Milon is cool. I wrote the AVGN episode on it. People sometimes forget, that show is about humor. I actually love Milon's Secret Castle. I need to do the second quest sometime.
I've been a long-time fan of AVGN and I appreciate that episode even more now that I've played the game for myself. I'm just more sad that others don't form their own opinions before bandwagonning on a game rating, especially one that's meant to be humourous. At the very least, it'd be great if folks gave this game a shot. And there's a second quest?
Yeah. They always forgot that AVGN is not about reviewing a game; it's more a comical sketch. They can't form their own opinion and instead, they follow the one who say this game is bad.
We used to call this "Easter Eggs: The Game". I feel it's best tackled alongside a few friends, because there's a facet of this experience that's lost without that "playground" factor. This kind of secret hunting in gaming was inherently social back then, before the Internet brought us all together and amplified the potency of that collective problem solving.
That's why I enjoyed streaming this game so much. I had some folks that knew the game well to tap on the shoulder for a hint if I needed it, and that was a nice feeling to have.
Cryptic stuff like Castlevania 2 were the stuff of playground whispers, where the one kid who'd read Nintendo told the secret and it would spread around. That side of gaming is long lost
You know you bring up a good point. People complain about a game saying It's too hard and then go on to praise Dark Souls and souls likes. I'll say it, Bubsy (the first game) wasn't that bad. The second and 3d game are god awful though. The first game is incredibly hard (and a bit cheap). The fact that It's hard is always used against it.
@@Gatorade69 Generally speaking: Being difficult isn't an inherently positive quality. It's about how that challenge is implemented in a way to feels fair to the player. Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, etc., are well liked because they're seen as fair for the most part. There's patterns, no unavoidable attacks. The player can learn a boss and not have to worry about RNG stuff. You also need to look at the context of the time those games were released in. Mainstream gaming was becoming less and less challenging and independant games were nowhere near what they are today. Demon's and Dark Souls was a return to when games actually expected a bit more from their audience. On top of this, the games just aren't as tough as people joke about. A lot of that is pushed by people that don't even play the games. Also the marketing for DS Predare to Die Edition really pushed the notion as well. Characters will tell you your goal and keys will tell you what doors they open. There's hidden walls but they aren't essential to progress. And of course, its not just the challenge that people like. The aesthetics, level design, build variety, multi player, and lore, are all part of it. So it's not as simple as you're making it seem.
@@RootVegetabIe "It's not as simple as I'm making it seem." Well that's cause I didn't want to write a novel on the subject. I brought up Souls Likes because It's the obvious comparison. I'm just saying in some instances people will claim a game is bad because of difficulty and yet go on to praise certain games because of difficulty. All I'm trying to say is difficulty doesn't necessarily make a game bad, especially if it isn't unfair.
@@serpens_ignis I'm not comparing Bubsy to Milon to Dark Souls ! They are just examples, the first ones that popped into my head. They are different types of games, I'm just saying some people complain difficulty makes a game bad and then go on to praise a difficult game. End. That's it ! Anything more than that is you reading into my comment too much. But while on the subject, you just kind of proved my point. Yes, there's fall damage in Bubsy but you literally have a glide ! It's a mechanic the game gives you yet people go "Oh fall damage is bad !" While neglecting the game literally has a mechanic to avoid it. The worst thing about Bubsy is projectiles coming from off screen, that is ASSSSS, but otherwise It's a challenging platformer that people like to hate even though they never played the damn game.
I felt it was just as fun to figure out as any of the other games I mentioned. Lots of thinking while dying a lot might put some people off, but I seem to enjoy that combination quite a bit.
Hungry Gorya sure appears to have enjoyed many of those games that have been walloped by every caustic critic. I got to admit that this time though, I remain skeptical. I doubt I would enjoy this one and would probably still not recommend it. But I also remember playing and enjoying quite a bit of the dreaded Atari 2600 Pacman port. But still... Well, now I want Hungry Gorya to review Superman on the N64. I hold no expectation of what her opinion would be, don't even care, I just want to see and hear it.
I will never forget renting this game at 10 years old and being absolutely inundated with everything going on with absolutely no idea of what to do. Thank you for reviewing this and getting to see it 30 years later. I appreciate your content to no end.
I imagine tackling this as a kid would've been really tough. I definitely had an advantage approaching it in my 30s! And thanks so much for your kind words. That's very nice to hear :)
I would happily buy a Hungry Goriya game review compilation on Blu-ray. I could imagine all the little details and Easter eggs you'd put in there given your dedication and charm while reviewing. Never disappointed and honestly my favorite reviewer.
Me too! HG, NESComplex and Jeremy Parish are my go tos. Like "I dont care if its 1 am and I gotta work at 6:30 that links getting clicked" go tos. And all are criminally undersubbed in my opinion. Each has so much better content than like 99% of gaming youtube which seems to consist of some annoying ass 20 something kid making assinine commentary (trying to be James Rolfe and failing horribly basically) when playing older games, with of course the livestream image in the corner to film the streamers reactions.
It is incredibly refreshing to see Milon actually getting some love for a change. I have so many fond memories of this one from childhood, even if I never beat it until getting the Game Boy port as an adult. Also, while I knew my hopes could never ever come true, that still didn't keep me from crossing my fingers for Milon or Master Higgins for Smash.
I never, ever got past the 2nd boss in Milon's Secret Castle as a kid. I was too dumb to figure anything out! But I sort of loved it for that very reason. The game is utterly inscrutable and mysterious to the 80's youngster.
I was similar. I think this was a game better suited for teenagers or young adults or maybe much smarter kids than I was at 5 years old! I had no idea what I was doing.
I emulated this game and used a strategy guide... and it was still epic hard! It took me 5 hours to beat. This game has no mercy for the player. Most of the time I felt like the programmers were just flipping me off. If you like games that are unnecessarily hard and near impossible to solve, this is your game. I won't spoil the ending but it's equal to that feeling you get when you reach into your freezer to get some ice and there is only one cube left in the tray... Yeah, it's like that. With that said, I do appreciate the suggestion. I would never have tried this if it weren't for your awesome video. Keep up the good work!
It's not easy by a long stretch, but I liked the challenge. I couldn't stop thinking about this one when I wasn't playing it. I'm glad you got through it!
lol... yeah. I'm pretty sure that Double Dragon II was the only NES game I ever beat that the ending was worth the trip. Well... SMB 2 was too, but only because of that epic song. Full ice cube tray there.
This was one of only a handful of games I had on the NES as a kid, and it was a delight to watch you play through it on stream and figure out all the things that kid-me never could. Great review as well!
Thanks so much for being in the streams and also checking out the video here. I hope that you'll give it another go someday. If I can do it, so can you!
I played Milon’s Secret Castle more than any other game as a kid, and I LOVED it. I felt accomplished every time I unlocked a new instrument in the music rooms. I need to put this on my replay list, as the last time I played was around 2004.
Always an interesting game for me. I never really knew what I was doing, as never had the manuals. I just loved shooting at everything and finding hidden blocks everywhere. Nice to hear what the game is actually all about lol. Good video as always mate xx
I have to say, you are quite the hardcore player and your videos are really nice to watch. Today, it's all about collecting retro games, but very few players give them the respect and playtime they deserve, like you do.
Awww thanks! While I do collect, I've been doing so in order to play some games that have interested me over the years but I never had a chance to own until now. I enjoy playing and talking to folks about games so this hobby definitely marries those two things quite nicely.
@@hungrygoriya no probs, I really like watching your stuff and listening to your points of view. We share interest for a lot of the same kind of games, namely the rpgs and 2d swords&shields types, so I get my fix most the time. Here, in Québec, collecting has gone completely crazy, but even though most of my friends spend thousands of dollars on old games (like I do, I must admit lol), they just dont play them that much and they always make me feel like an oddity when I finish one 😄
Its kinda crazy learning this games story after all this time. I remember this game very well because of its box art, It was really the first building i have ever seen like that. I have really vivid memories of it.
@@hungrygoriya I remember being the youngest of pups and seeing that box, legit I had to have help loading games on commodore 64 becuase i couldnt spell yet. (that young) I want to know more, Gorya, think you could do a deep dig on some cool video game art or should i just google away?
