Crystalis (NES) Playthrough
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- čas přidán 23. 04. 2024
- A playthrough of SNK's 1990 action-adventure game for the NES, Crystalis.
1997, October 1,
The END DAY
I can distinctly remember the first time I played Crystalis because of this line. I don't recall any other game, or at least not one in 1990, beginning with a predicted date for the apocalypse, only to then immediately follow it up with a vivid depiction of how it would happen. It wasn't the result of war, pollution, or rampant consumerism: the END DAY was an all-out nuclear holocaust.
In a fun coincidence, Terminator 2: Judgment Day scheduled a similarly fiery end to humanity around the same time, with Skynet pulling the trigger on August 29, 1997.
Somewhat less coincidentally, like countless other fantasy games from the NES era, Crystalis's story was clearly inspired by two classic Studio Ghibli films, 1984's Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and 1986's Laputa: Castle in the Sky.
Crystalis was SNK's second in-house game developed specifically for a console, and though it wasn't a massive best-seller, it reviewed well and went on to become a cult classic that is still fondly remembered by NES fans all these years later.
It's an action-RPG that takes the basic structure of The Legend of Zelda and fleshes it out with a proper narrative, experience-based growth system, and a wide range of equipment and upgradable weapons, and it does it arguably better than any other NES game of its type.
There were so many things that made Crystalis memorable. The soundtrack, the vibrant graphics, the flashy cutscenes, and the story events are all standouts - who could forget changing genders to meet with the leader of a female-only town, riding on the back of a dolphin and taking to the open seas, or the death of Deo's best friend? (Not to mention how the Famicom version was named "God Slayer." That's quite a heavy title for an 8-bit ARPG, don't you think?)
Long time SNK fans will also recognize a few familiar faces here. Psycho Soldier's Athena and Kensuo are cast as "wisemen," and Ikari Warriors' Ralf and Clark both appear as NPCs.
Crystalis was, in my opinion, a seminal NES work that still deserves to be played today. Just do yourself a favor and stick with the original version. Nintendo's compromised Game Boy Color remake ( • Crystalis (Game Boy Co... ) doesn't do the game justice.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who wishes that SNK had followed through with their plans for a sequel on the Neo Geo.
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No cheats were used during the recording of this video.
NintendoComplete (www.nintendocomplete.com/) punches you in the face with in-depth reviews, screenshot archives, and music from classic 8-bit NES games! - Hry
Crystalis was one of the most memorable action-adventures I ever played on the NES. Definitely my favorite of the SNK games for the system!
Same here!! It's not a Walmart brand Zelda! 👍 Great game!
Never could figure it out. So thank you for playing so I can watch
Even better! It's on NSO!
$29.99 retail steel
Just started playing this last night on m switch. I would say irony but we all know information is sold around social media.
Crystalis is easily in my top 10 NES games ever. Fantastic title.
I'm actually currently trying to remaster Crystalis. It's good to see people are still interested in it. Makes me feel like if I ever finish, people will actually play it.
I’ll definitely play it!
Ooh I’d play it
SNK is famous for making amazing game music, even this 8bit NES title has some really good tracks!
If there ever be a reboot of this, SNK Playmore and the former Neo-Geo should be on board without hesitation as some of their canon games are returning as of recently.
According to a TV commercial: “Crystalis, new from SNK… for play on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Are you up to the challenge?”
SNK's finest NES hour.
True 😊
One of my favorite NES games. Everything from the graphics & sound to the gameplay is beautifully crafted together to create one of the most underrated JRPGS ever made.
I'm also a fan of the equipment actually showing up on your character. Very rarely will an RPG from this era have that detail in them.
Nobody ever has anything but glowing praise for this game. I think it's pretty adequately rated.
@@bigduke5902 Interesting. You're the first person I've ever encountered who thinks Crytalis is just okay.
@@Dorian_Scott I loved it as a kid when it was new, but even then I never felt it really did anything special. Scheherazade is a hell of a lot more interesting and nobody ever talks about that. I'd say something like that is a lot more underrated than something that was featured prominently in Nintendo Power and everyone loves. Faxanadu, The Guardian Legend, and StarTropics get the same treatment, it's weird.
I played both crystalis and sherazade and i'd Say crystalis has the upper hand on gameplay and story. Sherazade is good but turn base Battles didnt give it any edge and was too slow. Graphics were blend too imo.
@@Ouroboros112 I agree. Crystalis isn't underrated.
This game is so freaking cool. Dare it be...the greatest NES game?? ...Or at least one of the best. The Guardian Legend is hard to beat. It's got almost everything I love about 8-bit games, all in one, not to mention tells a relatively detailed and coherent narrative. What a masterpiece! I still remember when your channel introduced me to this game in an older version back in 2018 or so. Thanks, Alex.
Good call. Both are absolute classics, and I can say that having only first played TGL 25 years after its release. It's seriously good, no nostalgia whatsoever.
This game rocks. My all time favorite. The music is incredible.
I'm so happy you finally covered this game!
"You're great!" Another SNK / Metal Slug reference.
