Amazing RPG Action on the NES: Crystalis - A Review | hungrygoriya
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- Опубліковано 20 вер 2024
- *Warning* - screen flashing around the 10:00 mark of the video.
Crystalis is one of the very best action RPGs for the NES, and is the epitome of what the genre has to offer from that era. Play it! You won't be disappointed!🍖
The introductory animation and outro text were created and designed by Saad Azim.
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#retrogaming #crystalis #nes - Ігри
Ok, so, really weird thing about the different swords and varying enemy vulnerabilities: there is absolutely no in game reason to try this, but if you take the last elemental sword back to the very first area and try to use it on the slimes, it not only doesn't hurt them, it makes them bigger. It only makes them a little stronger, but IIRC it does make them drop more money.
That's actually kind of a cool Easter Egg! I did not know that. I'll have to try it if I ever replay the game.
Whaaaaaaaat I had no idea! That's pretty funny!
Ive been playing this game since it came out. Completed it at least 100 times and I NEVER knew that!
😂 I totally discovered that as a youngling. They get angry eyebrows too.
That's so neat! I'm not there yet, but I must try that!
Crystalis and The Guardian Legend are my two favorite NES games of all time. They've been so inspirational in my own work as a game developer... So many great childhood memories of those two games.
They're fantastic games! Anything you've made that's drawn from those is probably pretty amazing. I wish I'd had a chance to play both of them when I was younger, but better late than never!
I had the Guardian Legend as a kid but my mom threw it out because she thought the cover art looked "evil"
Unfortunately I only got to play it for a couple days before that happened so I never finished playing it.
To this day I still haven't gotten around to revisiting it. I need to correct that.
I agree that both of those games where way ahead of their time.
My two favorite games on the NES too!
That's interesting... yes they are 2 if my top 3. Destiny of an emperor is the third.
As for guardian legend, great game as well, sad no one has made a simular game 30 years later.
I remember I replayed Crystalis on October 1st 1997. I was aware at the time of the date so weeks in advance I was expecting to replay the game once again at that specific date, it was a once in a lifetime thing I guess.
Oh nice! I wonder how many other folks did that along with you that day.
@@hungrygoriya yeah, I was 17 at the time and I remember the NES was in the back burner because I was just playing PC games.
So YOU were the hero that saved us all that day !!!??? Damn bro thank you!!! I remember I was a stupid teenager in a village called "leaf" ....then this weird guy in a purple helmet was at the shop doing a scam on the shop owner...
And for some reason some relaxing background music filled the air everytime that guy came back....
😊😅
Damn, and the world had JUST gone through nuclear war a month earlier when Skynet kicked off judgement day on August 29, 1997.
I played Crystalis on October 1st 1997 and I watched T2 on August 29th 1997 for the same reason. Too bad I didn't actually beat Crystalis until 1999.
Possibly the most underrated (action) RPGs on the NES and ever!
Yes! I think it's a lovely game and I hope more people play it if they haven't already.
LOVED Crystalis, but Faxanadu will always be my #1 ARPG on the NES.
@@hungrygoriya Fun Fact: The Title for the Japanese Version of Crystalis is called "God Slayer - Sonata of The Far - Away Sky" and also Simea (Or SNK as a default mc name depending on the region) is one that still didn't give a chance to be a candidate as a guest character for any fighting game to this day which is ashamed since Ikari Warriors is now currently a part of King Of Fighters Series now being the Ikari Warriors Team and Metal Slug had been a part of King Of Fighters Roster before as well for a short and brief period of time before relegated to the background and hell even Psycho Soldier's two main characters Athena Asamiya & Sie Kensou are also currently playable fighting characters for Team Athena in KOF Series as well (Fun Fact : Both characters from Team Athena are actually original characters from a 1987 platform game called Psycho Soldier which is a Distant Sequel to an another platform game which is also released a year prior called Athena in which Princess Athena is actually a grand descendant of Athena Asamiya, and highly recommend for both games although that they might not be as excellent platforms but they are still fun to play imo)
Everyone makes videos about how good it is. It's not underrated.
@@vankook I think a lot of the praise is warranted.
This game was way beyond it time , one of the best gem of the NES .
Agreed! It did so many cool things that I haven't really seen elsewhere on the system.
In the time before the internet, I stumbled upon Crystalis through buying it for $5 at a small video store going out of business sale, I didn't know much about the game besides the cover art, but it looked interesting to nine-year-old me, so I picked it up. What a discovery I made that day! This game has been in my head since 1991! I can still hear the music as clear as day in my head when I think about it. I love, love, love Crystalis.
What a lucky purchase! I'm glad it's been such an important game to you for your whole life. That's how Faxanadu is for me, though I can't quite recall how it came into my possession as a kid.
I played this game briefly via Nintendo Switch Online, and I was surprised at how smooth the controls were for an NES game. It felt like something I’d expect to see in a SNES game. I didn’t get very far, but I want to pick it up again.
I hope you do! It's definitely worth playing through in my opinion!
Got to keep in mind that this was very late into the life of the NES (July 1990 for the US)
Many of those titles late into the life cycle of a system tend to blur the line between one console generation and the next, either in terms of gameplay, overall polish, or both.
The entire game felt like a SNES game. This and Baseball Stars put SNK on the same level as Capcom and Konami for NES third party developers.
I'll admit, I never had the chance to play this one on the real hardware, but it's definitely one of the most underrated gems on the NES by far.
It definitely did some interesting stuff around the edges of the screen in the overscan areas on original hardware! I loved this one a lot. I hope you get to try it someday.
@@hungrygoriya It's certainly one of the most technically impressive looking titles by far.
@@RedAsTheFire
Give it another go, by whatever means! GOG has an SNK collection that includes Crystalis and it plays perfectly!
@@lexluthermiester I'll definitely have to give that a good look. thanks.
I have when I was a kid I had the game when it came out. It was one of my fav games growing up
I never, NEVER would have been able to beat this game if it wasn't for Nintendo Power magazine, who did a special in-depth feature on this game, including providing an in-depth map of the game's world.
Once I got the teleport spell, I didn't really feel lost. I was really grateful that I didn't have to go through the mazey caves every time I wanted to go from region to region. That would've been miserable.
