Wish this Set March 2023 - RetroAchievements/RANews GitHub Wiki

Wish This Set is a showcase for our passionate community members to write about the games they love that aren't yet represented on the site. Is there a game you'd like to see receive an achievement set? Let us know by sending a private message to {% rauserpic RANews %}. We encourage you to explain what makes the game so special to you, and you may be featured in a future issue of RANews!

Game	Console	Genre
Professor Layton's London Life	Nintendo DS	Role-Playing Game

• Write-up by: {% rauserpic Bendyhuman %}

London Life is a mode included in Professor Layton and the Last Specter that’s actually an entire separate game in its own right. If that doesn’t ring a bell, then you most likely played the EU version in which it was unfortunately omitted. The gameplay falls somewhere between an RPG and life simulation game. It was co-developed by Brownie Brown of Mother 3 fame and features a similar pixel art style.

Besides allowing European audiences to experience it for the first time, London Life would be perfect for an achievement set because the game is so strongly geared toward completionists. This design philosophy is precisely why I found it so addictive when I originally played it years ago. The core gameplay involves completing all sorts of quests for familiar townsfolk from throughout the Professor Layton series. As you accumulate Wealth and Happiness, more of the game begins to open up. You can dress up your character and decorate your home, both of which carry gameplay implications beyond mere aesthetics. You can relax with activities such as fishing and cooking, or grind out jobs to increase your rank and open up new opportunities. There’s always some new goal to work toward, and even if the world is small, it’s densely packed with tons to complete.

In short, London Life is a game for those who enjoy the relaxed nature of games like Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon, but prefer having concrete goals to pursue rather than having to make their own. Looking back on it now, I can see how this game set the groundwork for Level-5 to go on to develop Fantasy Life on 3DS. There are so few games out there that scratch this highly specific itch for me, and I look forward to the day I can finally revisit such fond memories once more here on RetroAchievements.

Game	Console	Genre
Princess Crown	Saturn	Action-RPG

• Write-up by: {% rauserpic Sines %}

If there's one thing I hate about the retro gaming community it's that there's too many good games and not enough good translation teams out there! Sadly, Princess Crown falls victim to that injustice. Developed by Atlus, the people that made this game would later leave the company to instead create their own, Vanillaware. Yes, that Vanillaware - known for gorgeous art, splendid music, and tight action combat. And guess what? They already were doing great at the time of Princess Crown! The game is a beautiful 2D side-scroller where you will have to take control of multiple characters to explore the world and beat up monsters. The story is probably very good, but unfortunately will only be understandable if you can read Japanese...

Gameplay-wise, the closest comparison to more modern Vanillaware titles would be Odin Sphere, which was clearly inspired by this in multiple aspects. Most random battles will be dealt with like a beat-them-up, while boss battles almost feel like fighting game encounters. If you want to win, you will have to learn their patterns; if you want to win with style, you will also have to learn your combos, their weakness, when to use items, and so on. You have a lot of tools at your disposal so it rarely feel unfair. Later on the game was ported to the PSP, also untranslated to this day, but as it has no additional content and just adds a huge border to the game (at least it's not stretching the picture...), the Saturn version still is the superior one in my mind.

Game	Console	Genre
Fort Boyard	Game Boy Color	Board Game, Card Game

• Write-up by: {% rauserpic Sutarion %}

Fort Boyard is based on a French TV show I enjoyed as a kid. Both the game and show take place on the eponymous 19th century fortification located off the coast of France. You play as a team of four contestants tasked with finding ten keys. Once all the keys are collected, the team may enter the treasure room which is guarded by tigers. The goal is to collect as much gold as you can without letting the tigers get to your contestants.

The game plays as an action-platformer in which you control one of the four contestants. Each contestant has an hourglass time that essentially represents their health. Spending time in the room or taking damage will reduce the amount of time that contestant has left. If they lose all their time, they are sent to jail and are no longer available for selection. Coins can be collected to be exchanged when taking damage so that you do not lose time.

The key to winning is to properly manage your contestants’ time so that all four can make it to the treasure room finale. Once there, you can use the remainder of your time collecting treasure while avoiding the tigers. The more time you’ve managed to save, the more time you can spend at the fountain collecting coins, but remember you need to make it past the tigers alive in order to keep those coins. At the end of the game, all the coins you’ve collected in the treasure room are added to your final score.

This game is relatively short, but is unique in that it is an action-platformer with a high score as the main goal. The short playthrough and high score goal lends well to leaderboard competition, and there is plenty of room for challenges in the game as well!

Game	Console	Genre
Chronicles of Narnia, The: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe	PlayStation 2	Action-Adventure

• Write-up by: {% rauserpic coolscribble %}

It's surprising to me that this game only has 3 requests, which makes me think that maybe no one knows what the game is like or what it is about. I played it lots of years ago but I still have some really amazing memories of playing the game.

What is the game like? Think about it as a LEGO game. You have the 4 siblings who you lead through the happenings of the movie. So you start with Lucy and Edmund in Narnia, where you go around and try to solve logic puzzles by doing stuff they excel at. I don't remember it exactly, but I would think Lucy and Edmund are light, so they can go over branches without breaking them, and similar stuff like that. There are lots of collectibles in all levels, breakable stuff and such. You buy upgrades for your characters for in-game money. You can also perform team-up attacks where you hold hands and do something cool. But the biggest selling point is the ending where you have the battle of all supernatural beasts which you can control.

