Ristar

[Melf]

Ah Ristar. Just thinking about this game makes me grin. This was the kind of game I showed off to my friends. This was the type of game that made me love my Genesis more than any other system before or since. This was a game that was completely ignored by SOA's marketing division.

[MrMatthews]

The only reason I haven't tracked this game down on eBay is because I actually HAVE it: it's locked away on the Sonic Mega Collection I have for the GameCube.

Does anyone know how to unlock it, though?

[NeoVamp]

I purchased Ristar a year or 2 ago and it just amazed me, its absolutly gorgeous.
and the jumping and grabbing stuff with your hands was really fun.

a must have game for any Sega collector.

[acdc]

great game better than other platform games on the system
it s shame that there wasn t a seqeul for this

[jesus.arnold]

Really, really overrated game, nice graphics shame about the limited gameplay, it's like a really terrible version of Bionic Commando mixed with Sonic but the developers entirely missed the point of both games.

[Alianger]

I understand the comparison but I don't think it plays much like bionic commando or sonic, it's a slower paced platformer with some interesting gameplay ideas that don't severely limit how you play the game, and on top of that an amazing presentation and good replay value. My only gripe with Ristar is that it comes off as a bit gimmicky because of the many new but not always perfectly implemented gameplay elements. For example that part in the third level (fire world) where you're supposed to use a statue to spring traps, except it's useless because you can just jump past those traps.

[TmEE]

This game is total jawusumness

I hunger for a complete PAL copy...

[jesus.arnold]

I understand the comparison but I don't think it plays much like bionic commando or sonic, it's a slower paced platformer with some interesting gameplay ideas that don't severely limit how you play the game, and on top of that an amazing presentation and good replay value. My only gripe with Ristar is that it comes off as a bit gimmicky because of the many new but not always perfectly implemented gameplay elements. For example that part in the third level (fire world) where you're supposed to use a statue to spring traps, except it's useless because you can just jump past those traps.

the levels are too big for a gimped character who walks pretty slow and jumps like he has no kneecaps, the grabbing and swinging was a great idea but ended up a very wasted opportunity in my opinion, it could've been amazing but unlike Bionic Commando where you have complete freedom to swing as you like, in Ristar it's pretty much only useful a pre-determined areas.

I still like the game as a package to an extent (graphics and style, some cool boss fights) but really don't think it deserves anything higher than 8/10

I'd recommend it more for kids under 10 tbh.

[TheEdge]

lol, ^ Thats harsh! But good points

I loved this game. After playing it I wondered why the hell didn't Sega jump at the chance to make a sequel? and why haven't they made a 3D remake of it? They should have gave Sonic a rest and made a new Ristar instead. It would of been like Rayman 2.

[Alianger]

the levels are too big for a gimped character who walks pretty slow and jumps like he has no kneecaps, the grabbing and swinging was a great idea but ended up a very wasted opportunity in my opinion, it could've been amazing but unlike Bionic Commando where you have complete freedom to swing as you like, in Ristar it's pretty much only useful a pre-determined areas.

I still like the game as a package to an extent (graphics and style, some cool boss fights) but really don't think it deserves anything higher than 8/10

I'd recommend it more for kids under 10 tbh.

Well in BC you couldn't jump at all, and it had mostly linear levels? I can't say I agree at all, you're actually rewarded for swinging around in Ristar by finding bonus items or one of the bonus levels. And it's in those levels that your swinging skills are really put to the test.

If you're saying it lacks challenge... I don't think a 10 year old could beat super hard, or even hard mode. That's one of the reasons I come back to it, I can't breeze through it like the sonic games, and it's not nearly as frustrating as either of the Bionic Commandos.

[jesus.arnold]

Well in BC you couldn't jump at all,

Bionic Commando (NES) takes away your jumping ability and replaces it with a very fast and fluid swinging and climbing ability, whereas Ristar halves your jumping ability and gives you a slower climb and a gimped swing that only works when the game designers allow it to (you can't just swing along at any section).

and it had mostly linear levels? I can't say I agree at all

No Ristar doesn't have Linear levels, and I never said it did, I said the swinging is only useful in predetermined areas, in Bionic Commando you can always swing at speed, you can try out different methods of swinging to get through levels faster, in Ristar you hobble along through the levels until you get to a specific section designed for you to swing through at speed and then after that sections over you hobble along again until the next bit.

If you're saying it lacks challenge... I don't think a 10 year old could beat super hard, or even hard mode. That's one of the reasons I come back to it, I can't breeze through it like the sonic games, and it's not nearly as frustrating as either of the Bionic Commandos.

I'm saying it lacks challenge, it has a theme squarely aimed at young children and it has an extremely slow stop-start pace.

But anyway, I'm going over the top again, it's a very good game I just don't think it should be placed on a pedestal as one of the best MD platformers (like it usually is)

[TheEdge]

(removed Ristar from the pedestal)

(replaces it with Deadly Moves)


(Thumbs up)

[Alianger]

[QUOTE=jesus.arnold;133107]Bionic Commando (NES) takes away your jumping ability and replaces it with a very fast and fluid swinging and climbing ability, whereas Ristar halves your jumping ability and gives you a slower climb and a gimped swing that only works when the game designers allow it to (you can't just swing along at any section).

No Ristar doesn't have Linear levels, and I never said it did, I said the swinging is only useful in predetermined areas, in Bionic Commando you can always swing at speed, you can try out different methods of swinging to get through levels faster, in Ristar you hobble along through the levels until you get to a specific section designed for you to swing through at speed and then after that sections over you hobble along again until the next bit.

I'm saying it lacks challenge, it has a theme squarely aimed at young children and it has an extremely slow stop-start pace.
QUOTE]

It's not Contra, but if you can beat it without taking one hit (which is what you have on super hard, and one life), then hats off to you.

You somehow misunderstood, I said BC had linear levels (at least that's how I remember it). Of course there are slightly different ways to beat levels and the hub map lets you skip parts but still, a very linear game. And what game doesn't have predetermined usage of gameplay mechanics? That's what level design is.

Yes, ristar is a slow paced game. It would've been cool to have the "shooting star" move available sort of like in pulseman, but it's no big deal imo.

[gillygil420]

This game is so freaking awesome!
Case closed!

[Benjamin]

[QUOTE=Alianger;133153]

It would've been cool to have the "shooting star" move available sort of like in pulseman, but it's no big deal imo.

There is a shooting star move gained from swinging around the "hooks/poles" found on each level. I know it's not the same as Pulseman could blast off pretty much anytime outside of water with a charge, but I think such a move is easily abusable and a big part of what makes Pulseman so easy. Having it with limited availability makes Ristar more challenging and forces the player to enjoy the levels instead of bypassing them completely.