Awesome story. Nintendo Power was _so_ essential back in those prehistoric pre-internet days. I was born in '86 so I was around _just_ in time to experience the joy of bringing gaming magazines to school and borrowing/trading games with other kids at school. At recess or lunch we'd all crowd together to look at the magazines, and I remember as a kid whenever I had to go to the supermarket with my parents, I planted my ass down right on the floor in front of the magazine section and caught the latest tips, tricks, and *rumors* !! Remember how rumors used to be *soooooooo* rampant back in those days??? Dude, you can _actually_ be *KANO* *AND* *SONYA* in Mortal Kombat II! My cousin Scotty saw his best friend Rodney do it, and he *_swears_* on his Nintendo *AND* his Gameboy collection it's true!!!! I miss those simpler times sometimes. I feel like it often made little things more special. Finding out a tip, or trick, or cheat, or password for a game was a lot more special when you didn't have www.gamefaqs.com to just instantly look up all of them for everything.
edit: Sorry that was so long (TL;DR) , lol. Sometimes I get carried away, hahaha.
I had to use that paid phone service you call to get help from a live person. I think I got the number out of nintendo power lol.
@@TSyoyo Haha my mom would never let me call it, although I begged.
I was lucky to beat this game without any help or tips at the age of 11 or 12 maybe younger, I can't really remember the age when I beaten this beautiful game.
I really liked Crystalis, and it is one of a handful of games I played through again more than once as an adult. It's definitely one of my favorite classic action/RPG style game.
It's been a while since I played this myself and I'd love to play it again as well. I can see why you like it so much! It's great!
Currently wasted 70 bucks on a AAA game that i havent been able to access for ten hours.
Reeeeeeallly missing the days of my console systems lol.
Crystallis was a wonderful adventure and glad you're covering it. Great content per usual
Oh no! Are you stuck in download hell or something related to updates? I don't play much modern stuff at all, but I can sympathize.
What game?
Ahhhh, my love! Crystalis holds a tremendous place in my heart for all the great memories it brought me. My mom and I still play this game every few years.
An excellent review as always, and I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed it!!
Side note: I'm extremely biased because I had my mom and grandfather's hand drawn maps and strategy guides. It was always a great resource for when I got stuck
Awww that's great to hear! I'm glad you and your mom have that gaming connection. This is a great game to bond over.
@@Zopharr What fun!
That is cool!
Watching you play, it suddenly occurred to me how much "Ys" must have been an influence. The speed, the bosses, the menu system, the jaunty power-walking hero... it almost looks like a Falcom game. Even then, it's impressive how good this is, since SNK had almost exclusively made arcade-style games previously. They apparently learned a lot of good lessons from their inspirations!
Its similarly to Falcom games might be why I liked it so much! I loved the Ys games I've played so far.
kind ironic cuz there was an Ys NES version but.. japan only afaik.
Glad to see this covered. I loved this game and struggled to get my hands on it when I was young. Very underrated and under appreciated.
I'm glad to get some thoughts out on this game. This review's been brewing with me for a while!
I bought it back in 2008 when I was seriously starting a retro collection and played it on my NES blind, it was really great, never went back to it though but finished it and loved it, the game feels awesome to control and the musics and graphics are top tier for the system.
I'm happy you got to play it without spoilers. I needed to ask some clarifying questions around the Queen in Portoa because I got stuck there forever, but other than that, I got through it okay. I love the music and the character control. It's pretty much perfect.
Thanks to this video I tried and completed Crystalis for the first time. This channel really helped me pull the trigger on some action adventure games I've been shy about forever
This is really nice to hear! I really believe that if I can beat these games, anyone can! Good for you for giving them a try and having success with them!
Great review, I think you did a good job showcasing both the good and bad :) Loved this game as a kid, it took my family years to finally beat it cause we didn't know about the item needed to beat Draygon's second form! Very frustrating at times, but we still had a blast running around anyway. Also if anyone else is interested, there is a Crystalis Randomizer thats very mature and still getting updated! We'd love to have anyone stop by and experience a fresh take on this classic :D
just had to google this. I am intrigued! I love LTTP randomizers and know I would love this one as well.
I'm glad you enjoyed this one. Are there lots of things to change in the randomizer? Mostly just items or locations as well? I played a Faxanadu randomizer around Christmastime and it was very fun!
Main standard randomization is items, but also trade-ins (who wants what), enemies, elements, and we're also playing with optionally randomizing maps, towns, and connections between areas. Plus a handful of quality of life updates.
@@kupopo1 Huh! That's really interesting, especially the trade-ins part.
Appreciate you reviewing this, and youtube for recommending it to me. Got this game in elementary school when it was new after another kid on the schoolbus let me borrow his one weekend... Holy crap, Crystalis took my appreciation for games from a casual hobby with Mario, Contra, Double Dragon, and Metroid, to a level of immersion and appreciation for interactive storytelling that my little brain didn't consider possible back then. Finally got my hands on a CIB copy recently and proudly mounted it in a shadow box on the wall, but my OG copy still graces the original hardware from time to time, some 30+ years later. Nice to hear you got some enjoyment out of it!!
I really enjoyed this one. And it's awesome that Crystalis played such an important role in your gaming journey. I wish I'd had an opportunity to play this as a kid because I think I would've really loved it back then too. Congratulations on getting a CIB copy! One of my favourite games is Faxanadu, and I lent my CIB copy to someone about 15 years ago and never got it back. I finally picked up another one last year and it felt so good to have that again. I know that feeling!
Definitely one of the better action RPGs on the NES, my only problem is the sword juggling. I'd say there are a few more, lesser known ones, like The Magic of Scheherezade or Grand Master, but this one is definitely much more well-known. Nice of you to cover it!
I do plan to make a review on The Magic of Scheherazade as well. I just played that one a month or two ago and enjoyed it quite a bit.
I have played through this game 15 times since I was a kid. Incredible music and story
I've only played it through the one time, but it was a really positive and fun experience. A game I've played through around that many times for me would be Faxanadu or The Legend of Zelda.
Damn, crazy timing. Im playing this now, just started yesterday. I thought my phone was spying on me when I saw this at the too of my feed but no its brand new video. Im really digging it so far and im like level 5.
Haha oh no... sorry for the scare, but thank you for checking out the video. I'm glad you're enjoying Crystalis!
Turns out it was HG that was spying on you all along 😂
I lived and breathed this game as a kid and still find myself humming the music from time to time.
