There are usually hints, such as a tree or tower going off-screen, but for a new player it's not immediately obvious. And when you try it and it works for the first time, it feels really cool.
I adored this game as a little kid, the music and layout is burned into my brain. I would always tell friends who came over: "I can beat this game in 2 hours! Wanna see?!", because it was so crazy in general to be able to beat an NES game reliably in general back then. Was fun to see this, will definitely check out your other videos for some cozy nostalgia.
I really appreciate including those images of the whole level. They give great insight into the design and you can usually immediately tell which levels had a bit more oomph put into them.
I'm glad you mentioned this. When I was editing, I was second-guessing whether or not it was worth the trouble. But I'm glad it helped communicate the scope of the game.
I love this game. Your commentary on the feel of the game world are spot on. It feels like a fantasy world for Conan, even though there’s almost no exposition about any of it. The areas just feel like there’s a story there. I also love the tower. It just feels like a place of secrets; like somewhere you aren’t meant to see.
Yeah, I loved the Tower of Garba and the towers in Rolsa. Just a big tower guy tbh. And you're right about the environments feeling like that have history.
Great video. Really enjoyed the deep-dive as it shows how underrated this game actually is. It's mentioned so often in retro gamer videos but hardly anybody ever takes an in-depth look like you did. Also really liked the editing and the chill vibes.
I noticed when looking up info on UA-cam that the information on this one is rather sparce. There's an excellent video from GenerationGapGaming and Jeremy Parish, but the others are a bit less informative. Oh! And there's the one from U Can Beat Video Games! But I haven't watched that one yet. But other things I've seen from that channel have been great.
As a child, I came across both the J-version and the U-version on the Famiclone. It's difficult to capture the meditative, immersive state induced by this game at that time. The game even then, in the mid and late 90s, seemed very outdated, but these primitive animations and gameplay combined well with the pre-calendar era of the game's plot. It's as if the game itself was made B.C.
Once I think that retro games have been reviewed to absolute death, you come along and find a way to make it interesting and exciting again. Great video!!!
My first adventure game ever. I was probably 4 years old when I first played it with my siblings. It's so weird and unique. It's very special in my heart.
Had so many good memories playing this game with my mom when I was little. She always sang a song that was simply “MONKEY MONK MONKEY MONKEY MONKEY MONKEY MONKEY MONK” etc to the tune of the Stage 4 song. I think she was just trying to distract me from how frustrating the slowdown is there. 😂 Very nice vid, glad the algorithm blessed me today
@@HPRshredder It's actually Mount Primevil apparently, I just always went by the name I saw on UA-cam years ago which they just called Stage Four :P BONUS: Put the video to .75 speed for the realistic experience lol
I can remember that this was one of the few games that my mom liked to play when i was a kid, the others being Zelda 1, 2, and Dragon Warrior I think it took her yelling "Release my daughter!" at Dorago to finally beat him lol
Me and my brother would sing "pee pee pee Pee Pee Pee pee pee pee" to the second areas music with the mountain. I still sing it everytime I hear the music.
Did you find me from @TheCrawl 's discord?? I saw your Bionicle video posted on there and dropped a comment earlier today. You've got super high-quality stuff.
@@HPRshredder Thanks man! Im still learning how to edit but i defs feel im getting there LOL But yeah i saw Brendan posted your video and im a sucker for retro reviews so i had to watch 😎 Its a great vid! like i said aesthetic was amazing. 👌👌👌
Stumbled across your channel after looking up this game as I was playing it and had a few "where do I go" moments lol. I have since gone back and watched almost all of your uploads, I don't really comment on channels much but I just wanted to say I really enjoy what you're doing here. The CRT glamor shots, overall visual style, and your personality are great. Wish you the best moving forward!
This is another game I never beat as a kid but have enjoyed going back to as an adult. Beat both nes and famicom and it’s definitely a different experience with the 2 soundtracks. I’ve learned to love grinding in games to be overpowered and then just breeze through the 2nd half like Castlevania 2. Amazing video and I still haven’t cracked open the ghosts and goblins I bought off of you but I will and get destroyed.
I’ve owned the Famicom version of this game for about a year now but haven’t played it yet, I was a little daunted by the scope of the game but like all your amazingly thorough, relaxed and well produced videos I’m inspired to give the game a real shot it seems really good! Thank you, more than all the gaming UA-camrs I watch it always feels like an event when you upload and the videos never disappoint😎
Yaaaaay! So pumped to see this pop up in my suggestions today! Been waiting for a new hprshredder video for awhile, and rewatching older Retro Odyssey videos to fill the interim! Commencing the watching now! Also, congrats on becoming a father! It is a rewarding, heart-shifting experience!
My background is in CS. I didn't really know anything about editing before I started making videos again a few years ago. I've just been taking what I learn from making each episode and trying to improve. I'm glad you think it's good! Thanks for the comment.
They're real cute, but they are SUPER tiny. This one is the KV-9. I would love to get a PVM someday but they're prohibitively expensive. This TV was $75 when I ordered it off eBay back in 2018 or so.
