The Story of StarTropics
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- čas přidán 13. 06. 2024
- The history of the StarTropics series, a Nintendo franchise that both began & ended on the NES. StarTropics was Nintendo's attempt to create games specifically for the western market. Learn more about this unique series and why it never took off.
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Mad props for finding and soaking a 30 year old piece of paper.
Mad props? Gee Wally, there sure are a lot of black people that like Star Tropics :)
unfortunatebeam
What?
unfortunatebeam
what??????
he must have read all the mike jones rap
An explanation would've took the fun out of it
No joke: My mom actually threw the letter away while cleaning. Could have been really bad, but good for me that mom was (at least!!) just as much into Startropics as I was. So while I was at school she typed in 000, 001, 002 until she finaly got to 747! She almost was to embarresed to tell me^^ Best mom ever! So Startropics is especially nostalgic for me :)
I was 10 years old when playing this and had 2 younger brothers and one older brother (plus an older sister).
There was no way that map was lasting for long.
I got to the point where it asks for that code and I was really frustrated at first. Then I at least realized I can go entering everything from 000-999.
The “amazing” thing though is that after I took that approach for a few minutes I decided “Seven is my favorite number, let me try 777.”
So I did. And then for no reason I can really explain, I just decided to change the middle number around.
I was thrilled when all of the sudden 747 suddenly worked!
It saved quite a bit of time and kept my progression through the game moving along =D
This game (well, the first one anyway) stood out to me so much at the time. It was like the FFVII of it time for me in terms of something I found to be really new and different from what I was use to.
We called the old Nintendo Game Counselor line. To stop anyone else from doing the same, my Dad wrote 747 in the rental box.
Pretty smart for a Mom back then, I gotta say.
Mine couldn't even work the controller. Still can't.
She was teaching you counting
@@WebsterA Yeah, my mom gets the nes controller with only 2 buttons. snes with 4 was a challenge ;)
Baseball bats? Yo-yos? Dungeons? Island? That sounds like a mix between Link's Awakening and Earthbound!
Or Hunter x Hunter
And Goonies 2
And Blaster Master.
I was thinking of Earthbound (Mother) too
Frank Harwald (mother)
Some of the songs in this game still get randomly stuck in my head decades after playing it. Truly one of the most classic series in video games.
Putting the letter in water and revealing the secret message blew my mind when I was 4 years old. The part with the piano was also the first time I called the Nintendo hotline. Beating that game before the internet felt like a real accomplishment.
Do me so far, do me.
To bad your mom beat your ass for spending 30 minutes on the hotline and getting charged $98 - haha; oh wait, that was me
Haha I know i broke down and called the Nintendo hotline playing Crystalis once when I got stuck, Grammaw was pissed!!!
I rented this game right when it came out and completed it, but early on when I got to the part where you had to dip the letter in water, I called my local rental place and explained the situation, and asked if they still had the packaging and inserts. They actually ran the letter under the faucet and told me the answer was 747 over the phone, and thought the whole situation was pretty funny. Not sure what they did to help future renters of the game. :)
Wow that's pretty cool of them to have helped you like that.
They probably just told them the number to everybody who rented it, or wrote it on the cartridge itself.
It seems like it was funny. Nice of the people at the rental place to do that for you
@@maggieent3215 IDK what it is, but I feel like in the 1990s, maybe some people cared, and maybe the rest were not yet aware that they could get away with not caring. And also the collective stress levels were massively lower.
lol awesome
8:50 when they say nes graphics are outdated.
But really, this game has the best graphics I've seen on nes, it's like 13 bits.
Lol, 13 bits
Dithering can do wonders to make games look good on old systems.
I will forever remember as a kid the realization that I could put the letter in water and get the secret code, definitely one of the most memorable moments in my early gaming
I got this game roughly when it came out. It was around Christmas and my mom wanted to get me a new NES game I'd like. She told the lady at Sears that I loved Zelda, and the lady sold her Star Tropics. I instantly fell in love. Never before had an action game made references I understood or had a character I could relate to.
my fav game ever!
I'm amazed that the lady at Sears actually knew enough about the games that they sold to make a recommendation.