@@nustde00 I will put out a call on Twitter and see if anyone has the scoop there. I'm not even sure where to start on a deep dive of sorts, but maybe someone out there already knows the answer! I'll report back if I hear anything.
Had Milon’s Secret Castle on GB as a kid. As far as I know, it’s a straight port of the NES version and honestly I felt it worked better as a portable title. I agree: the beginning of the game is a perfect tutorial for most of the mechanics you’ll find throughout the game - granted the game will still throw you curveballs.
I think in terms of gameplay it's a straight port, but with passwords and more music... and slowdown. The little bit I played of the GB version felt super sluggish compared to the NES version.
This video sat in my Watch Later for a few days. Well worth the wait and an easy sub! Keep it up, I'm excited to go back and watch your previous stuff : )
I owned this game as a kid and I never beat it. I was so enthralled by it though. Especially the well. I remember the first time going down there (without the lantern) and it scared the hell out of me. I didn't play the game for awhile after that! This review brought back so many memories. I'm officially obsessed with your channel and have been binging all your content. Thank you for all you do, you are so greatly appreciated
Oh nice! I think I would've really gotten sucked into this game as a kid if I'd had the opportunity to, but I didn't pick up a copy until much later in life. I'm happy this video brought you on an adventure down memory lane. Thanks for sharing that! Also, thank you for your kind words. I'm really happy to hear that you've been enjoying the channel so far.
Your thorough and thoughtful breakdown of this game makes me think I could maybe actually tackle this one. It seems like a fun blend of music, platforming, hunting, and getting stuck a bunch haha.
I played this game because I was tired of my other games. I thought it looked lame, but once I got some momentum, I realized it’s a solid game and I beat it.
As a kid in the early 90s I played this on a Japanese bootleg version with no instruction manual. Just imagine how hard that was to figure out. I managed to beat the second boss eventually, but never completed it, I still want to finish it sometime.
When you review Milon's Secret Castle, it's a fun adventure game from our childhood. When the Nerd reviewed this game, he had a rage fit! I guess it depends on who is playing the game. 😄
Exceptional review. This is a game I loved, though came close to beating. It was too random, and though I tried and tried I couldn't figure it out. Excellent job covering this classic title.
Excellent review. I'd like to make a point, as I kind of feel that only I know this. At 9:23 you mentioned that money isn't easy to find(which is true of course), but if memory serves me right, the level at 4:59 has infinite money. I'm not sure if it's an error, but whatever the case it definitely helped out when I initially played.
The one with the fireplace, right? I remember that place having respawning money and being surprised that it did, though I was happy for it! Thanks for sharing!
@@hungrygoriya it's been awhile since I've played...im not entirely sure now. But to anyone wanting to try anf give this game a proper play, lookout for this infinite level.
I find someone tackling and mastering a game like this so much more impressive than, say, a Dark Souls or something known for its brutality towards newcomers. Patience of steel indeed!
When I was a kid I thought this game was cool even though I couldn’t figure it out. My brother and I discovered that the second controller could move the character also, so we had fun making him moon walk 😆.
@@hungrygoriya I was originally looking for videos about Zoids - Chuuou Tairiku no Tatakai because I'm getting nostalgic about games that I played when I was a kid and I'm glad I stumbled across your channel. Subbed.
I never watch your videos the minute they come out. I am a father to 3 and it's amazing seriously. But these reviews are reserved for me and I allways save them for a time I have to myself : ) Thanks Hungry 😊 .
Thanks so much for reviewing this NES classic! I thought I was one of the only few who appreciated this one. I actually beat this as a teen in the eighties. But I did cheat slightly with the methods available at that time. I had to call the NES Game Counselors to find out about the initial block push. I remember my mom asking “who called Seattle Washington long distance?” after reviewing the phone bill 😂. I also used the slow mo, aka rapid pause,on my NES Advantage controller to beat the bosses!
Haha oh noooo... those mom eyes glaring straight through you with phone bill in hand must've made a lasting impression! And slow mo would've been a godsend in the boss rooms! That's awesome that you had the Advantage!
After watching your review...I'm not sure I ever remember playing this game beyond the first scene...and certainly not for quite some time. STOP MAKING ME WANT TO PLAY MORE GAMES. Another stellar review, friend!
I literally woke up this morning to a longplay of this game while asking myself "what IS this, Little Nemo 0.5??" ... Then you come along at the perfect time to answer my questions! Great video as always, despite it not looking like a game I'd want to play :P
Loving how casual and chill your reviews are while still being so thorough. Your channel is criminally underrated, just sayin'. Keep up the great content. ❤️
Very fond memories of this game. I had a lot of the same experiences grinding for hearts, trying to find well hidden secrets, and the difficult bosses.
Back in the 80s when renting NES games from the video store was a new thing, THIS was the first game I ever rented. I've gone back and replayed it since then, but I've never managed to finish it. Fun game, but brutally difficult
I had a difficult time with some of the bosses especially, but that luck factor I mentioned was real. I really enjoyed putting the pieces of the puzzle together to figure out where to go, and there was nothing more funny to me than walking into a room thinking I was going back outside and then getting blasted with fire from a boss.
@Boco Corwin I'll see what I can do! I'm sorry you had a terrible rental with it though :( I once rented Toejam and Earl 1 instead of Panic on Funkotron and it was the saddest weekend ever for me.
@Boco Corwin For some reason my parents were always able to pick out amazing games for me as a kid when they didn't know what I wanted or couldn't find what I'd asked for. I'd never even heard of Bionic Commando when I got it for Christmas one year, and it's still one of my favorite games on the NES to this day.
I'd guess that for some people, having to diligently continue to search for clues and figure out how to put it all together just isn't fun, but I'm happy that I find the payoff of such things tremendously satisfying, and that's what I felt playing through this game for the first time. The secrets and mystery were too enticing to put down, and I'm quite sure you felt similarly. Having to think about how things might work when manuals don't explicitly detail them out is part of the fun, because when you finally hit on a solution, it's the best. Also, once you do figure things out or find hidden helpful items, they're always in the same spots, so bit by bit you assemble more and more knowledge to inch your way closer to victory. Such a satisfying game to complete. So glad you enjoyed it overall.
Totally agreed. This game was occupying my mind when I was at work or falling asleep at night until I finished it. And figuring stuff out is the best part of these games. I enjoy a good mystery and this game has that in droves. Thanks again for the help and the encouragement during the playthrough!
this is a nostalgic one for me, getting through the first floor is knowledge older than i can remember. i didn't know about the continue feature back then, though, and rarely made it past the well as a kid. went back and beat it as a teenager.
It must've felt so good to get back to it and finish it after all that time. It's great you have such fond memories of this from childhood!
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As a south american, these are exactly the kinds of games we maybe wouldn't play because they were in Japanese! Or English at best. And we were little kids and couldn't read them. (Though we did play a lot of Captain Tsubasa in Japanese, the soccer/RPG hybrid). It's nice to get to know about such an unusual game!
Nice Faxanadu cameo! I really enjoyed this one, and have played through the NES version countless times. The SNES game was really good, too, and has a very interesting soundtrack; it's more of a straight Platformer, but I still recommend it. I've recommended this video to a Backloggery buddy for whom I made a Milon's Secret Castle banner, too.
Faxanadu is ever-present in my gaming experiences as a comparator, so it's fitting to stick it into most videos in some way! I will need to try the SNES sequel someday. It looks adorable!
I rented this a lot back in the 80's. And yes, it has that sweet 'explore/where am I' factor going on. I also found the graphics really cute, like the crow monster and the chomping green apple head. Also, I'd swear Milon looks like he could have been an early precursor to one of the dolls in Mendel Palace. That said, this is a hard game. It's vexing to find what blocks one needs to hit with a short range diagonal shot and I felt like I may as well have had the fire button on automatic since much of the game has that stumble across hidden important items factor, similar to Super Pitfall. Milon also doesn't maneuver very well, at least far as as the hit boxes went with jumping. But it was satisfying to eventually navigate through a maze correctly. Too often puzzle games from that era (Lolo for example) had a feeling where the puzzle wasn't necessarily gratifying to complete, only that it was a rigid task to be done. Bosses were a pain, but I rather liked the myriad of small odd looking enemies. They had very chaotic movements and even if they died easily, they were still challenging because of their ability to easily outpace and run circles around Milon like they were high on sugar. It's a good game, but maybe a bit too long and challenging for most.