The tunes are ridiculously catchy!
As a child it took me forever to get past Mt. Sabre because I didn't realize I had to unequip my magic to jump with the rabbit boots. I managed it though, and glad I did because this is one of my all-time favorites.
Right on! I am an MP stickler so I was constantly toggling my magic spell off so I wouldn't accidentally waste any! I must've not even thought twice about using the boots because of it.
I rented it from a store at Christmas time and was up all night playing it. My parents were pissed because they wanted to get the gifts under the tree and go to bed, and kept trying to get me to turn it off and go to sleep. When I got up SUPER early and opened the gifts, I quickly dismissed them and went to see where riding the dolphin was going to get me. 😂
Yay, another Hungry Goriya video! I remember as a kid having SO much fun playing this game with the son of one of my mom's co-workers. He was a bit older than me but we got along so well. Mom and the other lady ended up having some kind of major falling out and I never got to see him again after that one time. I just didn't understand and was so sad and upset about it.
Awww :( I'm sorry that this story has such a sad ending.
haha it's alright. It's a childhood memory I can't help but associate with Crystalis. When I recently replayed the game, I wondered how that boy is doing today and if he remembers me too.
This is one of my favorite games ever. Thank you for sharing this with us.
My pleasure! There were a lot of people who loved this game and voted for it in the poll, so I'm glad to finally get this review out to you all.
@Hungry Goriya to be fair I voted startropics just because I've seen so few talking about such a good game that is pretty unique
Always love listening to old retro reviews like these before bed. You earned my sub. Can't wait to watch the rest
Oh nice! Well thank you for taking a chance on the channel. I'm glad you liked the video. And thanks in advance for checking out some of the other videos!
Oh, you got to Crystalis. Awesome! This was the game that fully cemented for me that I actually much prefer the action-adventure style of gaming to the JRPGs like Final Fantasy or Dragon Warrior. And you nailed why about halfway through: movement. Being able to move freely, run once you get the upgrade, and attack in all directions, will always be superior for me to turn-based random encounters. Games like this, the early Zelda games, Soul Blazer, and even the halfway-between that was Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest (literally a "Baby's First Final Fantasy Game" game, but I've always had a soft spot for it) will always capture my interest before the JRPG-styled games.
I find turn-based RPGs engaging if the battles have something unique to them, but most of them feel too similar to really stand out. Good story also helps, and some of them really knock it out of the park in the narrative department. I'll always gravitate towards action RPGs though. They're just more engaging all around!
I remembered passing up renting crystalis a bunch because of the box art, but one day i gave it a shot and it was amazing!
No one really knew about it back then.
It's awesome that you eventually got to play this despite the box artwork's oddness. I hope it was worth the wait for you. I played this for the first time only a year or two ago and I was really impressed with it. It's definitely stood the test of time.
Nice review! Fair criticisms, I think. I really enjoyed this one as a kid. It’s part of the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection that came out a couple years ago, too!
They were only small problems, but the game shone brightly regardless. I'm glad that folks have so many ways to access this game these days. I think it's part of the NES Online service on the Switch as well.
@@hungrygoriya Indeed, it's part of the NES library on Switch Online.
I would give my soul for a new game in this series or a remake. It's been one of my favorite games ever since I was a kid back in 1990. My step grandma got the game for me from some random game store in the middle of nowhere. Took it home and played it and it was life changing at the time. Game was so revolutionary. Amazing gameplay. Amazing music. Tons of power ups and secrets to find. I beat it back in 1990 or 1991 or so and still play it to this day on original hardware. It's a timeless game that will never get old
I'm hoping they'll eventually read the room and realize how many people love this game. I will keep my fingers crossed too!
Spent so much time on this game. It was one of many that got me into RPGs. Unfortunately, I never beat it until much later because it seemed I was cursed to have my save file delete itself whenever I'd get close to the end.
Noooo :( I'm so sorry to hear this. My copy of Zelda 1 never saved when I was younger so I feel your pain. I'm glad you eventually got to conquer it though!
Thank you for all the great content! I've been busy the past few weeks but thankfully so have you! Please keep it up!
It's my pleasure to make these videos. Thank you for watching and for stopping by! I should have a new one out soon if all goes well.
I grew up with the NES yet never played this until just a few years ago. I kind of regret denying my childhood self that experience. I even got every achievement.
Oh did you do the Retroachievements? I love that stuff! I didn't get to play it until recently either, if it's any consolation.
This was my favorite game for a long time and my favorite NES game. It brings me the most nostalgia from the time of my life I was the happiest (1989-1991), maybe that's why I still like it so much. Luckily I had Nintendo Power otherwise I would have never solved some of the puzzles.
I'm one of the nerds that recommended this game to you on the comments of your other videos and I'm happy you liked it. You're welcome. heh
That warm and fuzzy feeling that you get going back to old games is pretty special. I have that with a few NES titles as well as some Genesis ones from my childhood.
And thanks for recommending it to me! It was a great little game and I'm glad I finally got this review out.
Iver never clicked on a notification so fast in my life. I've been thinking about getting this game but haven't quite decided yet. Let's see if this seals the deal
Let me know what you think of it if you play it! It's well worth picking up if you want my opinion.
Oh you should. I've got it on the SNK Collection. You'll probably have a good time.
My favorite NES game as a kid! Thanks for the look back.
My pleasure! And I can totally understand why it'd be a favourite of yours.
This game was such a great experience. The music in the last area is absolutely incredible. Spot on review! Thanks for the content!
Agreed! I loved so much of the music in this one, and the last area's was definitely a favourite. I couldn't help but put it up early in the video!
And you're very welcome! Thanks for taking some time to watch.
@@hungrygoriya one of my favorite things about the music is how well it matches the tone of the story arc as you progress through it, from the innocently cheerful music in the beginning to the gloominess late in the game when Draygonia is winning the war to the resolved hopefulness of the final area.
I’ve been waiting a long time to see your review of this one!!
I’ve been enjoying the heck out of this game since I first rented it back in ‘92! I could never find the gas mask to progress very far, but I loved the music, the action, the exploration, it was all there.
It can sure be frustrating to blunder around aimlessly (it’s what’s has kept me from completing the game to this day because I don’t want to look up the answers online for this one) but now and then I go back to it, start fresh, and enjoy every minute of it.
