A few quick-and-dirty impressions of Sayonara Umihara Kawase

Those of you who read this post the other day probably noticed the bit at the end about how I've already put some time into both Pokémon X and Sayonara Umihara Kawase since my Pokémon Center 3DS LL arrived on my doorstep.

Would you believe I've played more of Sayonara Umihara Kawase than I have Pokémon X? Well, even if you don't believe it, it's the truth.

Now, I haven't experienced so much of the third entry in the vaunted Umihara Kawase series--which, as you've hopefully heard by now, will hit the North American 3DS eShop in early 2014 as Yumi's Odd Odyssey--that I'm ready to fully review it, but I've experienced enough of it (a couple of hours, I would say) that I'm more than ready to share a few early impressions of it. So, here they are:



* If you're looking for a "looker," you'd better look somewhere else--That's a long (and rather stupid, I have to admit) way of warning folks that this game is pretty darn ugly. And this is coming from a guy who generally doesn't care how attractive or unattractive a game is. I think my negativity in this case stems from the fact that I like the visuals of this game's two predecessors. The good news here is that if you're anything like me, your hatred of Sayonara's graphics will soften fairly quickly (due to your enjoyment of the rest of the game, of course).



* I'm not so keen on being forced to use the 3DS' d-pad to control ol' Yumi--I understand that the d-pad's probably more accurate than the circle pad when it comes to controlling this 3DS title's oddly busty protagonist, but would it have killed the developers to allow us to come to that conclusion on our own? As it stands, I often feel like I'm fighting the controls (those set to the uncomfortably located d-pad, specifically) as well as each level's slippery platforms and enemies--something I never (or rarely) felt while playing the first two Umihara Kawase games on the Super Famicom and PlayStation, respectively. (UPDATE:  I just discovered that you can enable use of the 3DS' circle pad within the game's settings menu. And guess what? I much prefer using it to the system's d-pad--while playing Sayonara, at least.)



* It may look all cute and cuddly (if also kind of ugly), but this game will kick the crap out of you--Granted, that should come as little surprise to anyone who's played, or even heard of, the previous entries in this strangely titled series. If you're an Umihara Kawase virgin, though, you may be shocked to discover just how difficult this version can be. My suggestion: just go with it. Embrace the fact that dying in this game is like gaining "1-ups" in a New Super Mario Bros. title and you'll enjoy it a whole lot more, I say.



* Despite all of the above, I'm still having a blast with Sayonara--While playing this game's fifth stage the other day, I must have died about 15 times (if not 20). Sometimes I died after nearly making it to the stage's exit, sometimes I died just a few steps from its start point. After each and every death, I let out a surprisingly hearty guffaw given the situation at hand.

To me, that last bit is all you really need to know about Sayonara Umihara Kawase. Yes, it makes some of Ubisoft's shovelware look like masterpieces in the graphics department (OK, so that's probably going too far), it can be awkward to control and it's often tougher than a two-dollar steak, but it's also totally unique and an awful lot of fun.

As such, at the moment I'd highly recommend it to 3DS owners who yearn for something new and different and who aren't afraid of a stiff challenge--especially should it arrive on the eShop carrying a $20 price tag, as has been rumored.

See also: 'Guess what the mailman just delivered? (Hint: it's a Japanese 3DS game and its title begins with Sayonara and ends with Kawase)'

Guess what the mailman just delivered? (Hint: it's a Japanese 3DS game and its title begins with 'Sayonara' and ends with 'Kawase')

Oh, and stuck between those words is "Umihara."

Still scratching your head? No worries--the delivery I'm talking about in the header above is the copy of Sayonara Umihara Kawase I ordered (from AmiAmi) a few months ago.

Actually, the delivery included a copy of the game--the long-awaited 3DS-based follow-up to Umihara Kawase (released for the Super Famicom back in 1994) and Umihara Kawase Shun (first released three years later for the PlayStation)--as well as the game's original soundtrack.

Speaking of which, the photo below showcases both the game's and the soundtrack's cover art (although I guess it does a better job of showcasing the latter's).

Thankfully, I snapped a few close-up shots of the game's cover art, too. One example can be seen below.