@@nathenhutchison6182 It's almost as if she knew her trade!... LMAO
Imagine that, being familiar with the products you sell at your actual workplace, "MIND BLOWN" :P What I mean is, *this should be the NORM, not a RARITY at which you are AMAZED,* right??!...
@@thestwinner680 better than gamestop
@@thestwinner680 Sears employees were paid on commission, so it was in their interest to be able to sell their department.
The more love StarTropics gets, the better! I'm actually jealous that you still have the letter too. Great job, man!
I was gonna make a comment saying "wow I hope AntDude see's this"... nevermind lol
OMG I FOUND U
AntDude oh hi antdude
lol I was thinking about you the entire time watching this video. Can't say i'm surprised to see you there.
Isn't that AntDude?
"Fellow" is generally, in tech circles, among the highest titles that a company with separate engineering and management tracks gives its engineers.
Like a fellow of a guild, or a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Just beat this game on the NES Classic Mini. Complete masterpiece from start to finish!
***** It was just shown in the manual. www.nintendo.co.jp/clv/manuals/en/
i just got a new new mini classic but star tropics isnt on it unless its under a different name in which case i cant locate it, kinda ruined my day
Chubzdoomer
Of course it is
Indeed.
Wierd thought, trashterpiece
Hope you all enjoy learning about StarTropics! It's seriously one of my favorite series from Nintendo and I wish they would revive it. This episode topic was chosen by Patreon supporters!
this game sounds cool
+Gaming Historian Great video! Really enjoyed that.
If you don;t have this game, PICK IT UP. Seriously. It's a great hidden gem. Just be prepared to have some grey hairs after you get to the space ship ;)
I wonder how a new Startropics would look if they used the Link Between Worlds Engine?
+Gaming Historian Thank you for this great episode! I found the first game loose in a local flea market lot, but still need a NES or repro system to play it.
It's about time a big time youtuber gives Startropics a look. I made a very similar video way back and my only regret was that it was never able to reach out to enough peple
oh hey shesez
Well now I know where your avatar comes from
*peple*
If all it's a Startropics video, Shesez will be there.
you know, by saying that, you probably made Derick of Stopskeletonsfromfighting weep inside since he covered both games ages ago back when this was on the virtual console and would have been the best time for newcomers to dive in.
The sequel should have been on the SNES
I first played this game 8 years ago....and I could NOT put it down. This and it's sequel are so well done. Absolutely love them.
Glad to hear I wasn't the only one who voted Mike Jones for Smash!
+NitroRad Its Nitro!
A Smash character with a yo-yo and bat? You'd have another version of Ness, just without the psychic powers
Nitro Rad Zoda would be a boss fighter also
Mike does have psychic powers, and also has a drawer of more than a dozen weapons to choose from.
I voted for him too lol
"You can buy this game on the Wii Virtual Console" RIP
Well, it's on Switch NES classics now
You can download homebrew for wii so you can still get the virtual console. However, there is a risk you can brick your console if you do it wrong.
I still have a Virtual Console copy that I downloaded like 10 years ago, and I've noticed that the controls aren't quite as responsive on either the Wiimote or the Gamecube controller for some reason. Oh well...I mostly play the original NES original on my old TV from 2001. It's just more authentic that way. Lol
It’s still available on the Wii U eshop
I remember when I got star tropics as a kid. I was so blown away when I had to dip the letter in the water to get further into the game. Good to also see, I'm not the only one who thought the 1st one was better than the 2nd.
I remember this game so fondly. My mom surprisingly loved it too, and she used to stay up nights playing through it... 😂
Out of curiosity, does the water on the letter trick only work the once? I mean can you do it again if you dry out the letter?
One interesting tidbit though, Nintendo accidentally released an unfinished version of Startropics on the NES (an consequently never revised it) to retail. A lot of the music in the game is missing the backing tracks, and the main theme even messes up after a few beats in some areas!
+Larry Bundy Jr Yeah it works more than once, I tested it years ago. Not sure if it would still work, but I still have it I believe.
This is what I the almighty sound ripper like to call:
UNCOMPILED SHIT.
I can't count how many games' music and NSFs I have fixed over the past years from lenght counter issue to a number of other things. :p
It's not unfinished, it's just that a couple of the music tracks have bugs.
