This Week in Defunct Games - February 16, 2010

What Is It? I hope you like food-related puns, because that's what Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom has to offer. This quirky 8-bit adventure game is different from most of the Virtual Console games. Instead of giving you level after level of fast action, this Hudson console title is more along the lines of the classic point and click adventure so popular on the PC. You control the game using a series of menu options, giving you the ability to look around, talk, take items, fight, praise, give and much, much more. You move your character one screen at a time, similar to games like Shadowgate and Myst. Where the game excels is in its clever writing and memorable characters. This is not a game for everybody, but if you give the game a chance you will find that the stories are intriguing and the sense of humor is just cheesy enough to be entertaining. I would also add that the graphics aren't half bad, even with the limited on-screen colors. There are a few translation issues and the slow-pace is going to turn a lot of gamers off, but I had a lot of fun juicing my way through the Salad Kingdom.

Does It Still Hold Up? Much like Shadowgate and other Kemco Seika games, Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom uses a series of menus to get the job done. For many this will be a turn off, since you are essentially cycling through a series of still images. On the other hand, the controls are responsive and the menus actually make a lot of sense once you get into the main adventure. The graphics and sound are obviously dated, but they do a good job of presenting the action and giving you all the detail you could want.

Is It Worth The Money? If you're looking for a fast-paced action game, then this Hudson title should be avoided at all cost. However, there's enough good natured humor to keep you interested in this quirky title. I am a huge fan of games like Shadowgate and The Uninvited, so I was impressed by this non-violent, kid-friendly take on the genre. Even if you aren't convinced that this type of game isn't for you, the five dollar asking price isn't too much to take a chance on this adorable adventure game.

What Is It? Just in time for the Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 announcement, Nintendo has decided to upload Sonic & Knuckles. This 1994 release is something of an expansion pack to 1993's stellar Sonic the Hedgehog 3. It uses the same engine and features many of the same power-ups, only this time around you get a bunch of new levels and a brand new playable character. When this game was first released it came with a gimmick, it featured a two-way cartridge that allowed you to plug both Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and 3 into its top. This super-sized cartridge gave you the ability to play as Knuckles in those two Sonic sequels, instantly giving you a reason to dust off the cartridges and play through the levels again. Unfortunately, the actual content in Sonic & Knuckles wasn't as compelling as its gimmick, something that is blatantly obvious in this Virtual Console re-release. On the other hand, it's still fun to go back through these levels, even if they often feel like Sonic the Hedgehog 3 b-sides. Sonic & Knuckles is a good, solid game. It will never stack up against the best games in the series, but at least it's not Knuckles Chaotix.

Does It Still Hold Up? If you liked Sonic the Hedgehog 3, then you're bound to feel right at home with Sonic & Knuckles. The two games are practically identical, all the way down to the bonus level. In some ways that's a good thing, since Sonic the Hedgehog 3had great control and graphics that still hold up to this day. On the other hand, this game feels incredibly lazy. No matter what you think of this expansion pack, at least the character is responsive and it's easy on the eyes.

Is It Worth The Money? I'm right on the fence when it comes to Sonic & Knuckles. On one hand I don't want to deny anybody the opportunity to play through a number of worthwhile Sonic levels, however, these levels are nowhere near as good as those found in Sonic's first three adventures. Furthermore, you can own this game on any number of compilation discs for a fraction of the price. This is a game that should have come with Sonic the Hedgehog 3, not a standalone product. If the price was cheaper I might rate this game higher, but $8 is too much to ask for this underwhelming Sonic game. I can only hope that Sonic the Hedgehog 4 will be better than this expansion pack.