Who?! Mike Jones!
Star Tropics is a slept-on, timeless classic that still holds up to today's standards and exceeds every expectation. From the gameplay to the unforgettable music, this game is has it all.
The game immediately throws you into your first dungeon after you find out your uncle is missing. You start armed with a yo-yo. Not a sword and shield, a yo-yo. As you continue on your quest to find your uncle, you use this yo-yo, among other weapons, to slay enemies and conquer bosses. This all takes place in caves, whales, and spaceships.
This variation is what makes the game so great. To add, there are many puzzles in the game that you have to solve in order to continue the story. Arguably, the most famous puzzle is the Metal Gear Solid-esque puzzle where you need to find and use a frequency. This virtual console port used a similar, but different, tactic for you to solve the puzzle than the owners of the original game when it was released. Definitely worth mentioning in any review of this game.
Also, the music in this game cannot be ignored. You will be humming the main dungeon theme while you play and even after you set the controller down. There are a handful of tunes that will get stuck in your head and for all the right reasons. The production is great!
As you are listening to the music, solving puzzles, and defeating foes you have control and move your character around. While the main overview map is strangely basic and seems as if it's from another game entirely, the dungeon action is where it shines. There is no diagonal movement, just the 4 directions on the gamepad and you have the ability to jump. The levels are designed for this so it will take little time to get comfortable.
Lastly, if graphics are a priority for you, this game has some of the best graphics you will see from a NES game. As mentioned above, the map overview is pretty bland but it's acceptable because it basically only serves you to move from place to place.
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Overall, Star Tropics is a must-play. It is well worth spending the money to download, if not, to buy the original cartridge for your NES. It offers great gameplay, top notch graphics and music, and a memorable experience that you will have you coming back to play again and again.