I agree with everything you've said here, especially the bit about enemy patterns. There were a few that just wrecked me, especially in that one area you teleport to that I don't want to spoil, but they look like little reapers or bats... ugh. I died there so much, but the price for death wasn't horrible. Refill the health bar and try again is way better than some other alternatives! I also got a little obsessed with figuring out what to do for this game. It was always on my mind when I wasn't playing it until I finished it!
Great review of an underrated classic! I wish Milon got another chance in a game with that Zelda exploration style, since he only appears later on the SNES Doremi Fantasy, but that was a sidescrolling platform game.
Yeah I hear that the sequel isn't quite the same, but hopefully it'll still be a fun playthrough when I get around to it. I'd love to see another Milon game in this style too.
I first learned about this game about a decade ago when I watched the Angry Video Game Nerd’s review of it. I’ve heard that the Game Boy version is better as while I haven’t played either version, I’ve seen the ending to both games and the Game Boy version is significantly superior as it featured cutscenes of Milon and the princess reuniting and getting married as opposed to the NES version that only has a congratulation screen as it’s ending.
Love this game, only beaten the gameboy version but I was pleasantly surprised by how fun it was to go through the game and figuring it out. Shot out to the manual art for being adorable too, love this era of Hudson soft.
I fiddled with the Game Boy version the day after I finished the NES game, and the only thing that bothers me about it is the slowdown. If anything else is on screen, you're in slow motion all of a sudden :( I'd put up with it for the soundtrack breadth though!
@@hungrygoriya Yeah the soundtrack in the gameboy version is great, the slow down didn't bother me as much, it's also nice that it has passwords too making continuing the game less of a hassle ^^
I remember renting this as a kid, but never really being able to get into it (I think the fact that I was stuck with a Permastruct instead of the actual manual didn't help matters any). This video makes me want to give it another shot! Well played!
It looks like the boss fireball patterns might not be random. The dragon shoots farthest to closest before looping. The bird seems to shoot alternating farther then closer.
I actually picked up an NES cart for this at a thrift store not too long ago! I haven't jumped into it yet, but I am looking forward to it when the NES mood strikes me again, it looks like a lot of fun (and thanks for sharing the continue code xD)
@@hungrygoriya I think I will, especially from your review. The semi-open platformer with an economy and upgrades almost makes it feel like a prototype for later Wonder Boy and Adventure Island games
I loved this game as a child. I vividly remember the first time I beat the first boss. My heart was pounding, and it was the fisrt time I ever had such a reaction from a video game.
There are bones of a very good NES game in this title... the execution leaves an incredible amount left to be desired. It is like a poor man's Friday The 13th, where as Friday The 13th at least hits some cool ideas in the programming, while this one misses on nearly every cool idea they had.
I'm not sure I see the similarity to Friday the 13th. Could you elaborate? I thought this game did a lot of great things, like slowly opening up a game world with tools etc. and making you work for it.
@@hungrygoriya Saying it in the vein of a game that has warts, but unlike this one, actually managed to execute some cool ideas on limited hardware/software. Both had great ideas, both failed to fully execute them, but Friday The 13th it is at least viewable in the result that there was a good intent and execution. Milon, not even close...
I never played this game, but I still have fond memories of it because of an old NES Advantage VHS I used to have that I would watch on repeat just to see games I didn't have.
@@hungrygoriya It's somewhere on UA-cam, but I can't remember the name of it for the life of me. It was a tips and tricks video. I wish I could find it.
My mom got this for me when I was a kid (NES). I couldn’t get past the first level. Nothing but frustration for me. I ended up loaning it to my friend Jerry and never saw it again. This game installed frustration and guilt that’s lived rent free in my head for 35 years.
Do you think you'd ever revisit it and see if you could get a bit further? It's not too bad once you get going. Having the ability to continue after the first boss makes it a pretty fair game.
The main issue with the game isn’t really the cryptic stuff. Yeah some of it can be a bit brutal, but there are visual clues telling you what to do such as different colored blocks to indicate important areas and doors usually being hidden in fairly obvious spots. The main problem is Milon’s control. His jump is so painfully stiff and it makes the bosses (especially the final one) needlessly hard. That’s not getting into the fact that they’re total bulletsponges and Milon has no post hit invincibility so enemies and bosses can totally shred through him. Other than that, I actually have a soft spot for this game. It’s by no means a masterpiece, or even that great in all honesty, but if you give it a go and try and understand what it’s going for (this is a puzzle game first and foremost, not an adventure game), then there’s fun to be had here
You make some good points here. I agree with you, though I feel like a lot of folks feel like it's way more cryptic than it actually is. Some of the later bosses are absolutely frustrating but most of the walls I hit were because I wasn't supposed to be there yet or I'd missed an upgrade. I think it's a great game with just the right amount of challenge, and more people should give it a chance. Thanks for stopping in!
Man, I have very vague memories of my sister's telling me that this game would be too hard for my age then (5ish). A side-scroller adventure I haven't heard you mention is the Golden Axe spin-off "Ax Battler" for Game Gear. I'm sure you'll love it
I hear ya, though I didn't really know a lot of people who gamed when I was a kid and I appreciated finally being able to look up solutions eventually. This game was great to feel out entirely on my own though!
I struggle to understand why some people hate games that let you explore and discover. It's like a jigsaw puzzle. You find a piece, you look around for a piece that looks like it goes together. Trial and error. It's a completely valid way to design a game.
It's so strange eh? There's nothing wrong with exploring, even if it's meant to have you pour over everything to figure out the next step. I personally love those kinds of games.
Based off your review only, it seems like there's a lot of potential for this one! I really love the idea of exploring in old game. I think it can get a little tricky if graphics aren't diverse enough. The visuals in this one seem nice, but I'd be worried I might get lost. Did navigating ever get confusing?
The only confusion I ran into was knowing which doors outside led to which rooms (I'm sure it's easy enough to make a little doodle, but I didn't this time for some reason). The rooms themselves are pretty straightforward. You have to find a path through, but they're not huge.
Nice take on this underrated game. Gotta love Hudson Soft. The successor to this is the fantastic „DoReMi Fantasy Milon no DokiDoki Daibouken“ on the SNES :)
I never got far in this game. I don't think I beat the first boss but something about the style, look, and the gameplay was very compelling to me. Long ago playing this as a kid, I never got anywhere but still have a positive opinion on the game. Something about the exploration and finding secrets (that are literally everywhere) in a neat castle setting is very compelling.
Great video and I love your channel! By the way, there actually IS a way to collect infinite cash, although it can be only done in one of the game's rooms. In the fireplace room on the 3rd level, if you enter and then leave the shop, all 16 of the stone money blocks will respawn every time, allowing you to collect up to the max of $999. Additionally, for every $256 you accumulate using this technique, you will be awarded with an extra health bar (same effect as the honeycomb icon) up to the max of 16 bars. Just note that this counter will reset to zero if you exit the room completely (even though the money blocks will continue to respawn indefinitely).
Yeah, I chose my words carefully because I didn't want to spoil this in the video for people that haven't played it yet. I had no idea about the extra health part though! That's awesome!
My dad would rent me video games from a local video store when I was a kid. I have a vivid memory of playing this game and being stuck in a corner. I was probably only 5 and didn't understand the game mechanics. This game and Karnov I have the most vivid memory of renting.
Awesome video. I bought this game thanks to some intriguing screen shots in Nintendo Power, and I bludgeoned my way through with a tip from said magazine and a long distance phone call to Hudson Soft to help me get the final floor boss to show up. Beating the only one true Maharito was my Al Bundy four touchdowns moment of growing up with Nintendo, and this remains my number one underrated janky masterpiece of all time. So glad to see it get a fair shake, warts and all!
I'm glad you got to enjoy this one when it was new. I think I would've loved trying to figure it out as a kid. I hope you were allowed to make that long distance phone call to Hudson Soft...
@@hungrygoriya Oh, I did! A good part of that summer was spent messing around in those trippy calliope rooms with the window A/C on full blast. I loved the atmosphere enough that just doing random whatever was enjoyable. I still remember the joys of finding the balloon exit from the well, the springboard into a ceiling shop, and the final music box. No worries, I got permission to call - and it was free through my dad's work.
