The Differences Between Pokemon Diamond and Pearl

Despite being the fourth major series in the overall Pokemon franchise, Pokemon Diamond/Pearl are still incredibly welcoming to new players, making them great games for newcomers to the RPG genre. Both games are incredibly similar, with only a few major differences to speak of. The most notable differences are the included Pokemon you can catch, with both games containing a few exclusive Pokemon. 

For example, if you want to catch the stylish bladed bug Scyther or the smelly but effective Stunky, you’ll have to play Pokemon Diamond. Conversely, classic Pokemon like Slowpoke and the cute but fierce Houndour can only be captured in Pokemon Pearl. As always, both games have an exclusive “legendary” Pokemon to discover, which can only be caught with patience and practice. In Pokemon Diamond, you’re able to catch the Steel Dragon Dialga. Pokemon Pearl players can try their hand at catching the Water Dragon Palkia. Both Pokemon are super powerful and well worth the effort.

Your Life as a Pokemon Trainer

As is customary in Pokemon games, you’ll start your adventure as a bold and brave youngster living in a quaint hometown. Located in the Sinnoh region, everyone is obsessed with capturing and training Pokemon, wild and often cute creatures that roam the island. With your best pal Barry at your side, you head to a nearby lake to investigate rumors of a mysterious Pokemon. Although you are unsuccessful at locating the mythological Pokemon, things quickly become hectic when a wild Pokemon starts to attack your party. Using a nearby briefcase dropped by the Pokemon-studying Professor Rowan, you’ll have the option of choosing one out of three starter Pokemon to begin your adventure.

As always, Pokemon are categorized by their elemental type, offering different approaches for the battles to come. Fans of nature and grass can pick the adorable Turtwig, while those who prefer a hotter strategy can choose the blazing Chimchar. My personal preference (and always a safe bet) is the absolutely adorable yet convincingly destructive Piplup, a penguin with water-type powers. Regardless of your decision, this marks the start of your Pokemon adventure, sending you across Sinnoh to fight in fierce Pokemon battles against anyone who crosses your path. As you battle, you’ll be able to recruit new Pokemon to your team while strengthening your existing party. Every Pokemon has a unique set of moves along with its inherent elemental strengths and weaknesses, so it’s a good idea to experiment with your team. With over 150 unique Pokemon to discover and catch, there are tons of different strategies to utilize.

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Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is a wonderfully macabre and exhilarating adventure game developed by Konami and originally released in 1997 on the PlayStation. Considered by many to be one of the best games ever made, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night took the existing Castlevania franchise and propelled into higher popularity than ever before. Playing as the suave and mysterious protagonist Alucard, you’ll explore the many rooms and areas of Dracula’s castle, aiming to destroy the unholy dwelling once and for all. In almost every way, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night takes the popular and enjoyable elements from past Castlevania titles and refines them to near-perfection, offering exciting combat, satisfying exploration, and an intriguing atmosphere. Once you take your first steps into Dracula’s castle and start defeating enemies, there’s no question as to why this is considered one of the best 2D action games of all time.

The Lore of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Symphony of the Night’s story takes place four years after the events of the previous game, Castlevania: Rondo of Blood. At the start of Symphony of the Night, players get to experience the ending sequence from Rondo of Blood, with the vampire-hunter Richter Belmont facing down Dracula in an intense duel to the death. Jumping forward four years, Richter has disappeared and Dracula’s castle has returned, looming in the sky as a beacon of evil. With no member of the Belmont clan left to investigate, Dracula’s half-vampire, half-human son Alucard sets out to settle the score.

Although Alucard made a brief appearance in Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, Symphony of the Night gives players their first deep dive into the tormented mind of the half-vampire. Despite his familial connections to the infinitely evil Dracula, Alucard’s human side gives him a slightly more diplomatic approach to the plight of humanity. Urged on by the dying wish of his mother, Lisa, Alucard’s ultimate goal is to defeat Dracula and end his reign of terror on the living. In order to protect humanity, Alucard must delve deep into the dangerous depths of Dracula’s castle and solve the mystery behind Richter’s disappearance. Along the way, he’ll have to contend with monstrous creatures, intimidating bosses, and his own lineage.

