For those who failed to start this series. You may find the first of the series here.
#7 Dragon SpiritNAMCO
1987
Dragon Spirit was released in 1987 by NAMCO for the Nintendo Entertainment System or NES console. The storyline focuses on Amul, the chosen savior and his quest to save princess Alicia from the dark witch Zawell. The game features the use of power-ups that is made available by hitting on blue or red egg-like things.I was able to play this game during the late 80’s before the great earthquake and the eruption of Mt. pinatubo. My mother got if from Hong Kong when she visited our auntie there. Together with the Dragon Spirit game, she also brought us an original TETRIS game! By later research through the internet, it was actually the very first release of the game with mini-russians dancing with fireworks after every completed level. Anyway, going back to Dragon Spirit…at the start of the game, you will be given the option to choose between playing as the BLUE dragon or the GOLD dragon. Playing the Blue Dragon is more difficult compared to playing as the Gold dragon. Blue dragon game has the complete playable levels while Gold dragon game has only around half of the game levels to finish the game. Aside from the playable levels, the options differ on level difficulty and health gauges. The Gold dragon has twice the amount of health compared to the Blue dragon. The Dragon prince will save a princess within each level. The final level will, of course, save HIS beloved princess ?. (more like Super Mario…I
guess). Another feature of Dragon Spirit is the availability of two “firing” methods. By pressing A, it’s the high-level weapon while pressing B is the low-level weapon. If you need to destroy flying monsters, you will have to use the high-level weapon. Land based monsters and “eggs” are weak against the low-level weapon. Therefore, playing the game will not only challenge the gamer in destroying monsters and saving princesses but will also test the gamer’s strategy and ability to change actions.
The plant exposure can be found during the Third stage or level. This game is actually my favorite game level in Dragon Spirit. It’s not just because of the setting but the stage background music is the catchiest among the different levels in the game! This stage features the Forest Kingdom. The final BOSS in this level is a giant plant monster! The Boss has “eggs” forming at base of its roots while spewing out mini pollen monsters from its head. To defeat this Boss…you will have to first destroy all eight “eggs” from the roots while avoiding hits from the flying pollen monsters.
This game landed on the 7th spot since the plants are green…well most of them…even if they came out as antagonist evil monsters. I also included Dragon Spirit in the list because it is by far, the best dragon based game I’ve played with the
NES(Nintendo Entertainment System). I also loved Wagyan Land, but it has no “plant-value” to be included in the list. Hehe! Dragon Spirit got me interested to mix and match different power-ups such as the small dragon, pink dragon, twin dragons and the very powerful green dragon that enables the “player” to breath out fire strips that is unmatched by all the other power-ups. Aside from the special powers, the player can also increase the number dragon heads you have! The game allows you to have a maximum of three heads but some power-ups will disregard your “heads”. Therefore, the game will really depend on how the player is challenged by the stage levels, how the player chooses his power-ups and how the player will maximize the available power-ups to finish each level of the game. Sometimes, it is necessary for the player to use a power-up to make it through the level in “perfect condition”! The game is strategic in some ways but the best part is that you get to see different game levels that are unique from the monsters to the catchy background music. Dragon Spirit is the name of the game!
guess). Another feature of Dragon Spirit is the availability of two “firing” methods. By pressing A, it’s the high-level weapon while pressing B is the low-level weapon. If you need to destroy flying monsters, you will have to use the high-level weapon. Land based monsters and “eggs” are weak against the low-level weapon. Therefore, playing the game will not only challenge the gamer in destroying monsters and saving princesses but will also test the gamer’s strategy and ability to change actions.The plant exposure can be found during the Third stage or level. This game is actually my favorite game level in Dragon Spirit. It’s not just because of the setting but the stage background music is the catchiest among the different levels in the game! This stage features the Forest Kingdom. The final BOSS in this level is a giant plant monster! The Boss has “eggs” forming at base of its roots while spewing out mini pollen monsters from its head. To defeat this Boss…you will have to first destroy all eight “eggs” from the roots while avoiding hits from the flying pollen monsters.
This game landed on the 7th spot since the plants are green…well most of them…even if they came out as antagonist evil monsters. I also included Dragon Spirit in the list because it is by far, the best dragon based game I’ve played with the
NES(Nintendo Entertainment System). I also loved Wagyan Land, but it has no “plant-value” to be included in the list. Hehe! Dragon Spirit got me interested to mix and match different power-ups such as the small dragon, pink dragon, twin dragons and the very powerful green dragon that enables the “player” to breath out fire strips that is unmatched by all the other power-ups. Aside from the special powers, the player can also increase the number dragon heads you have! The game allows you to have a maximum of three heads but some power-ups will disregard your “heads”. Therefore, the game will really depend on how the player is challenged by the stage levels, how the player chooses his power-ups and how the player will maximize the available power-ups to finish each level of the game. Sometimes, it is necessary for the player to use a power-up to make it through the level in “perfect condition”! The game is strategic in some ways but the best part is that you get to see different game levels that are unique from the monsters to the catchy background music. Dragon Spirit is the name of the game!