I was talking about the helpline with a coworker the other day. It was before my time, but I was thinking about how much money kids must have spent making collect calls to figure out which rock to bomb in Zelda lol.
glad to see you go in to depth with this title! as a kid whenever I’d enter the lair of the wise men it felt like I’ve entered a sacred place, despite not knowing the meaning of the place due to language barrier 😳
Well done, I'm sold on having to play Rygar after that! Feels like you put in even more effort on the intro and little touches like gifs throughout the video, and I loved the Elden Ring tower comparison. Sounds like you should see the Rocky Mountains between BC and Alberta one day if you haven't already.
I would LOVE to visit the Canadian Rockies. I spent a day in Victoria Canada in 2011 on the way to Alaska and it was really cool, but my buddy Deezel went on that big long drive that you can do in Canada where it takes you through the mountains and it sounded sublime.
This was honestly great. I've never played Rygar before (admittedly for the very shallow reason that I thought the name sounded kinda stupid) but it looks like a really cool game! Thanks for opening my eyes - the NES is clearly full of these little gems and I need to give it more credit!
Aw, hey man! Thanks for stopping by! How're things on the checkmark side of UA-cam? I know it's silly, but getting a plaque from YT is a long-term goal for me. I had never played Rygar before making this so we're not that far apart. I added it to my list based on its inclusion in so many "hidden gem" lists and "underrated NES games" sort of videos. It's no Castlevania (for me) but it was good to the point where I respect it. Really early flex by Tecmo.
I remember this one from the dentists office growing up. Never got more than a few secinds to play it, so glad to have a thrity year old mystery of what this strange game about a man with a pointy yo-yo is all about!
David! Nice to see you in the comments! For me, the games from dentist/haircut places as a kid were Bubble Bobble and Diddy Kong Racing lol. Hope you're doing well!
I've been appreciating all the comments, man! I'm glad you're enjoying the videos. I've got more on the way, just taking a little longer to get this next one out. Trying to tighten it up, but they take time.
Hey, I just found your channel after buying a japanese famicom, and while looking for some games i found your reviews. They're really well made and entertaining to watch ! Keep up the good work man, you deserve more subs.
Stumbled on your channel and saw Rygar, which I have never known before, but caught my interest due to your Met-Lite-Vania description... Will definitely play this as I am a fan of the OG Castlevania series as well as Legend of Zelda game mechanics. New subscriber here! Thanks for an awesome vid.. gonna play Rygar on the weekend :)
Incredible review of my fav NES game! I played this when it was new, I was around 5 years old. It was likely my 1st video game. Easiest sub of my life here.
Rygar sticks to me like glue, but a lot of it is how it is tied to specific memories, not just of when I played it, but the atmosphere of the time. The early '80s hit us pretty strong with swords & sorcery-themed media like Conan the Barbarian, Masters of the Universe, etc., as well as other darker action movies like Rambo: First Blood Part II and Terminator. The atmosphere in Rygar felt in line with that time in a way that almost made it feel taboo to kids whose parents trying to keep us from R-rated films and the like. It also was around that time shortly after the Rygar arcade game where I found games like Black Tiger and Rastan, and this felt like playing those at home, but with an even larger scope (even if I can still beat in now in half an hour). Having tons of memories tied to that game and era really lend it more gravitas, but I'm glad to see it still holding some objective appeal to someone without all of those attachments.
I really love Rygar. And it’s rough around the edges, and rife with some glitchiness, but the world and music are so amazing. It’s one of the few games I come back to every year.
I plan to start integrating more systems after this season and the next are complete. I may stream some N64 era stuff soon for fun to tough on it, but the goal is to get into the 90s and cover systems from that period as well. If I wasn't so slow I could get there a little faster lol.
Great video as always. This is one of the earliest non Nintendo made games I can remember seeing. Childhood friends had a copy and were really into it. For me though it just feels like an old B movie, it’s good but has those shortcomings that if it was in the hands of a better director (or developer like Konami/ Capcom) or had a bigger budget it could’ve been a blockbuster.
It really does have "B Movie" vibes, and all the extra time spent editing the video honestly left me in a funk afterwards. It does some really impressive stuff, but I'm not itching to go back like I feel I still am for Castlevania and Metroid.
hey man, rewatching this for the 5h time, this time I am playing the game as I watch, its a huge help. Looking forward to the next game buddy. Thank you for stopping by my streams when you can it really means a lot to me to have one of my favorite youtubers stop by!
You got it, man! Appreciate the comment. Been working on the next one, hoping to get it out soon. It's a game with only one other review on UA-cam so I'm trying to make sure I get the details right lol.
I was able to beat Rygar back in the day. That was a proud accomplishment, figuring the whole game out and being able to have to beat it in a sitting. I wanna say i was 11 or 12.
I really meant to be fair and FIRST comment on the Zelda1/2 and Metroid reviews you made since I've been trying to get those both to 1million views on my own, but I watched this and I MUST comment on how hilarious this one is, the section where you talk about the music had me seriously LOL'ing like a lunatic 😂 😂😂 Really love the progression in the reviews you've made when you watch the early ones vs recent. Bring on Simon's Quest!!! nom nom nom nom nom
I appreciate the comment no matter the video! And it makes me happy you've been enjoying them more than once. Zelda 1 is one of my favorite videos I've made just because it feels like the episode I finally figured out what I was doing, and the game itself was so much better than I expected. Simon's Quest is soon! Thanks again for the comment~
I asked my dad for a Wind Pulley a long time ago, so he made a zip line for me 👍 To this day, I'm convinced that if you manage to climb high enough in someplace like Tibet, you will eventually reach a realm hidden within the clouds where robots will shoot energy waves at you.