Great review. My friends and family just couldn't get into this game when it was released. We played and beat just about every game that was out at the time (including some of the toughest ones) but this was one game that we found so annoying we just stopped playing it. This game had the potential to be one of the greats, but without a save or password feature it seemed doomed to remain in obscurity.
A save or password would've really helped people to come back to it, definitely. Not everyone has the time to put in to get through a game, nevermind get good enough at it to do it all in one sitting.
I remember the insane number of times I rented this game as a kid from the mom and pop video store near my house. So many weekends playing this game. I loved it. Lol I had no idea there was a hidden continue....I used to leave my Nintendo on overnight too for this game.
Great video! I like the link between the somewhat repetitive soundtrack and Milon's original purpose for setting forth. Milon's Secret Castle always felt like one of those classic games that needed just one more pass to get into that upper echelon; just one more playthrough by someone who didn't really play games to let them know what was frustrating about it.
If I had that song stuck in my head forever, I'd be looking for a new one too! And I agree with you. It's a fun game but it still has some rough patches that could've used some smoothing out.
They is very well read and put together so great, every other review of this game is just someone trashing it, but you really gave it a chance and the way you explained certain aspects make me at least respect this game much more now. Thank you
I know it works on some other Hudson games like the Adventure Island ones (though continuing on those games is usually contingent on finding the Hudson Bee). I'm not sure about Felix!
If James only knew just how incredibly strong an impact he'd have as a tastemaker for these retro gems that get saddled with an unfairly bad reputation. I remember using my Club Nintendo points to score this game for free on my 3DS. I regret not giving it more a chance.
Very true. James is roughly my age. Hes old enough to actually played these games back in the day and remembers what the NES era was actually like. And hes playing a character, not actually reviewing a game. What I noticed is younger people, like 10-15 years younger than us who do not remember the actual era forming their opinions about games based on what he said - games that are actually pretty good like Legend of Zelda 2 or Castlevania 2 without ever actually playing them. Just like "no why would I play them -they suck"
@@childofcascadia I come up against this attitude a lot when I'm streaming these games and the first question I always ask people is: have you played it yourself? And they usually say no.
I never played this one, but in the old days of the internet I remember seeing multiple people recommend this game in classic game discussions. This was a long time before the AVGN episode
I remember renting this as a kid, but I swear my entire life I've been reading that as "Milton's Secret Castle." To be fair I probably haven't thought about this game in 30 years before your video.
This game was great, one of my favorites as a kid. I was really disappointed when the SNES sequel completely changed the style of gameplay from action/puzzle exploration to generic platformer.
I haven't played Do Re Mi Fantasy yet, but it's on my list. I think I'll like it but it won't be the same as playing Milon's Secret Castle. I love that exploration-based gameplay very much.
@@marscaleb Yeah, like bad sequel in the sense that it diverges from the original material, but a good game as a standalone? I could see that still being enjoyable.
oh wow, UA-cam took 3 days to recommend me this video! D: Good video though! But I do feel the reason why Milon's Castle is hated is mostly due to the AVGN. People often forget he's playing a character
Oh no! Better late than never I guess! And yeah, I just think it's really sad that professional reviewers from magazines etc. ranked the game so poorly if they were influenced. All of the ratings from the Wii virtual console release were under 5/10, so clearly nobody actually played it before drawing those conclusions.
Milon is cool. I wrote the AVGN episode on it. People sometimes forget, that show is about humor. I actually love Milon's Secret Castle. I need to do the second quest sometime.
I've been a long-time fan of AVGN and I appreciate that episode even more now that I've played the game for myself. I'm just more sad that others don't form their own opinions before bandwagonning on a game rating, especially one that's meant to be humourous. At the very least, it'd be great if folks gave this game a shot.
And there's a second quest?
Oh hey "Mike Matinee", as soon as i saw this video i just had to comment
"Milon's Secret Castle?! More like Milon's shitty asshole"
Yeah. They always forgot that AVGN is not about reviewing a game; it's more a comical sketch. They can't form their own opinion and instead, they follow the one who say this game is bad.
Oh hi Mike. I've been enjoying listening to TAG lately. Great podcast, yo.
Heh, nice!
I was obsessed with this game as a kid. I didn't have a manual or anything so I had built an entire elaborate mythology around it.
Did you make it through eventually?
only managed to beat it on Game Boy because it was way easier. The NES version was a few times rental I never could get past the first couple stages.
We used to call this "Easter Eggs: The Game". I feel it's best tackled alongside a few friends, because there's a facet of this experience that's lost without that "playground" factor. This kind of secret hunting in gaming was inherently social back then, before the Internet brought us all together and amplified the potency of that collective problem solving.
That's why I enjoyed streaming this game so much. I had some folks that knew the game well to tap on the shoulder for a hint if I needed it, and that was a nice feeling to have.
I've heard Tower of Druaga described that way too!
I like that.
Cryptic stuff like Castlevania 2 were the stuff of playground whispers, where the one kid who'd read Nintendo told the secret and it would spread around. That side of gaming is long lost
Oh sure. When Dark Souls does it, everybody gives it a pass. I'm telling you guys, Milon's Secret Castle was YEARS ahead of its time!
You know you bring up a good point. People complain about a game saying It's too hard and then go on to praise Dark Souls and souls likes.
I'll say it, Bubsy (the first game) wasn't that bad. The second and 3d game are god awful though. The first game is incredibly hard (and a bit cheap). The fact that It's hard is always used against it.
Milton's secret castle, clearly the dark souls of secret-castle side-scrolling action games on the NES
@@Gatorade69 Generally speaking: Being difficult isn't an inherently positive quality. It's about how that challenge is implemented in a way to feels fair to the player.
Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, etc., are well liked because they're seen as fair for the most part. There's patterns, no unavoidable attacks. The player can learn a boss and not have to worry about RNG stuff.
You also need to look at the context of the time those games were released in. Mainstream gaming was becoming less and less challenging and independant games were nowhere near what they are today. Demon's and Dark Souls was a return to when games actually expected a bit more from their audience.
On top of this, the games just aren't as tough as people joke about. A lot of that is pushed by people that don't even play the games. Also the marketing for DS Predare to Die Edition really pushed the notion as well. Characters will tell you your goal and keys will tell you what doors they open. There's hidden walls but they aren't essential to progress.
And of course, its not just the challenge that people like. The aesthetics, level design, build variety, multi player, and lore, are all part of it.
So it's not as simple as you're making it seem.
@@RootVegetabIe "It's not as simple as I'm making it seem."
Well that's cause I didn't want to write a novel on the subject. I brought up Souls Likes because It's the obvious comparison.
I'm just saying in some instances people will claim a game is bad because of difficulty and yet go on to praise certain games because of difficulty.
All I'm trying to say is difficulty doesn't necessarily make a game bad, especially if it isn't unfair.
@@serpens_ignis I'm not comparing Bubsy to Milon to Dark Souls ! They are just examples, the first ones that popped into my head. They are different types of games,
I'm just saying some people complain difficulty makes a game bad and then go on to praise a difficult game. End. That's it ! Anything more than that is you reading into my comment too much.
But while on the subject, you just kind of proved my point. Yes, there's fall damage in Bubsy but you literally have a glide ! It's a mechanic the game gives you yet people go "Oh fall damage is bad !" While neglecting the game literally has a mechanic to avoid it.
The worst thing about Bubsy is projectiles coming from off screen, that is ASSSSS, but otherwise It's a challenging platformer that people like to hate even though they never played the damn game.
YES! I'm so happy to see someone defend this all-too-often maligned little gem of a game. Thank you!
I felt it was just as fun to figure out as any of the other games I mentioned. Lots of thinking while dying a lot might put some people off, but I seem to enjoy that combination quite a bit.
Hungry Gorya sure appears to have enjoyed many of those games that have been walloped by every caustic critic. I got to admit that this time though, I remain skeptical. I doubt I would enjoy this one and would probably still not recommend it. But I also remember playing and enjoying quite a bit of the dreaded Atari 2600 Pacman port. But still...
Well, now I want Hungry Gorya to review Superman on the N64. I hold no expectation of what her opinion would be, don't even care, I just want to see and hear it.
