullet, and since many of the enemies in CaD are moving through the air, timing can sometimes be difficult to hit them. While the game can be completed very quickly, the real fun lies in exploring every nook and cranny, and that is where the last complaint comes from. In order to get a password (unfortunately, CaD had no battery), you had to buy a Microrecorder, which is only available to buy in the Shop (though you start off with one). At the Shop you also have the opportunity to purchase portable Calls, which will summon the Shop should you need it. So what is the problem, you ask? There are only a few physical Shop locations in the game, and it is entirely possible for you to be out of microrecorders and in desperate need to leave the game. While this was a serious problem when we were young (and would have to leave the NES on; a dangerous prospect), it is alleviated some with the popularity of emulation (especially NDS and PSP emulation). But if you have some moral issues with emulators then...
In conclusion this is just a great game that every serious platformer fan or retrogamer should play. If you don't have it then eBay is a viable option (I notice that 4 of you have the game on their wishlist), but maybe you'll find it on a Hunt this year, and then you'll be in for a treat. With a game as good (and criminally overlooked) as CaD, there is a good chance that you may discover it for the first time, and that is something I think we can all be a little envious of.
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