Mischief Makers - Robot shakes things, everyone is happy

[ztarwuff]

Not much I can say about today's video that raocow didn't say himself. Eh.

[Kincyr]

Not much I can say about today's video that raocow didn't say himself. Eh.

today's vid isn't up yet

…wait a minute. what timezone are you in?

[ztarwuff]

Not much I can say about today's video that raocow didn't say himself. Eh.

today's vid isn't up yet

…wait a minute. what timezone are you in?

I'm on Greenwich Meridian Time. As of typing this post it's 21:52hrs 01/11/2016. (Fun fact: my location tag isn't facetious. A French Emperor is buried approximately 1 mile away from my house).

I can now, however, legitimately comment on "today's video" before I go to bed!

Maybe I'm misremembering things but I'm pretty sure raocow made things difficult for himself by removing both Merco's equipment. If he removed just the shield, things would have been easier... or was it just the lance? I forget which. But yeah, Merco was pretty difficult. I found it really difficult to time the missile myself, so I can fully understand that bit.

[Kincyr]

Maybe I'm misremembering things but I'm pretty sure raocow made things difficult for himself by removing both Merco's equipment. If he removed just the shield, things would have been easier... or was it just the lance? I forget which. But yeah, Merco was pretty difficult. I found it really difficult to time the missile myself, so I can fully understand that bit.

you're remembering right. I always just pulled the shield for the same reasons. though judging by raocow's playthrough, it seems that throwing the lance does more damage. IIRC, I had to hit Merco with the shield at Merco three times, and raocow hit him once with each thing.

I agree on the missile bit, especially since on one of my attempts at the Gold gem, it was the only time I got hit

two things I'm looking forward to seeing in the next video:

1. how long it takes raocow to figure out the next stage's gimmick (for the record, it took me a few minutes and when I figured it out, I thought it was the best thing ever)
2. how long it takes raocow to figure out how to get the next stage's Gold gem

[/spoiler]

[Dark Hunter]

raocow... you really have a talent for doing absolutely everything other than the thing you're actually supposed to do to a boss, don't you?

Though I will admit that pushing Merco into his drill would have been a pretty awesome way to damage him.

As for the rushed end game, it's hard to tell if that's the result of looming deadlines/budget or just Treasure being Treasure (probably both, in this case).

[Le Neveu de Rameau]

My first thought on reading the title of today's video was "Jerk Bird? More like jerd!" but that didn't work at all. Fortunately, shortly there after, I realized that "Merco? More like Jerco!" was possible, and all was right with the world.

Merco is certainly the most powerful of the Beastector; it's a pity he seems to have a bit less weight than the others due to his two battled being shoehorned in in rapid-ish secession before the game's finale. I almost sure he must have originally been intended to have a world of his own, like the other two (he even gets a world-clear sequence, if barer one than the others), with another World 6 for the final act. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem the stages quite stretched out enough to fill World 5 up completely, even with the two extra bosses added in. Oh, what could have been...

[S.N.N.]

Yeah, seeing world 5 again after all these years really drives home how rushed the whole thing feels. Like, there could have been several more stages between Merco and Phoenix Gamma rather than just one (with a puzzle that can actually be completely broken iirc). It's a shame, because the Imperial HQ is super cool as a concept, it's just completely underdeveloped.

I secretly hope someone makes a spiritual successor/sequel to this game one day, even if it's some sort of indie fan project.

[ztarwuff]

I secretly hope someone makes a spiritual successor/sequel to this game one day, even if it's some sort of indie fan project.

There already is one. It's called Wario Land: Shake It. Okay, I'm being facetious there. It's not really meant to be a spiritual successor but it is a 2D platformer with a main character that throws and shakes enemies.

[BobisOnlyBob]

I secretly hope someone makes a spiritual successor/sequel to this game one day, even if it's some sort of indie fan project.

There already is one. It's called Wario Land: Shake It. Okay, I'm being facetious there. It's not really meant to be a spiritual successor but it is a 2D platformer with a main character that throws and shakes enemies.

Weirdly not by Treasure. They did Wario World for the Gamecube.

[Dark Hunter]

The Monolith was one fight I thought was actually kind of creepy. The design of the Monolith in general was a pretty good one, really. Even if it is just a disguise for Leo.

If this was a rush-job, then I'm sad we couldn't see it more developed.

[S.N.N.]

I've always really liked the music during that fight. I know it plays a couple of other times throughout the game, but it's super fitting here.

[ztarwuff]

I've always really liked the music during that fight. I know it plays a couple of other times throughout the game, but it's super fitting here.

I know. I have the soundtrack, although I can't remember how I got my hands on it.

The Monolith was one fight I thought was actually kind of creepy. The design of the Monolith in general was a pretty good one, really. Even if it is just a disguise for Leo.

If this was a rush-job, then I'm sad we couldn't see it more developed.

It was a really atmospheric battle, wasn't it? I loved it when I was younger. Except... I never noticed before how the lower flashing light in the Monolith aligns with Leo's crotch.

[Kincyr]

It was a really atmospheric battle, wasn't it? I loved it when I was younger.

me too. I remember the moment I figured out the gimmick and thought the concept behind the battle was the best thing ever.

I mean just think about it: you're literally grabbing the mere concept of something negative, inverting it into a positive concept, and then using it as a physical weapon.