I will never forget renting this game at 10 years old and being absolutely inundated with everything going on with absolutely no idea of what to do. Thank you for reviewing this and getting to see it 30 years later. I appreciate your content to no end.
I imagine tackling this as a kid would've been really tough. I definitely had an advantage approaching it in my 30s! And thanks so much for your kind words. That's very nice to hear :)
Great review as always, Hungry!
Hey thanks! It's always good to see you in the comments. I hope you're well :)
why dont you go eat something
I would happily buy a Hungry Goriya game review compilation on Blu-ray. I could imagine all the little details and Easter eggs you'd put in there given your dedication and charm while reviewing. Never disappointed and honestly my favorite reviewer.
That's an awfully nice sentiment! I'm honoured :)
Me too! HG, NESComplex and Jeremy Parish are my go tos. Like "I dont care if its 1 am and I gotta work at 6:30 that links getting clicked" go tos.
And all are criminally undersubbed in my opinion. Each has so much better content than like 99% of gaming youtube which seems to consist of some annoying ass 20 something kid making assinine commentary (trying to be James Rolfe and failing horribly basically) when playing older games, with of course the livestream image in the corner to film the streamers reactions.
It is incredibly refreshing to see Milon actually getting some love for a change. I have so many fond memories of this one from childhood, even if I never beat it until getting the Game Boy port as an adult. Also, while I knew my hopes could never ever come true, that still didn't keep me from crossing my fingers for Milon or Master Higgins for Smash.
Master Higgins or Milon in Smash would be incredible! They're both so different from many of the characters out there.
I never, ever got past the 2nd boss in Milon's Secret Castle as a kid. I was too dumb to figure anything out! But I sort of loved it for that very reason. The game is utterly inscrutable and mysterious to the 80's youngster.
I think coming to it in my 30s definitely gave me an advantage or 10... it wasn't so bad for me!
I loved this game… but I don’t think I even ever got past the first boss.
@@adamk8639 It's a tricky game in places. Once you start getting some upgrades for the weapon it feels a lot better.
I was similar. I think this was a game better suited for teenagers or young adults or maybe much smarter kids than I was at 5 years old! I had no idea what I was doing.
Most adults are too dumb as well. So don't feel too bad. 🤣
I emulated this game and used a strategy guide... and it was still epic hard! It took me 5 hours to beat. This game has no mercy for the player. Most of the time I felt like the programmers were just flipping me off.
If you like games that are unnecessarily hard and near impossible to solve, this is your game. I won't spoil the ending but it's equal to that feeling you get when you reach into your freezer to get some ice and there is only one cube left in the tray... Yeah, it's like that.
With that said, I do appreciate the suggestion. I would never have tried this if it weren't for your awesome video. Keep up the good work!
It's not easy by a long stretch, but I liked the challenge. I couldn't stop thinking about this one when I wasn't playing it. I'm glad you got through it!
lol... yeah. I'm pretty sure that Double Dragon II was the only NES game I ever beat that the ending was worth the trip. Well... SMB 2 was too, but only because of that epic song. Full ice cube tray there.
@@thedude5295 SMB2's ending will never get old for me. The music, the curtain call with the spelling errors... it's all very nostalgic for me!
@@hungrygoriya SMB2's ending theme IS childhood. :)
This was one of only a handful of games I had on the NES as a kid, and it was a delight to watch you play through it on stream and figure out all the things that kid-me never could. Great review as well!
Thanks so much for being in the streams and also checking out the video here. I hope that you'll give it another go someday. If I can do it, so can you!
I played Milon’s Secret Castle more than any other game as a kid, and I LOVED it. I felt accomplished every time I unlocked a new instrument in the music rooms. I need to put this on my replay list, as the last time I played was around 2004.
Sounds like your overdue! I'm glad others enjoy it as well. It gets a lot more rage than it deserves as far as I'm concerned.
Always an interesting game for me. I never really knew what I was doing, as never had the manuals.
I just loved shooting at everything and finding hidden blocks everywhere.
Nice to hear what the game is actually all about lol.
Good video as always mate xx
Glad to be of service! Finding stuff was really addicting so I can see why you'd want to keep playing!
I have to say, you are quite the hardcore player and your videos are really nice to watch. Today, it's all about collecting retro games, but very few players give them the respect and playtime they deserve, like you do.
Awww thanks! While I do collect, I've been doing so in order to play some games that have interested me over the years but I never had a chance to own until now. I enjoy playing and talking to folks about games so this hobby definitely marries those two things quite nicely.
@@hungrygoriya no probs, I really like watching your stuff and listening to your points of view. We share interest for a lot of the same kind of games, namely the rpgs and 2d swords&shields types, so I get my fix most the time. Here, in Québec, collecting has gone completely crazy, but even though most of my friends spend thousands of dollars on old games (like I do, I must admit lol), they just dont play them that much and they always make me feel like an oddity when I finish one 😄
Its kinda crazy learning this games story after all this time. I remember this game very well because of its box art, It was really the first building i have ever seen like that. I have really vivid memories of it.
Yeah it's a pretty cool-looking castle. It must've been a model and I wonder what it was from or if it was specially built just for that one shot.
@@hungrygoriya I remember being the youngest of pups and seeing that box, legit I had to have help loading games on commodore 64 becuase i couldnt spell yet. (that young) I want to know more, Gorya, think you could do a deep dig on some cool video game art or should i just google away?
@@nustde00 I will put out a call on Twitter and see if anyone has the scoop there. I'm not even sure where to start on a deep dive of sorts, but maybe someone out there already knows the answer! I'll report back if I hear anything.
Thanks for a great review of Milon's Secret Castle, loved this one as a kid and was a treat to catch you playing it live!
RIght on! Streaming this was a great time for me as well. I got to talk to a lot of people that really appreciate this one!
Had Milon’s Secret Castle on GB as a kid. As far as I know, it’s a straight port of the NES version and honestly I felt it worked better as a portable title. I agree: the beginning of the game is a perfect tutorial for most of the mechanics you’ll find throughout the game - granted the game will still throw you curveballs.
I think in terms of gameplay it's a straight port, but with passwords and more music... and slowdown. The little bit I played of the GB version felt super sluggish compared to the NES version.
This video sat in my Watch Later for a few days. Well worth the wait and an easy sub! Keep it up, I'm excited to go back and watch your previous stuff : )
Awww well I'm glad you got around to it. Thanks, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the channel!
I owned this game as a kid and I never beat it. I was so enthralled by it though. Especially the well. I remember the first time going down there (without the lantern) and it scared the hell out of me. I didn't play the game for awhile after that! This review brought back so many memories. I'm officially obsessed with your channel and have been binging all your content. Thank you for all you do, you are so greatly appreciated
Oh nice! I think I would've really gotten sucked into this game as a kid if I'd had the opportunity to, but I didn't pick up a copy until much later in life. I'm happy this video brought you on an adventure down memory lane. Thanks for sharing that!
Also, thank you for your kind words. I'm really happy to hear that you've been enjoying the channel so far.
At last, someone who understands this unfairly underrated game.
I hope more people out there will give it a shot.
I've been trying to remember this game for years. I kept conflating it with other games like Solomon's Key. Thanks for covering this game.
No problem! I can see why you might've confused the two.
Your thorough and thoughtful breakdown of this game makes me think I could maybe actually tackle this one. It seems like a fun blend of music, platforming, hunting, and getting stuck a bunch haha.
Getting stuck is the best! I think you'd really dig this if you gave it a whirl someday. And you enjoy a challenge. Right up your alley, my friend!
I played this game because I was tired of my other games. I thought it looked lame, but once I got some momentum, I realized it’s a solid game and I beat it.
Congratulations on finishing this one! I really liked it!
As a kid in the early 90s I played this on a Japanese bootleg version with no instruction manual. Just imagine how hard that was to figure out. I managed to beat the second boss eventually, but never completed it, I still want to finish it sometime.
I hope you'll sit down with it and get it finished someday. It's not too bad coming at it with the proper hints in place. Good luck to you!
A new hungrygoriya video makes any bad day better! Thanks for shining on a light on this gem
Thank you for stopping by!