Thanks for the patience on the long wait! And a big high five to you to keeping your experience pure. I can totally relate to that. You only get to play a game for the first time once! I hope you get a little further the next time you play. Good luck!
YAY! I'm so glad you reviewed this! Crystalis is one of those games I always looked at from a distance with awe, it just seemed so advanced, especially game design-wise, for an NES game! I have played it a little, and it's now on the Switch Online app and the SNK Anniversary Collection, both of which I have, and when my gaming pallette is clean, it's gonna be one of the first 8-bit games I dive into
Yessss! I'm glad you'll get around to it soon. It's definitely very polished and refined, and I hope you like it too!
@@hungrygoriya I'm looking forward to it, for sure!
I'm proud to say my earliest memory is when I got an NES along with Crystalis on Christmas morning... I guess it was 1990 based on Crystalis' release date. I was able to play one game before breakfast and this is the one I chose. I had no clue what I was doing and think I didn't even get the sword of wind before it was time to eat but was loving every minute of it.
That's an amazing memory to have as your first that you can recall! Thank you for sharing!
I’m glad to see that you finally found time to play this classic. I agree that Crystalis is very well rounded and provided many hours of entertainment. You forgot to mention that if you get stuck, you could always use telepathy and reach out to the wisemen. One last thing to mention, once you receive certain items, I like how the game made you backtrack and new side areas would open up revealing additional content.
I feel like most times I spoke to the wise men, they told me to get lost haha... I didn't end up relying on that too much.
I didn't mind the backtracking in this one since it was meaningful, as you mentioned.
A hidden gem of the time. One of the best games ever made for the NES. I miss the days of awesome manuals. With games that are constantly patched and updated online, I know a manual would quickly become irrelevant. But having a manual to read greatly facilitated understanding a game's bones.
It's a great game. I hope more people play it!
This is one of my favorite NES games and rpg/adventure games. I also love that the swamp and it's boss are inspired by Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (a manga and anime movie from Hayao Miyazaki) , yhe swamps air is poisonous just as certain areas in the world of
Nausicaä and the boss is an Ohmu, a giant insect-like creature.
I hadn't heard of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind until today, but I'm definitely curious to check it out in both forms. If it's anything like Crystalis, it's bound to be good!
@@hungrygoriya it's nota like that, but they movie is quite enjoyable
This game really was a hidden gem and the music was excellent. Thanks for shining a light on this entry.
It's a fantastic game!
There was a part of me that worried me a little, wondering if there was going to be some part of this game that you really bounced off of or really dragged the experience down for you, so I'm very glad that overall you had a fantastic experience. Your criticisms are completely on point, it's certainly not a _perfect_ game by any means, but I also agree that's it's among the best the NES has to offer. I've heard the GBA release had some improvements, but I've never gotten to try that version myself.
Sorry to have worried you, haha... this game was awesome and while it was a little rough in a couple of places, those issues didn't really dampen my overall enjoyment of the game. I'd like to try out the Game Boy game sometime, or at least see what it's like compared to the NES version. I definitely appreciate a handheld experience!
@@hungrygoriya It did seem like something you would really enjoy, but even after watching a good amount of your content sometimes you have tastes or insight that I don't expect, and those are really interesting to see too. So, even if you didn't end up connecting with it, that would've been perfectly fine. Keep making these wonderful videos and keep having fun!
HELL YEA! I love Crystalis! I played this WAY back in the 90s. I miss those days.
I miss those days as well. I wish I'd gotten to play this when I was younger, but better late than never!
I traded my copy of Kirby's Adventure for this game and The Krion Conquest when I was a kid. To this this day I still have them both and never regretted it. Classics among the underrated!
I think Kirby's Adventure's really overrated. Good choice!
@@hungrygoriya it's a great tech demo lol
@@wardrich I don't mind the gameplay but I find the control really clumsy.
I still remember visiting some RPG fansite as a kid in October of 97 and seeing them celebrate the day the world canonically ends in Crystalis on the front page.
I miss fansites. They're almost all dead now. R.I.P. ffshines
I miss that stuff as well.
This was my absolute favoritest(!) game as a kid, and it kind of changed my whole perspective, because it had characters who have little arcs, at least compared to how most games were at the time. I could only ever beat it with my Game Genie, so I guess it was like Legend of Zelda for you. I didn't make myself invulnerable, but just used the infinite MP code. It was still pretty hard for my tiny self!
I can imagine it was a tough time even with the Game Genie! Some of these bosses totally flattened me as a proper adult, so nice to know that you got through it with a little help back then. Nothing wrong with that!
I think the first game I played that was like this in any way was Faxanadu. It had some backstory and towns/characters to interact with, and I loved it. I'm sure I would've adored this game as a kid as well, though I'm sure some of the mechanics would've been lost on me.
I was curious about the story of this game despite having played it a thousand times as a kid and stumbled across your game.
Hungry, you have a wonderful video and I'm actually excited to get to know you as a content creator. Thank you for being awesome.
Hey thanks so much for your kindness! The story in the manual and the game's a bit different, so I told a mashup of the two here. It's a fantastic adventure and I hope more people give Crystalis a shot.
The one gripe I have about grinding that I didn't hear you mention is that you really do HAVE to grind to beat some of the bosses. Like the bosses (and I think enemies, if my memory is right) don't just have elemental weaknesses, they also have level caps where if you're too weak, you can't hurt them with anything! It's such a bizarre decision too because with skilled play, you probably could win and it would be rather rewarding too! But instead you're just forced to lose if you reach a boss underleveled...
It's not the worst thing. This game is pretty fast paced otherwise, especially for an NES RPG. I just wish the game had a little more trust in the player and wouldn't stall them out this way.
I can't recall running into this in my playthrough, but it's also possible that I was overlevelled since I was playing for the first time, getting lost, and getting crushed a lot by the enemies. This is a great point though!
@@hungrygoriya yeah, the same is surprisingly linear but does an amazing job to make you feel like you're playing an open-world game. You need to be a minimum level to clear a lot of enemies. IIRC you can't even beat Dragan (I think that's the name of the boss before you enter the final stage?) unless you're level 15 or 16.
@@wardrich Right right. I don't think I ever ran into any of the level gating problems since I kept levelling up with grinding for money/to stay on top of the harder enemies that were crushing me.
This game is pretty special to me. As a kid in the 90s, my best friend owned this game. It was fun for us to solve the puzzles and figure out where to go next. Sadly, he moved away and I never saw this game completed.