Underrated gem indeed
It's about time you did this underappreciated RPG, thank you! :D
I do kind of wish this game was on the SNES instead, as it had more buttons, and you could possibly switch weapons on the fly, instead of going to a menu all the time. Regardless, a fantastic game.
This is my shit. I miss this game
Ambitious game, especially for the time. I didn't really like the gbc remake, but the nes version is classic
The GBC remake is... a remake lol. I *_did_* like the goofy sound bites for each sword, but that's about all of the good I can muster from it.
The fan translation for "God Slayer" is better than both versions, in my opinion though.
I didn't think much of the remake either.
You'd never believe that this was made by the same company who made The King of Fighters.
one of the gratest late cycle nes titles
i remember seeing this game and mario 3 having a tug o' war for the number 1 spot in nintendo power's power ranking list for like 3 years
if i recall this also won several NESter awards (that magazine's traditional yearly award presentation during the 8 bit generation) including game of the year (it definitely earned it)
So.... Link isn't the only guy with a beam shooting sword?
Apart from Legend of Zelda, one of the best Action Based RPGs for The NES.
Soundtrack is really good
You basically need to reach certain levels to damage later enemies and bosses. For example, you need to reach level 2 to attack enemies in the sealed cave once you open it. And the first boss, the vampire, requires you to be at least level 3. Of course, some enemies and bosses can only be damaged by a specific sword. Like the semi final boss requires the sword of thunder to damage him, as well as being max level and having the power ring equipped.
Yeah, the Ys games gate progression the same way.
Best yard sale buy I ever made!
The music was...something
I have amazing memories of this game. Played it a while back but don't think it held up well over time. The purpose of certain items just didn't make sense, like that dumb eye glasses... geesz
Great game, underrated
Love playing this game back then. GBC version isn't the same since they made so many changes to the storyline and game.
Our family never understood how anything in the game worked and it frustrated us to no end. It's such a shame because this game looked great for the time.
This game is great, there some stuff I've missed some stuff while playing this pray I beat this gem also blaster master.
very good crystalis Nes, top
Does Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind have something to do with this? Just take a look at the beastie @ 32:20.
No, but Castle in the Sky is recognized as the biggest inspiration for almost every single RPG trope of the 8- and 16-bit era so it's highly likely Nausicaa was borrowed from too.
@@bigduke5902 I mean, the hero fights an enraged ohmu in the poisonous forest using a gasmask and the insect flute they got from the forest people. They really weren't being subtle at all.
There's a ton of Ghibli in this, almost as much as was in Final Fantasy. The very first town sits on the edge of a windy valley that has a windmill, and the Draygonian Empire is basically Tolmekia with a new name. The entire intro is a mix of Nausicaä and Laputa, too, with the floating castle and the mutated stuff and all, and the final area plays out a lot like the ending of Laputa.
@@d_valroth Yeah, but I don't think they were trying to hide it or even ripped it off. Like I said, it's widely recognized in Japan how much influence Castle in the Sky had on their entertainment media. This was probably a nod to Nausicaa it fully expected to be recognized. As for the west, most of us had no idea these games even came from Japan let alone what a Ghibli was. I can tell you I definitely didn't catch any of those references at all in my childhood.
Was Azteca always Draygon?
Hi, what game would you recommend to me, Crystalis or Blaster Master? Both are great, but if i only can choose one...
Such a love hate relationship with this one. I looove the beginning of this game. But when I finally went to conquer it on Switch, I found the later sections pretty grating. Still, I just love games like this, old Ys games, etc. Love just talking to the characters and figuring out what to do next.
I'm surprised that SNK made this fantastic game. The same gaming company that made other amazing games like Metal Slug, Samurai Showdown, and The King of Fighters For example.
1:57:46 lol great dance moves
How do feel today?
Quite possibly the least SNK game that SNK ever made.
Anyone get a series of glitched cartridges of this game that didn’t allow you to progress beyond a certain point because you couldn’t hurt the enemies?
I don't think that's a glitch. If you can't hurt an enemy, it's usually because your level isn't high enough or you're using the wrong weapon.
Snk? More like S N yay, amirite?
0:42 - Did we ever see any of those wild dragons in the actual game? 🤔
The last boss you fight before going to the floating castle is a big ass dragon.
yeah, but like dragons out in the wild ya know? haha 😆
@c4ncerino Ah yeah. I dunno. The dragons are probably just in the intro because they look cool.
The one section where the protagonist changes genders to go to a town where only girls are allowed wouldn't likely fly today.
Should say edited ''playthrough''!
I don't know. Crystalis was a really great game in it's time, but I think it benefits alot from our taking Zelda for granted. The combat is pretty sloppy and the level designs are little more than large mazes with no real puzzle solving going on. As cool as some of the interactions in the villages are, at some point it becomes pretty clear you're never really going to be doing anything more exciting from a gameplay standpoint than what was seen in the first couple of hours. I personally find Scheherazade a lot more interesting.
I couldn't find the statue of gold, if I can remember correctly