This is such the kind of game that hungry goriya would go to bat for, this channel loves the gnomic and difficult side of 8 bit and I’m here for it
I loved this one!
When you review Milon's Secret Castle, it's a fun adventure game from our childhood. When the Nerd reviewed this game, he had a rage fit! I guess it depends on who is playing the game. 😄
Haha yep, different strokes for different folks I guess!
Exceptional review. This is a game I loved, though came close to beating. It was too random, and though I tried and tried I couldn't figure it out. Excellent job covering this classic title.
Thanks very much! I really enjoyed my time with it.
While I don’t personally enjoy the game it’s nice to hear someone saying something positive about it for once
I couldn't stop thinking about it between play sessions. It got into my head in a good way!
Yet again another awesome video. Your indepth takes on these are fantastic. 👌
Awww thanks! I would love more people to try this game out and give it a chance.
Excellent review.
I'd like to make a point, as I kind of feel that only I know this. At 9:23 you mentioned that money isn't easy to find(which is true of course), but if memory serves me right, the level at 4:59 has infinite money. I'm not sure if it's an error, but whatever the case it definitely helped out when I initially played.
The one with the fireplace, right? I remember that place having respawning money and being surprised that it did, though I was happy for it! Thanks for sharing!
@@hungrygoriya it's been awhile since I've played...im not entirely sure now. But to anyone wanting to try anf give this game a proper play, lookout for this infinite level.
I find someone tackling and mastering a game like this so much more impressive than, say, a Dark Souls or something known for its brutality towards newcomers. Patience of steel indeed!
I've managed to get through some pretty tough games over the past few years. This was a great challenge though!
When I was a kid I thought this game was cool even though I couldn’t figure it out. My brother and I discovered that the second controller could move the character also, so we had fun making him moon walk 😆.
WHAT I need to try that! I love that sort of stuff!
I remember becoming obsessed with this game in high school, almost 20 years after it released. It's nice to hear somebody say nice things about it.
That sounds like me! I couldn't stop thinking about it until I beat it!
I love this game. It's frustrating but I still have tons of fun while playing this game back in the day. One of my favorites.
Always glad to meet another fan!
@@hungrygoriya I was originally looking for videos about Zoids - Chuuou Tairiku no Tatakai because I'm getting nostalgic about games that I played when I was a kid and I'm glad I stumbled across your channel. Subbed.
@@bigbadspikey Awww thank you :) I hope you enjoy the rest of the channel here.
I never watch your videos the minute they come out. I am a father to 3 and it's amazing seriously. But these reviews are reserved for me and I allways save them for a time I have to myself : ) Thanks Hungry 😊 .
Awwww what a lovely sentiment! Thank you for taking the time to watch!
I've never heard of this game. But, after watching your video I think I might like it. Thank you for making this video.
Thanks for watching!
@@hungrygoriya You are very welcome.
Thanks so much for reviewing this NES classic! I thought I was one of the only few who appreciated this one. I actually beat this as a teen in the eighties. But I did cheat slightly with the methods available at that time. I had to call the NES Game Counselors to find out about the initial block push. I remember my mom asking “who called Seattle Washington long distance?” after reviewing the phone bill 😂. I also used the slow mo, aka rapid pause,on my NES Advantage controller to beat the bosses!
Haha oh noooo... those mom eyes glaring straight through you with phone bill in hand must've made a lasting impression!
And slow mo would've been a godsend in the boss rooms! That's awesome that you had the Advantage!
I named my store after this game. It's excellent, Great review!
Oh no kidding! That's a lucky store to bear such a great name!
It's also a game with multiple endings, or so some say. I'm not sure if it's true.
What I do know is that it is good for what it is.
I heard that there are indeed multiple endings if you keep playing after you finish for the first time. Only one way to find out I guess...
After watching your review...I'm not sure I ever remember playing this game beyond the first scene...and certainly not for quite some time. STOP MAKING ME WANT TO PLAY MORE GAMES.
Another stellar review, friend!
To the list it goes right after Willow!
This is one of my fave games on the NES! It's such a crime this gets so much flack. It's a great platformer.
Absolutely shameful about how people perceive it. All the reviews I saw online while researching gave it 2/10 or so, which feels uninformed to me.
Excellent work. This game isn't an easy one to go through, but you gave it the justice it deserved.
It was tough but I loved every minute of getting wrecked to figure out where to go!
I literally woke up this morning to a longplay of this game while asking myself "what IS this, Little Nemo 0.5??" ... Then you come along at the perfect time to answer my questions!
Great video as always, despite it not looking like a game I'd want to play :P
Glad to be of service :)
Loving how casual and chill your reviews are while still being so thorough. Your channel is criminally underrated, just sayin'. Keep up the great content. ❤️
Thanks very much for saying so!
Very fond memories of this game. I had a lot of the same experiences grinding for hearts, trying to find well hidden secrets, and the difficult bosses.
I think I would've adored this as a kid too. It's a great game!
Back in the 80s when renting NES games from the video store was a new thing, THIS was the first game I ever rented. I've gone back and replayed it since then, but I've never managed to finish it. Fun game, but brutally difficult
I had a difficult time with some of the bosses especially, but that luck factor I mentioned was real. I really enjoyed putting the pieces of the puzzle together to figure out where to go, and there was nothing more funny to me than walking into a room thinking I was going back outside and then getting blasted with fire from a boss.
@Boco Corwin I still need to play that one!
@Boco Corwin I'll see what I can do! I'm sorry you had a terrible rental with it though :( I once rented Toejam and Earl 1 instead of Panic on Funkotron and it was the saddest weekend ever for me.
@Boco Corwin For some reason my parents were always able to pick out amazing games for me as a kid when they didn't know what I wanted or couldn't find what I'd asked for. I'd never even heard of Bionic Commando when I got it for Christmas one year, and it's still one of my favorite games on the NES to this day.
I'd guess that for some people, having to diligently continue to search for clues and figure out how to put it all together just isn't fun, but I'm happy that I find the payoff of such things tremendously satisfying, and that's what I felt playing through this game for the first time. The secrets and mystery were too enticing to put down, and I'm quite sure you felt similarly. Having to think about how things might work when manuals don't explicitly detail them out is part of the fun, because when you finally hit on a solution, it's the best. Also, once you do figure things out or find hidden helpful items, they're always in the same spots, so bit by bit you assemble more and more knowledge to inch your way closer to victory. Such a satisfying game to complete. So glad you enjoyed it overall.
Totally agreed. This game was occupying my mind when I was at work or falling asleep at night until I finished it. And figuring stuff out is the best part of these games. I enjoy a good mystery and this game has that in droves. Thanks again for the help and the encouragement during the playthrough!
this is a nostalgic one for me, getting through the first floor is knowledge older than i can remember. i didn't know about the continue feature back then, though, and rarely made it past the well as a kid. went back and beat it as a teenager.
It must've felt so good to get back to it and finish it after all that time. It's great you have such fond memories of this from childhood!
As a south american, these are exactly the kinds of games we maybe wouldn't play because they were in Japanese! Or English at best. And we were little kids and couldn't read them. (Though we did play a lot of Captain Tsubasa in Japanese, the soccer/RPG hybrid). It's nice to get to know about such an unusual game!
:( That's too bad. There's no way I could've played games that were hint-dependent in another language as a kid either.
Nice Faxanadu cameo! I really enjoyed this one, and have played through the NES version countless times. The SNES game was really good, too, and has a very interesting soundtrack; it's more of a straight Platformer, but I still recommend it. I've recommended this video to a Backloggery buddy for whom I made a Milon's Secret Castle banner, too.
Faxanadu is ever-present in my gaming experiences as a comparator, so it's fitting to stick it into most videos in some way!
I will need to try the SNES sequel someday. It looks adorable!
I rented this a lot back in the 80's. And yes, it has that sweet 'explore/where am I' factor going on. I also found the graphics really cute, like the crow monster and the chomping green apple head. Also, I'd swear Milon looks like he could have been an early precursor to one of the dolls in Mendel Palace. That said, this is a hard game. It's vexing to find what blocks one needs to hit with a short range diagonal shot and I felt like I may as well have had the fire button on automatic since much of the game has that stumble across hidden important items factor, similar to Super Pitfall. Milon also doesn't maneuver very well, at least far as as the hit boxes went with jumping. But it was satisfying to eventually navigate through a maze correctly. Too often puzzle games from that era (Lolo for example) had a feeling where the puzzle wasn't necessarily gratifying to complete, only that it was a rigid task to be done.
