This Month In Retro August 2022

Hello all and welcome to This Month in Retro! Today, I am taking you back to August 2000

Western Releases

This month had several bigger hits on the western side! We'll be going over the most succesful ones in a bit, although the winner is probably obvious since... well, the plumber himself released another game this month. It's not that easy to overcome the man, the legend, the... tennis star?

Game
Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64)


Release dates	JP: July 21, 2000
	NA: August 28, 2000
	PAL: November 3, 2000
Sales	3,500,000
Average score	87% (GameRankings), 91% (Metacritic)

The second game in the Mario Tennis series, but commonly seen as the first since Nintendo wants us to ignore the Virtual Boy ever existed, Mario and friends duke it out with enemies in a competition of tennis. If karting or golf doesn't work, tennis is your next best friend after all! But as it always goes with sports and Mario, the games become beloved by many people due to their more simple- and accessible approach that make the games more easy to understand for people not familiar with the rules of the original sport. The same applies here, making all shots compatible with just two buttons, but how those buttons are used results in different effects. Like always, Mario took the world by storm and critics absolutely loved the game--GameSpot even going as far as having it as runner-up for the "Best Nintendo 64 Game" award. The fans are generally in agreement here, making it a strong "start" to a new sub-franchise that is still going on to this day. But... we all know that everything regarding the gameplay is irrelevant. The true only reason this game did so well is because it introduced WALUIGI LET'S GOOOOOOOO!!!! The game could have even scored a 10 and "Best Game of all Time" because Camelot asked Miyamoto to give Wario and Waluigi girlfriends for doubles since their good counterparts had them in Peach and Daisy, but he rejected the idea. What a shame.

Now, while I am slightly familiar with the Mario Tennis games... I'm probably going to butcher describing this achievement set since I have no idea what rings are. Please don't hate me. I asked around in the Discord and user Delmaru told me the rings achievements are for side modes where you have to hit the ball through rings multiple times, and upon doing so successfully, the difficulty is cleared. Aside from that, we also have achievements for the cups and playing as various characters. It sounds like a solid set, but multiple people in the comments have complained about bugged achievements so this is something to keep in mind.

But aha, I have baited you! I said that nothing could compete against the big plumber himself, but that's not entirely true! Although that is going to vary depending on who you ask.

Game
Chrono Cross (PlayStation)


Release dates	JP: November 18, 1999
	NA: August 15, 2000
Sales	1,700,000
Average score	94% (Metacritic)

After the critically acclaimed Chrono Trigger, we would see another game set in the same world. Chrono Cross lays the focus on parallel worlds rather than time traveling, with two worlds to be traveled between where an event in one world leaves an impact on the other. The party members also come from both worlds, with there being a total of 45 different playable characters! Though the battle system is different from its predecessor by incorporating an element and stamina system, the game still remains a turn-based role-playing game with overworld encounters rather than random ones. That is also why I said that opinions are varying depending on who you ask, because Chrono Cross is NOT a sequel to Chrono Trigger. Many people at the time did not get that memo and were disappointed that this was not the sequel they were hoping for. But seen as an independent game, Chrono Cross has garnered critical acclaim with impressively high scores. GameSpot even gave it a perfect 10, and that is an impressive feat. But yeah, just open GameFAQs and click the reviews tab and you'll see scores on both extreme ends of the scale. People either praise it as one of the best RPGs ever, or a confusing experience that left them to hate the game. Still, this game is absolutely worth giving a shot if you're a fan of RPGs, no questions asked. Square Enix has even released a remaster earlier this year, but we are playing on RetroAchievements so... on to the set!

Most of the achievements of this set are regarding story and endings, battle techniques, and characters joining the party, so a simple playthrough should already take care of most of the set. That said, there are several missable achievements to take care of, and it's unlikely everything can be done in one playthrough. If you're planning to go for the mastery, be sure to prepare in advance! But like Chrono Trigger, this game also has a New Game+ mode, so focus on enjoying the game first and doing the clean-up later!

And... we are still not done with the amazing games from this month! It really is a packed month huh. So far both Nintendo- and PlayStation already had a contender for Game of the Month, but Sega also wanted a slice of the cake!