I took a photo of the back of Sayonara Umihara Kawase's case, too, just in case any of you are curious about it.



Oh, and here's a shot of the back of the soundtrack's case:



Not impressed? How about the following one, which shows off the interior of the soundtrack's case as well as its CD?

Finally, I know the photo below--of Sayonara Umihara Kawase's cartridge--isn't the best, but I decided to use it anyway because it's hardly the most thrilling example of 3DS cart-label art.

Something I didn't capture with my trusty digital camera: this game's instruction manual--or, rather, its "instruction pamphlet" (if it can even be called that).

Don't fret if  you were hoping to get a glimpse of that here, though, as I'm planning to highlight it in a post that'll be published tomorrow morning.

See also: 'Manual Stimulation: Umihara Kawase Shun (PlayStation)'

Manual Stimulation: Umihara Kawase Shun (PlayStation)

In honor of the fact that my copy of Sayonara Umihara Kawase (3DS) should appear on my doorstep any day now, I decided to devote an installment of "Manual Stimulation" to the most recent iteration of this sadly short-lived (in terms of unique releases) series, Umihara Kawase Shun.

As you'll discover in just a second, this PlayStation platformer's instruction manual is a lengthy one. Given that, I'm going to keep the commentary to a minimum and instead let you savor its many adorable illustrations without interruption.

One thing I will point out: if you're in a hurry or if you're simply not up for examining 16 manual scans, you may want to skip ahead to pages 20 through 27 as well as 30 and 31.









OK, I know I said I'd keep my mouth shut, but I can't help but chime in on the text that floats in the background of the right-hand page below. I mean, it isn't every day that you come across an invitation to "Let's Control."

Who needs a stinkin' Vita when you've got a PSone with a monitor?

OK, so that's kind of a silly question. And, really, I'm not trying to suggest with the header above that I don't want a Vita. On the contrary, I'd very much like to own one someday, despite the fact that I currently find the system overpriced and lacking a bit when it comes to an appealing software catalog (aside from the games I discussed in this recent post).

That said, I can't imagine I'll ever have more fun with my imaginary future Vita than I will with the system seen in the photo below--which is a Japanese PSone with a nifty little Sony monitor strapped onto its back, in case you've never laid eyes on such a thing.



I recently picked up this killer combo via eBay for just $60, by the way. I've been looking to buy a Japanese PSone for ages now, so when this auction popped up I did whatever I could to ensure I won the damn thing.

Anyway, thanks to this awesome acquisition, I'm now experiencing another full-on PlayStation obsession--which of course means I recently snapped up a few Japanese PS games (such as the crazy Shake Kids! that I mentioned during the latest episode of The Nichiest Podcast Ever) to play on my shiny new (not really) PSone.

I'll do my best to write about as many of them as possible in the coming weeks and months, of course. At the very least, though, you can expect me to write about the most interesting ones.



Do any of you own one of these wonderful contraptions, by the way?

I know some will say they're kind of pointless in this day and age, when many PlayStation titles can be played on PSPs and Vitas, but I've always been a sucker for playing games as originally intended. Plus, the PSone is so adorable it's kind of hard to resist--which may explain why I now have two (the one shown above and here is of the North American variety).

See also: additional photos of (some of) my PlayStation 'collection'

Acquisition Time with The Gay Gamer™: Umihara Kawase Shun (PlayStation)

So, you know how I told you a few weeks back that I bought a bunch of (mostly retro) Japanese games via eBay shortly after Christmas? Well, the game you see below was part of that mighty haul.

You're all well aware of Umihara Kawase Shun, right? Especially after reading last week's "Which Box Art is Better" post? If not, all you really need to know about it is that it's the sequel to a two-dimensional Super Famicom-based platformer that stars a girl with a pink backpack and a fishing pole.

Oh, and that girl, the titular Umihara Kawase, uses the latter accessory to grapple onto ledges and even swing from them, Bionic Commando-style.

It's all rather awesome, of course, which is why I've been meaning to pick it up for ages. The only thing that's kept me from doing so until recently: the prices copies tend to fetch on line (generally upwards of $50, although copies of the "Second Edition" can go for a lot more).



The copy you see in the photos above and below, though, was quite a bit cheaper than average, though, so naturally I snapped it up as soon as I was able.

