SB Recommends Sharp X68000 Games

The X68000 can be simply described as Japan's Amiga. While the PC-98 was geared for businesses, and the FM Towns for schools and families, the X68K was a computer specifically targeted at enthusiasts and content creators. The most notable of these was Capcom, who used it to develop all their CPS1 games. Rather than the rampant eroges and RPGs of its brethren, the X68K is home to a fairly large library of crunchy action games, which are only now being mined through emulation by Westerners.

• Castlevania/Akumajou Dracula (JP) (Also for: Playstation)
  • Loki Laufeyson: A remake of the first castlevania, with some of the best graphics and music in the entire series.
  • Sniper Honeyviper: A close second (under Bloodlines) for my favorite Castlevania. The setpieces and enemy designs are stunningly visionary. The PS1 arrange version is actually humanly possible to complete.

• Cho Ren Sha 68K (Also for: Windows PC)
  • Sniper Honeyviper: Really frantic, well-designed doujin shmup heavily reminiscent of Cave's games. The only thing that gives it away as a non-professional work is the lack of different backgrounds. Fun fact: The explosion at the start of the game is the final boss you killed in a previous loop. The Windows version is freeware, and easily available.

• Etoile Princesse
  • sharc: Top-down action game from EXACT. Straightforward and simple, but bright, colorful and full of infectiously upbeat music.

• Geograph Seal
  • Loki Laufeyson: The grandfather of the Playstation's Jumping Flash series, made by the same guys. It plays in a very similar manner, but with a greater emphasis on shooting than on platforming.

• Undeadline (Also for: Mega Drive, MSX)
  • Loki Laufeyson: Horror/fantasy themed commando-style shooter. Has an english patch available. This is the best version.

• X68000 hearts on fire - Recommendations from the forums.