Even if I had dropped a boatload on the copy of Lunar: Samposuru Gakuen seen in the photos below, though, it would've been well worth it.
Why? For starters, there's its deliciously colorful cover art (above).
That's not the only reason I consider this Game Gear title to be well worth the 30 or so smackeroonies I spent on it, though. Another: its completely brilliant instruction manual, which not only is surprisingly thick (especially for a portable game) but is filled with fabulous illustrations like the ones seen above and below.
In case you've never heard of it, by the way, Lunar: Samposuru Gakuen (aka Lunar: Walking School) is a Japan-only spin-off of Game Arts' well-regarded RPG series, Lunar. (Here's a video of the game's English fan-translation in action, in case any of you are curious.)
I've had this game on my "to buy" list for some time now, but I'd basically given up on ever acquiring it due to the fact that it tends to fetch high prices on eBay.
So, when I came across this particular copy and saw it was being sold for a virtual steal, I couldn't help but pick it up. The question is: when I finally get around to playing it, will I be able to understand any of it?
Nice find! I always wanted a Game Gear back in the day. I got into handhelds kind of late though, with the DS being my first system. I have had some fun with Game Gear titles on the 3DS virtual console at least!
ReplyDeleteThe funny thing is, Ken, I wasn't all that interested in the GG back in the day. One of my best friends owned one and I enjoyed playing Columns and a few other games on it from time to time, but in general I was so happy with my GB that I didn't feel the need to own a GG. Now, though, I'm loving discovering all of the hidden gems that were made and released for this system! There are a lot of turds, too, it has to be said, and I'd still take the GB's library over GG's any day, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate the good games that found their way to the latter system.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know there was a Game Gear spinoff. I've owned a few versions of the first Lunar game ever since I played through it on the Sega-CD. It's one of my favorite RPGs.
ReplyDeleteI've known about it for a while, Terry, but until recently thought it was just an "adventure" game (aka visual novel) -- when, in fact, it's an actual RPG! Knowing that, I had to own it :) Also, I looooooove the Sega CD version of the original Lunar. Rented it (along with a CD-X) a number of times as a teen.
ReplyDeleteI've always liked Game Arts. How could you not? Their first big game was Thexder, about a laser-spraying robot which transforms into a jet fighter. That's pure distilled awesome right there. Twelve year old me was jumping off the walls with joy when he first played it on a computer. Years later, the company released Alisia Dragoon, a very similar game with a fantasy setting and artwork supplied by (of all people) Gainax, best known for the Neon Genesis Evangelion series. Eighteen year old me was thrilled beyond belief with the game, because heaven knows there wasn't much else worth playing on the Genesis in 1992. (glowers at Sega)
ReplyDeleteI can't say I've ever had that kind of enthusiasm for Lunar, but I DO think quite highly of its cousin Grandia, which still has one of the most brilliant combat systems ever and a likeable cast of characters besides.
I sometimes wonder what happened to GameArts; if the company still exists or was just swallowed up by Square-Enix like so many others. That'd be a real shame if that's the case.
Sounds like you have quite a history with Game Arts' games, Jess. I love it! Me, my only real connection to the company is through the Lunar games -- at least I think that's my only connection to the company. At the very least, I've never played Alisia Dragoon despite everyone tell me to do so. Maybe soon?
ReplyDeleteI know I've read about the fate of GA in the past, but for the life of me I can't remember any of the details right now. I think it's safe to say, though, that they've either left the industry completely or, like you suggested, they were swallowed up by some other company.
I played Thexder on an old old monochrome computer when I was quite young! (Looked like this: http://chapelboro.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/1983-Portable-Computer.jpg ) It was way too hard for me at the time (I'd say it's still pretty crazy) but I was really surprised to discover much later that the same people made games that were "modern" to me, like Lunar and Silpheed (of course, I was only aware of the SegaCD Silpheed at the time). Always neat to go "full circle" and connect back to an experience like that. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure playing it on something other than a vintage Game Gear holds much less appeal, but if you *do* want to be sure to understand it, I believe there's a translated rom floating around out there. Maybe there's a script you could reference?