I just assumed that Startropics was always supposed to sound that way and didn't know any better until a few years ago
Dj.D try it man. :)
Your videos are awesome man. A lot of work was put into them and it shows. Keep it up!
+SCABBERS Thanks!
Fucking eww pepsi
Was just about to type the same thing.
This was my favorite title for the NES throughout my childhood. I remember playing it so often, that my letter fell apart from heavy use and folding over and over again. The collector in me regrets not taking better care of it all just a little bit, but the enjoyment I got was so worth it. Great video.
Love the measured, even tone you deliver your narration in. No yelling or hype or craziness. Very relaxing and informative. Great video.
Cool, I had never seen someone actually dip the letter in water before! Great job as usual.
You need a dedicated program on this History channel or something. Top notch work once again sir. Cheers!
+Harlequin314159 I get what you mean but the History channel is trash. Norm actually deals with facts and does his research. All this History channel has now is shows about bearded men chasing big foot or pseduo nonsense about aliens.
+Stringer Bell Yeah I guess my age betrays me. I meant, when the history channel was good and not just dinosaurs of the civil war, and hitler's alien ghosts.
Used to play this a lot when I was a kid (I'm on my 20s). My mom had a lot of games on the NES
When I rented Startropics back in the day someone (store staff I assume) had written the radio code on the manual.
Great games.
As a Canadian I apologize for the trademark
meh it's no worries. We trademarked "Bandaid"
Not anymore. It was decided that the copyright to "Happy Birthday" was unenforceable since it was just a lyric replacement to an older piece of music.
@@AngelValis not exactly. Time Warner owned the rights to the original song too, but they continued trying to enforce the copyright even after it was no longer valid. The song was written in 1893, and any music written before 1923 is considered public domain. Time Warner tried to use the now current "life of the creator + 90 years" rule (for works made after 1978) to try to collect royalties until 2036.
Oh a Canadian apologizing. Weird 😂
pretty sure that was the pun
Love this channel. Found on by accident while looking for a Dreamcast video. Videos are very well done and dude has a great presentation voice hahaha. Hope this channel finds more popularity soon.
This is coming out on switch nes app in 2 days gonna finally play it
Yeah im playing it as well. I grew up with this game.
LOVED this game as a kid, one of the things my grandpa and I did before he passed, will always be a loved memory for me.
Damn, that "dip in a water" letter was really a Kojima move by Nintendo
I'm so pleased to see someone cover this game! I thought I was the only one who knew of it and loved it!
Even if it doesn't get a sequel, it definitely deserves a spiritual sequel.
making a video on Crystalis would be cool.
I was just about to comment the same thing til I saw your comment!
Some of the enemies, bosses and dungeons/landscapes look like they're straight out of Crystalis. The music starting around 11:45 til the end was _very_ Crystalis-esqe as well. A very under appreciated little gem.
That was a cool game
This was one one my favorite series' growing up. Still play to this day.
This video brought a tear to my eye. Hopefully one day we get a good sequel.
I remember I used to stare at an Nintendo Power magazine advertisement for StarTropics. The cover was so beautiful to me that I couldn't take my eyes off of it. I have legit been in love with it since I saw the ad in 1989 and i'm forty three today.
I absolutely loved this game when I was a kid. Totally underrated.
"He'd be perfect for Smash, with a yo-yo and a baseball bat."
Nes: Am I a joke to you?
No, but Japan-exclusive Lucas is. And I guess so are the Ice Climbers.
Love this, huge underrated game, just like The Guardian Legend
What I like about this video is the care and tenderness he gives the game, rather than modern reviews where everything is negative and torn apart. Kudos.
One of your finest videos. Love your channel and this game!
11:37 "let alone a reference or even a cameo."
Wrong!
In F-Zero GX, there is a playable character named after the Main Villan of the Series, Zoda! You're Welcome ;)
+HyperKnoedelDoedel care to elaborate?
actually F-Zero's version of Zoda first appeared in F-Zero X and has been a staple of the series since ( the lone exception being Maximum Velocity, which featured a totally new cast of characters piloting new machines ).
Because if you take Zelda, Earthbound and Adventure Island and mesh them together, you get this.