Game
Power Stone 2 (Dreamcast)


Release dates	JP: April 27, 2000
	NA: August 23, 2000
	PAL: August 24, 2000
Sales	???
Average score	87% (GameRankings), 87% (Metacritic)

The sequel to the innovative 3D fighting game was originally an arcade game before being ported to the Dreamcast, like many other games on the system. Although the sequel builds upon the first game, many people consider both games to be vastly different experiences from each other, particularly due to the introduction of multiplayer with up to four people. This resulted in player-to-player combat being a bit lower in focus, with the second game almost feeling like a party game where the focus is more on finding items in the dynamic stages. But the changes are by no means negative as Power Stone 2 still brought a lot to the table, like the Adventure mode that follows an unpredictable storyline. And for the people who would still rather have player-to-player combat, that option is covered too in the 1-on-1 mode. Both critics and fans are in agreement when it comes to the high praises, leaving Power Stone 2 as another beloved game from the era. The games ended up being ported to the PSP as well in a singular collection, but that was unfortunately also the final time we would see anything from the series. But hey, Capcom loves porting their fighting games nowadays so who knows?

Be sure to read the forum topic before starting the set however, as the RetroArch cores are not stable enough for this set. While this core is being tinkered with, your only option until then is RALibRetro. As for the set itself, if you're looking for juicy points, this game will be for you. The set currently gives out a total of 2248 points, with some Adventure mode playthroughs beings 100 points each! Both Arcade- and Adventure mode is where most of your time will be spent, as well as the item creation the game offers. Some achievements may- or may not be inspired my members of the community too, can you guess who?

All of the above three games are candidates for games of the month, meaning that we'll be looking at a few lesser-scored games or hidden gems from this month now! There were a lot of games released this month and I unfortunately can't cover them all, but I'll be going through them a bit more quickly to cover as many as I can. So let's start with a quick Game Boy Color block!

Game
Dragon Dance (Game Boy Color)


Release dates	JP: December 18, 1998
	NA: August ??, 2000
	PAL: September 30, 2000
Sales	???
Average score	70% (GameRankings)

Yay, more Break-out! Is Nepiki's bias showing through again? Why yes, yes it is! The only game from this block to have a set, Dragon Dance is a brick breaking game where the paddle is replaced by a majestic Chinese dragon that grows smaller whenever the ball surpasses him. It's an interesting idea that doesn't really do much wrong, but also doesn't necessarily stand out. Still, are you tough enough to master the set? The game currently only has 1 master, so take this chance and become one of few! It is not going to be easy though, as you have to go through multiple levels without a game over, as well as beating the bosses with as little strength as possible. It's an extensive set for sure!

Game
Lil' Monster (Game Boy Color)


Release dates	JP: July 30, 1999
	NA: August 31, 2000
Sales	???
Average score	45% (GameRankings)

Who's a cute monster? Yes, you are! But apparently not a beloved cute monster, what a shame. Yeah, this game didn't do too well with fans and critics, leaving it as a game nobody really knows about. That said, it does have a cult following so maybe it's more just an overlooked game than anything. You raise a cute little monster and give it some moves, then duke it out with other monsters. I have a weak heart so despite the reception not being too great, I am interested in it. There's no set for it yet unfortunately though, so I'll probably wait until that fateful day comes!

Game
Space Marauder (Game Boy Color)


Release dates	JP: July 23, 1999
	NA: August 28, 2000
Sales	???
Average score	62% (GameRankings)

Now this is a game you might have never heard of, but maybe the Japanese name will ring a bell? Otherwise known as Burai Fighter Color, Space Marauder is the Game Boy Color version of Burai Fighter, released almost 10 years after the original! While the horizontal shoot 'em up gameplay is the exact same, a few levels are different with a randomized layout, making this not a direct port. Most importantly of all though, it is a very, very smooth game. In this franchise, only Burai Fighter Deluxe has a set, so consider checking that out if this concept sounds interesting!

Man, there were so many Game Boy Color games this month, it's crazy. I wasn't even able to talk about the technical marvel that is the Perfect Dark port to this handheld, but let's head over to other systems before my Western time is over for today. But there isn't much interesting to talk about anymore, so what do I pick next... oh, I know!

