Games Beaten 2017

[Markies]

1. Phantasy Star II (GEN)
2. Guitar Hero (PS2)
3. Adventures of Lolo (NES)
4. Animal Crossing (GCN)
5. Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (NES)
6. Beyond The Beyond (PS1)
7. R.B.I. Baseball (NES)
8. Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo (PS1)
9. GoldenEye: Rogue Agent (GCN)
10. Project Gotham Racing (XBOX)
11. Ristar (GEN)
12. Conker's Bad Fur Day (N64)
13. Crash Bandicoot (PS1)
14. Pikmin (GCN)
15. Syberia (XBOX)
16. Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht (PS2)
17. Tetris Plus (PS1)
18. Metropolis Street Racer (DC)
19. Darkwing Duck (NES)
20. Marvel Vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (PS2)
21. Ico (PS2)
22. Final Fantasy V (SNES)
23. Mega Man X (SNES)
24. Beyond Good & Evil (XBOX)
25. Beetle Adventure Racing! (N64)
26. Sonic Adventure (DC)
27. Giga Wing (DC)
28. Metal Arms: Glitch in the System (XBOX)
29. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GCN)
30. Landstalker: Treasure of King Nole (GEN)
31. Soul Calibur II (GCN)
32. Destruction Derby 64 (N64)
33. Faxanadu (NES)

I completed Faxanadu on the Nintendo Entertainment System this evening!

I picked up Faxanadu several years ago as I was buying many games and never playing them. Eventually, I filled up my shelf and got around to actually playing the games that I own. I had collected several NES action RPG's in Faxanadu, Zelda II and Castlevania II. I played the original Castlevania to beat it so that I could easily play through Castlevania II. I was terrified of Zelda II, so I felt like I had to finally put that bad boy to rest. Finally, after several years of being in my collection and being passed over for more popular franchises, I finally got around to playing Faxanadu.

Faxanadu seems to be the lovechild of Zelda II and Castlevania II. The world and combat have a very Castlevania II feel to it while the item collection and level progression is very similar to Zelda II. It took the best from both games and removed all the worst as well. The combat is very simplified and can be frustrating at times, but you never feel too overwhelmed. There is always a saving grace and enough to help you out. The help from the NPC's is very nonexistent, but the worlds aren't too large to get lost in. I would say the best part of the game is the music as it has that beautiful Hudson touch to it. Also, some of the levels can be incredibly dark and very creepy which is hard to do on the NES. For a game from that system, it sets the mood and gives this eerie feeling which is commendable.

However, some of the NES problems show up here as well. The enemy placement can be cruel to where you have to take damage no matter what. The knock back is very real and that even effects bosses and usable items like keys, so that is frustrating to no end. Also, you have about a second of invincibility, so that doesn't help as well.

Overall, besides some of its flaws, I really enjoyed Faxanadu. I enjoyed both Zelda II and Castlevania II and Faxanadu felt very familiar compared to those two games. It takes the classic NES Action RPG formula and shows how it can be done. It's not a great game by any means, but it is highly enjoyable especially if you love those two games. It's simple with incredibly catchy music and some nice atmosphere that really ties the whole package together. It won't set the world on fire, but it's a simple and good game that is well worth it for fans of the genre.

[Xeogred]

That game looks rad, nice one Markies.

[Markies]

That game looks rad, nice one Markies.

If you love NES ARPG, Faxanadu should be on your list. You can find the game loose for still only $10 and it is well worth that price. I would say play Castlevania II and Zelda II first, but you should definitely play Faxanadu right after that. Not too tough and easily doable in a few short hours.

Just beware of the mantras/password. It is ridiculously long and use numbers, upper and lower cases as well. Even though I though I wrote it down correctly, I messed up and I was glad to write down different passwords at different stages.

[MrPopo]

I just used my phone when I wanted to copy the passwords down in Faxanadu. As I recall the game doesn't take the effort to avoid the letters and numbers that look similar on low rez fonts (e.g. I and 1) so having a picture of things lets you correct easily.

[nullPointer]

I just used my phone when I wanted to copy the passwords down in Faxanadu. As I recall the game doesn't take the effort to avoid the letters and numbers that look similar on low rez fonts (e.g. I and 1) so having a picture of things lets you correct easily.

Dude. Well done. This is genius. Pretty sure I'll never write down another in-game password now. Mind blown.

[Exhuminator]

I would say the best part of the game is the music as it has that beautiful Hudson touch to it.

I think it's awesome that you beat Faxanadu, very cool. The OST is very good, agreed. It was written by Jun Chikuma, who was a Hudson composer. If you enjoy her music these are all the games she wrote the OSTs for:

Bomberman (NES) (1985)
Adventure Island (1986)
Doraemon (1986)
Faxanadu (1987)
Jaseiken Necromancer (1988)
The Legendary Axe (1988) - with Toshiaki Takimoto
Military Madness (1989)
Doraemon Meikyu Daisakusen (1989)
Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair (PC Engine) (1989) - arrangements
Atomic Punk (1990) - with Noriyuki Nakagami and Yasuhiko Fukuda
Bomberman (1990)
Bomberman II (1991)
Bomberman '93 (1992)
Super Bomberman (1993)
Bomberman '94 (1993)
Super Bomberman 3 (1995) - with Keita Hoshi
DoReMi Fantasy: Milon no Dokidoki Daibouken (1996)
Super Bomberman 4 (1996)
Saturn Bomberman (1996)
Ginga Ojousama Densetsu Yuna: Mika Akitaka Illust Works (1996)
Nectaris (1997)
Super Bomberman 5 (1997) - with Yasuhiko Fukuda
Saturn Bomberman Fight!! (1997) - with Yoshio Tsuru
Pocket Bomberman (1997) - with Yoshio Tsuru
Bomberman World (1998) - with Shinya Yano
Bomberman Hero (1998)
Bomberman Party Edition (1998)
Bomberman Quest (1998) - "Battle Theme" only
Sonic and the Secret Rings (2007) - with Sega Digital Studio

I really need to go back and re-beat Faxanadu. I haven't fully played through the game since 1990. I remember a lot about it though, the experience made an impression.

[BoneSnapDeez]

I just used my phone when I wanted to copy the passwords down in Faxanadu. As I recall the game doesn't take the effort to avoid the letters and numbers that look similar on low rez fonts (e.g. I and 1) so having a picture of things lets you correct easily.

This is a smart idea for Japanese passwords too.

[Sarge]

There is a revision of Faxanadu that makes the font more readable for passwords.

As for the game itself, I finished it a few months back, and definitely found the mood to be as foreboding and eerie as I did when I was a kid. That they pulled it off on the NES is quite amazing. It's a really good game, too. I don't think it's as ambitious as Zelda II, but it's a little more consistent in some ways.

[marurun]

It's a lot more like Japanese PC action RPGs of the time, which is intentional, or at least not coincidental.

[Sarge]

Yeah, I was completely unfamiliar with Falcom's output then, but so many of the design decisions they made make it obvious in hindsight what their pedigree was.