Think NiGHTS was the first amazing mascot SEGA ever forgot about?
System: SEGA Genesis
Developer: Team Sonic
Original Release: 1995
For what we see now out of Japanese RPG's, the dominant genre in the industry, the 16-bit generation was over loaded with 2D platformers. Just like JRPG's, there are simply too many to play them all and a lot of good games get lost in the rest of the dime a dozen crap. For every 1000 people who picks the latest Final Fantasy, only one person picks up the almost lost classic Skies of Arcadia.
And for every 1000 people who picked up Sonic, Mario, Donkey Kong Country, Kirby, or Castlevania...only one person picked up Ristar. Released way too late into the Genesis' lifespan to be considered a worthy purchase, Ristar was never given the chance he deserved when forced to compete with the rise of 3-D gaming.
The best way to describe Ristar is Bionic Commando + Sonic + Kirby. First, the game is amoungst the best in terms of graphics on the Genesis. The bright colors grip players and beg them to just stare at the game, and Ristar himself is a blast to simply look at. The animated sprites and artwork in the game appeal to every retina of your eye. And the backgrounds can match those of even Gunstar Heroes.
One aspect Ristar does have over Gunstar Heroes is it's music. Ristar's OST perfectly captures the atmosphere of the game and will keep you tapping your feet for your entire playthrough.
The gameplay is of course the most important aspect of every 2D platformer, and Ristar is no different. In a genre that requires you to be different from everything else or fall into obscurity, Ristar shines exceptionally...yet still fell into obscurity.
As I said before...the actual platforming almost feels like Kirby. Ristar is built like Kirby, jumps kinda like Kirby and can move like Kirby. While he might not jump as high as Kirby, he more than makes up for with his game's gimmick. Much like Bionic Commando, Ristar can stretch his arms twice his normal length. Using these arms, Ristar can climb walls, grab onto enemies, grapple poles, use monkey bars...just about every aspect of the game rests on these arms. The almost infallable Team Sonic (at the time) puts this gimmick to maximum use for the most amount of fun the game can deliver.
Now...the Sonic aspect. Outside of the obvious influence from Sonic's artwork, Ristar's levels are built like that of Sonic's. Ristar is not the fasts star alive, but his levels are massive. Scattered throughout the levels are multiple paths to take, secrets, and the need to back track if you want to find everything. Also much like Sonic, Ristar's bonus levels are amazingly fun and require to to be precise and actually think while you play. Some are puzzles, some are climbing...all of them are 100% fun.
WHOA! Almost forgot the difficulty. The game starts off as incredibly easy so you can get a feel for the controls and Ristar's ability...yet it becomes much more difficult towards the end once you have had a chance to master him...Perfect.
If you NEED a 2D game in the near future, and can't wait any longer for Mario or Donkey Kong...download Ristar. It's amoungst the best 2D platformers ever made, and has sadly been lost into obsurity along with Bubsy and Acro the Acrobat...where it DOES NOT BELONG! Give Ristar a second chance!