[Le Neveu de Rameau]

You know, Leo sort of has a point about people who think they are the embodiment of justice itself (especially with these three goofballs perfectly illustrating his point). I had also apparently forgotten what his ultimate goal actually was. I had vaguely remembered him being jealous of Theo or something, but no, nothing of the sort; if anything, it seems he wants to boost his brother's reputation further while going out with a bang. And he probably perished thinking he had accidentally done the opposite. The whole thing just feels sort of sad, to be honest.

The final battle on the other hand...well, let's just say we return to a tone more representative of the overall mood of the game as a whole.

[stormie]

Upon watching this video, I realized for the first time that the lines on the upper half of the monolith actually make the shape of a person. That's really neat.

[Tenlade]

I secretly hope someone makes a spiritual successor/sequel to this game one day, even if it's some sort of indie fan project.

There already is one. It's called Wario Land: Shake It. Okay, I'm being facetious there. It's not really meant to be a spiritual successor but it is a 2D platformer with a main character that throws and shakes enemies.

Either way now that raocow has played this game and wario land 4 im going to have to throw Wario Land Shake it into the next list of patreon suggestions.

[SAJewers]

Here's the Full ending:

[RedMageSusie]

Overall, this LP was great. I love this game so much. I always hoped Marina would return, but sadly, it was never to be.

About the ending, Marina has two different human forms, which depends on what you select as your age at the beginning (for some reason, putting yourself as super old will give you young Marina). If you get an A rank time, during the ending, you'll get the chance to grab Teran before he punches Marina. She gives him the talk and tosses him back to Celes. After, Sarie will give you the final gold gem. And what does that gem unlock? You get a creepy scene with Prof Theo being a perv. Great.

[Grounder]

Adult human Marina that the Talkhaus website won't let me upload for some nonsense reason about a board attachment quota.

[S.N.N.]

Never noticed until Le Neveu De Rameau pointed it out, but Calina really did never come back. I'm wondering if there was supposed to be a final face-off with her between Merco and Phoenix Gamma, or somewhere else in that world.

Sad to see it's over, but it was nice to take a trip down memory lane again. One of my favorite N64 games for sure.

[Ivy]

we'll never learn the backstory for her gigantic lips

[Dark Hunter]

Ah, the Beastector robot... such a gigantic pile of Super Robot cliches.

I'm spotting Gundam, Mazinger, Voltron (well, GoLion), and possibly some GaoGaiGar in there.

I do wish it was a tougher fight though.

[Ivy]

"transform Theo into a real man instead" lmfao

[Le Neveu de Rameau]

I think when I first played this game, the secret ending cut off around Tarus's transformation. Really, though, about the only difference there is that he gets a suit. Honestly, though, I never really wanted everyone to be human anyway; they're more awesome as they are. Marina should have just requested proper feet instead.

...And that your grand reward for getting that last elusive gem by speedrunning levels is apparently just Theo being a perv is so completely awful it actually becomes hilarious on a meta level.

Anyway...

When I was a wee lad, I once saw this image (which I believe is the Japanese box art*†) in a video game magazine, and I knew this was a game I wanted to play. Once I got a hold of it in plastic-and-circuit-board form, it did not disappoint. And everything I thought was awesome then is still awesome now. Still, despite how awesome this game is, I sort of now understand why (if not agree with) reviews were mixed when it was released--it's painfully obvious that this game was hurried out when it was about 75% done. What's great is great, but there's still some glaring holes in the final product. If somehow this game were remade with an extra world, a finished Sasquatch β battle, a second Calina fight, maybe a few more stages where you play as Teran (dude has nearly as many moves as Marina, and yet you use him for one stage and one mini-boss--it's clear more was planned for him), and, say, lengthening a number of the filler stages with a solid backbone of platforming sections, this game could go from good and memorable to excellent and unforgettable. But I suppose the chances of that are slim. Maybe we can get that television show raocow was talking about...?

*The Japanese instruction manual also features a 3-page comic featuring Marzen leading the Imperial army in an attack on Clancer and Sarie (I think) sending out a distress signal, as well as Theo and Marina set off from Earth, presumably to answer the call. You can find the who thing, if unfortunately with all the text absent, here.

† Incidentally, I think I've finally figured out why the international art work always makes Marzen look like a generic Clancer officer--if you look at the Ball-o'-Clancers-n'-Friends, Marzen's actually sharing a mech with one of said officers, and indeed the mech they're sharing looks to be a cross between Marzen's larger, rounder, red-trimmer mech and the smaller, yellow, cup-shaped walkers and hovercrafts user by the officers, so that's probably where the confusion arose. And frankly, it's not even close to the biggest goof make in the non-Japanese artwork, considering this North American Cover depicting an Imperial army platoon composed of Tarus, Marzen, and about thirty or so Celeses. But we're just following in a proud tradition of such classics as Mega Man 2 and Chrono Trigger.

[Sebby19]

Marina's wobbling animation on the game over screen reminds me of the Mortal Kombat character's when they are all dizzy after losing. It's funny.

The final boss was pretty good, but my favorite had to be Cerberus Alpha. There was just so many things going on in that fight...
Too bad rao never caught that flying kick, I would have liked to see what happened there.