RetroGameClub #7 - Three Wonders (Arcade)

[Sayo]

RetroGameClub #7 - Three Wonders (Arcade)​

Welcome to RetroGameClub, an ongoing series of threads were one game is chosen to be played and discussed. The purpose of this thread is to get users to experience

new games or get to share their thoughts with other people/replay the game if they already played the game in question.
For this entry there is no deadline but I might make another thread in about a week or so, since this is a shorter game.

• A game is chosen (suggestions are encouraged)
• It can be a game for any retro console or computer, modern ports/decompilation projects are okay
• Preferably lesser known
• Play the game till completion or at least as far as you can get in the game
• Use any means to play the game, be it emulation or real hardware
• Discussion tangentially related to the game is also welcome, so is art/music/etc
• Links will be provided, preferably from RGT, if the game is not available here, I can 'curate' it for the site (unless it's from a category not listed on RGT)
• If you are using save states or similar, please be honest and disclose it. It's fine to use any means to clear the game but try giving yourself a challenge first.

For this sixth entry, Three Wonders (ワンダー3 ) has been chosen. Rather than one game, this is a 1991 collection of three different games by Capcom released as one. Two of them star the same characters and one is effectively a sequel to the other. Each game is of a different genre so there's a lot of variety and mastering each one is no easy task. Midnight Wanderers is a run 'n' gun shooter not unlike Contra or Gunstar Heroes, Chariot is a shoot 'em up and a direct sequel to Midnight Wanderers, meanwhile Don't Pull is essentially a Pengo clone and completely unrelated to the other two.

• The game can be downloaded from here
• Also available with Capcom Classics Collection Remixed and Capcom Classics Vol. 2

The game can easily be played with any emulator that supports Capcom System I (CPS1), I'm using the FinalBurn Neo core for Retroarch.​

Some links of interest

• Hardcore Gaming 101 article about Three Wonders
• Full soundtrack on Youtube

 

[Yousef]

Welcome to RetroGameClub, an ongoing series of threads were one game is chosen to be played and discussed. The purpose of this thread is to get users to experience View attachment 15489new games or get to share their thoughts on titles they experienced before with other people.
For this entry there is no deadline but I might make another thread in about a week or so, since this is a shorter game.

• A game is chosen (suggestions are encouraged)
• It can be a game for any retro console or computer, modern ports/decompilation projects are okay
• Preferably lesser known
• Play the game till completion or at least as far as you can get in the game
• Use any means to play the game, be it emulation or real hardware
• Discussion tangentially related to the game is also welcome, so is art/music/etc
• Links will be provided, preferably from RGT, if the game is not available here, I can 'curate' it for the site (unless it's from a category not listed on RGT)
• If you are using save states or similar, please be honest and disclose it. It's fine to use any means to clear the game but try giving yourself a challenge first.

View attachment 15488​

For this sixth entry, Three Wonders (ワンダー3 ) has been chosen. Rather than one game, this is a 1991 collection of three different games by Capcom released as one. Two of them star the same characters and one is effectively a sequel to the other. Each game is of a different genre so there's a lot of variety and mastering each one is no easy task. Midnight Wanderers is a run 'n' gun shooter not unlike Contra or Gunstar Heroes, Chariot is a shoot 'em up and a direct sequel to Midnight Wanderers, meanwhile Don't Pull is essentially a Pengo clone and completely unrelated to the other two.

• The game can be downloaded from here
• Also available with Capcom Classics Collection Remixed and Capcom Classics Vol. 2

The game can easily be played with any emulator that supports Capcom System I (CPS1), I'm using the FinalBurn Neo core for Retroarch.​

Some links of interest

• Hardcore Gaming 101 article about Three Wonders
• Full soundtrack on Youtube

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Awesome
Knew we were at the tail end of game 6 so I bided my time
I’ll download this in a jibby and provide you with my onions

Post automatically merged: Jan 21, 2025

Opinions*, but I can give onions too. I love onions.

 

[Sayo]

Awesome
Knew we were at the tail end of game 6 so I bided my time
I’ll download this in a jibby and provide you with my onions

Appreciated, this is a fantastic game from beginning to end, particularly Midnight Wanderers and Chariot both of which I really like.
My approach for them will be as follows

1. First I'll try playing the game with as many credits as possible to get through it
2. Then I will try limiting myself to 9 credits until I can clear it or see how far I can get
3. If I manage to clear it with 9, I will cut that down to 3-1, the ideal is to potentially 1CC the game but that's unlikely for me given that doing something like that might take a while

 

[Yousef]

Appreciated, this is a fantastic game from beginning to end, particularly Midnight Wanderers and Chariot both of which I really like.
My approach for them will be as follows

1. First I'll try playing the game with as many credits as possible to get through it
2. Then I will try limiting myself to 9 credits until I can clear it or see how far I can get
3. If I manage to clear it with 9, I will cut that down to 3-1, the ideal is to potentially 1CC the game but that's unlikely for me given that doing something like that might take a while

Sounds nice. Frankly, i just wanna finish any game period. I’ve been stumped this whole January haha.

