GARGOYLE’S QUEST (GAMEBOY)
A platformer, side-scrolling, adventure-game by Capcom, Gargoyle’s Quest was released on this day in Japan in 1990. The main character Firebrand made his initial debut in the game series Ghosts ‘n Goblins before receiving his own title in Gargoyle’s Quest. Receiving two sequels on the NES and SNES, the game features two different map styles (top down and side-scroller), as well as random battle-encounters. In the US release, Firebrand appeared as green, whereas in Japan, and all sequels, he instead appears as red. Generally received positively, the game is touted as being both entertaining and challenging.
IRON MAN (DS/PS2/PS3/PSP/WII/XBOX 360)
If movie-made-video-games could talk…they would certainly not be talking to Iron Man. Released as a movie tie-in for the original movie on this day in 2008, Iron Man was a near complete flop. Published by Sega, and launched on pretty much every console they could get their hands on at the time, the title loosely followed the film and offered a reprisal of their movie-roles by Robert Downey Jr., Terrance Howard, and Shaun Tob. Star-studded voice acting, however, was not enough to make up for poor-to-frustrating controls, lackluster graphics, and joyless gameplay. While the Xbox 360 title scored a little higher on MetaCritic, at around 46%, some media outlets saw scores as low as 3/10. In short, you’re probably better off holding your controller in your hand while watching the movie than actually playing this title. But what’s the fun in going through gaming-history if we don’t see a few duds? (I’m looking at you Quest 64)
PHANTASY STAR IV: THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM (PC)
Last on our list today is the PC re-release of Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium, released on this day in 2012. Originally released on the Mega Drive/Genesis in 1993 in Japan, it is the fourth and final game of the original Phantasy Star series. A title that has been re-released many times over, the game was lauded during its initial release, but has continued to receive praise retro-actively as the years have progressed. Phantasy Star IV, for all its good, still was far from as polished as other RPGs were at the time, being criticized for its lack of advancements since Phantasy Star II, released five years prior. While the graphics were average, the music lackluster, and the story slowgoing, the magic/technique system, equipment, and gameplay has kept players coming back and the title’s ongoing revival since its original launch on the market. Along with Phantasy Star II, it has been listed as one of the greatest RPGs of all time; partially for the game itself, but also for the influence it would have on later titles, most notably, Phantasy Star Online.
© Images Capcom & Sega
Other titles released on this day:
- Crossed Swords II [Japan] – Neo Geo CD – 1995
- Mega Man Zero 2 [Japan] – Gameboy Advance – 2003
- Awesomenauts – Xbox 360 – 2012
- Kirby: Triple Deluxe – 3DS – 2014
My Life, or Something Like It 