From the The Wing of Madoola, a side scrolling action-adventure game.Its developer and publishe is Sunsoft.by artist Kenji Mori and composer Naoki Kodaka (小高 直樹)
SUNSOFT is Back! Retro Game Selection coming west on September 6 for PS5, Xbox Series, and Switch - Gematsu
Publishers Red Art Games and SUNSOFT will release SUNSOFT is Back! Retro Game Selection for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC via Steam on September 6 in the west for $9.99 / €9.99, the companies announced. Physical editions will also be available for PlayStation 5 on October 4 in Europe.
SUNSOFT is Back! Retro Game Selection first launched digitally for Switch and PC via Steam on April 18, 2024 in Japan. A physical edition is due out for Switch on October 10 in Japan.
In Europe, the PlayStation 5 version will also be available in physical standard edition for €34.99. A Red Art Games store-exclusive Deluxe Edition, also priced at €34.99, includes a copy of the game with a reversible cover, an exclusive sleeve featuring alternate cover art, a double-sided poster, and an acrylic stand of SUNSOFT’s logo.
Here is an overview of the collection, via Red Art Games:
About
SUNSOFT is back and it’s bringing some of its 8-bit classics to the west for the very first time! In SUNSOFT is Back! Retro Game Selection, discover three of the legendary Japanese publisher’s Famicom games and play them in English for the first time ever!
The three games included are: The Wing of Madoola, Firework Thrower Kantaro’s 53 Stations of the Tokaido, and Ripple Island. Dive into SUNSOFT’s rich history by playing those Action and Adventure gems from the 1980s!
Included Games
Firework Thrower Kantaro’s 53 Stations of the Tokaido (Action, 1986) – As fireworks maker Kantaro, prevent evil merchants from turning his creations into weapons!
The Wing of Madoola (Action, 1986) – Help fierce warrior Lucia retrieve the powerful Wing of Madoola from the evil King Daltos. Directed by Kenji Sada (Blaster Master), with music from Naoki Kodaka (Albert Odyssey, Super Fantasy Zone).
Ripple Island (Adventure, 1988) – Play as Kyle, a young boy dreaming of a better life, who answers King Dotella’s call for help against the nefarious Emperor Groaker. Directed by Atsushi Sakai (Atlantis no Nazo, Ikki), with music from Naoki Kodaka.
In addition to giving brand new localizations to all three titles, multiple quality of life features have also been added to make the gameplay experience more pleasant, and less unforgiving, to modern gamers.
Key Features
All three games playable in English for the first time ever.
Save States.
Rewind.
CRT filter.
Multiple aspect ratios and borders.
Gallery Mode showcasing concept art and promotional material.
3D models of the original game cartridges.
Watch a new trailer below. View a new set of screenshots at the gallery.
I'm beyond excited to share my artwork for the Journey to Silius / Hebereke - Ufouria: The Saga Original Vinyl Soundtracks! Featuring amazing NES music by Naoki Kodaka, Nobuyuki Hara, & Shinichi Seya, don't miss this super special SUNSOFT @STSPhonoCo split record! 🤖🎶🎮
"No, your eyes aren't deceiving you, this is indeed a Sega game on the NES."
Here we have After Burner for the Famicom.
A flight sim that started life in the arcades by Sega.
What's most surprising is that it got ported to the NES, albeit by different companies. The most familiar name would be Tengen, but because this is the Japanese Famicom version, it is Sunsoft.
Was it ported well?
Yeah well, I suppose it was alright. The game runs pretty smoothly until you try to turn, and you can really feel the game jerk around.
Sound is a bit iffy, though it does have the sampled (though extremely compressed) speech from the arcade. Controls are actually quite responsive
Compared to Tengen's effort though, the sound and graphics are better in this version, although it is choppy in the animation department. At least it plays like After Burner.
PROS:
The arcade feeling is present
The music is great for a NES game
Responsive controls.
CONS:
It's quite difficult to see what is ahead due to the sprite flicker
Plane movement is restricted
Choppy animation
It doesn't feel as good as the competing first party Sega Master System version, let alone the PC Engine version by NEC Avenue
Verdict:
After Burner II on the NES is quite an interesting release. Graphically, Sunsoft have done a decent job. As far as playability, though, it's actually a non-starter as you just can't see what's coming ahead and ...
Unfortunately, After Burner II on the NES gets a score of....
Your thoughts on Kodaka not being involved in Danganronpa S ultimate summer camp?
I’ve never been one to shy away from my opinion of Kodaka. The series exists because of him and I’m thankful for that, but I find that his storytelling over time doesn’t really keep me as engaged as it did when the concept of DR was fresh.
Personally, I am ok with people having new opportunities to share their passion for DR and contribute the series. I STILL think Kodaka will have a hand in the next main series DR game when it releases, which kind of makes me sad, but if I’m wrong about that, I’ll happily take that L.
When Kodaka left to walk his own path, a lot of people were worried that it would bring about the destruction of DR, but I’ve never felt that. I’ve seen people come into other games and provide spectacular storytelling moments that will stay with me forever. The first example to come into my mind is Naoki Yoshida coming on board to completely rework FFXIV and turn it into A Realm Reborn. The game needed his fresh perspective and today the new and improved FFXIV is one of the top MMOs out there and is known for superb storytelling.
Kodaka will always have a place in DR history for me, but I’m excited to see where we go from here. I’m optimistic and just hope the franchise will continue to enjoy the popularity it deserves in the future.