September 8, 2018 7 min to read
Video Games Monthly Review – September 2018 Box
Category : Blog, Video Games Monthly Box Reviews
Video Games Monthly Review – Septemeber 2018 – Sega Genesis, Nintendo, Super Nintendo, and Nintendo 64 Box
It’s been a while since our last Video Games Monthly Review, this month instead of a box full of Gameboy games we have a mix of NES, SNES, Genesis, and N64. These consoles are arguably the best that retro gaming has to offer. Later consoles have plenty of great games but for many, these are the OG gaming consoles and for those in their late 20’s and early 30’s they have the most draw for nostalgia and the fun of being able to play and own a large number of games that back in the 90’s you could only dream of owning so many. Let’s take a look at this Video Games Monthly September 2018 box
Like the previous review, we’ll have the current game values from game value now to help determine if the value of the games are worth the price of the video games monthly box subscription prices. This month the free gift was a pair of sunglasses. They are black in the front of the frame and white arms with the VGM logo. Compared to previous free gifts this is better than things like a pen. Along with the gift this box is a 1 up so there is an extra game included. I have the three-game box so there will be 4 total this month. With that in mind let’s get started on the Video Games Monthly September 2018 box review
Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball – Sega Genesis – $3.04
I recently uncovered my Genesis from spending years packed away in my parent’s basement only to discover that all but three of the games I grew up with were still with the system and both the AV cable and the power cable were both missing. After embarking on a journey to find an original power cable at a local retro game store I was excited to get my old genesis up and running again. Unfortunately among the games that are still lost all of my Sonic games are missing. So I was excited when I pulled this from the box. It doesn’t bring back the memories of Sonic 2 or has quite as satisfying gameplay but Sonic Spinball is a nice change of pace to the original games.
If you’ve never played this sonic game before it’s a real treat. It’s not a full on basic pinball game with a Sonic skin but you use Sonic as the pinball and use him to destroy Robotnik’s new pinball death mountain machine. It’s jam-packed with staple pinball items, bumpers, and lights and sounds. While also including robot enemies that you can destroy and release your animal friends like the other games. Your goal is to take back the chaos emeralds that are powering the machine and defeat Robotnik.
There are four levels or pinball games with a boss that you must work your way towards in each level. Shooting Sonic into the right sections of the map will unlock certain areas allowing you to advance and make your way to the boss fights. The music is fun and full of total 90’s radicalness, but if you happen to miss Sonic with the flappers and he falls into the area below the music shifts into a heart attack inducing stressful sound as Rexxon gets closer and tries to eat Sonic.
The sound and level design take what could be a forgettable game into something fun that will stick with you. Even if it’s just the pure nightmare fuel of the Scorpion Robotnik boss.
Overall it’s a cheap and pretty common game, but it deserves a place in any genesis or Sonic collection.
Paperboy – NES – $10.51
Paperboy is originally an arcade game that was ported over to many different home consoles and computers in the late 80’s. It has many different versions, updates, and some sequels including on the N64 and XBOX 360. This is the original game for Nintendo. If you’ve ever played many retro games, then you have probably already played some version of this or at least have seen it in action.
You play as a paperboy working your route and each level is a different day of the week. Each level starts by showing you a map of the house that you must deliver papers to. You ride a bike and avoid many hazards along the way. The controls, graphics, and sound are all very simple but it is a fun experience and game to play. 
There’s a reason why this game has found its way to many different platforms and upgrades throughout the years. It’s fun, challenging, and charming in a way that modern games just don’t include in them.
The downside to this game is that it is pretty repetitive and can get frustrating at times. It’s a great change of pace to other games if you’ve never played it before and if you have already or used to own it, it’s a great short game to play for an easy distraction.
Killer Instinct – SNES – $5.98
As I’ve said in previous VGM box reviews, I haven’t been much of a fighting game fan. Even then back in the day, I did play some Mortal Kombat over any other fighting games, so this is my first experience with Killer Instinct. The cartridge itself obviously has seen better days so it probably wouldn’t sell at the current loose price that Game Value Now has it listed but it’s still a fine addition to any collection that isn’t too worried about sticker condition.
This was one of the games that used color carts on the Super Nintendo, and back in its heyday that was a much cooler feature than it is now. Killer Instinct is definitely more creative with the characters you can choose from regular humans, a dinosaur, cyborgs, ice and type dudes, and even a werewolf. Being a pretty casual fighting game fan I do prefer Mortal Kombat for some pickup and play when the mood strikes, but KI offers a change of pace with characters. If you are a fighting game fan then you should get it for your collection.
Star Wars Episode I: Racer – N64 – $5.11
There have been many Star Wars games throughout the years with many bad ones and some really stand out ones. Similar to how some view the movies. In the time of episode 1, there aren’t too many really great games but now this is pod racing and it’s pretty decent.
Both Rogue Squadron and Shadow of the Empire I feel are better N64 Star Wars games but this one is a racing game so it shouldn’t really be compared to those two. It does a good job giving you an at home experience of not only the pod racing arcade game but also the excitement of that section of the movie. The arcade game will always be a little more fun because of the control sticks mimicking the controls Anakin had in the movie. This version does try to exclude that experience as best it can by letting you push up on the control stick to boost your pod racer.
Some neat things that separate it out from other racing games besides it being Star Wars, is the engine damage,
overheating and the ability to upgrade your pod racer. It’s the little thing in that shows the developer didn’t want to do a quick cash grab but really wanted to try and give the player a more realistic experience of being a pod racer.
The graphics and sound are great and even included The Duel Of The Fates, which is arguably the best piece of music from the prequels. After completing a race you are treated to a short audio clip of Watto humming along to the Cantina theme which is a great touch. It’s fun playing around with the other characters and pod racers along with seeing the other tracks. It also does a fantastic job recreating the Tatooine track from the movie. Even if you aren’t a fan of Star Wars you will be able to find some fun with this game. It’s also a great non-Mario kart and non-real-life racing game addition to any retro collection. It’s a good game to have included in this month’s box.
Video Games Monthly September 2018 box Total Value
The total value of this month’s Video Games Monthly September 2018 box is $24.64. Which is about a $5 difference from the price of the box before shipping. The titles this month are more exciting than the previous Gameboy box that I did and being five under on the price isn’t too bad since they are a company and need to make money too. Overall, I enjoyed this box more than the last one I reviewed and am looking forward to seeing what they send next month.
Thanks for checking out our Video Games Monthly September 2018 box review. Click here if you want to check out my previous VGM monthly review. Do you have a Video Games Monthly subscription? If so, what do you think of what you’ve been getting? Let us know in the comments.
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