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[BudokaiMR2]

....I just wanna join in on the appreciation thread fad =)

But really this has to be one of my favorite GBA games from the last couple of years. It felt like a very solid effort put forth by Treasure. It seems to slipped off of the radar pretty quickly though. I have also read a little bit of the Astro Boy manga, and thought it was a pretty charming story, often with some serious undertones. This is probably influencing my opinion on this game =)

I originally picked the game up the day before my flight to Japan, and I played it practically the entire flight, ended up beating it once, and getting halfway through my second playthrough. It was also one of the first Treasure games I put a lot of time into. Most of their other games had slipped under my radar. I had played plenty of them, but never owned any(that I remember).

I really felt like Treasure did a great job on the combat system, especially how well they integrated the normal 'land' stages and the other flying stages. A lot of the boss fights were a lot of fun, in true Treasure fashion. The fighting was pretty fast paced and got frantic at spots which is what I like. I also loved how the system was setup so you could use a hell of a lot of Supers. I just love blowing up a whole screen with a big laser or butt machineguns.

I thought the story was pretty well told, although I have to admit it was pretty campy in spots. I thought this leant to its charm though.

I am just curious what every one else thought of the game..? Does it get GAF love? or hate?

Oh and what brought this on, is the fact that I just saw a copy of it for 980yen in a local video game store, brand new. I am guessing that this is going to be another rare treasure gem in about 5 years or so. Any opinions on this? I am thinking I will go pick up the copy tomorrow, even though I have my own. I am really not much of a collector of video games, but it is hard to pass up something that might be a rarity soon.

 

[Mejilan]

I believe it's one of the, if not the most loved GBA Treasure game here at GAF. I know I certainly appreciate it! Periodically!

 

[A Link to the Past]

I appreciate it.

 

[Tarazet]

I still have a copy I got for $10 on clearance at Media Play.. haven't played it yet. I don't believe it will ever be expensive to obtain, but I've never heard anything but praise for its quality.

 

[MarkRyan]

It's cool. I like Gunstar Super Heroes better.

(...Advance Guardian Heroes, too.)

 

[Lee N]

saw a copy of it for 980yen in a local video game store

Worth mentioning is that Treasure actually improved the game quite a bit for the american release, while tweaking the gameplay a bit they also added a whole new difficulty level.

And the American version also have Japanese as a language option, if that's important to you.

 

[Tsubaki]

One of Treasure's most average (and derivative) games. Not that it's poor, but there are tons of 2d action games that are far better. I wonder if people are just starved for the genre or something.

Spoiler

Gunstar Super Heroes is in the same boat.

 

[Sanjuro]

Its an amazing game that never should have been amazing.

 

[Idioteque]

Good for a game based on a anime series.

 

[BorkBork]

I thought it was decent, I really wished it was a bit longer though. Tough as nails for my pansy ass in the later parts of the second time through :lol

 

[BudokaiMR2]

Worth mentioning is that Treasure actually improved the game quite a bit for the american release, while tweaking the gameplay a bit they also added a whole new difficulty level.

And the American version also have Japanese as a language option, if that's important to you.

Oh well I already have a copy, as I mentioned. I am just curious if it will ever be rare. Pretty much every other Treasure game ever made sells for around $100 or more here in Japan. I don't see why this one won't be much different 5-10 years down the line.

 

[BudokaiMR2]

Good for a game based on one of the better and most well thought out mangas ever.

Fixed.

 

[Shard]

A shooter tour-de-force and a god danmed classic, oh and a good liscensed game.

 

[White Man]

Treasure's GBA games:

Gunstar Super Heroes > Astro Boy >>> Guardian Heroes

All 3 games were very derivative, but fun.

Guardian Heroes was a dog when it came to slowdown, and the simplified gameplay when compared to the Saturn version didn't help. It did get one thing right: it got rid of the three-tiered levels in favor of more typical beat-em-up movement. Everything else about the game was either middling or lousy.

 

[fallout]

It had been awhile since I'd been glued to such a fun game on a portable. I'm really glad I tracked it down.

 

[Tsubaki]

Guardian Heroes was a dog when it came to slowdown, and the simplified gameplay when compared to the Saturn version didn't help. It did get one thing right: it got rid of the three-tiered levels in favor of more typical beat-em-up movement. Everything else about the game was either middling or lousy.

Except that Guardian Heroes on the Saturn was purely derivative, and Advance Guardian Heroes changes that by introducing a pivotal new game mechanic in the form of the counter.

Treasure shines brightest when they create a new mechanic, and then builds an entire game around that mechanic. And as such, AGH is the only Treasure GBA game worth owning. And I have Hajime no Ippo too..

 

[Kevtones]

I loved it. MUCH better game then the PS2 incarnation (wtf Sega?)

 

[BudokaiMR2]

I still haven't picked up Gunstar Super Heroes, and I couldn't find a copy today. Plus I still have a DS/GBA backlog from hell, I don't need anything to distract me more.

Only complaint I have heard about it, is that it was short. Is it shorter than Astro boy? Or around the same length? Doesn't really bother me anyway, Treasure games are great to replay usually.

 

[evilromero]

True story- I didn't much care for it at first. Took me a while to warm up to the game's pacing and design. Eventually, nearly towards the end of the main quest, something finally hit me. I started to really enjoy mindless running through enemies. Once the stage select opened up I was hooked.