Fast forward to my early 30s, I saw this game in a retro-game store complete with the box and instruction booklet for $10. I was broke and going through a tough time, so finding this game complete, and then playing through it, helped me get through that rough spot.
Awww... I'm glad this is a special game for you. It's nice that you got to get some closure on the game's end eventually.
@@hungrygoriya Indeed! This was around 2010, before the retro-gaming price bubble. Thanks for the replay. You’re channel is wonderful!
Absolutely a great game. Though we always pronounced it differently. Haha.
Especially for a game on the NES, it was pretty indepth and immersive.
I usually say "Crystal-iss" but I deferred to the old ad and they said it the way I say it in the video. It's all pedantic anyway!
@@hungrygoriya I didn't realize that was its proper pronunciation? I always pronounced it like chrysalis.
@@bezoticallyyours83 I have no idea if old commercials are the authority or not, haha... I just decided to go with that. I think you and I usually say it the same way.
@@hungrygoriya 😁👍
I think most of us called it "crystal-iss".
Majority rules, the game creators pronounced their own game wrong. Just like the guy that invented the "gif" format 🤣
I spent years trying to locate this game after remembering it as a kid (I’m in my 30s). Thankfully I found not just one but two copies!! Also, I cannot believe people are still posting about this only 7 months ago! The 80s and 90s era of gaming was hands down the best in history. I was a little too young to remember getting our first NES but I do remember playing it and def remember my first PlayStation! I fear I’ll be cursed for the rest of my time longing for the life of my childhood 😂
Nothing wrong with wanting to look back on fond times. I hope you keep remembering some of these gaming experiences and other 80s and 90s things that bring you joy.
I got to the bunny boots, I think, something about a swamp and a mask, and snow that was stopping me.
Not long after I got throughly stuck in place, I bought a copy of Lufia 2, and the rest is history.
I need to come back to this game one more time, and see if I can make it to the end. Decades out say that I at least have the patience, if not the muscle control to do this.
Lufia 2's a great reason to put any other game down. I hope you come back around to this one and finish it someday. It's worth it!
This is my all time favourite!!! Thank you for this walk down memory lane!
My pleasure! Glad to be in the I Love Crystalis Club along with all you fine people!
I remember as a kid renting this game a few times before finally buying it so I could actually finish it. The hidden item hunts definitely have not aged well, but this is absolutely an NES classic and well worth playing. Few games tried to have as much text and story and even emotion that this game packs in.
It's cool that you got to rent this as a kid. We never really rented much until I had a Genesis in hand, but I grew up with the NES and never had the pleasure of playing this game until a few years ago. I still think finding items in this game is way better than others with a search menu option, but it didn't really affect my opinion too negatively.
The flashback to my childhood (simpler times!) puts a smile to my face! Although a bit grindy at times, the amazing music and fast paced combat (compared to Zelda 1) made this game my second favorite NES game. My first love, however, will always be the Guardian Legend -- have you played/reviewed that game yet, it's highly recommended. Thanks for the nostalgia and excellent commentary!
Aw right on! This would've been an awesome game to experience as a kid, and I'm glad you got that opportunity. I have played through The Guardian Legend and actually talked about it in a list video (9 NES Favourites), a video or two before this one. I liked it quite a bit!
Hey! I am glad you enjoyed it. :D
I forget if I have mentioned it but, taking the movie out of the picture, it always felt like it could easily be a spiritual sequel to Willow.
The Gameboy Color version of Crystalis sadly ruined the game. Bad music, screencrunch, completely butchered plotline. A shame since some people only knew that re-release.
I really did! The end game surprised me and I wasn't a huge fan in the shift in gameplay, but I didn't want to spoil that in the actual video. I loved the game right up until that area though!
Sorry to hear that the GBC version's not a great one. I haven't played it but I'd be curious to see what a side by side comparison looks like.
@@hungrygoriya Coming from a long time fan of Crystalis, I am in full agreement. That final dungeon is kinda... feels rushed. Feels, "we're running out of cartridge space what do?" haha
I look at it this way; the entire thing is the final boss. So I consider it a long fight instead of a weird dungeon. At least that always worked for me.
I would genuinely be curious about your opinion of the GBC version. Though it may be much harder to acquire.
@@cookieskoon2028 That's a good perspective. I hadn't considered it that way!
I'll see if I can track down the GBC version one of these days.
I learned to read so I could play this game. It was the first video game I played on the NES I got when I was three. I replay it all the time. The soundtrack slaps!
The soundtrack's awesome! I've spoken to lots of people over the years that have said that RPGs taught them how to read. That's pretty cool!
grinding in this game wasn't too bad if you found the right spots, but I think you have to literally max your level out to finish the game so it's kind of a wash lol. nice review, love this game!
I feel like I was always slightly overlevelled since I was running around playing the game for the first time, and any grinding I did was just to keep up with the pace of the enemies that were destroying me. I didn't know that you had to reach max level to win!
The soldiers near the end were like bags of exp lol
Good review. Crystalis was the game that sparked my interest in the entire rpg genre as a kid. My siblings and I replayed it so many times (and we even named one of our pet rabbits Deo after the one in the game). I still think that it may be one of the best games on the NES and definitely the best rpg.
Awwww! That's a great rabbit name, for sure! I'm glad this game ignited your love of the genre. Faxanadu did it for me, but I wish that I'd had the opportunity to play this as a kid. I think I would've loved it!
I forgot we voted on this a while ago….my childhood favorite ❤
Yeah! I hope you like the video :)
@@hungrygoriya I enjoy all your videos 👍🏻
Crystalis has been a favorite NES game of mine ever since it came out. There's just something about everything that came together: post-apocalyptic science fantasy, zippy action RPG, colorful anime aesthetic, and great music! True: it has its annoying flaws; but it's an underrated classic, overall! I liked how you used the various Swords, psychic powers, and items to progress in different ways. And yeah--that manual is fantastic! Back in the time when those things were both instructional and part of the storytelling!
I really liked the game overall, even with its rougher mechanics. It's incredibly polished and deep for the time, and I enjoyed that feeling of progress as you levelled up and found new stuff to wield. And that manual's gorgeous... I hope I can find a physical copy someday.