Bosses were a pain, but I rather liked the myriad of small odd looking enemies. They had very chaotic movements and even if they died easily, they were still challenging because of their ability to easily outpace and run circles around Milon like they were high on sugar.
It's a good game, but maybe a bit too long and challenging for most.
I agree with everything you've said here, especially the bit about enemy patterns. There were a few that just wrecked me, especially in that one area you teleport to that I don't want to spoil, but they look like little reapers or bats... ugh. I died there so much, but the price for death wasn't horrible. Refill the health bar and try again is way better than some other alternatives! I also got a little obsessed with figuring out what to do for this game. It was always on my mind when I wasn't playing it until I finished it!
Great review of an underrated classic! I wish Milon got another chance in a game with that Zelda exploration style, since he only appears later on the SNES Doremi Fantasy, but that was a sidescrolling platform game.
Yeah I hear that the sequel isn't quite the same, but hopefully it'll still be a fun playthrough when I get around to it. I'd love to see another Milon game in this style too.
Haha you got me! I really thought for a second that the shopkeeper was spouting the Faxanadu game over phrase. Nice!
I try to implement some Faxanadu into everything I do. It deserves it!
@@hungrygoriya I am with you there!
I first learned about this game about a decade ago when I watched the Angry Video Game Nerd’s review of it. I’ve heard that the Game Boy version is better as while I haven’t played either version, I’ve seen the ending to both games and the Game Boy version is significantly superior as it featured cutscenes of Milon and the princess reuniting and getting married as opposed to the NES version that only has a congratulation screen as it’s ending.
I felt there was a lot of slowdown in the Game Boy version, but the extra music and the extra content as you mentioned are definitely a big draw.
Thanks for making such great videos!
Awww thanks ZBR! I appreciate your support very much :) Thank you!
I love this game. I remember playing it for the first time back in 88 and its been one of my favorite games ever since.
I really enjoyed it too! I hope more people will give it a try and end up liking it as well.
Love this game, only beaten the gameboy version but I was pleasantly surprised by how fun it was to go through the game and figuring it out. Shot out to the manual art for being adorable too, love this era of Hudson soft.
I fiddled with the Game Boy version the day after I finished the NES game, and the only thing that bothers me about it is the slowdown. If anything else is on screen, you're in slow motion all of a sudden :( I'd put up with it for the soundtrack breadth though!
@@hungrygoriya Yeah the soundtrack in the gameboy version is great, the slow down didn't bother me as much, it's also nice that it has passwords too making continuing the game less of a hassle ^^
I'm happy to be convinced to play another NES game! thanks for the Review!
I hope you enjoy it. It's tough in places but it's very rewarding to make progress!
I remember renting this as a kid, but never really being able to get into it (I think the fact that I was stuck with a Permastruct instead of the actual manual didn't help matters any). This video makes me want to give it another shot! Well played!
Hey thanks! And I'd totally give it another try if I were you. I hope you enjoy it if you do!
It looks like the boss fireball patterns might not be random. The dragon shoots farthest to closest before looping. The bird seems to shoot alternating farther then closer.
Yeah, it's hard to tell when you're the one playing. Interesting!
I actually picked up an NES cart for this at a thrift store not too long ago! I haven't jumped into it yet, but I am looking forward to it when the NES mood strikes me again, it looks like a lot of fun (and thanks for sharing the continue code xD)
Hooray! It's got some rough parts but once you get used to the movement and discover the steps on the path, you'll probably really like it!
@@hungrygoriya I think I will, especially from your review. The semi-open platformer with an economy and upgrades almost makes it feel like a prototype for later Wonder Boy and Adventure Island games
@@HybridAngelZero That's a great parallel to make!
I really liked Milon's as a kid and it was a memorable completion for me. A couple of the last stages are also hard to forget.
Definitely! I especially enjoyed the towers and their secrets.
I loved this game as a child. I vividly remember the first time I beat the first boss. My heart was pounding, and it was the fisrt time I ever had such a reaction from a video game.
That must've been so thrilling! My heart used to race when I'd fight the big dwarf enemies in Faxanadu with the boss music... nothing quite like it!
I know exactly what you mean I had a similar reaction after beating Mike Tyson in Punch Out!!
You are super dope! Thank you. One of my favorites when I was little
Awww thanks! This game's great! It must've been a treat playing it as a kid.
There are bones of a very good NES game in this title... the execution leaves an incredible amount left to be desired. It is like a poor man's Friday The 13th, where as Friday The 13th at least hits some cool ideas in the programming, while this one misses on nearly every cool idea they had.
I'm not sure I see the similarity to Friday the 13th. Could you elaborate? I thought this game did a lot of great things, like slowly opening up a game world with tools etc. and making you work for it.
@@hungrygoriya Saying it in the vein of a game that has warts, but unlike this one, actually managed to execute some cool ideas on limited hardware/software.
Both had great ideas, both failed to fully execute them, but Friday The 13th it is at least viewable in the result that there was a good intent and execution. Milon, not even close...
I never played this game, but I still have fond memories of it because of an old NES Advantage VHS I used to have that I would watch on repeat just to see games I didn't have.
Awww that's awesome! I didn't realize there was a video series out there like that. I think I would've enjoyed that a lot too!
@@hungrygoriya It's somewhere on UA-cam, but I can't remember the name of it for the life of me. It was a tips and tricks video. I wish I could find it.
My mom got this for me when I was a kid (NES). I couldn’t get past the first level. Nothing but frustration for me. I ended up loaning it to my friend Jerry and never saw it again. This game installed frustration and guilt that’s lived rent free in my head for 35 years.
Do you think you'd ever revisit it and see if you could get a bit further? It's not too bad once you get going. Having the ability to continue after the first boss makes it a pretty fair game.
Where did you get a scan of the game boy manual? I wanted to read the page you censored but I can't find the game boy version manual on Google.
I have a copy of the manual. I'll try to upload a scan soon.
I had no idea this game’s lore has the concept of a musical language. Ive been making a musical language as a hobby project for years.
Oh neat! Yeah, the art on the Famicom box shows a bunch of monsters making off with the people's instruments. What an interesting concept!
Just stumbled on your channel. I am finding your content quite enjoyable. Subbed.👍
Thanks so much! Glad you found me here!
The main issue with the game isn’t really the cryptic stuff. Yeah some of it can be a bit brutal, but there are visual clues telling you what to do such as different colored blocks to indicate important areas and doors usually being hidden in fairly obvious spots. The main problem is Milon’s control. His jump is so painfully stiff and it makes the bosses (especially the final one) needlessly hard. That’s not getting into the fact that they’re total bulletsponges and Milon has no post hit invincibility so enemies and bosses can totally shred through him. Other than that, I actually have a soft spot for this game. It’s by no means a masterpiece, or even that great in all honesty, but if you give it a go and try and understand what it’s going for (this is a puzzle game first and foremost, not an adventure game), then there’s fun to be had here
You make some good points here. I agree with you, though I feel like a lot of folks feel like it's way more cryptic than it actually is. Some of the later bosses are absolutely frustrating but most of the walls I hit were because I wasn't supposed to be there yet or I'd missed an upgrade. I think it's a great game with just the right amount of challenge, and more people should give it a chance. Thanks for stopping in!
Man, I have very vague memories of my sister's telling me that this game would be too hard for my age then (5ish).
A side-scroller adventure I haven't heard you mention is the Golden Axe spin-off "Ax Battler" for Game Gear. I'm sure you'll love it
I know of Ax Battler for Game Gear, but I currently have no way to capture that system with my setup. I'd love to play it someday!
I'm glad the internet wasn't available when I was young and playing this game. I loved it at the time and played through it multiple times!
I hear ya, though I didn't really know a lot of people who gamed when I was a kid and I appreciated finally being able to look up solutions eventually. This game was great to feel out entirely on my own though!
Now you made me want to play the sequel on the SNES, I loved this video!
I hope you enjoy DoReMi Fantasy! And thanks so much!
I struggle to understand why some people hate games that let you explore and discover.