Alucard’s Adventure

While the core gameplay in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is similar to other classic Castlevania games, there’s a lot about this entry in the series that makes it stand out from the rest. In classic Castlevania fashion, you must progress through the perilous halls of Dracula’s castle, defeating enemies and avoiding obstacles along the way. However, instead of the iconic whip weapon that most Castlevania protagonists wield, Alucard is able to fight with a wide variety of weapons, including daggers, swords, spears, and more. You can also find handy sub-weapons that help you take down the opposition, or utilize one of the eight mystical spells that Alucard can learn and cast. For the most part, Symphony of the Night offers classic sidescrolling gameplay and combat, but it makes some big changes in terms of progression and exploration.

The most notable elements of Symphony of the Night are the infusion of role-playing mechanics into combat, as well as the non-linear progression design of the castle itself. When it comes to combat, players can earn experience points by defeating enemies, raising Alcuard’s power level along with their health and magic meters. Alucard also possesses four stats, including strength, defense, intelligence, and luck. Increasing these stats is key to surviving, as the enemies within Dracula’s castle can be exceptionally challenging. 

Unlike other 8-bit Castlevania games, Symphony of the Night plays out in a non-linear fashion, encouraging players to explore every inch of the castle. As you explore, paths will often be inaccessible or blocked, requiring you to find a new power-up or ability in order to progress. For example, Alucard possesses a shape-shifting ability that allows him to change into new forms, helping him to reach high ledges or other distant platforms. This results in a gameplay loop that involves searching the castle and locating new items, allowing for further exploration and better gear. This style of gameplay progression was so influential that, in combination with the classic Nintendo franchise Metroid, inspired an entirely new sub-genre of game known as the “Metroidvania”.

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Batman Returns for Christmas

Originally released in 1993 on a variety of gaming systems, Batman Returns follows the same story as the film it’s based on, but adds a significant amount of comic-book flair. There are several unique versions of the game, including experiences on the Sega Genesis, NES, MS-DOS, and more. While those games are respectable in their own right, the Super Nintendo version rises above the rest, providing players with an epic beat ’em up adventure that rivals the best in the genre.

Set across seven stages, Batman Returns sees out heroic caped crusader hunting down the villainous Penguin, battling the anti-hero Catwoman, and fighting his way through hordes of criminal goons. Every stage is based on a specific scene in the film, guiding players through an action-packed journey that stays true to the source material. Just like in the movie, Batman must fight his way through the Penguin’s army of thugs and thwart his sinister plot for Gotham City. You’ll brawl in the snowy streets and businesses of Gotham, drive the Batmobile around a bit, and even delve into the Penguin’s Lair for a final showdown.

All of that is fine and expected, but what sets Batman Returns on the SNES apart from other beat ’em up games is its Christmas setting, which adds a flourish of color and nostalgia. Much like the original 1992 film, Batman Returns is firmly set during the Christmas season, offering seasonal snow-filled levels with festive decorations. Trees decorated with colorful lights and ornaments dot the scenery, Gotham’s citizens are busy with holiday shopping, and the Penguin’s clown-goons bust out of Christmas presents with enthusiasm. The stark winter environments help the rest of the color palette pop, resulting in a vivid, action-packed experience.

Batman’s Christmas Beatdown

The Super Nintendo version of Batman Returns was developed by Konami, who are no strangers to the beat ’em up genre. Well known for their work on other action classics like TMNT IV: Turtles in Time, X-Men, and The Simpsons Arcade Game, Konami has a track record of quality. That quality is reflected in Batman Returns, which feels great to play and is full of fun and exciting mechanics. In addition to punching and grappling enemies with brutal efficiency, Batman has a handful of items at his disposal.

If any enemies are giving you a hard time (like the motorcycle-riding clown bikers), you can chuck a Batarang at their head to disrupt their attacks. Batman can also utilize his trusty grappling hook to navigate dangerous ledges, as well as swoop across the stage and kick enemies with force. When things get particularly overwhelming, you can even toss a dangerous test tube of explosive material to clear the screen of all baddies. Each stage also ends with a tough boss encounter, so it’s a good thing Batman can block, attack in mid-air, and even pull off a special attack for extra damage.

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Streets of Rage 4 Brings Beat ‘Em Ups Back

The story is pretty simple. After a decade of peace, a new criminal empire has begun to take hold of the city, and it’s your job to stop it. Playing as one of four characters, you’ll punch and kick your way through twelve stages of enemies, picking up weapons and racking up points along the way.

There are five different modes to try out, including a Story, Arcade, Boss Rush, and a competitive Battle mode. Five difficulty settings make it easy for players of all skill levels to enjoy the mayhem, complete with a fun ranking system that judges your performance at the end of each stage.

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