This is another one I play every 5 or so years. I haven't gotten around to playing it yet, but there is a re-translation of the Japanese game out there that is supposed to be a much more faithful translation than what we got in the States that also adds back in all the things that were censored, such as the religious overtones of the Japanese game. It's called "God Slayer" if you ever feel the desire to play this one again. Maybe that version is a little less cryptic than Crystalis is, because you aren't the only one... there are times where you can get lost for an hour or two before accidentally figuring out what you missed.
Good to know that there are some re-translations out there to experience. I'm always curious to know what we missed from games that were poorly translated or censored, and Crystalis is definitely worth another playthrough one of these days.
I'm glad it wasn't just me that got lost for a long time. I got especially stumped at the Queen riddle in Portoa, among other things.
Oh wow! I remember playing this as a child. It was a rental for me, back then. No manual! As you can imagine, things are extra baffling when you only have the in game info to go on. Still, I loved it! It just felt vast to me. And the first time I got to use the 3rd level thunder sword... Oh boy, I felt like a GOD!!
I replayed about 7 years ago. I think I enjoyed it even more as an adult. There are some slow parts, but it packs in so many upgrades that it always felt like I was doing something new and interesting.
To me, this game has a unique feel to it - it's hard to articulate. It feels both serious and whimsical at the same time. It feels like you are in huge spaces, but it also feels like the camera is slightly too close to your character, who moves really fast, which makes everything feel claustrophobic. And your character feels over powered, while not having enough of an energy pool to maintain that dominance. By the end of the game you are so completely powerful that nothing else in the world can hope to challenge you, except the final boss - makes the end fight feel truly dangerous. I can't name another game that feels like this one - try it out!
I agree with everything you said here. I hope people take your advice and give this one a try!
This game looks great. I missed out on it back in the day, possibly because I got a Sega Genesis in 1990 and mostly lost interest in playing NES games. But I'd love to try it sometime. It reminds me of the Neutopia series on the TurboGrafx, which I really enjoyed. Thanks for the review!
I can see why you'd compare it to Neutopia. It definitely has some similarities, for sure. I hope you like it if you get around to trying it out sometime.
I really love this one as it was a childhood favorite! I remember even tying a black string around my head to simulate the main character's headband while running around with a plastic toy sword, haha.
Yeah, I got stuck every now and then from not talking to the right person at the right time or missing a key item, but that was all part of the exploration and fun of these kind of games of this era. The Goa Fortress still stands out to me as a very memorable dungeon due to it's length and overall difficulty. Mapping that one out took me a few weeks alone inbetween after school sports and homework. Like you, I also never really used the level 3 sword charge abilities and saved precious MP fpr spells to heal and do other important functions. Our RPG playing style is so similar!
Great review, I'm very happy you enjoyed this as well!
I'm always glad to know other MP hoarders, haha... it was great getting to see you experience this game again after so long when you streamed it a little while back, even if the final area was knocking you around a little.
The only memory I have of dressing up like a character in a show or game was with Sailor Moon. I used to put my headband on my forehead and yell "moon, prism, power!" at people and throw it at them. Recess was always a fun time in my life!
@@hungrygoriya Haha so awesome. My girlfriend is going to love to hear that story!
@@littlemixer7522 Hopefully she wasn't randomly one of my old classmates that I pelted with hair-wear... haha
I think it would be cool to see a remake of this game, or some sort of spiritual successor. I didn't play it as a kid, but it was one of the first emulated games I played. This and Earthbound Zero. It's one of my 12 cartridge games I own. I need to get a working NES again and play through it.
It really needs a sequel. It sucks that we never got more from this IP. It had so much potential
I'd love to see more of Crystalis too, in some shape or form! Good luck on the hunt for a working console.
LOVE this game! The mobility of your character is amazing. Great story. Just amazing
He's so quick!
@@hungrygoriya At the time this game came out, I saw it as the true sequel to Zelda.
Links Awakening was a HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT to me. It had lives like a Mario game. You could only move left right. Like a Mario game. No more moving up down to avoid enemy fire or to hide.
But I didn't play Zelda to play Mario.
Crystalis was EXACTLY what I wanted Links Awakening to be. It had more story. It let move in 8 directions. It was the heir to Zelda.
Sucks it didn't become a franchise. Because every Zelda since the original has been a disappointment. To the point where I don't even buy a Nintendo console anymore.
Other franchises have taken the reigns of being the game where I can go off and explore. And they do it better.
But Crystalis was amazing when it came out.
I don't think I ever even heard of Crystalis before. It looks like there are at least a few different ways to play it, which was not an option in a lot of games from that time. I'll have to check it out some day.
For sure! The only thing I've learned just recently from the comments here is that the GBC port is not the greatest way to play. I think it's on the Switch NES Online though, if you have that option available!
They did a good job at making it appear open-world, but a lot of enemies are immune to damage until you have the right sword or character level. It's actually kinda pretty linear for the most part BUT it does a good job at making you feel like you're in an open world game.
@@hungrygoriya what GBA one? There's no GBA one 👀🤣
I really enjoyed your review. Most people don't think of RPGs when they hear the name SNK a software company better known for their Neo Geo fighting games like KOF and Fatal Fury and run & gun platformers like Metal Slug (which are all superb in their own right) but Crystalis is just another example of how SNK excel in every genre they dip their toes in. Even one of their best fighting game series Samurai Shodown (known as Samurai Spirits in Japan) has a turn based RPG based off it (sadly that only saw a Japanese release) but there are now talks that Samurai Shodown will also be getting an action RPG counterpart as well that will hopefully be released in the US and Europe. Look out for it!
Thanks so much! I found out about this one looking through resources on good 8-bit RPGs, but based on what you've mentioned about SNK's track record with other genres, RPGs don't really come to mind first. I hope you're right in that Samurai Shodown will get an action RPG in the future. I've seen a bit of the fighting game played and it looks cool, but I don't thrive well with those kinds of experiences. Thanks for the heads up.
My favorite game of all time!!!!!!!!
It was a great one! I was glad to finally play it a while back.
Finally! Thank you! This is my favorite game of all time. So glad you covered it.
I'm glad I finally got around to making this review as well. I really liked this game and can see why you and so many others do too!
@@hungrygoriya your criticisms are valid. but that music though. its the sound track of my childhood.
@@wjr4700 The music's amazing. It's been stuck in my head for as long as I've known about this one as well!