Nice loveletter to a slept-on game! Game was solid from start to finish, and I enjoyed it when it came out. I actually played & completed the game in 3 full days as a child. Worth playing even today, and has a killer satisfying ending that puts most game endings to shame! But nothing exciting compared to other amazing rouge genre games found on Steam PC.
I loved these games....my brother and I were the only kids I knew that had them, most other kids we knew had never heard of Star Tropics. It was almost like it was OUR game...it even became part of our inside humor and bro-speak where we would add a "cola suffix" to random words.
By the time I bought ST2 we had to dig the old NES out...since on the rare occasion we played video games we had SNES & Genesis.
I actually played both again recently on an emulator. They were still fun, that music though...right away I remembered how repetitive it was. Wonder ST would have evolved into had it grown with N64/Gamecube/Wii.
You have some of the best videos on CZcams. Thanks for all the videos and information.
I absolutely loved Star Tropics and managed to complete it multiple times. I didn't have the 747 code at the time, so I had to spend a few hours typing in every number combination until I got it. I managed to get all the way to the last level of Star Tropics II but was never able to get through the final area.
I just recently beat Star Tropics 2 with save states that last boss rush was insane...
I thought I was the only one. :-P
My older brother and I lost the letter too. Had to go through every number combination, one by one, for hours.
President Snow Me and my sister had to do the same thing. We took turns so we wouldn’t get too tired. Took hours.
I rented it as a kid and had the same problem, ended up brute-forcing the code.
That boss-rush was insane... If I died, I would just reset and reload my game because there was no way anyone could finish that madness without medicines!
Loved this game as a kid. I must have been one of the few people who actually played this game a bunch as a kid. I still remember my mom just randomly bringing it home one day and I was super suprised with how good it was
They need to bring this series back. This game was a big part of my childhood.😢
my heart stopped when you actually poured the water over it.
+gillythekid Ha me too.
haha glad I wasn't the only one, I hope he can still preserve it
+ShyGuyShawn82 The paper is pretty thick. I'm sure it'll dry out nicely.
sarysa it's not that. once you do it, the ink stays visible. it's hard to find "unused" copies of the letter
(at least i'm pretty sure that's the case, i may be wrong)
This was great. StarTropics is a terrific game.
Such an awesome game to play when I was a kid. Ran back through the game about 10 years ago and it all came back to me.
for whatever reason, the first startropics was one of the few games my mom would play with me as a kid. i have such fond memories of it for that reason. the music takes me back to sitting on the edge of the bed with her trying to figure it all out.
I truly loved this game. I put it on search and was floored that other people felt the same. I have subscribed.
Jose Plaza Exactly! You are not the only one my friend True gamers know this game and love it!
Collectors just pooped their pants when you revealed the message.
+TheAxeGrinder Funny thing is you dont have to put the whole thing in water. when I got mine back in the day I just wet my fingers and rubbed it on the note and the message showed up! Also the Nintendo Power that had the walk through for the first game just put the code on the page in case people lost the note.
I was even thinking how hard it must have been to find a copy without water damage lol
I’m 57 years old😂! I played those games when they first came out. I did rent the first one… it didn’t have the letter. It took me FOREVER to finally get the “747” code! Loved Zoda’s Revenge also. I actually bought that game new…. Just in case!🤣🤣 Thank you for this video. I thought I was the only one who recognized its brilliance! I love all the Zelda, Castlevania, etc. style games! I love the combination of action, adventure and clue solving these games have! I’m currently playing Zelda TOTK. I’d love to see a revamp of the “Star Tropics” series! Thanks again for this great video!! Great work!
Im so glad I found your channel. I'm on a watching binge now. Thank for posting all these! Definitely subbed.
Hey Canada, why did you trademark "yo-yo"?
we trademarked "Bandaid"
Jen Soon Ng Someone trademarked frisbee
Hydrazine Yeah in Wii Sports Resort Frisbee has an ® next to it.
I'm from Canada and it's my duty to tell you I'm sorry... In fact we're all very sorry up here...
I have no idea.
That letter thing is really cool...