This was an arcade platformer prior to this. Loved that game (have it in my arcade) and this was unexpected when I first got it back in the day for the NES but turned out to be pretty good... at least I thought so, lol.
I remember back in the 90s getting to the final section of the game in the floating sky fortress and then jumping off screen into the next screen thinking maybe there was a hidden area somewhere. Instead, I got stuck in a wall. Note to self: Don't do that.
I absolutely loved Rygar in the arcade when I was a teen. When it came out for the NES I was already an RPG junkie. I liked my NES version much better than the arcade game, even if it was a little janky at times. It made me wish the NES version is what I got in the arcade. A better graphics and smoother gameplay version would of been amazing.
If you think it looks interesting, you should look into RYGAR: The Legendary Adventure (2002) for the PlayStation 2. It's kind of like God of War, but before God of War was a thing. I haven't played it myself, and it's probably not as good, but I'd watch the hell out of a video where you give it a shot and make comparisons.
@@HPRshredder I actually almost got the ps2 game back when I was making the GOW review just to show like 2 seconds of footage haha. I'll probably get it at some point.
I remember passing on this multiple times as a kid, the box art not standing out to me compared to stuff like Rambo (which confused me greatly as a kid, being a Zelda 2 clone and not a shooter like expected). When I finally did check it out as a random rom in the late 90s I was pretty impressed, especially given early in the NES life it came out. Agree with the verdict very much of not really offering anything new to gaming it does it so fast and furious at a competent level that it's easy to have a good time.
This definitely _is_ a hidden gem for me because I don't think I've ever even heard of the game, so this review is a godsend - definitely wanna try it out now. And although I would have tried to be wary of spoilers, you summing up the game actually encouraged me more. And that manual, HMMM! Wonderful. Thanks for including that again, too!
I think you'll really appreciate the 3DWR video. It's not very popular, but it's one of my most cleanly cut videos I've published. I know you always have a keen eye for that stuff. And if you like manuals? (which I know you do from Goemon and your own work) 3D World Runner is about the best manual I've seen so far. Thanks for the comment as always! I still think about that comment you left on my Goemon video sometimes. It's so neat that the videos are getting more views now.
As a child of the 80s (I would have been about 5 when this game came out), Rygar was probably the first game I can remember playing that introduced "RPG" concepts to me. It's definitely a unique gaming experience and because the game is so short it's one that I can finish in one sitting and yet fun enough to warrant multiple play-throughs. I won't lie though, that Tower of Garba music scared me as a lad… 😅 I will agree it is awesome though! My personal favorite music is probably US version of Sagila'sCave.
Sagila's Cave has such a fin adventurous dungeon-crawl-y vibe to it. I might prefer the NES version of that track as well. That and Gran Mountain. But the Famicom versions are also no slouch.
You know it's a good day when you see a HPR shredder video in your notifications. I think you should check out twinbee, fantastic world, and the mysterious murasame castle as some suggestions for the next season. Twinbee especially left an impact on me when I beat it, which wasn't very easy.
I have passed the chronological dated for the initial releases for both of those titles, but I may come back to Murasame eventually. TwinBee I also missed the initial launch of, but I could still catch the launch for the Disk System. I'll have to look into that!
@06:19 - this is where I would kneel down and have a turbo controller with a clamp on the B button and clamp on down to max out my tone. About 45 minutes or so later, I would continue on and just obliterate most bosses. The rest of the tone will easily be maxed out later.
Reminds me of when my buddy would weight his controller down and use a rubber band in Oblivion to max out agility while we were at school lol. I should probably invest in a controller with a turbo option eventually.
@HPRshredder I play on my MiSTer with a dog bone NES controller and I have the option of setting turbo for either buttons. I kinda wish Nintendo made a turbo controller with separate turbo A and B
I love this game so much, I tend to play this once or twice a year for nostalgia sake. Though I should really find a Famicom version as I really find the music to be interesting. Though nothing beats the Caverns of Sagila's NES music, that song slaps hard and is often the reason I want to play the game.
This game is definitely "sticky" to me. The music is fantastic, it's extremely unique, and it feels almost as lonely as Metroid, but in a different way. I haven't played the PS2/Wii sequel, but I do have it. In that game, they kind of present the world as being more Greek, or maybe the era the Greeks called the "Age of Heroes." But in the arcade version, they talk about "dominators" ruling for 65 million years or something. To me, the latter feels more accurate to the experience. It feels like monsters have been ruling the world and humans developed a strange weapon and a legendary hero to put an end to their subjugation. The game just feels primeval to me; it feels like the dawn of the age of humanity. That's what makes it sticky to me. That and the bopping music. Maybe I feel that way because memories of this game reach far back into my own memories, with my cousin talking to me about it in some carpet store, playing it with me in the warm afternoon sunlight, and eventually giving it to me when he got rid of his NES.
I appreciate the memories in this comment! As I say toward the end, I can definitely understand how this game would resonate with people over something like Metroid of Castlevania. It's partially preference there. In the sense that it's memorable and unique, it's sticky for sure.
