Castle of Illusion: Starring Mickey Mouse

Also known as: I Love Mickey Mouse: Fushigi no Oshiro Daibouken (Japan)

Developer: Sega

Castle of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse is a solid platformer with a reputation that exceeds the actual game, in my opinion. The game is beloved enough where it has been remade in recent years, and while it's a solid platformer, I just don't get why this game is loved as much as it is...Maybe it’s just nostalgia of playing it as a kid? Maybe it’s because before Sonic sprinted into the hearts of Genesis/Mega Drive owners, Mickey Mouse was seemingly the platforming king on that console? Maybe even because of the low difficulty, it very well may be the first game that a lot of people beat when they were young’uns? Regardless of the reason, this game is adored by many, and while I'm not as enthralled with it as most people seem to be, this IS a very good game and worth checking out if you're looking for a solid, non-Sonic platformer on the Genesis.

Review added: 01/23/2022

Castlevania: Bloodlines

Also known as: Castlevania: The New Generation (Europe), Vampire Killer (Japan)

Developer: Konami

Castlevania: Bloodlines was kind of a letdown when it came out...it's not as good as its 16-bit brother, Super Castlevania IV...it's also not as good as its 8-bit bro, Castlevania III...so, it seemed like a step back for the franchise, in a sense. That said, if all video game franchises had a "step back" like Castlevania: Bloodlines, they'd be pretty well off. While it lacks the quality of many pre-Symphony of the Night Castlevanias, Bloodlines is still a very good game in its own right. With the option of playing through as one of two characters, Bloodlines offers some variety to the gameplay. Also in comparison to other games on the Genesis, Bloodlines has above average graphics and sound, so while I feel like some of the gameplay isn’t quite up to par with other Castlevania games, it’s not like Konami skimped with this game. Also, Castlevania: Bloodlines also feels a little easier than some other games in the series, so it may be a decent game for folks attempting to get into the franchise. Anyway, Bloodlines is worth giving a try...if nothing else, you'll likely think of it as a fun Castlevania game that's just slightly watered down in comparison to the other non-Metroidvania, 2D games in the franchise.

Review added: 10/15/2023

Chester Cheetah: Too Cool to Fool

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Kaneko

I guess that Kaneko thought that only the fictitious Chester Cheetah was too cool to fool in regards to this being a great platformer. They didn’t think that the rest of us were cool enough to see that this is merely a passable game, and absolutely nothing beyond that. Essentially, Tool Cool to Fool is a bland platformer that really could have had any character tossed into the main protagonist role and it'd be the same - there's not really many references to Cheeto's snacks, which is where Mr. Cheetah originates from, in case someone happens to be reading this from a country that lacks cheese-flavored corn snacks. And by not many references…I mean I don't recall seeing a single one, aside from the fact that it stars Chester Cheetah and that the lives look like the "Cheetos Paws" snacks, that ironically stopped being produced the same year that this game came out. The story has you attempting to escape the zoo that you're cooped up in by collecting motorcycle parts throughout the zoo so that you can assemble them all to create a means to escape from the zoo and the evil zookeeper Mean Eugene. Anyway, Too Cool to Fool isn't as bad as one would imagine it could be, but with a lack of imagination in level design, and a lack of levels in general, this game just can't be considered anything other than merely passable.

Review added: 12/06/2023

Columns

Also known as: Shapes and Columns (South America)

Developer: Sega

Columns is one of my favorite puzzle games...And my love for it all started when I accidentally set myself up for a combo that seemed to go on for forever right before my game was about to end. There’s just something about stacking gems up, avoiding the obvious match-three scenarios, and strategically planning out a monster combo that makes me smile…and of course, like I mentioned earlier, if it happens by accident, that’s a pretty nice feeling as well. Anyway, since that first time playing, Columns has been a game that I like popping in every now and then to kill a few minutes of time and just relax. Columns is not as good as Tetris, and I don't love Columns as much as I love games in the Puyo Puyo series, but Columns a good, solid puzzle game in its own right that stands the test of time pretty well.

Review added: 08/06/2019