Just let me borrow your boat! You aren't even using it!
Right? I couldn't even jump in there :(
Haha right?
@Hungry Goriya
Hey you finally did it! I love how you hit the highlights without spoilers, very good touch! I love Crystalis and it will forever be my all-time favorite NES game, yet now I have been afforded the rare chance of seeing it through the lens of someone else's mind & perspective. Thank You for covering this one with your usual exacting objectivity! Very well done indeed!
I try to keep spoilers to a minimum when I can. I've come to most of these games without knowing much about them story-wise or even how their plots progress, so I hope to keep that feeling for anyone who's playing for the first time too.
And thanks for the kind words! I can see why you and so many others appreciate this game so much.
Thanks!
Oh wow! Thank you so much for the generous support! I really appreciate it!
ive been so excited since you announced this! my favorite nes game, and i think its because i learned all the difficult to find stuff back in my pre-memory days. i dunno how people would find things without knowing ahead of time, some of the guidance is lacking, at best.
lots of good memories of playing up to portoa a lot of times because i just liked playing from the beginning. nowadays i do yearly playthroughs on the End Day in one sitting, just an all time classic for me.
I definitely got stuck a lot. Portoa and the whole Queen riddle boggled my brain for far longer than I care to admit! I'm so glad this game is special for you and that you come back to it yearly. That's like me and Faxanadu... I can't stop playing it, and lots of where to go in that game is also deep in my brain folds.
I am really grateful for everyone that voted. I've been wanting to talk about this game for a long time but tend to focus on stuff that's a little less discussed, so it was nice to have permission in a way to talk about something a bit more mainstream. Hopefully people like the review!
@@hungrygoriya its so odd hearing it referred to as more mainstream! like, seeing so many people who have played it now when way back no one else i knew has heard of it is really cool. the most i ever heard it mentioned was people writing it off as a "zelda clone" or "the one with the commercial" and i was an indignant child ready to defend the honor of my fav.
the queen thing im still confused by the actual gating method that goes on there, and i dont think i can actually watch a speedrun to find out because they just do a skip. just a lotta walking back and forth
@@Schmeev it sucks that it never got a sequel. It really could have taken off
This looks a lot like the NES Willow.
Definitely some similar colours/designs, I agree!
I’m glad you grabbed this one to dissect since it’s sincerely a complete game. One of my first NES memories is seeing the commercial for Crystalis and desperately wanting it! The commercial is a bit cheesy in retrospect, but what wasn’t back then..?
From beginning to end my brother and I had a blast playing. He spent a ton of time discussing it with the classroom NES whiz kid in order to get through the toughest areas.
Overall I think I agree with your evaluation, especially the frustration of switching between the proper elemental swords to get rid of enemies in the same area or screen. It was tiresome, but avoiding enemies never seemed like the best option because one could get stuck taking damage from three or four and die very quickly. It would be a nice touch if there were shoulder buttons for cycling through the swords.
The speedy, 360 degree traveling hero was a refreshing change from most other games in my gaming experience. The downside of his speed was that I found myself plowing into badguys when my clear intention was to swing the sword as I approached them. You really have to pace yourself and figure out a certain rhythm to battle!
The music is top-notch in my opinion, and I can still hum the tunes from most locations. We recorded several of the tracks on a cassette tape and used them as our action figure soundtrack ;)
I actually replayed the game about five years ago and remembered most of the puzzles, but I still had to consult a guide for some scenarios. I don’t remember how old I was when I played Crystalis the first time (probably ten or eleven); the story is pretty compelling as an adult! Seems like as a child I didn’t appreciate the gravity of the tale.
Sometime in the mid-2000’s I found out the Game Boy Color had a port of the game, so it helped me pass a lot of slow nights as I worked nights during that time. I didn’t hear you mention that particular port (so sorry if I missed it!), so I wonder if you’ve played that one. For some reason the music was changed in the GBC port, and I’m not entirely sure why. There might have been more differences although the specifics evade me now :)
I’m long-winded and do apologize. Crystalis is such a great NES game, and I would hate for anyone to miss it!
No need to apologize for a nice comment like this one!
I'm so glad you enjoyed this game through and through. I do agree with you about the combat being a little bit slippery, simply because of how fast you move. I got used to it pretty quickly and tended to keep my distance after a while anyway, but I can see how it would be possible to lose a bunch of health haphazardly because of that "feature".
I didn't mention the port because I haven't played it, nor do I currently own a copy. I've heard mixed things about it here and am really curious about it. It's really cool that you got to play both of them!
Great game but man is it hard af to figure out what to do and where to go
I was very stuck a couple of times during my playthrough, but I liked the rest of the game quite a bit. I remember trying to use telepathy for a hint and one of the elders telling me to get bent, haha
I got this game for my bday when I was like 8 or 9. One of my fave games still almost 30 years later. The grind is a bit rough, though.
Also, without spoiling things too much, "Shyron" hits hard every time.
There are some bumpy grinding spots, but not too bad. At least the combat's fast-paced.
And I hear ya about Shyron. :(
When I first played the game as a kid, I remember almost never using the bracelet attacks because I felt they were a waste of MP that could have been better used on Refresh. This is because I kinda used math to see how many enemies I could kill with a bracelet attack, which is much fewer than enemies I could kill by just using normal attacks and healing the damage they would do to me. In other words, Refresh was more MP efficient.
And then I remembered as a kid I struggled on some of the games later bosses.
But, when I replayed it as an adult, I found that bracelet magic deletes bosses from existence, especially the late game bosses. It was really fun going through the late game boss gauntlet and murdering each one in a few seconds with a well-timed bracelet attack.
I would love to experiment a little more with the bracelet magic. I just wish I had a little more inventory space to bring some heals along with me, just in case. Good to know that the magic's effective!
@@hungrygoriya it's pretty much just good against bosses because it does lots of damage and hits multiple times. Don't get me wrong, it kills normal enemies good, but it's like using a nuke to kill a mosquito. Not worth the resources used. :)
It's still fun though. Little kid me was wowed at the full screen Thunder Bracelet magic!
