The latest round of NSO retro game offerings is here and something interesting came with them. Magical Drop II, the sequel to Data East’s unique puzzle game has seen its Super Famicom port included among them, but in an unexpected way. While the version for Nintendo’s 16 bit console game was initially Japanese only, this release for NSO is fully translated, with the translation being different from the one featured on Retro-Bit’s Data East Classics Collection for the SNES ( released in 2018). It is very likely that the version included here may have actually been a prototype created as a failed pitch for localization that is now seeing a release, making this very intriguing in terms of game preservation.
Magical Drop II is a puzzle game where instead of falling blocks, you take control of characters at the bottom of the screen similar to Yoshi, except here you will throw coloured balloons that drop from the top of the screen and try and match three or more in a row vertically. If you do this, you can also pop nearby balloons of the same colour and create a chain reaction as the other balloons will be impacted and ascend, and this can set off chain combos.
This Super Famicom port is a rather good conversion of the Neo Geo game and holds up well all things considered. The jester from the arcade game is gone and instead you choose a character to represent the player, and more characters are unlocked straight away. What makes this port stand out though, is how responsive the controls feel and even with some lacking animations, the game feels fun. I had a blast playing Magical Drop II over and over on Switch and wanted to keep going. This has become my go to game for SNES classics on Nintendo Switch and I like the work that went into this port.
I also like that as this is an NSO release, the multiplayer can be accessed online, as that is a great way to experience the game in a new way. I tested this by playing against a friend in Australia and we had a rather fun match, even with my being in Canada. Playing this online opens up a new form of replay value and that is where this re-release shines, making this not just a great case of game preservation, but also innovation. The game is overall very fun, and the various modes, such as story, puzzle or self challenge all have something to offer.
Magical Drop II SFC is a game that helps justify Nintendo Switch Online SNES Classics for me, as it is an example of giving us a great game we never had in the west before, and in a way that will keep us playing. The story mode is slightly modified from the arcade, with characters speaking to each other before bouts,, and some minor variations in the actual gameplay. It may not be the best version of the arcade game, but is a very worthy conversion and this release is an ideal way to play it.
In addition, for access to an extensive variety of active retro gaming groups on Facebook, visit Retro Gamers Hub.