Gave Neo Nectaris a quick spin today. Just played the first map, but I'm already digging all the little improvements (which are great because the original game is already so cool to begin with). I love the little animation for the Munkusu/Charlies when they run up to ready for a skirmish. All of the units look a little more refined all around. The music is great and full of booming, powerful themes. And to top it all off, I finally have my own copy of the original game built in as an extra. Awesome. I still need to beat that, though, I was 3/4s through the hard campaign when I stopped, so I'll make sure to do that before I get started on the Neo maps.
Definitely beat the original first.
There are some classic, crazy battles in the original.
I wish there had been a true sequel to Neo Nectaris...even if it was the exact same game but loaded with tons of new campaigns.
Oh, of course! I am far too anal retentive to ever just skip ahead. I just wanted to preview it a little. I'm on Deshta in the original so I think I'm pretty close to the end. I found your webpage not too long ago, so unless it's some other Esteban (we have six people with that name in my house right now, so probably), you seem to be the premier super fan for Nectaris. I'll have to try out Earth Light one of these days on your recommendation.
I was thinking about it, back in the day I really liked Vasteel, buying different mech units from factories and moving them around hexagon based maps. Of course I still love it, but it's not really a strategy game as much as it is an action game. I don't remember having to consider the strengths and weaknesses of the units all that much, just had to perform well in the battle sequences. Stylistically, I have a lot of love for that game, the Jazz Fusion soundtrack, dozens of different little mechs, and the hex maps all appealed to me. Maybe I'm forgetting something, but I didn't really play what I consider to be a real strategy game until Iron Storm on the Saturn, which I really enjoyed. (I've since gone back and tried a few of the other Daisenryaku titles as well). That game was for reals, yo. Knee deep in unit specs and terrain considerations. A few years later my buddy picked up Advance Wars on the GBA and introduced me to it, and then I went nuts playing AW1 and AW2.
I didn't own Military Madness as one of my original childhood TG-16 games, and considering how much I love the genre now, it's a shame I didn't realize it sooner because I could have playing one of the best ones years ago. I would still like to get a CIC MM one of these days, but having Nectaris included on the NN disc takes off the sting a little until I can swing it. I think I also wanna grab Nectaris GB one of these days (I've played it a little.)
Ha. I was gong to update the ancient Nectaris stuff years ago, but I never did get around to it.
I lost my game save in Earth Light (stupid battery!) and I need to replace it. Of course, I've been saying that for years. It was so cute, in just the right dose, I loved it.
Nothing is stopping you from listening to Vasteel's chip tunes/Red Book when you play Nectaris
I WISH THE GAMEBOY VERSION used a hexagonal map! Otherwise, I thought it was totally fun.
What else can I say? There are some things I removed from my website that still exist in the text version FAQ:
(1) Try setting wacky goals for every level (like, only go after the enemy base, dedicating all resources to this goal).... or try to have all your units be defensive (see if you can set traps, develop techniques for entries my defensive strategy).
(2) Boards with Hunters are usually exempt from self-imposed wacky rules, since they will obliterate you once they get full-star experience.
(3) you must use infantry for major offensive maneuvers, but they can be the "final wave" attacking each round, after you have unleashed major offensive from tanks, artillery.
Etc.