 

[Sayo]

Sounds nice. Frankly, i just wanna finish any game period. I’ve been stumped this whole January haha.

Similarly I had to pretty much force myself with Gimmick and that became a bit excruciating because

of my self-imposed deadline, amazing game nonetheless but I think I could have done it better and talked about it more.

Also I was looking at the banner image I posted and the artwork for Don't Pull looks kind of like Susumu Matsuhita's art, better known as the cover artist for most of Famitsu's history.

 

[Stingy Perry]

Played Midnight Wanderers and Chariot on arcades waaay back never played Don’t Pull before well no time like present right.

 

[Sayo]

well no time like present right.

Certainly!

 

[Megazao]

Ohh, this looks fun, I'll certainly try playing it! Are there any meaningful features added to either of the collections compared to the arcade original?

 

[Sayo]

Ohh, this looks fun, I'll certainly try playing it! Are there any meaningful features added to either of the collections compared to the arcade original?

Innacuracies, input lag, the typical "features" of a sixth gen emulator for console.

 

[Yousef]

Innacuracies, input lag, the typical "features" of a sixth gen emulator for console.

LOOOL, sounds like the metal slug console ports all over again xDD

 

[Sayo]

LOOOL, sounds like the metal slug console ports all over again xDD

Yeah that sounds about right, don't get me wrong it was a nice way to own the games back in the day but far from ideal.

 

[Yousef]

Yeah that sounds about right, don't get me wrong it was a nice way to own the games back in the day but far from ideal.

Yupppp, metal slug x was probably my proper falling in love with gaming moment. I actually replayed it recently on my psx mini if you could believe it! (Yes with AutoBleem installed lol)

 

[Sayo]

Yupppp, metal slug x was probably my proper falling in love with gaming moment. I actually replayed it recently on my psx mini if you could believe it! (Yes with AutoBleem installed lol)

I think that was my introduction to the series as well, I am actually quite happy that its getting something of a resurgence that isn't gacha slop with that shiny new Tactics game.

 

[Yousef]

I think that was my introduction to the series as well, I am actually quite happy that its getting something of a resurgence that isn't gacha slop with that shiny new Tactics game.

I’ll admit. I’m warming up to it as well! A genre I love for sure. And hey, might be a good way to get more meat out of a series that’s been in slumber for over 15 years!

 

[Sayo]

I’ll admit. I’m warming up to it as well! A genre I love for sure. And hey, might be a good way to get more meat out of a series that’s been in slumber for over 15 years!

It's no FFT but it surely feels nice to play and the highly detailed sprite art really makes it feel like Metal Slug.
Speaking of which, the lead artist for Metal Slug is currently making his own game in the same vein, it's called Black Finger Jet.

 

[Megazao]

Innacuracies, input lag, the typical "features" of a sixth gen emulator for console.

Ahahah fair, I'll stick to the arcade original then!

 

[Sayo]

Ahahah fair, I'll stick to the arcade original then!

It's a good call, and honestly you can probably emulate the arcade release even on a Wii

 

[Yousef]

Ok guys time to play it
Here goes nothin

Post automatically merged: Jan 22, 2025

Ok guys. Gonna play the one on the left. I think that’s the “main” one, right? The other two are mini games?

Post automatically merged: Jan 22, 2025

WOOOOOW this is like metal slug meets ghost n goblins!

 

[kanesha]

Puzzle?! You call that a puzzle CAMPCOM?! Freaking survival horror if there ever was one on arcade, give me a break, damn!

 

[Sayo]

Ok guys time to play it
Here goes nothin

Post automatically merged: Jan 22, 2025

Ok guys. Gonna play the one on the left. I think that’s the “main” one, right? The other two are mini games?

Post automatically merged: Jan 22, 2025

WOOOOOW this is like metal slug meets ghost n goblins!

it sure does have some GnG DNA in there, its great isn't it? I managed to clear the first stage on one credit but i had to use like three for the second one...not happy with my results yet, third one took me probably more...

Puzzle?! You call that a puzzle CAMPCOM?! Freaking survival horror if there ever was one on arcade, give me a break, damn!

The difficulty is no joke

 

[Ajderniz]

I'm late, but I was curious, so...

Midnight Wanderers had a different feel to it, very wondrous, Lennus-esque with a hint of A Tree of Palme. I love when fairy tale fantasy is taken to a higher level of presence.
Chariot was cool. I could not imagine anyone beating it in a few credits though. I loved the bosses, especially Hypnos: when he's about to die, his mask peels off and reveals a giant, exposed eye and a gaping mouth. Creepy.
And Don't Pull was entertaining, and cute.

Arcade games piss me off so much.