I kinda want to see that in other games.
you and me both. startropics, to this day, is still my favorite series. here's hoping for a sequel or even a remake
Startropics might really be the biggest nostalgic gem of my life. My dad threw my NES in the fireplace because the cemetary pissed him off lmao. (We got a new NES eventually.) I eventually beat it on the Wii and sent my dad a picture of the end screen - he sent back a family portrait with my face edited out, lol. It's a shame that this series never really took off because it's genuinely well made and fun. Great video!
Mike Jones in Smash? Nah, with a yo-yo and baseball bat he would just be critizized as being a Ness clone.
Then change the move set for Mike Jones or replace Ness with him.
L.S.A But how would you change Mike's moveset while still staying true to his character and skillset from the game? And forget about replacing Ness... Smash Bros. veterans never get replaced.
+PikaLink91 For Mike Jones, instead of a baseball bat and yo-yo, give a slingshot, shurikens, and spiked cleats. And FIRST don't always mean better. Take a look at Sony Computer Entertainment.
L.S.A I never said Ness was better for being first, I merely stated that the veterans are there to stay.
SHould have been a skin...
One would almost think you knew this would be on the NES Classic. Well done. :)
I never comment - but found this channel a week ago and it's fantastic! Every vid is great, but this one is the first that blew my mind - i've never heard of this franchise and it looks so interesting. Infinite props! Keep it up, please!
As a little kid, I *loved* Startropics. My only gripe was that I didn't know pausing the screen was how you pulled up the extra dungeon items you'd grab. Which not only meant I didn't have the advantage of the powerups like the snow globe, but that I got stuck at the part of the game where you're supposed to fetch a lady's crystal ball out of the cemetery. In order to proceed past a certain point in the dungeon you have to beat the ghost enemies in the room... and without using the scepter item it's impossible. I was so desperate I used to check every single tile in the cemetery for any sort of clue. I was probably no older than 8 at the time and my family didn't even have internet at that point so in the end I was trapped there for years.
It wasn't until I was in high school that I picked up the game again and figured out the trick. I was so angry at how simple the solution was but at the same time I was super excited- Startropics was such a fun game to me as a kid that it always haunted me that I left it unfinished.
I remember the commercials more than the game.
ok
I haven't played these games in years, but I've never forgotten that 747 code.
+EarthboundX hard to forget it, 747 is a fairly common three-digit number combination -- especially with Boeing's 747
Sato Well I've remembered it for over 20 years at this point. Man I wish I still had all my NES and SNES games....and that I actually took care of them as a kid.
I got hit with nostalgia so much with this one!
Thank you for covering this game. Brings back a lot of memories.
Great vid. Now people will get to play this great game again with the new NES mini. Yay!
I have subscribed to your channel. I like the topics, and all the information. i really enjoy the fact that you manage to do this without devolving to vulgar language and a lot of SHOUTING!!! :)
Keep up the great work! I know I will keep watching. I've been around longer than the whole home video game history (I'm 55), and all this info brings me back to my own teen years, on , and through my son's childhood, and into the present. Thank you for your hard work. Game On!
Great to see a person of your age recognize and respect video games.
deezy81
At my age eh! lol Well I'm not quite as old as Gandalf, or God... Usually, for me, age just means how far along the road of life one has traveled. I've always loved gaming. I'm old school, and love the old console games, the SNES probably being my favorite. I've nothing against the new systems(wish I had the $$$ to afford them). (Shhh, don't tell anyone, I use emulators for systems I cannot physically afford...Shhh LMAO) The graphics these days are impressive. Some games seem a bit on the "let us hold your hand" side though. The best games challenge your mind, as well as your dex, and should IMHO give ou a "seat of your pants" thrill. That's just me though!
I'm a devoted "rpg'er" It is nice to chill at the end of a busy day, or on the weekend (or if you are home with the flu) and just wander off into a different time and place No surprise I'm a massive reader as well! Science, science fiction, and fantasy have always been my "go to reads".
Enough about me though... It is great to see people from all walks of life enjoying gaming. It's not just for kids and teens, that's for sure! It is also nice to see the whole retro thing too. New generations discovering the roots of gaming as we know it today, and realizing that old doesn't mean it will automatically suck. The grand thing about the the selection available today, is that there are games to suit a wide variety of preferences. Retro, or hot off the shelf, I think gaming is going to be with us for a long time :),I can't wait to see what the developers will come up with next!