I appreciate Omega Factor.

 

[jarrod]

Advance Guardian Heroes >> Gunstar Super Heroes > Astro Boy: Omega Factor

 

[evilromero]

Advance Guardian Heroes >> Gunstar Super Heroes > Astro Boy: Omega Factor

I hear just the opposite. I've only heard mediocre comments directed at AGH.

 

[jarrod]

I hear just the opposite. I've only heard mediocre comments directed at AGH.

Then stop listening to mediocre gamers. AGH is stunning, and unlike Gunstar it 's actually a better game all around than it's predecessor.

 

[Udde]

I really love it. If it hadn't had the slowdowns, it could have been almost onpar with Gunstar.

 

[GitarooMan]

I thought it was fantastic, really pushes the GBA (hence a little slowdown). The difficulty ramps up nicely through the first and second playthrough. I liked the characters (wasn't really familiar with Astro Boy before). Highly recommended, I certainly wouldn't call it a derivative, there are few GBA action games that approach it IMO.

 

[sammy]

outstanding shooter/beat'm'up ------ and a good reference for how long those types of games should be.

 

[Parallax Scroll]

IMO this is one of the best games on GBA.

 

[Larry Bird]

Astro Boy: Omega Factor is the shit. Straight up.

 

[ghibli99]

Astro Boy (GBA) is one of those games that you can tell is a quality title from the word go. Sure, as others have mentioned, it's derivative... but it executes well, which counts for something in my book.

It also reminds me of all the reasons why the 16-bit era was my favorite.

Of all the Treasure GBA games, it's the one I've played the most. I haven't finished any of them, but I go back to Astro Boy more often than any of the others.

They should've been put in charge of the PS2 version as well.

 

[Tsubaki]

I hear just the opposite. I've only heard mediocre comments directed at AGH.

Read what I wrote in this thread. AGH is the only GBA game that Treasure did something innovative with. Sure it does have some technical issues, ie slowdown, but last time I checked my Sega Saturn Guardian Heroes has slowdown in spades.

 

[The Hermit]

Yeah, talk about pure old style gameplay, nice graphics, interesting storyline and replayability(sp?) in one single catridge...

BUY IT!!!!

 

[Musashi Wins!]

I loved it. I loved AGH as well, I didn't understand why it suffered in some impressions by comparison.

Strangely...it's Gunstar I find to be a little empty after playing the two previous games, even though it's technically really impressive. It's just sort of soulless to me so far.

 

[Brandon F]

I loved it. I loved AGH as well, I didn't understand why it suffered in some impressions by comparison.

Strangely...it's Gunstar I find to be a little empty after playing the two previous games, even though it's technically really impressive. It's just sort of soulless to me so far.

My thoughts exactly...though I never did snag AGH. I pretty much did a diehard 3-course run of Astro Boy unlocking everything possible during that launch period. Wonderful game.

Gunstar hadn't shown itself to be nearly as compelling or interesting an experience. After giving it multiple chances, I returned my copy without even having finished it once.

I always tend to browse the GBA sections for a copy of AGH, but I've come up empty for months.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

I always tend to browse the GBA sections for a copy of AGH, but I've come up empty for months.

pm me your secret hideout address, i have an extra (cartridge only).

 

[Brandon F]

Neat!

 

[Mr. Spinnington]

Roms!

 

[Timo]

i think it was way better than gunstar super heores. i think it's also one of their best games.

i thought it was awesome as hell.

it is also beautiful, and i would say the best looking gba game maybe even.

 

[ghibli99]

Hmm... this thread is starting to get me curious again about AGH. I wrote it off since it just wasn't clicking with me. I was expecting something more along the lines of the original, and when it wasn't, I stopped playing. Maybe I'll try it tonight after reading some of your impressions, and see if I walk away from it feeling differently this time around. Or maybe I'll just dust off my Saturn version and give that one a go again.

 

[djtiesto]

GSH is my favorite Treasure game on GBA (and probably my favorite non RPG for the system). Shame about the boring Thunder Blade board though. Astro Boy I think I'd like better if it didn't take so long to recover after being hit, and if you were able to duck! Wasn't really nuts about

Spoiler

replaying the whole game to meet with all the characters

either. I actually like AGH better than Astro Boy personally... though technically it's not even on the same level as the Saturn version, the counter system was nicely implemented and it moves fast (a bit easy for a Treasure title though!). I don't get the constant hate for the title... it's definitely worth the $20 I spent on it.

How's Bleach? Seems the impressions have been quite positive so far... If it's not gonna come to the US I will undoubtedly import.

 

[BudokaiMR2]

I am a big fan of the Bleach game so far, and I haven't had anyone tell me they didn't like it. All of my friends who have touched it have been blown away.

I would definitely suggest it, especially if you can get some friends to pick it up too.

 

[Tsubaki]

I actually like AGH better than Astro Boy personally... though technically it's not even on the same level as the Saturn version, the counter system was nicely implemented and it moves fast (a bit easy for a Treasure title though!).

Hah... pump the difficulty up to Super Hard and you will have your hands tied. I couldn't even beat the first level (but on Hard, it's just slightly more difficult than Normal).

 

[BudokaiMR2]

Hmm you guys have me interested in AGH now...and I just found a copy down the street.

But my DS backlog is already too big =(