I was excited for this one. I rented Rygar so many times (when renting NES games was a thing) but never got to beat it. Tempting to try it again.. with save states of course (hey I’m not an animal!)
You REALLY do not need save states for this one! If you can a controller with turbo as another commenter mentioned, you can crouch in a corner and max out your tone and last while you make dinner, then come back to the game and melt bosses with ease. It seems a lot harder than it is when you first try it. No where near Castlevania or Metroid in terms of difficulty.
I do actually prefer the Gran Mountains track on NES to the Famicom, and Sagila's Den is actually a toss-up. But you're right that it seems the Famicom tends to get the better music. At least, it seems to in my experience so far.
HPRshredder: quality over quantity! Excellent retrospective as always! I'm surprised to see that no one has hacked this one to replace that rubbish 1234 music with the track that Japanese fans got. Anyway, the fact that a game as good as this one isn't generally in people's top twenty or even top fifty NES games speaks to how rich the console's library is, especially if you add in the Japan-only games. I played the arcade Rygar when it was new, and it was fun, graphically impressive game but also a merciless quarter-muncher. When I was a little boy, I was discouraged by such games and I gave up on Rygar after about a dollar or so. The NES version is a pretty significant improvement thanks to the RPG elements. The combat isn't as good because the disk-armor doesn't arc the way it does in the arcade game, but it's a much grander adventure overall.
The arcade version definitely has the advantage of looking super pretty. I really have next-to-no experience with anything arcade-related. Someday I think it'd be a fun hobby to get into. Thanks for the great comment! I always look forward to hearing from you.
Rygar is like that odd foreign song that is a brief hit and a bop and then everybody forgets about it but every once in a wild you put it on and everyone's just going crazy at how cool it is. But it'll never be on anybody's 10 Ten because it's just too weird.
"In a single day" Well I guess all he really had to do was close a door of peace
lmao this got me
This was released on my birthday.
I can't believe people make video essays of this quality for FUN. Well done, sir.
Grappling towards unseen screens above.. is such a great addition to such an old game.
There are usually hints, such as a tree or tower going off-screen, but for a new player it's not immediately obvious. And when you try it and it works for the first time, it feels really cool.
I adored this game as a little kid, the music and layout is burned into my brain. I would always tell friends who came over: "I can beat this game in 2 hours! Wanna see?!", because it was so crazy in general to be able to beat an NES game reliably in general back then.
Was fun to see this, will definitely check out your other videos for some cozy nostalgia.
Oh man. This video was exactly what I needed today. Seeing a new retro odyssey in the sub tab always makes my day. And Rygar is a dope game!
I really appreciate including those images of the whole level. They give great insight into the design and you can usually immediately tell which levels had a bit more oomph put into them.
I'm glad you mentioned this. When I was editing, I was second-guessing whether or not it was worth the trouble. But I'm glad it helped communicate the scope of the game.
I love this game. Your commentary on the feel of the game world are spot on. It feels like a fantasy world for Conan, even though there’s almost no exposition about any of it. The areas just feel like there’s a story there. I also love the tower. It just feels like a place of secrets; like somewhere you aren’t meant to see.
Yeah, I loved the Tower of Garba and the towers in Rolsa. Just a big tower guy tbh. And you're right about the environments feeling like that have history.
Great video. Really enjoyed the deep-dive as it shows how underrated this game actually is. It's mentioned so often in retro gamer videos but hardly anybody ever takes an in-depth look like you did. Also really liked the editing and the chill vibes.
To the point that even long-time fans I’ve spoken to forget it is based in Greek mythology.
I noticed when looking up info on UA-cam that the information on this one is rather sparce. There's an excellent video from GenerationGapGaming and Jeremy Parish, but the others are a bit less informative. Oh! And there's the one from U Can Beat Video Games! But I haven't watched that one yet. But other things I've seen from that channel have been great.
Yeah, those channels are a treasure trove. All with their own unique style, which I like. @@HPRshredder
As a child, I came across both the J-version and the U-version on the Famiclone. It's difficult to capture the meditative, immersive state induced by this game at that time. The game even then, in the mid and late 90s, seemed very outdated, but these primitive animations and gameplay combined well with the pre-calendar era of the game's plot. It's as if the game itself was made B.C.
Ooo I cant wait for you to cover Faxanadu one day, very atmospheric and moody game I think you would really enjoy.
Faxanadu is part of this season! It's toward the end, but the video for it should be ~September-October.
Hell Yeah, a new video! I played Rygar back when I was trying to play every NES game and I found it very similar to Blaster Master.
I still haven't played Blaster Master but I look forward to it!
"Attack and Assail" is such a great name for a spell. There's no grandiose mystic cryptic bull to it, it's straight to the point.
Agreed it comes from the same glorious naming conventions as Hurt and Hurt More.
Once I think that retro games have been reviewed to absolute death, you come along and find a way to make it interesting and exciting again. Great video!!!
I appreciate that! Thank you! I’m a first-timer to all these games so that may make for a different angle.
I can't believe the yt algo took this long to recommend this channel to me.
These videos are such high quality wtf.
My first adventure game ever. I was probably 4 years old when I first played it with my siblings. It's so weird and unique. It's very special in my heart.
These old games look so good on a CRT.