ReplyDeleteOh, man, that computer, Michael! I can't imagine playing a game on such a thing is/was even possible. Of course, I'm not sure why I'm saying that as our first computer while I was growing up was an Apple II, and that sucker had a green-and-black monochrome screen, too. Maybe it's the size of the one in this photo that's throwing me for a loop?
ReplyDeleteYep, there is a translation patch for this game, Michael, and I likely will use it or at least refer to it. Honestly, as much as I love owning an actual GG system and games, I currently prefer playing those games via emulation, as the screen on my GG is not in great shape :(
ReplyDeleteIt was pretty horrible. I don't remember what the movement keys were but you couldn't customize them and I don't believe the arrow keys were laid out in a way that made sense. :) The screen was fine as long as the game was designed for only one color!
ReplyDeleteAmazing how far we've come in just a few decades, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteThat's the way "portable" computers were back in the day, Bryan! I think Compaq's first computer looked a lot like this, weighing thirty pounds and being the LEAST compact thing you could imagine. When people outgrew their first Compaq computers, they tied a rope around them and used them as boat anchors.
ReplyDeleteI remember a friend in high school had an SX-64, which was the portable version of the famous Commodore 64. It was a *little* smaller than this, but not much. The only truly portable computer of the time was the Tandy 100, originally designed by Kyocera. Journalists were using them into the 21st century, until the rise of tablets and netbooks.
Hmmm, you sure are full of knowledge, aren't you, Jess? Thanks for sharing some of it with me (and my readers, too) :)
ReplyDeleteOof, a monochrome monitor is no way to have your first Thexder experience! I always thought it was best suited to 16-bit computers, even though the game was released for practically every format. I tried Squaresoft's NES version on an emulator back in the 90s. That was certainly, uh, something. Maybe you guys better stick to RPGs...
ReplyDeleteYeah, it was a Compaq! It even had handle and a leather-like "bag" that you'd zip around it to create the effect of a huge suitcase that no one would ever want to carry anywhere.
ReplyDeleteThe CD-X. Man, that was a sexy beast. I always wanted one of those things (and an X-Eye/Wondermega, while I'm at it!).
ReplyDeleteJust let me know if I get to be *too* much of a know-it-all!
ReplyDeleteThe system was weirdly popular in Japan; more than the Genesis was. It's fun jumping into an emulator and catching all the stuff we missed. (I found that to be the case with the Super NES, too.)
ReplyDeleteYep, me too. I've actually gotten *this close* to buying a CD-X on a couple of occasions. Really have to go ahead with it one of these days.
ReplyDeleteHa! That'll never happen, don't you worry :)
ReplyDeleteWow. I had no idea!
ReplyDeleteGuess I'm going to have to try this Thexder game someday--at least the NES version!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it helped the the Japanese GG had a much better games library than the system did in other regions. Of course, Japan didn't get the cool GG port of Bubble Bobble like we did in the States, but that's about it...
ReplyDeleteHaha, your last few words are the very question I was going to ask you! :P Oh well, even if you have to stumble your way through it, it's still a lovely item to have in your collection :)
ReplyDeleteVery cool - but good question on understanding it. I have played the original Lunar on Genesis CD back a million years ago when it was a Dreamworks title (along with Vay that they also released) and enjoyed it thoroughly. I never knew this thing even existed. Very nice. :)
ReplyDeleteWell, I figure that eventually I'll be able to use it as part of my Japanese studies. And in the meantime, there's always the English fan-translation I can look to. Hell, it's likely I'll mostly play through this one via emulation anyway, so I might just use the English fan-translation, period.
ReplyDeleteWell, I knew there was an English fan-translation of the game before I bought this copy, Chalgyr, so I can always turn to that if need be. Glad to hear you played and enjoyed the first Lunar game way back when. I actually rented it from the local grocery story around the same time and it's held a spot in my heart ever since :)
ReplyDeleteThe Bubble Bobble port was great. My cousin had a GG and many games. My uncle new someone at SEGA and they made sure he had quite a few games. He had so many games he never got into gameboy until the gameboy colors came out. The power adapter tho... :[
ReplyDeleteSomeone else who knows about and loves the GG Bubble Bobble port. Yay!
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I love that version. It's pretty "broken" in a way, but I still love it. Can't believe it never made it to Japan, though.
As for the power adapter: hey, at least it exists, right? Can you imagine playing that sucker using batteries?