#6 Ecoquest 2: Lost Secret of the RainforestSIERRA
1993
Ecoquest 2….is obviously the sequel to Ecoquest 1. :DI am not familiar with the first game since we only had our first computer in year 1993 with the black & white monitor and the speed of a 486 microprocessor. We weren’t able to play “sophisticated” games until in 1996 when my father bought us a better IBM with Windows 95 OS! One of the game I played with that computer was Ecoquest 2. The plot of the game revolves around the intention of Adam to save the rainforest and to find the cure to a disease that is caught by the local people. I wasn’t able to notice this…but according to internet sources…the game was intended to teach kids(like me) about the bad habits of being greedy and selfish! The game is really good for me then because I was just learning to use the mouse, the point and clickingmechanism plus the joy of seeing game played in a personal computer...a very different experience from playing
NES games. Most of Sierra’s games used the same user interface…but the best Sierra game for me was King’s Quest IV. Haha! Anyway, Ecoquest 2: Lost Secret of the Rainforest is still a great educational game for kids. The plant exposures in this game is practically everywhere! It’s because the setting is in a rainforest so you really get to see trees, plants and grasses in most of the game screens. However, the notable exposure is that of the old tree that is the “spirit” of the rainforest and the young tree sapling that Adam must also save to finish the game. The game is not really that great for me since I am not a point and click type of a gamer. It’s like playing Blue’s Clues in a videogame! However, the plant exposure is good enough for the game to land at 6th place on my list.
The spirit of the rainforest(Tree) emphasizes the idea that trees are vital players in the ecosystem of a forest. It is where animals get most of their food. Trees are also used as shelters and home by some animals particularly the smaller birds. By playing the game, I was not only exposed to plants…but also to the knowledge of biodiversity, environmental concern and the three R’s*. Ecoquest 2 is one of the games that taught me to love nature, and do things that will not harm or endanger plants and animals in their natural habitat. To be continued......but since you now know very well my top 8, 7 and 6 videogames with plant exposures.....I'd like to know yours! ;)
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I am offering these flower photos to Mr.Steve Jobs of Apple. I admire his innovative mind.
Even if I do not own any Apple products...I loved them but never had the money to buy them...but I definitely went to the moviehouse and saw Pixar cartoons! Thanks Steve...great jobS.
Rest in Peace.
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This post is linked to
and
Good day. Thanks!
and
Good day. Thanks!
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*Lately, I was told that there are already four(4) R's namely...Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and REPAIR!
References:
1 www.thefreedictionary.com
2 waynesword.palomar.edu/trfeb98.htm
Image References:
www.ign.com
www.kingPs3.com
mysite.verizon.net
krooze.wordpress.com
www.unikgamer.com
library.thinkquest.org
www.beastbeat.net
www.pinoypsp.com
www.emuparadise.me
www.Iparchive.org
www.gamerdna.com
chrono.gamewiki.com
videogameafterlife.blogspot.com
www.jap-sai.com
www.plantsvszombies.com
www.techpinas.com
http://gweenkent.blogspot.com
www.pippysays.com
www.cashgenerator.co.uk
http://chiptunemonkey.blogspot.com/2011/02/0075-dragon-spirit-pce-namco-1988.html
www.vizzed.com
Bibliography:
waynesword.palomar.edu/trfeb98.htm
www.blueplanetbiomes.org/plants.htm
www.gamefaqs.com
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patapon
http://www.thehouseofgames.net/index.php?t=10&id=318
8 comments:
thanks for your lovely weekend flowers :)
Steve Jobs will definitely appreciate your flower offerings.
Lovely magnolia shot, don't they smell wonderful.
Thanks Tina! :)
Thank you Joyful! Thanks for dropping by. :)
Hi Solitude. I do hope he'll appreciate it since I don't have any Apple products! haha! I wanted to join the "pose like Steve Jobs" campaign...but was too late to post my entry. hehe! Thanks for dropping by. :)
Hello Sunshine! :D Thanks for visiting my blog. The white flower is a Gardenia flower...locally, it's called Rosal. It is very fragrant just like most Magnolia blooms. :)
Hi there,
This is such an interesting article (and series), plants within games is something I've never really thought about.
I don't know if it's on your list, or if you've even heard of it but Terranigma on the SNES features plants (and nature in general) heavily within the game, both as supporting characters and as environments.
If you're unfamiliar with Terranigma, you could check out a (slightly long) piece I wrote about it at my blog...
http://crystal-blue-dreams.blogspot.com/2011/08/creation-of-heaven-and-earth.html
Anyways, thanks again for such a great article...looking forward to the next instalment.
All the best
Paul
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