With that out of the way, Umihara Kawase Shun's cover art is pretty great, don't you think? I especially like that its watercolor-esque sheen. The back page of the game's manual (above) is nice, too, with the plucky protagonist using her trusty fishing pole to swing from her own name.

Last, but not least, there's the actual game disc (below), which displays a subtle attractiveness not unlike that of the aforementioned cover art.



If after reading what I've written here you'd like to learn a bit more about the Umihara Kawase series (and you should), I'd highly recommend reading its Hardcore Gaming 101 entry and watching this (translated) episode of GameCenter CX at your earliest convenience.

Note: I recently decided to change the title of this series of posts from "Acquisition #123" to "Acquisition Time with The Gay Gamer™" because, well, I've worried for a while now that the original name could be considered kind of off-putting. The replacement was inspired by the "Adventure Time" TV series, by the way, and the ™ was tossed into the mix because everything looks more professional with a ™ symbol attached to it.

Let's Play: 'Which Box Art is Better?' (Umihara Kawase edition)

Now that Sayonara Umihara Kawase's box art has been unveiled (I came across it yesterday on NeoGAF), I thought it would be a good idea to dedicate a "Which Box Art is Better?" post to this vaunted series of platformers.

Before we get to the cover art that's been created for the newest Umihara Kawase title, which will be released this summer for the 3DS, let's check out the covers that came before it.

For starters, here's the illustration that was used on the original Super Famicom release (which hit the streets in Japan all the way back in 1994):



Three years later, Umihara Kawase Shun was released for the PlayStation, with the following piece of art gracing that version's packaging:

Strangely, Umihara Kawase Shun features between-stage commercials for a company called Mitchell. They were replaced (with pieces of illustrator Toshinobu Kondo's artwork) in a "Second Edition" of the game that saw the light of day in 2000. Here is that iteration's box art:

Fast forward eight years and you encounter Umihara Kawase Portable, a supposedly bug-riddled port of Umihara Kawase Shun:

That was followed a year later by Umihara Kawase Shun Kanzenban, a DS cart that contained both the Super Famicom and PlayStation titles as well as a handful of additional stages. Thankfully, it's reported to be bug-free.

Finally, we come to the recently announced Sayonara Umihara Kawase, a full-on sequel that's being developed by the same folks who made the series' initial offerings. Its cover art can be seen below.

Which piece of Umihara Kawase box art is my favorite? The one produced for the original pressing of Umihara Kawase Shun, no question. That said, I'm also pretty fond of the covers made for the Super Famicom and PSP releases.

I'm not much of a fan of Sayonara Umihara Kawase's cover art, sadly. It's by no means terrible, mind you, but it's also kind of boring--in my opinion, at least. Of course, all of the creations seen above are variations on a rather ho-hum theme, aren't they?

Now that I've had my say, what do all of you think? Do you prefer one example of Umihara Kawase box art over another?

See also: previous 'Which Box Art is Better?' posts

I'm going to be all over Sayonara Umihara Kawase like white on rice this summer

For those of you who are, like, "sayonara what?"--Umihara Kawase is a wonderfully unique platformer that was created by "developer Kiyoshi Sakai, illustrator Toshinobu Kondo and several others," according to the game's Wikipedia page, and published by a company called TNN for the Super Famicom in 1994.

A sequel of sorts was released for the PlayStation in 1997--which was later ported (rather shabbily, it seems) to the PSP in 2008. Oh, and a DS version containing both the Super Famicom original and the PlayStation follow-up hit store shelves--only in Japan, of course--in 2009.

Anyway, Umihara Kawase stars a Japanese school girl who, for some reason unbeknownst to me, has to make her way through a series of water-filled stages while avoiding various sea creatures such as tottering fish and gigantic, bouncing tadpoles. She does this, mostly, by using her trusty fishing rod and line to both reel in stunned baddies (which she places in her pink backpack) and swing between platforms.

If all that sounds a bit odd, well, it is--but it's also charming and exhilarating and even pull-out-your-hair tough.

As you probably can tell, I'm a big fan of these games--the one that started it all, especially--and, given that, I was beyond excited to learn yesterday afternoon that a new entry in this series is coming to the Japanese 3DS this summer.