Nostalgia has its place, for sure...Good games, no matter when they were made, remain good games. Gaming is full of challenges, fun, and just a chance to kick back either on your own, or with friends. How could anyone have a problem with that :) Cheers!
Very elaborately written. It is great to know that there are people out there such as yourself that are privy to the gaming culture and are willing to spread it out to others. I am glad that your son games with you.. One day when you are no longer here, he will have those cherished memories of playing with you. I really enjoyed reading your post and seeing your insight into gaming. Take care and I wish you all my best in your gaming life and real life.
I love your well-thought-out and informative videos.
Thank you for the reminiscence and fun times!
I started my Nintendo Power subscription with Volume 20, and got Startropics for Christmas. Thanks for the Member Berries!
I was 7 years old when I had this game. Freaking impossible to play; didn't even know there was a dungeon section. I let some kid in second grade borrow it, and never saw again. Dammit.
How do you think I got half of my Nintendo collection? MWUAHAHAHAHA!!!!
lol
Yeah i had that expirience lots of times.
Doesn't getting the letter wet kinda ruin it? Did you do that before with the same letter or can it only be done once?
+Dr. Mel it can be done several times. After it dries the ink disappears again.
+Dr. Mel
No, once it dries it is just fine. You can do it as many times as you want. It's some kind of special paper that doesn't wreck easy. I don't have the letter but the rental store I rented the game from as a kid included the letter with the cart so that is how I know.
That whole letter thing literally requires you to “think outside the box”
I had this game! I will never forget the music, but as a wee lad, I sucked at the game and never beat it. I also never understood the point of the letter until now. Man, what you learn in hindsight! Thanks for another great video Gaming Historian!
prices rise 10x its original price after this video.
XD get it before it's gone
I gotta say, I am LOVING the hair.
+SupaNintendoGirl Haha, thanks!
+Gaming Historian no more hipster hair?
+Gaming Historian I was wondering if you could do a History of Bomberman or THQ?
I absolutely LOVED this series. Like many games back in the day, I stumbled on this on a random Blockbuster browsing session. This game was so ahead of its time to me.
This was the first game I ever played. I still have fond memories of a family friend helping me think through some of its puzzles without giving me the answer. It taught me a lot about what to do when you're stuck in a game and can't figure out what to do. And I still hum and whistle StarTropic's soundtrack to this day.
Strangely the Yoyo weapons from the Kirby games and Earthbound was not altered.
The new NES Classic Edition brought me here.
I didn't grow up with Startropics but I just played the game recently. I absolutely love it. Its true the game has a lot of charm. Like a lot of it! I'm going to start the part 2 next. I didn't know about the letter and frequency number until I watched your video. I really appreciate your videos and the presentation of each topic. New favorite game. Big fan! 😎
I loved this series! It was the first game I got for the NES in 1994 and I friggin loved it!
The Nintendo is a Haven for classic Nintendo games.
Great analysis
Right, and Mario was originally an Atari 2600 character in Donkey Kong!
Ness already had a yoyo and baseball bat though
+Taylor Rose The NES game may have been made before the copyright, but the re-release could potentially violate that, not sure.
She's talking about Mike being included in Smash. He would just end up being a Ness clone.
Came for the StarTropics. Stayed for that sweet flow.
Nice hair my dude. Fond memories of Startropics as a youth. Glad to see it get some love on youtube.
This game and final fantasy x are probably my 2 all time favourites
wow i never knew that! i bought mine second hand way back in the day
“A reference to America’s favorite beverage”
Shows Pepsi
Pepsi's a cola though.
@@stevebusam2911 Pepsi Max gang
It was called Pepsi-cola till the 60's.
I figured it was a reference to Pensacola, a city on the Florida coast.
This was my favorite game growing up. Zombies Ate My Neighbors was a close second. Great video!
I will never forget as a Canadian kid, in 1990 going to the States for a shopping trip and seeing this game on display on several TVs in some massive shopping centre. I was so envious of the Americans having their own nintendo game
I have both games. OG NES carts.
how have you not done secret of evermore yet?
I had this game. Great game. My brother and I played this as kids. Loved the puzzles.
One of my favourite games. The combination of the unique setting, weapons, and music really set it apart at the time.