Had so many good memories playing this game with my mom when I was little. She always sang a song that was simply “MONKEY MONK MONKEY MONKEY MONKEY MONKEY MONKEY MONK” etc to the tune of the Stage 4 song. I think she was just trying to distract me from how frustrating the slowdown is there.
😂 Very nice vid, glad the algorithm blessed me today
By stage 4 do you mean the Valley of Rolsa or Eruga's Forest? Thanks for sharing though! And I'm glad you enjoyed the video
@@HPRshredder It's actually Mount Primevil apparently, I just always went by the name I saw on UA-cam years ago which they just called Stage Four :P
BONUS: Put the video to .75 speed for the realistic experience lol
I can remember that this was one of the few games that my mom liked to play when i was a kid, the others being Zelda 1, 2, and Dragon Warrior
I think it took her yelling "Release my daughter!" at Dorago to finally beat him lol
Me and my brother would sing "pee pee pee Pee Pee Pee pee pee pee" to the second areas music with the mountain. I still sing it everytime I hear the music.
Your review are really good. I can't wait for more people to discover you.
This was the first video game I ever played and is still my favorite NES game.
I've said this before, but your production value is incredible for a small channel, and I can't believe that this channel doesnt have more subs
I'm glad it's still looking good!
One of your best edited videos in my opinion. Loved every second
Such an aesthetic video 😫 the names in this game are peak. Rygar, Slygar, the tower of Garba. Ya gotta love late 80s fantasy.
Did you find me from @TheCrawl 's discord?? I saw your Bionicle video posted on there and dropped a comment earlier today. You've got super high-quality stuff.
@@HPRshredder Thanks man! Im still learning how to edit but i defs feel im getting there LOL But yeah i saw Brendan posted your video and im a sucker for retro reviews so i had to watch 😎 Its a great vid! like i said aesthetic was amazing. 👌👌👌
Rygar is definitely a NES game of all time.
Oh Hell Ya! So happy to see a new video buddy! you know what I am going to download this and watch it on the plane ride to Japan tonight!
Hope you enjoy it, man!
Stumbled across your channel after looking up this game as I was playing it and had a few "where do I go" moments lol. I have since gone back and watched almost all of your uploads, I don't really comment on channels much but I just wanted to say I really enjoy what you're doing here. The CRT glamor shots, overall visual style, and your personality are great. Wish you the best moving forward!
Thanks, man! I really appreciate that. Hoping to make many, many more!
This is another game I never beat as a kid but have enjoyed going back to as an adult. Beat both nes and famicom and it’s definitely a different experience with the 2 soundtracks. I’ve learned to love grinding in games to be overpowered and then just breeze through the 2nd half like Castlevania 2. Amazing video and I still haven’t cracked open the ghosts and goblins I bought off of you but I will and get destroyed.
The Japanese version of GnG is even more difficult than the English version lol. Best of luck!
I’ve owned the Famicom version of this game for about a year now but haven’t played it yet, I was a little daunted by the scope of the game but like all your amazingly thorough, relaxed and well produced videos I’m inspired to give the game a real shot it seems really good! Thank you, more than all the gaming UA-camrs I watch it always feels like an event when you upload and the videos never disappoint😎
Yaaaaay! So pumped to see this pop up in my suggestions today! Been waiting for a new hprshredder video for awhile, and rewatching older Retro Odyssey videos to fill the interim! Commencing the watching now!
Also, congrats on becoming a father! It is a rewarding, heart-shifting experience!
Thank you!
Without a doubt the best sub 100k channel I've found on here, esp in terms of production, is your background in editing?
My background is in CS. I didn't really know anything about editing before I started making videos again a few years ago. I've just been taking what I learn from making each episode and trying to improve. I'm glad you think it's good! Thanks for the comment.
presentation as fab as ever, the close-up crt shots are so well captured and comfy
Ayy you know it's a great day when that HPRshredder video drops
Whelp, I guess I need to try Rygar now
Great video with fantastic editing as always. I really need to find one of those little Trinitrons
They're real cute, but they are SUPER tiny. This one is the KV-9. I would love to get a PVM someday but they're prohibitively expensive. This TV was $75 when I ordered it off eBay back in 2018 or so.
I remember playing this as a kid, and getting stuck a lot.
The Nintendo phone helpline certainly took a lot of our parents money then 😅
I was talking about the helpline with a coworker the other day. It was before my time, but I was thinking about how much money kids must have spent making collect calls to figure out which rock to bomb in Zelda lol.
@@HPRshredder And which tree to burn haha.
Recently found your channel, really enjoying your content. Thanks
Thanks for commenting! Glad you found the channel
I found the cartridge for this when i was a kid and loved the game
glad to see you go in to depth with this title! as a kid whenever I’d enter the lair of the wise men it felt like I’ve entered a sacred place, despite not knowing the meaning of the place due to language barrier 😳
That thumbnail is king!
Jesus christ that was the best opening I have seen in youtube in a LONG time
Glad you enjoyed it!
Well done, I'm sold on having to play Rygar after that! Feels like you put in even more effort on the intro and little touches like gifs throughout the video, and I loved the Elden Ring tower comparison. Sounds like you should see the Rocky Mountains between BC and Alberta one day if you haven't already.