The game will be called Sayonara Umihara Kawase, according to the latest issue of Famitsu, and apparently it will be an all-new game (as opposed to another compilation of the Super Famicom and PlayStation titles a la the DS iteration).

Other than that, though, all that's known about Sayonara Umihara Kawase is it will cost 4,980 yen and it is being made by the same team that made the first two titles.

Assuming the finished product looks OK, I'm planning to pick up a copy as soon as it's available. I know that's not an option for every 3DS fan, though, so here's hoping some bold company brings it to the rest of the world sooner rather than later.

(News via tinycartridge.com, images via sufamithoughts.com)

Five favorites: non-Enix, non-Nintendo, non-Squaresoft Super Famicom games

Well, well, well. Here we are again.

Why am I continuing this crazy series? I don't know, to tell you the truth. I guess I just like writing and publishing weird blog posts.

Anyway, as you hopefully can tell by reading the header above, this particular "five favorites" post is going to focus on five of my favorite non-Enix, non-Nintendo, non-Squaresoft Super Famicom games.

I know I could have (and maybe even should have) kept myself from including Super Famicom games made by Capcom, Konami and even Taito, but the fact is that I'm less of a fan of their 16-bit releases than I am of their 8-bit ones. So, I decided to allow them here.

Anyway, enough of my yammering. Here are five non-Enix, non-Nintendo, non-Squaresoft Super Famicom games that are among my favorites for Nintendo's second console:

1. Ace wo Nerae!--I'm guessing a good number of you will skip right past this selection because it's a tennis game. I understand that, but I have to say it's a shame. This is a top-tier tennis game, in my humble opinion, and well worth trying if you're at all into the sport. The main reason? Makers Telenet Japan make good use of the Super Famicom's famed "Mode 7" capabilities (as well as a special DSP chip, I believe) to produce a surprisingly successful three-dimensional tennis title. Sure, it's a bit awkward at first, but give it a few minutes and it feels great.

2. Kiki Kaikai: Nazo no Kuro Manto--Although it was renamed Pocky & Rocky when it was readied for North American release, this top-down, forced-scrolling shmup would be a favorite of mine no matter what developers (and publishers) Natsume decided to call it. Admittedly, that's partially due to the fact that this is one gorgeous game (one of the prettiest to grace the Super Famicom/SNES, if you ask me), but it's also due to the fact that it controls like a dream.

3. Sanrio World Smash Ball--I know I've written about this syrupy sweet game, cobbled together by the folks at Tomcat System, at least once before, but I'm mentioning it again because it is, simply put, one of the best pick-up-and-play carts available for this particular system. Gamers who have hearts of stone are sure to point out that this Character Soft-published title is little more than a pixelated take on air hockey that's been gussied up with the Sanrio crew, but what's wrong with that? All that matters in the end is whether or not the final product is a joy to play, and this one is (in spades).

Ashley Davis x Umihara Kawase

I've been meaning to publish a post about the following illustration for ages, but all of you fellow bloggers know how it is: Other things have popped up since it first caught my attention and served to push it down my longer-than-I'd-like-to-admit "to publish" list.

Anyway, enough about that. The point of this post is to shed some light on an awesome, game-inspired illustration, so let's get to it.

The awesome illustration in question (below and here) was produced by the similarly awesome Ashley Davis, by the way.



So, why am I all hot and bothered by Davis' drawing? Because it focuses on a couple of characters from one of my favorite games from the 16-bit and 32-bit eras, TNN's Umihara Kawase.

For those of you who've never heard of this gem of a game (which has been released for the DS, PlayStation, PSP and Super Famicom), here's Davis' short-but-sweet description of it: "Umihara Kawase is Bionic Commando if Rad had a bouncy fishing line instead of a robotic arm. It’s super hard, but incredibly fun!"

Not enough info for you? Check out this article at Hardcore Gaming 101.

I'd also suggest you check out Davis' tumblog, No Marios Allowed!, if you haven't done so in a while--especially if you're a fan of Bubble Bobble, Flicky, Mappy, Mischief Makers and No More Heroes.

(Via tinycartridge.com)