It's like a jigsaw puzzle. You find a piece, you look around for a piece that looks like it goes together. Trial and error. It's a completely valid way to design a game.
It's so strange eh? There's nothing wrong with exploring, even if it's meant to have you pour over everything to figure out the next step. I personally love those kinds of games.
I always thought this game was hard when I was little. Nice and fair review.
It's a tough one even now, no doubt!
Based off your review only, it seems like there's a lot of potential for this one! I really love the idea of exploring in old game. I think it can get a little tricky if graphics aren't diverse enough. The visuals in this one seem nice, but I'd be worried I might get lost. Did navigating ever get confusing?
The only confusion I ran into was knowing which doors outside led to which rooms (I'm sure it's easy enough to make a little doodle, but I didn't this time for some reason). The rooms themselves are pretty straightforward. You have to find a path through, but they're not huge.
Awesome review and anything with the Hudson Bee on it, I generally liked back in the day. It's a good game just difficult.
I agree with you! I hope more people play it and see that there's quite a fun little adventure here!
Nice take on this underrated game. Gotta love Hudson Soft. The successor to this is the fantastic „DoReMi Fantasy Milon no DokiDoki Daibouken“ on the SNES :)
I adored Adventure Island II in childhood. Hudson Soft definitely made some good ones!
I never got far in this game. I don't think I beat the first boss but something about the style, look, and the gameplay was very compelling to me. Long ago playing this as a kid, I never got anywhere but still have a positive opinion on the game. Something about the exploration and finding secrets (that are literally everywhere) in a neat castle setting is very compelling.
I really love the "leave no stone unturned" games, especially from this era of gaming. Agreed!
Great video and I love your channel! By the way, there actually IS a way to collect infinite cash, although it can be only done in one of the game's rooms. In the fireplace room on the 3rd level, if you enter and then leave the shop, all 16 of the stone money blocks will respawn every time, allowing you to collect up to the max of $999. Additionally, for every $256 you accumulate using this technique, you will be awarded with an extra health bar (same effect as the honeycomb icon) up to the max of 16 bars. Just note that this counter will reset to zero if you exit the room completely (even though the money blocks will continue to respawn indefinitely).
Yeah, I chose my words carefully because I didn't want to spoil this in the video for people that haven't played it yet. I had no idea about the extra health part though! That's awesome!
My dad would rent me video games from a local video store when I was a kid. I have a vivid memory of playing this game and being stuck in a corner. I was probably only 5 and didn't understand the game mechanics. This game and Karnov I have the most vivid memory of renting.
I could totally see getting stuck as a kid. The movement alone makes a lot of the game harder than it needs to be. I still need to play Karnov!
I really like the actual capture footage as it looks more how the games played. It's not a pixel perfect capture, but looks far more natural.
I'm recording from an original NES in composite, so it's as close to the real deal as it comes!
9:31 Person 1: How are you? What did you do today? Hungry Goriya: "Grind up the hearts of my fallen foes." Person 1: 😧
This is pretty much my real life, yep.
Awesome video. I bought this game thanks to some intriguing screen shots in Nintendo Power, and I bludgeoned my way through with a tip from said magazine and a long distance phone call to Hudson Soft to help me get the final floor boss to show up. Beating the only one true Maharito was my Al Bundy four touchdowns moment of growing up with Nintendo, and this remains my number one underrated janky masterpiece of all time. So glad to see it get a fair shake, warts and all!
I'm glad you got to enjoy this one when it was new. I think I would've loved trying to figure it out as a kid. I hope you were allowed to make that long distance phone call to Hudson Soft...
@@hungrygoriya Oh, I did! A good part of that summer was spent messing around in those trippy calliope rooms with the window A/C on full blast. I loved the atmosphere enough that just doing random whatever was enjoyable. I still remember the joys of finding the balloon exit from the well, the springboard into a ceiling shop, and the final music box. No worries, I got permission to call - and it was free through my dad's work.
Great review. My friends and family just couldn't get into this game when it was released. We played and beat just about every game that was out at the time (including some of the toughest ones) but this was one game that we found so annoying we just stopped playing it. This game had the potential to be one of the greats, but without a save or password feature it seemed doomed to remain in obscurity.
A save or password would've really helped people to come back to it, definitely. Not everyone has the time to put in to get through a game, nevermind get good enough at it to do it all in one sitting.
I remember the insane number of times I rented this game as a kid from the mom and pop video store near my house. So many weekends playing this game. I loved it. Lol I had no idea there was a hidden continue....I used to leave my Nintendo on overnight too for this game.
Great video! I like the link between the somewhat repetitive soundtrack and Milon's original purpose for setting forth.
Milon's Secret Castle always felt like one of those classic games that needed just one more pass to get into that upper echelon; just one more playthrough by someone who didn't really play games to let them know what was frustrating about it.
If I had that song stuck in my head forever, I'd be looking for a new one too!
And I agree with you. It's a fun game but it still has some rough patches that could've used some smoothing out.
Milon's Secret Castle is my favorite game too, It took a lifetime to discover all the secrets
They is very well read and put together so great, every other review of this game is just someone trashing it, but you really gave it a chance and the way you explained certain aspects make me at least respect this game much more now. Thank you
Thanks so much! I try to come to every game with an open mind, and this one really is much better than most reviewers seem to give it credit for.
Wait, that continue thing works on Felix, too? I might've beaten that back when I was actually playing on a NES if I knew that.
I know it works on some other Hudson games like the Adventure Island ones (though continuing on those games is usually contingent on finding the Hudson Bee). I'm not sure about Felix!
If James only knew just how incredibly strong an impact he'd have as a tastemaker for these retro gems that get saddled with an unfairly bad reputation.
I remember using my Club Nintendo points to score this game for free on my 3DS. I regret not giving it more a chance.
Very true. James is roughly my age. Hes old enough to actually played these games back in the day and remembers what the NES era was actually like. And hes playing a character, not actually reviewing a game.
What I noticed is younger people, like 10-15 years younger than us who do not remember the actual era forming their opinions about games based on what he said - games that are actually pretty good like Legend of Zelda 2 or Castlevania 2 without ever actually playing them. Just like "no why would I play them -they suck"
@@serpens_ignis I think a lot of it boils down to people not forming their own opinions or not being willing to. Unfortunate, but it's their loss.
@@childofcascadia I come up against this attitude a lot when I'm streaming these games and the first question I always ask people is: have you played it yourself? And they usually say no.
I never played this one, but in the old days of the internet I remember seeing multiple people recommend this game in classic game discussions. This was a long time before the AVGN episode
I had one good buddy insist I needed to play this one and he was right. I loved it! I'm glad folks have some good sense out there.
I remember renting this as a kid, but I swear my entire life I've been reading that as "Milton's Secret Castle." To be fair I probably haven't thought about this game in 30 years before your video.
You wouldn't be the first person in this comment section to think it was Milton!
This game was great, one of my favorites as a kid. I was really disappointed when the SNES sequel completely changed the style of gameplay from action/puzzle exploration to generic platformer.
I haven't played Do Re Mi Fantasy yet, but it's on my list. I think I'll like it but it won't be the same as playing Milon's Secret Castle. I love that exploration-based gameplay very much.
I played through most of it; it's certainly not the same game but it is still enjoyable. It's one of those "good game bad sequel" situations.
@@marscaleb Yeah, like bad sequel in the sense that it diverges from the original material, but a good game as a standalone? I could see that still being enjoyable.
@@hungrygoriya Exactly; there's a lot of games that suffer from "Good Game Bad Sequel," and its a concept people need to understand.
I like your choice of games.
oh wow, UA-cam took 3 days to recommend me this video! D:
Good video though! But I do feel the reason why Milon's Castle is hated is mostly due to the AVGN. People often forget he's playing a character
Oh no! Better late than never I guess!
And yeah, I just think it's really sad that professional reviewers from magazines etc. ranked the game so poorly if they were influenced. All of the ratings from the Wii virtual console release were under 5/10, so clearly nobody actually played it before drawing those conclusions.
This is the only game where I watch a walkthrough and not think 'oh, that is what I was supposed to do'. Instead I just yell 'WTF' over and over.
I didn't think it was that confusing. If you find the shops and read the hints, some ideas on what to try should start to form.