I would LOVE to visit the Canadian Rockies. I spent a day in Victoria Canada in 2011 on the way to Alaska and it was really cool, but my buddy Deezel went on that big long drive that you can do in Canada where it takes you through the mountains and it sounded sublime.
Oh yeah, it's super scenic going there from Vancouver. Would recommend June when it's less busy in Banff and Jasper@@HPRshredder
This was honestly great. I've never played Rygar before (admittedly for the very shallow reason that I thought the name sounded kinda stupid) but it looks like a really cool game! Thanks for opening my eyes - the NES is clearly full of these little gems and I need to give it more credit!
Aw, hey man! Thanks for stopping by! How're things on the checkmark side of UA-cam? I know it's silly, but getting a plaque from YT is a long-term goal for me.
I had never played Rygar before making this so we're not that far apart. I added it to my list based on its inclusion in so many "hidden gem" lists and "underrated NES games" sort of videos. It's no Castlevania (for me) but it was good to the point where I respect it. Really early flex by Tecmo.
I remember this one from the dentists office growing up. Never got more than a few secinds to play it, so glad to have a thrity year old mystery of what this strange game about a man with a pointy yo-yo is all about!
David! Nice to see you in the comments! For me, the games from dentist/haircut places as a kid were Bubble Bobble and Diddy Kong Racing lol. Hope you're doing well!
@@HPRshredder You guys had _games_ available at the dentist? Amazing ... I must have been in the wrong place at the wrong time :D
Been binging your content lately. You definitely have a new subscriber. Looking forward to future reviews!
I've been appreciating all the comments, man! I'm glad you're enjoying the videos. I've got more on the way, just taking a little longer to get this next one out. Trying to tighten it up, but they take time.
Keep up the good work. And keep dropping by the retro yugioh live stream chats. I always get a kick out of seeing you there ✌️
New video should be ready by the end of the month.
New HPRshredder video? It's a good day!
Hey, I just found your channel after buying a japanese famicom, and while looking for some games i found your reviews. They're really well made and entertaining to watch ! Keep up the good work man, you deserve more subs.
Thanks, Vavanne! I've got more cooking
Stumbled on your channel and saw Rygar, which I have never known before, but caught my interest due to your Met-Lite-Vania description... Will definitely play this as I am a fan of the OG Castlevania series as well as Legend of Zelda game mechanics. New subscriber here! Thanks for an awesome vid.. gonna play Rygar on the weekend :)
Glad you found the channel! Hope you enjoy Rygar~
Finished this game as a kid with no manual, loved the bizarre soundtrack of this game
24:06 same here its how I play eldenring.
Incredible review of my fav NES game!
I played this when it was new, I was around 5 years old. It was likely my 1st video game.
Easiest sub of my life here.
Rygar sticks to me like glue, but a lot of it is how it is tied to specific memories, not just of when I played it, but the atmosphere of the time. The early '80s hit us pretty strong with swords & sorcery-themed media like Conan the Barbarian, Masters of the Universe, etc., as well as other darker action movies like Rambo: First Blood Part II and Terminator. The atmosphere in Rygar felt in line with that time in a way that almost made it feel taboo to kids whose parents trying to keep us from R-rated films and the like. It also was around that time shortly after the Rygar arcade game where I found games like Black Tiger and Rastan, and this felt like playing those at home, but with an even larger scope (even if I can still beat in now in half an hour). Having tons of memories tied to that game and era really lend it more gravitas, but I'm glad to see it still holding some objective appeal to someone without all of those attachments.
The children’s bible art vibe…surprisingly incisive catch
I really love Rygar. And it’s rough around the edges, and rife with some glitchiness, but the world and music are so amazing. It’s one of the few games I come back to every year.
Dope Earl Nightingale insert.
Rygar building up his TONE and MIND power had big self-improvement vibes. I like that Earl Nightengale video, myself, so it seemed like a good fit.
Another great video 👍 I’m definitely going to pick this up now. Would love to see you cover some 4th or 5th generation games in the future
I plan to start integrating more systems after this season and the next are complete. I may stream some N64 era stuff soon for fun to tough on it, but the goal is to get into the 90s and cover systems from that period as well. If I wasn't so slow I could get there a little faster lol.
thanks for making this video man! I went down to akihabara in Tokyo and picked up a copy to livestream, Thanks man!
I'll keep an eye out for the stream!
Gettin' SO buff playing Rygar!
My body is ready
Great video as always. This is one of the earliest non Nintendo made games I can remember seeing. Childhood friends had a copy and were really into it. For me though it just feels like an old B movie, it’s good but has those shortcomings that if it was in the hands of a better director (or developer like Konami/ Capcom) or had a bigger budget it could’ve been a blockbuster.
It really does have "B Movie" vibes, and all the extra time spent editing the video honestly left me in a funk afterwards. It does some really impressive stuff, but I'm not itching to go back like I feel I still am for Castlevania and Metroid.
You do great videos dude, hope your channel takes off asap
Thank you! Just gonna keep makin videos
Beginner’s Bible deep cut damn
Dang, man, you're nearing 100k subs! What are you doing here? lol (thanks for the comment btw )
hey man, rewatching this for the 5h time, this time I am playing the game as I watch, its a huge help. Looking forward to the next game buddy. Thank you for stopping by my streams when you can it really means a lot to me to have one of my favorite youtubers stop by!
