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Blobbers


On 02/15/2025 at 10:49 AM by KnightDriver

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I feel like I may run out of twin-stick shooters (and those closely related isometric shooters) soon and so I made a list of "blobbers" (games with a party of characters that move together) to check out. It fits my theme because it started in 1981 with Wizardry. Here's the list. 

Wizardry Series

Of the SirTech made Wizardry's three made it to console. I, however, am not interested in Wiz II (NES) or Wiz V (SNES) because I find them beyond difficult. There are many, many Japanese spinoff games, only a few have made it to the west on console, but many are playable on PC or even mobile phones.  

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (1981) - At first a PC game, then ported to NES, and recently remade for all modern consoles. There are a lot of other Wizardry games on PC but not many ported to consoles outside of Japan. This was the first. 
Wizardry: Tale of the Forsaken Land (2001) - It was made for the PS2. Luckily I never got rid of my copy and can play it again. I remember it as being even more difficult that the first game. 
Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls (2009) - I believe this was a downloadable game on PS3. I do remember playing it. I'll just have to go see if I can download it again. 

The Bard's Tale Series 

The Bard's Tale ('85) - I never played this on PC when I was playing Wizardry, but I caught up with it on NES some years ago. I didn't get far, but now I have another chance with the remastered edition on Xbox Series X/S. 
The Bard's Tale 2 ('86) - This was ported to NES and remastered as part of Bard's Tale Remastered Trilogy. 
The Bard's Tale 3 ('88) - This is included in the remastered Bard's Tale Trilogy collection. 

Might and Magic series

Like Wiz there are 10 games in the main series and a host of spinoff series. I'm mainly focusing on the specific old school style embodied in the first three games. 

Might and Magic Book One: Secret of the Inner Sanctum ('86) - I had the NES port a while back and didn't get deeply into it. I'd like to give it another shot. 
Might and Magic II: Gates to Another World ('88) - I had this once for Genesis. I don't know where that got to. 
Might and Magic III: Isles of Terra ('91) - This was ported to SNES. I'll keep an eye out for it. Hope it's not expensive. 

Etrian Odyssey Series

I love this series and still have the first three games both on DS and now remastered on Switch. I used to own the 3DS games: IV, V, Nexus, Untold 1-2 and Mystery Dungeon but, alas, not anymore. It's a project of mine to reaquire those but they are not cheap. 

Miscellany

Dungeon Master ('87) - I think I have this (I need to double check) on my Wii as it was part of Virtual Console, originally ported to Turbografx. It also has a SNES port.
Eye of the Beholder ('91) - Ported to the SNES and a version for GBA are out there.
Shining in the Darkness ('91) - The first of the Shining games. I still have my Genesis copy but it is on many Genesis collections as well. The only other Shining game in this style is Shining The Holy Ark, which I used to have for Sega Saturn. Alas, I don't have a Saturn anymore and getting this game again would be a pricey endevour. I don't think I'll do it. 
Arcana ('92) - This was on SNES. I hope I can get a copy. 
Stonekeep: Bones of the Ancestors (2012) - I got it as WiiWare back then. It's a game based on the original 1995 Stonekeep game and in the same style I'm looking for. 

Got any you think I missed?


 

Comments

Cary Woodham

02/24/2025 at 10:06 AM

Only thing I know about Eltrian Odyssey is that I think Yuzo Koshiro did the music.  Definitely would be a selling point to me if I had time for those games.

Only thing I know about Arcana is that it was made by HAL Laboratory, makers of Kirby and Smash.  I'm a huge fan of HAL Labs, but Arcana is one of the few of their games I've never played.  I hear Kirby makes a 'blink and you'll miss it' cameo, though.

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