Topic: This is what is wrong with Simon's Quest.

[Lucius J. Belmont]

Everyone always says that, but it's not true.  My family sussed Simon's Quest without a guide.  Did the same with Zelda 1 and Zelda 2, both of which are very difficult to navigate without guides.  I'd argue that Zelda 2 is even more obscure with Kasuto, the Hidden Palace, etc...

People took all the townsfolk hints the wrong way.  All the hints are telling you to do is "Try doing something at this spot."  So you go to the spot and you do EVERYTHING you can do; and as far as the Deborah Cliff and such go, the game DOES tell you to kneel before places with crystals and that you need the red crystal there.  I'd argue that the only 'obscure' necessary detail is that you need to equip the heart and talk to the ferryman to get to one of the mansions.

Exactly this. I never had a guide for those games, or Star Tropics, etc. It's not like the options were unlimited, just non-intuitive at times. And having to exhaust every possibility was the point. You can just as easily say SOTN would occasionally be incomprehensible without a guide--Richter's moves aren't explicitly laid out for you, the whole shield rod thing, honestly all the button inputs that aren't handed to you in the store and some of the weirder weapon effects...Gamers are expected to be curious and exhaustive in problem-solving. But for Simon's Quest that doesn't just get you a more complete gameplay, it's actually required.

[uzo]

Actually, Richer's moves were listed in the instruction manual.

[Lucius J. Belmont]

How sensible! If only I ever managed to buy games with manuals still intact that would probably make a lot of games easier, I'm sure. Growing up as a poor kid sucks :p

[Mystic Myotis]

Growing up as a poor kid sucks :p

Yes. Yes, it does. XD

[CrashDiary27]

Exactly this. I never had a guide for those games, or Star Tropics, etc. It's not like the options were unlimited, just non-intuitive at times. And having to exhaust every possibility was the point. You can just as easily say SOTN would occasionally be incomprehensible without a guide--Richter's moves aren't explicitly laid out for you, the whole shield rod thing, honestly all the button inputs that aren't handed to you in the store and some of the weirder weapon effects...Gamers are expected to be curious and exhaustive in problem-solving. But for Simon's Quest that doesn't just get you a more complete gameplay, it's actually required.

You beat Simon's Quest without a guide or tips of any nature? I applaud you, sir.

[Lucius J. Belmont]

Not just me--my mom did too. Same with Zelda I & II. Strategy guides were not too easy to find back then, and it's not like the internet was gonna cough up the answers, haha. I can't remember if either of us beat Maniac Mansion completely, but I do remember getting pretty far with it, which, having tried to play that fairly recently, I have a newfound amazement for kid-me's patience. Apparently having Nintendo Power would also have made my life easier...but in a time with no internet as we know it and a place like rural Arkansas (don't think I met another gamer until college...), what can you do but keep wandering around and mashing buttons? Ah, a simpler time...

[CrashDiary27]

I remember calling a game tip hotline for CV2 alot...which my parents didn't like too much. I did however, manage to beat the zelda games without any help...well my dad tried to help.

[Mystic Myotis]

Not just me--my mom did too. Same with Zelda I & II.

Same here, though my mom never found the Hidden Palace in Zelda 2; I was the first person to find that.  We have a manilla folder floating around somewhere filled with graph paper maps and notes and such...

[Belmont Stakes]

I finished Castlevania II with the help of other peoples hints. That sucked. Ruined what would have been a great experience for me game wise. SOTN was also ruined for me because the guy in the EB (now Gamestop) told me about the holy glasses. Zelda II I figured out all by my onesies. GREAT SUCCESS. Same with Zelda I.

[FerryMANsAJEDI]

I personally Love Simon's quest because sometimes I like to play a Castlevania title where I am not ripping my hair out of my head trying to beat it.  I love the RPG element and the fact you can go to different towns and talk to people.  Plus ya can't go wrong with the Music

[Aridale]

Its took me a while to chime in on this what with cv2 bein my all time fav game... but theres NOTHIN wrong with it. The only thing wrong with it is ppl that never played it or never grew up in the real NES days goin back and playin it now after bein spoiled by games spoon feedin ya every lil detail so you CANT miss anything. In those days guides and faqs and walkthrus = friends in the lunch line or durin recess. You got by with what lil help you could find if any and figured the rest out for yourself.

You cant approach, play, or even review these old games goin in with the mentality of now. If you didnt play lots of games back THEN on the actual systems you shouldnt be tryin to review em NOW

[Claimh Solais]

You cant approach, play, or even review these old games goin in with the mentality of now. If you didnt play lots of games back THEN on the actual systems you shouldnt be tryin to review em NOW

In my book: Castlevania II: Simon's Quest > Most Modern Video Games

Still, EVERY video game has its faults. Even the ones we think are the most brilliant.

[Belmont Stakes]

The game is not really the problem. It's the lack of care and programming that went into it. Look at the water level in Castlevania III. The water comes in and fills up the screen after facing the Bone Dragon King and then continues to rise after that. Are you telling me that with the two lakes that you kneel at that these programmers could not have done the same thing. We are just talking water falling to be drawn programmed and some blue graphics to be at the top of the lake. It is indicative of how the series has been repressed. I bet there were programmers who wanted to have these more technical ideas put in there but for some reason there was not time. They had a deadline to meet. But Castlevania III nah we'll take our time on it. Low and behold an epic game is made. Why not Simon's Quest? I guess we needed the AVGN to become a You Tube maven. Is that the right usage of the word maven? I don't know. Can we check on that?

[Sumac]

The game is not really the problem. It's the lack of care and programming that went into it.

I think your example with the lake is quite...farfethced, to say the least. I don't see how it indicative of the lack of care. There certainly was enough care to program multiple subweapons, day-night cycle, timer, that decides which ending you receive, multiple villagers and the like. I am not belittle CV3, but this theory about "rising water" sounds like some sort of conspirological stuff.

[JR]

I don't find it that farfetched. It's apparent that CVII didn't have anywhere near the polish that CVIII had. I happen to like Simon's Quest a lot, but it does feel sloppier than the other 2 NES games for sure. I wouldn't be surprised if it were ever revealed that the game was rushed quite a bit. Like Whip Her Snapper said, there could've been ideas or improvements that ended up on the cutting room floor due to time constraints.