Game
Seaman (Dreamcast)


Release dates	JP: July 29, 1999
	NA: August 9, 2000
Sales	520,000 (JP only, NA numbers unknown)
Average score	81% (GameRankings), 82% (Metacritic)

Hamha, it is I, Nepiki, to share a daily reminder that yes, Seaman does exist and yes, it can hurt you. Everyone has heard of Seaman at least once in their life right? That weird game where you talk to fish with human head through a microphone? Yeah, that one. It's an infamous game due to not just the fish having human head, but the conversations you can have with this fish while you're feeding it. It starts as an egg, transforms into a fish and finally becomes a frog it you take good care of this... thing. There's so much information about this game that I could be going on for a long while really, but one of them was that Shigeru Miyamoto, the man himself, was interested in the concept and wanted it on the Nintendo 64DD. That never happened of course, but the fact that more than one person thought this was a fantastic idea is amazing in and of itself. Due to how the game is set up though, seeing this game ever released with a RetroAchievements set is... highly unlikely. Until the microphone somehow works, we won't be having Seaman on the site for a long while.

Alright, let's close it off with a quick round and then move on to the land where Seaman was developed. Crazy people that they are.

Game
Taz Express (Nintendo 64)


Release dates	EU: August 1, 2000
Sales	???
Average score	62% (Moby Games)

I don't usually get to talk about PAL-exclusive games on this segment, usually because they aren't too interesting. Although it is a massive crime that I've had to skip talking about an Asterix game multiple times in a row now. One day my love, one day... anyhow, I'm getting off-track. The Tasmanian Devil decides to become a delivery guy in this 3D platformer, having to carry a crate through entire levels while fending off enemies at the same time. Of course, he does so with his trademark tornado attack. The camera is always fixed, but it does alternate between 2D and top-down for example to give different perspectives every now and then. There's not really much else I can say about the game but if this looks interesting to you, the game does not have a set yet so be sure to request it!

Game
Sega GT (Dreamcast)


Release dates	JP: February 17, 2000
	NA: August 29, 2000
	EU: December 1 2000
Sales	130,000 (JP only, WW numbers unknown)
Average score	84% (Metacritic)

I don't usually talk about Racing Simulators as I'm more a fan of Arcade-like experiences, but that doesn't mean I dislike them by any means. Designed to be a rival to Sony's popular Gran Turismo series, Sega GT lets the player compete in 22 different tracks to win licenses and cups to buy more cars and additional mechanical parts. In fact, there are more than 130 different cars to choose from from well-known manufacturers, with the European version getting even more than that from European manufacturers such as Alfa Romeo and Fiat. It did get overall positive reviews and was able to become a short-lived franchise, but it unfortunately never managed to even come close to the success Gran Turismo had--though part of that was because of the Dreamcast itself.

This game does have an Achievement Set available, which tasks the player to collect every car and win every cup there is in the game. Also interestingly, it has a currently untouched leaderboard! This is your chance to become the champion of Sega GT. You can thank me later for this tip. Be sure to also check the forum for additional tips and know-hows made by the developer himself!

And that's it! But to close off this segment, I would like to do something I haven't done yet and that is to list every game I didn't talk about today. I won't deny that I am slightly biased towards a few genres, so I would feel it's only right to list the games I didn't talk about for readers who do like the games I personally don't care about or didn't feel noteworthy enough to be mentioned. I'm only doing this for the Western side though, because the Japanese have so many games with little information, and they also really love Pachinko. There's like, a million Pachinko games there every month, what the hell.


AeroWings 2: Air Strike (Dreamcast)	Animorphs: Shattered Reality (PlayStation)	Armada - FX Racers (Game Boy Color)
Asterix & Obelix vs Caesar (Game Boy Color)	ATV: Quad Power Racing (PlayStation)	D2 (Dreamcast)
Deep Fighter (Dreamcast)	Disney's Dinosaur (PlayStation)	Grind Session (PlayStation)
Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000 (Dreamcast)	Mr. Driller (Game Boy Color)	Perfect Dark (Game Boy Color)
Ring, The: Terror's Realm (Dreamcast)	Sega Marine Fishing (Dreamcast)	Spider-Man (Game Boy Color)
Sydney 2000 (Dreamcast)	Test Drive Cycles (Game Boy Color)	Ultimate Fighting Championship (Dreamcast)