/vr/ - Retro Games

VITALITY is excellent.

>>8438432
For exploration - that's Vitality for sure. I personally think it is the best 2020 exploration platformer overall. It is comparable in size with the original SM. What is interesting, is that it relies heavily on stock sprites, but uses them in clever way, some translucency effects are the best I've seen on SNES. Rooms structure is completely different from SM, it uses some megastructure ideas from Metroid 2 in some places. From skill point of view - it does not require any of advanced techniques and is even completable without walljumps. Interesting part of it is that story actually affects the gameplay and that it has the best Tourian ever (better than orig).

Eris - I suggest to play Vitality first, they are from the same author, but Eris is smaller, weirder, puzzle-heavy and excessively hard, I won't even think about playing Eris without C225-3005 (invincibility) cheat code.

Phazon is also great for exploration, but has some problems with progression (goong to Phantoon without a red suite causes a deadlock later on) and overall is less polished. It is harder than vanilla, but not too much (skillchecks are optional), and have some very bullet spongy enemies (c225-3005 helps), Also Tourian there is complete crap, but given the size (2x of Vitality I think) not many first-time players are going to get there anyway.

From other big ones I've played - Hyper Metroid is not good at exploration and Ancient Chozo is close to vanilla (so no exploration).

Super Metroid engine is really advanded. It is arguably much more advanced than necessary for a 2d game and was made drastically simpler for GBA games. But it is so satisfying to jump diagonally after the run - the feeling that is completely lost in later games. The fluidity of SM Samus movement with correct and careful use of a run button - that is what really make SM hacks so enjoyable. Because the majority of hacks do not have enough fresh new content and are just rehashes. Picrelated is an exception though, and actually have great new content.

speaking of metroid hacks, and likely really old news for everyone here, but just in case anyone hasnt yet: play vitality
gorgeous hack

i was already a fan of dman thanks to eris, but the dude has gotten much better since then
the faux-pas lighting effects that he did in some spots was just slick as hell. i hope that idea catches on with other hackers. made a huge difference to the atmosphere
its a lot easier than eris, but the level/world-design is honestly on par with, even surpassing at points, the original SM itself

i really like the fake movie promo poster too desu

>>7839771
idk i think the only reason nintendo even bothered was because they realized that AM2R btfo their own M2 remake, and was getting an insane amount of buzz from players
there were normie-ass jewtubers whod never even heard of romhacks singing its praise like a day after it dropped
how would YOU like to try to sell a game for money thats not even close to as good as a game that some dude made by himself and dropped for free?

It's not always

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Here's the VITALITY spriter's posts, if anyone was interested.