You got it, man! Appreciate the comment. Been working on the next one, hoping to get it out soon. It's a game with only one other review on UA-cam so I'm trying to make sure I get the details right lol.
Glitchy, nothing like the arcade, and a funky english translation. Yet I would still call this an NES gem, love this game.
I was able to beat Rygar back in the day. That was a proud accomplishment, figuring the whole game out and being able to have to beat it in a sitting. I wanna say i was 11 or 12.
Man, I love yours vídeos. Hugs from Brazil
I'm glad you like them! Thanks for the comment!
Legacy of the Wizard/Dragonslayer IV was an early Metroidvania the same year as well.
Hope to see you cover it one day?
I'm not sure that one is actually on the list, currently, but I'll take a peek into it this afternoon!
Just found your channel, instant sub. Great content, well delivered and nicely edited. Keep it coming.
Thanks! I'm working on it!
I like this guy he talks nice.
Most people back in the day thought this was the arcade version! But I enjoyed it back 1987! One of the first games I beat on nes!
I really meant to be fair and FIRST comment on the Zelda1/2 and Metroid reviews you made since I've been trying to get those both to 1million views on my own, but I watched this and I MUST comment on how hilarious this one is, the section where you talk about the music had me seriously LOL'ing like a lunatic 😂 😂😂 Really love the progression in the reviews you've made when you watch the early ones vs recent. Bring on Simon's Quest!!! nom nom nom nom nom
I appreciate the comment no matter the video! And it makes me happy you've been enjoying them more than once. Zelda 1 is one of my favorite videos I've made just because it feels like the episode I finally figured out what I was doing, and the game itself was so much better than I expected.
Simon's Quest is soon! Thanks again for the comment~
I asked my dad for a Wind Pulley a long time ago, so he made a zip line for me 👍
To this day, I'm convinced that if you manage to climb high enough in someplace like Tibet, you will eventually reach a realm hidden within the clouds where robots will shoot energy waves at you.
This was an arcade platformer prior to this. Loved that game (have it in my arcade) and this was unexpected when I first got it back in the day for the NES but turned out to be pretty good... at least I thought so, lol.
I remember back in the 90s getting to the final section of the game in the floating sky fortress and then jumping off screen into the next screen thinking maybe there was a hidden area somewhere. Instead, I got stuck in a wall.
Note to self: Don't do that.
The intro has me pumped up already, it's true. Another thing in pumped about Mario 64 coming to this channel
I absolutely loved Rygar in the arcade when I was a teen.
When it came out for the NES I was already an RPG junkie.
I liked my NES version much better than the arcade game, even if it was a little janky at times.
It made me wish the NES version is what I got in the arcade. A better graphics and smoother gameplay version would of been amazing.
Rygar and Clash at Demonhead were two of my favorite NES games with a similar vibe.
Great video. Game seems pretty fun, might have to give it a try some time soon. Also that thumbnail is great haha
If you think it looks interesting, you should look into RYGAR: The Legendary Adventure (2002) for the PlayStation 2. It's kind of like God of War, but before God of War was a thing. I haven't played it myself, and it's probably not as good, but I'd watch the hell out of a video where you give it a shot and make comparisons.
@@HPRshredder I actually almost got the ps2 game back when I was making the GOW review just to show like 2 seconds of footage haha. I'll probably get it at some point.
I remember passing on this multiple times as a kid, the box art not standing out to me compared to stuff like Rambo (which confused me greatly as a kid, being a Zelda 2 clone and not a shooter like expected). When I finally did check it out as a random rom in the late 90s I was pretty impressed, especially given early in the NES life it came out. Agree with the verdict very much of not really offering anything new to gaming it does it so fast and furious at a competent level that it's easy to have a good time.
This definitely _is_ a hidden gem for me because I don't think I've ever even heard of the game, so this review is a godsend - definitely wanna try it out now. And although I would have tried to be wary of spoilers, you summing up the game actually encouraged me more. And that manual, HMMM! Wonderful. Thanks for including that again, too!
I think you'll really appreciate the 3DWR video. It's not very popular, but it's one of my most cleanly cut videos I've published. I know you always have a keen eye for that stuff. And if you like manuals? (which I know you do from Goemon and your own work) 3D World Runner is about the best manual I've seen so far. Thanks for the comment as always! I still think about that comment you left on my Goemon video sometimes. It's so neat that the videos are getting more views now.
The bug in the EU version which stopped you levelling up at a particular point made this game hard as hell to beat.
Exceptional video great job on all the details!!
Thank you so much!
As a child of the 80s (I would have been about 5 when this game came out), Rygar was probably the first game I can remember playing that introduced "RPG" concepts to me. It's definitely a unique gaming experience and because the game is so short it's one that I can finish in one sitting and yet fun enough to warrant multiple play-throughs. I won't lie though, that Tower of Garba music scared me as a lad… 😅 I will agree it is awesome though! My personal favorite music is probably US version of Sagila'sCave.
Sagila's Cave has such a fin adventurous dungeon-crawl-y vibe to it. I might prefer the NES version of that track as well. That and Gran Mountain. But the Famicom versions are also no slouch.
You know it's a good day when you see a HPR shredder video in your notifications. I think you should check out twinbee, fantastic world, and the mysterious murasame castle as some suggestions for the next season. Twinbee especially left an impact on me when I beat it, which wasn't very easy.