I had Crystalis when i young! I was around 7 or 8 and thisngame frustrated the hell out of me, i freaking loved it!😂
Funny how that works eh? Zelda 1 frustrated me to no end but I kept crawling on back to it, haha
I love this channel because it tends to cover hidden gems and forgotten greats, so I have to admit that at first I was a little disappointed to see comparatively-"mainstream" Crystalis--but then I realized that you had not played this before and were experiencing it fresh for the first time. Then I was just happy to see your pure enjoyment and appreciation of a true classic, as well as my own enjoyment of fresh and honest observations.
About 95% of the stuff I cover on this channel is from a first playthrough. It's funny you say this though, because that's one of the reasons this review got put off for so long. Other less discussed titles kept jumping out in front of this review so it got put off for a long time. I'm glad you liked it though!
One of my favorite childhood adventures. I remember my mom loved it too.
That's awesome! I can see why anyone would enjoy this one no matter their age.
Hey, is the intro music on your channel from Faxanadu? Its oh so vaguely familiar but I cant put my finger on it.
Still play this today. If ever a game deserved a remaster , it’s right here.
I'd love to see what they'd come up with. So many people would be very happy!
One thing that struck me watching this video was how much I was struck as a child by the super digital computery introduction to the character and its contrast with the surrounding world.
Did anybody else discover you could "downgrade" your sword charge level by equipping a mismatched bracelet?
Wonderful video HG!
It's a very memorable intro! I don't think I ever tried mixing and matching the bracelets but that's good to know!
@@hungrygoriya It's been literal decades, so take that tip with a grain of salt 😁 Thank you again for the cool video!
If I recall correctly, one of the reasons Crystalis has one of the more polished adventures on the NES is that it was released very late in the lifecycle of the console. It's essentially a demonstration of every adventure game trend on the system up until the point of its release, iterated upon to the apex of what the NES could pull off. Excellent review as always Goriya!
They knocked it out of the park! And thank you so much :)
I'm SO happy to see you get around to this game! It was hands down one of my favorite NES games period, even with all it's quirks (those townspeople bumping... ARRRGH). "Polished" fighting is a perfect way to describe it and is why I have such fond memories of the game. I still chuckle when I remember just how easy the last boss was since you had the Crystalis sword. I used an NES Advantage controller and just stood right in the middle firing like a madman while having the heal spell going the entire time. Boss went down in seconds LOL. Ah happy memories 😁. Thanks again for your videos. I love watching them when time permits. When i saw you did Crystalis tho, I had to drop everything and just watch it, I've been wanting to know what you'd think of it for a good while now. Glad you found it overall enjoyable!
I'm glad I finally got this review out too. Thanks for your enthusiasm about the channel! I can't tell you how much I appreciate hearing that!
And the game was just a fantastic time through and through. I had this review started a long time ago and just never got around to finishing it because other less-talked-about games kept jumping out in front. I did love it though, and I always intended to get something together to sing its praises. I'm glad I'm part of the I Like Crystalis Club these days! It's a good place to be!
There's a reason retro RPGs usually included multiple pages for taking notes in their instruction manual.
Absolutely. I have a little notebook I keep nearby for playing anything retro, even if it's just to make a quick map. It really helps to keep things straight.
Keep bringing more and more of your personality into the videos, they're only getting better and better!
Excellent video. I've had this game for like 20 years and still need to play it, haha
No time like the present! Enjoy it if you do finally get around to it!
Watched your twitch a good bit. Glad you enjoy this gem.
Thank you very much for checking out the streams! I appreciate it! And in this game, what's not to like? It was a great one.
Crystalis was hands down my favorite action RPG on the NES. SNK really should have turned it into a franchise, but sadly that never came to pass. I am happy to see it covered here. It brings back many good memories. Odd little memory that may or may not be correct, but I swear I remember the Main Character's sprite changing over the course of the adventure as you acquired better gear. That probably isn't correct but it is how I remember it. Thanks for another great review HG!
I would've definitely mentioned something about sprite changes with character upgrades if it were a thing because I absolutely love that in my games! Glad to know that this is a favourite of yours too. It's definitely a game I hope more people will try!
@@hungrygoriya Oh it gets weirder. In the village of dwarves I always saw them as rabbits wearing sunglasses and black turtle neck sweaters. That is how bad my memories are. Having said that, I still remember the silly smile of the dolphin as he allowed the Main Character to ride him into battle. Time makes fools of us all. Thanks for the heart and reply. Keep going HG, you bring joy to all retro gamers!
I loved this game so much as a child. I still remember the twist at the end of the game.
Yeah! I didn't really appreciate how difficult the change in gameplay was, but in hindsight, it was a really neat way to wrap up the game. It took me a bit to understand what actually happened there.
Loved hearing your perspective on Crystalis and glad to see you enjoyed it overall. I have such fond memories of playing this on a little color TV with the spinny tuner dials on front. One of my first action RPG experiences along with Battle of Olympus and I was hooked on both of them immediately when playing. Holding select then pressing a button to swap weapons would have been a great inclusion for the weapon-swappy parts, but like you said it's overall a pretty minor annoyance for the most part. Cheers.
I seem to remember a time in my life where we had a TV with one of those dials on it, but mostly I remember our old CRT in the living room that would change channels if you jingled a set of keys nearby.
And yeah, nothing that bugged me in this game bothered me enough to sour my opinion on it. It was great through and through!
Dumb story: I did play this game, and I loved it. I didn't play it until 1997 a few weeks before the day the game says the world ended, which I always thought was a funny coincidence.
That is a funny coincidence! I'm glad you got to play it back then. I think I would've loved it as a kid as well.
The music on Crystalis was such a banger, it feel in par to the best compositions from Konami or Capcom. Also, when i played this game it was lent over from a friend and the battery either died or failed, and i had to finish it all in one go, so my experience was, come from school, start from scratch, get a little further in the game and repeat the next day, for like a month, i still loved every second of it, and created a nice gaming childhood memory.
That's some serious dedication! My Zelda 1's battery never saved so I used to slap on the Game Genie and play the game that way so I could actually get somewhere. I never properly beat it until I was in my 20s!
It wasn't planned, at that time I was used to games being really hard but short, and I have never played an RPG before, I would understand the concept of narrative games a couple of years later, when I played Secret of Mana on the SNES. Thanks for the great video Hungrygoriya, it has brought back a ton of great memories back for me.
Great video. I'm probably focusing on the wrong thing here, but I never thought I'd see "Rambo" in a list of NES RPGs. :D
It has a pretty loose experience system. Not a traditional one, but you level up your knife, haha