sho's Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Hillsfar review

I'm rather curious if this is a bad port or a bad game.

Has anyone had a chance to play this? D&D games from this era tend to be hit or miss. Pool of Radiance, for example, is god in cartridge form whereas Heroes of the Lance is mostly plastic poop with a label on it. Where does this one really fall if you're into old PC-style RPGs like PoR and Wizardry?

From what Sho paints here, it sounds like it falls into the terrible category. The thing that screams warnings to me, even as a fan of these old titles, is the poor controls, the bad scrolling, and the time limit dungeons paired with poor controls and bad scrolling. That would just be a recipe for frustration. It also sounds like one of those that went for repetition in order to create content, which just starts to give you a head ache after a while.

I tried it out by using an emul...

*FBI AGENT BURSTS INTO TOPIC*

... physical game cartridge that I borrowed from a friend. And certainly left a horrible first impression. The idea of being a wandering adventurer on horse back exploring the countryside sounds like fun, but the controls were awful. The horse was horribly unresponsive and movement in the timed maze part very klunky.

If you look at [Moby's page for it](http://www.mobygames.com/game/hillsfar), there's a clear discrepancy between reviews for the NES and other versions. So I'm actually wondering if this falls until the "bad port" category. I have one of those Forgotten Realm Archive discs somewhere and I know it has the DOS version of this game on it, so I'll have to see if I can get it working.

In the mean time, my quest for a new NES RPG continues... *sigh*

You can always play Startropics. That's different.

Radia Senki!

StarTropics is fantastic! So is Radia Senki (though I can't read Japanese and I'm not really into using emulators these days).

I thinking of either Ultima: Exodus or Bard's Tale. Or Dragon Warrior 1-3 if I feel like spending money.

From what I understand, you're better off with either an Apple II or PC version of Ultima: Exodus. I haven't played the NES version in depth, but I didn't much care for what little I did play.

I tried playing Bard's Tale and couldn't get into it. I think bumping into high powered random battles while walking around in the initial town broke the game for me.

If you're okay with looking outside of NES while staying old school, there are a few I would recommend:

Great Greed (GB)
Sword of Hope (GB)
Arcana (SNES)
Crusader of Centy (GEN)

The remake of Dark Spire is also fun; though very simplistic. It's very much an old-style rpg. You may even have to draw maps with little notes on them.

The NES is actually the only console I own right now (!?). I'd never heard of any of those games though, Joe, so I'll certainly take a look. GB and GEN RPGs are something I've never really given a chance.

Ultima: Exodus on the NES has one thing going for it: the frickin' title music. Gets stuck in my head every time I hear it. I played this game briefly probably 10 years ago and just couldn't get into it at the time. My tasks have changed considerably since then though. The only thing that makes old CRPGs a problem for me is the lack of music. That's usually while I prefer the NES versions when possible.

Dark Spire was a remake? I can't find any information about the original game.

Dragon Warrior 3 might be the best RPG on the NES. 4 did some things better, but is slow-paced for a good chunk of it because you have to do the early-game DW level/cash grind FIVE SEPARATE TIMES!!!

Of the Ultima ports, Quest of the Avatar was the only one I'd say was better than average. The thing about Exodus for me was a combination of ugliness and if I remember correctly, the menus were a bit confusing to navigate. Not as bad as the SFC's Shin Megami Tensai, where you had to input like three commands just to get to your dungeon map, but still annoying.

If you're looking also for action RPG/adventure stuff, Battle of Olympus is to Adventure of Link what Startropics is to Legend of Zelda. Maybe better. Also started replaying the second Startropics game last night. It's pretty fun if you can ignore the "straight from the Howard-n-Nester comic in Nintendo Power" brand of humor. "Cleopatra wants you to fetch her a pizza?!?! LOLOLOLOL!!!!!" The first boss fight cracks me up in that game. Hit it repeatedly while it's eating the wild pig = dead before it can even attack you. Hit the pig and kill it before the boss can eat it = brutal fight considering your general lack of durability and power.

I actually really enjoyed the Willow RPG and...the Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves RPG/Action game.

I seem to remember Uninvited being great and Ghost Lion as well.

Aside from uninvited, I bet you can get these 3 games pretty cheaply.

Crusader of Centy was something I always wanted to try, but the game was pretty hard to find in my area when it was first released. Trying to get the game now, too, is a pain in the butt, because it's going for crazy mad money... for just the cart.

I know that DW3 wraps up a "trilogy" of sorts. Having not played DW1 or 2, will I be missing something? DW4 was absolutely fantastic, and had many elements that I've never seen in another game.

I mean, I know what happens in DW1. Your hero grinds like 50 hours, then kills some Dragon guy thing.

I'm actually leaning towards finding an appropriate donor cart for Mother and getting it from NES Reproductions. Looks like it could be quite a fun game.

3 is essentially the prequel to 1 and 2.

And to be honest, by merely mentioning that, I probably essentially spoiled the game's connection to the other two. It's a far more robust game that includes class-changing and stuff and other than one bit of plot, you're not missing anything.

Dragon Warrior III was my favorite in the series without question until I played VI, and now I'd have to think long and hard to decide which I definitely prefer. It depends on my mood, mostly. I love so much about III. Yes, IV was ambitious and without its experiments we wouldn't have had the superior outings that we saw with V and VI, but IV got that second "trilogy" in the overall series off to a shaky start when compared to III.

So I got Dragon Warrior 1, because fuck it, that's how I roll. Having never played it before (only played DW4 and 8), I would like to say I'm loving this game.

It's simple? So what; I like that. Grind fest? Battles go stupid fast and are fun, so who cares. I'm level 12 and I feel like I've grinded less in this game than I did up to the first dungeon in FF1--and battles in FF1 are slower than my 95 year old grandmother drinking maple syrup.

So I'm not finished yet, but I'm quite enjoying this game. I must be in the minority that thinks it aged just fine.

You need to play numbers 2 and 3 when you're done with the first one. I love them all. 4 took a slight dip, and 5 mostly recovered, and 6 was brilliant and I haven't played much of 7 or any of 8 or 9 yet, but I know that 2 and 3 remain two of my favorite RPGs of all time. Given how much you are apparently liking 1, don't even think about missing out on 2 and 3!

I will certainly get them, eventually. I know 2 & 3 are a little on the pricey side. We're in the process of closing on a house right now, so I think the likelihood of convincing my wife that I should buy an expensive game is about as likely as my cat learning the horsey dance in this music video and breaking into song whenever I say the word "pickle juice".

Hmm, yeah, that sounds like most wives I happen to know... Well, congrats on closing on a house, anyway. I may own Dragon Warrior II/III, but you will soon own a house and that's probably better. Probably.

I finished DW1 yesterday and I have to say it totally gets an unfair rap. Considering that I beat it in about 3 weeks only playing for a half hour or so before work in the morning (great way to start the day!), the grinding can't be as bad as everyone says.

I had an absolute blast playing it too. The dungeons were very atmospheric (I loved how the music shifted downward with each floor). The pacing and balancing were nearly perfect (in that they worked as designed and were consistent--I can understand how one could argue it was too slow, but it was definately consistent). And I honestly liked the simplicity and small amount of equpment and spells; it made every level or new item feel like a reward with tangible results.

This is still a great game, and having also replayed FF1 earlier this year, I think it aged infinately better than it's competitor.

So yes, I will definately be getting DW2 asap. All I need to do is find it for a good price (easier said than done; I hate re-sellers and eBay).