I have passed the chronological dated for the initial releases for both of those titles, but I may come back to Murasame eventually. TwinBee I also missed the initial launch of, but I could still catch the launch for the Disk System. I'll have to look into that!
this was the first nes game I ever played, it blew me away
Pretty solid first NES game tbh! Better than AVGN with Ghosts 'n Goblins, anyway!
I have a long hatred in my heart for G&G @@HPRshredder
@06:19 - this is where I would kneel down and have a turbo controller with a clamp on the B button and clamp on down to max out my tone. About 45 minutes or so later, I would continue on and just obliterate most bosses. The rest of the tone will easily be maxed out later.
Reminds me of when my buddy would weight his controller down and use a rubber band in Oblivion to max out agility while we were at school lol. I should probably invest in a controller with a turbo option eventually.
@HPRshredder I play on my MiSTer with a dog bone NES controller and I have the option of setting turbo for either buttons. I kinda wish Nintendo made a turbo controller with separate turbo A and B
I love this game so much, I tend to play this once or twice a year for nostalgia sake. Though I should really find a Famicom version as I really find the music to be interesting. Though nothing beats the Caverns of Sagila's NES music, that song slaps hard and is often the reason I want to play the game.
I almost died laughing with "Captain Conan The Ameribarian"
For 1987, this game was amazing. I like the sequel on PS2 a lot as well. I would love to see a second sequel (a third game).
hope you're doing good man- looking forward to this vid!
Doing well! Hope you enjoy the video
I'm a new subscriber and I must say you're a very thorough gamer. I really enjoyed your narration. I look forward to watching more of your videos. ✌️
Way to get those gains bro
I was a little nervous to take my shirt off for the thumbnail shoot, but all the positive comments have been a real confidence booster.
Harriet Tubman loves a good washboard 👌🏼
I wish they had used Strength and Stamina instead of Tone and Last. Thank-you for reviewing this game it was a lost treasure to me.
Glad you enjoyed the video! I find I'm actually fond of "TONE" and "LAST" myself just because it's funny to me.
This is one of my top ten favorite games of all time. I still give it a play through on occasion.
This game is definitely "sticky" to me. The music is fantastic, it's extremely unique, and it feels almost as lonely as Metroid, but in a different way. I haven't played the PS2/Wii sequel, but I do have it. In that game, they kind of present the world as being more Greek, or maybe the era the Greeks called the "Age of Heroes." But in the arcade version, they talk about "dominators" ruling for 65 million years or something. To me, the latter feels more accurate to the experience. It feels like monsters have been ruling the world and humans developed a strange weapon and a legendary hero to put an end to their subjugation. The game just feels primeval to me; it feels like the dawn of the age of humanity. That's what makes it sticky to me. That and the bopping music. Maybe I feel that way because memories of this game reach far back into my own memories, with my cousin talking to me about it in some carpet store, playing it with me in the warm afternoon sunlight, and eventually giving it to me when he got rid of his NES.
I appreciate the memories in this comment! As I say toward the end, I can definitely understand how this game would resonate with people over something like Metroid of Castlevania. It's partially preference there. In the sense that it's memorable and unique, it's sticky for sure.
Your style is 🤩
Thank you!
Banger video! Banger game!
Banger comment positive(er) as always!
I was excited for this one. I rented Rygar so many times (when renting NES games was a thing) but never got to beat it. Tempting to try it again.. with save states of course (hey I’m not an animal!)
You REALLY do not need save states for this one! If you can a controller with turbo as another commenter mentioned, you can crouch in a corner and max out your tone and last while you make dinner, then come back to the game and melt bosses with ease. It seems a lot harder than it is when you first try it. No where near Castlevania or Metroid in terms of difficulty.
Unbelievable how the famicom always has the better music
I do actually prefer the Gran Mountains track on NES to the Famicom, and Sagila's Den is actually a toss-up. But you're right that it seems the Famicom tends to get the better music. At least, it seems to in my experience so far.
HPRshredder: quality over quantity!
Excellent retrospective as always! I'm surprised to see that no one has hacked this one to replace that rubbish 1234 music with the track that Japanese fans got.
Anyway, the fact that a game as good as this one isn't generally in people's top twenty or even top fifty NES games speaks to how rich the console's library is, especially if you add in the Japan-only games.
I played the arcade Rygar when it was new, and it was fun, graphically impressive game but also a merciless quarter-muncher. When I was a little boy, I was discouraged by such games and I gave up on Rygar after about a dollar or so.
The NES version is a pretty significant improvement thanks to the RPG elements. The combat isn't as good because the disk-armor doesn't arc the way it does in the arcade game, but it's a much grander adventure overall.
The arcade version definitely has the advantage of looking super pretty. I really have next-to-no experience with anything arcade-related. Someday I think it'd be a fun hobby to get into. Thanks for the great comment! I always look forward to hearing from you.
Rygar is like that odd foreign song that is a brief hit and a bop and then everybody forgets about it but every once in a wild you put it on and everyone's just going crazy at how cool it is. But it'll never be on anybody's 10 Ten because it's just too weird.
Good vid about an old favorite
I keep re-watching this just for the moment of @0:35.