The set could be easy since it might just be collectibles for every stage, some damageless maybe, defeating with only certain character, all upgrades and such. There is even a second one, Prince Caspian. I haven't tried that one, but it also looks fun.

Game	Console	Genre
X-COM: UFO Defense	PlayStation	Strategy

• Writeup by: {% rauserpic Coloradohusky %}

X-COM: UFO Defense (known as UFO: Enemy Unknown in Europe) is a science fiction tactical strategy game where one plays as the director of X-COM, the shadow organization that attempts to fight back against the alien invasion, and eventually destroy their leader and end their reign of terror. Developed by Mythos Games, published by Microprose, and released for DOS in 1994 and subsequently ported to PlayStation the next year, X-COM is hailed as one of the best games of all time, and it's quite surprising that this legendary game does not yet have a set.

The Geoscape is where you prepare for the war and ready your troops - see an overview of the map, which displays alien bases, alien activity, UFOs, and your own bases and aircraft. You can order supplies, trade with the black market, conduct research, send troops on missions, and more, with each founding nation increasing or decreasing their funding based on how well they think you're doing as leader of X-COM.

The Battlescape is where the action begins - send your troops out into battle, as you and the enemy take turns, hoping to either complete your objective or prevent you from succeeding. If you are unprepared, the alien forces could wipe you out in the blink of an eye, sending you home empty-handed and with the weight of your troopers' lives hanging over you.

This game is a classic for a reason, and I highly, highly recommend it.

Game	Console	Genre
Mouryou Senki Madara	NES	Role-Playing Game

• Writeup by: {% rauserpic malasdair %}

Do you know how many JRPGs there are on the NES? Probably fewer than you think. Most of them have been translated into English by this point, at least - and there's a big Konami one that still hasn't gotten a set!

Mouryou Senki Madara is a light-tactical turn-based RPG developed and published by Konami. Based on a seinen manga which did see a brief English release, it's about a young boy with a prosthetic limb on a quest to kill his evil warlord father. Combat seems to happen automatically, but you have a lot of control over your party and their loadout. The translation is thorough and complete, a classic Aeon Genesis piece of work, and the cartridge uses the same sound chip as the glorious Japanese version of Castlevania III did, so fine chiptunes abound.

The supply of NES JRPGs is drying up fast. Any dev looking to get in before it's too late should snatch this one up and give it the set it deserves!

Game	Console	Genre
SD Gundam Gaiden - Knight Gundam Monogatari	NES	Role-Playing Game

• Writeup by: {% rauserpic Whynot15 %}

SD Gundam (also known as Super Deformed Gundam) is a spinoff branch of the popular Gundam brand. It differentiates itself from the standard Gundams with its iconic chibi-like versions of fan-favorite mobile suits and the mecha being actual characters, rather than vehicles piloted by humans. While the stories don't always shy away from darker themes (one villainous mecha is even called Satan Gundam), even the more "serious" ones tend to be lighter affairs than Gundam's typical space opera war plots. It's also used to play around with a wide variety of settings, consisting of modern-day, Saturday morning cartoon style shows, parody mangas, fantasy settings, and much more.

Knight Gundam is one of the recurring SD spinoffs and characters, where a Gundam knight named...Gundam Knight, ventures on a trope-heavy, NES JRPG-inspired adventure, where he meets allies, fights enemies that look like a mashup of Dragon Quest and Gundam, and overall attempts to thwart the evil Satan Gundam and a variety of henchmen and evildoers.

Why should you want a set for this game?

1. It's (now) in English! - A fully playable English translation released a few years ago. Who doesn't love exploring a Japan-exclusive title without needing to rely on clumsy translation services or referring to a guide?
2. Children's Card Games! - Carddass, a massive trading card game for Bandai in real life, is fully incorporated into this game. You can buy cards and engage in card-to-card combat with a ton of characters. There's even a secret area hinted at by obtaining all the cards in the game (not to mention the achievement potential the cards provide).
3. The Mystery - Something really cool about achievements is it gives players and developers alike a reason to explore nooks and crannies of more obscure games. There's fairly minimal info on this game and certain sidequests have little information. For instance, there's a optional item in a cave you are warned NOT to take. But taking it seems to have no affect, and the item itself can't be used. An interested dev could potential shed some light on this or other achievement-worthy features that may otherwise never be public knowledge with the enticement of achievements.

Game	Console	Genre
Thousand Arms	PlayStation	Role-Playing Game

• Writeup by: {% rauserpic ladynadiad %}

Thousand Arms is definitely a rather unique game. It's a combination of turn based RPG and dating sim. That may sound like a strange combination but it works here. You play as Meis Triumph, a Spirit Blacksmith apprentice. Spirit Blacksmiths grow in skill by gaining the affection of the ladies they meet. Good thing Meis is a flirt and womanizer.

As you progress you take the girls out on dates to try and increase their affection and as their affection increases, Meis' ability to make more powerful weapons increases. Otherwise the game is pretty normal turn based RPG fare. The story itself is goofy and doesn't try to be in the least bit serious. It's also anime styled and contains some anime cutscenes even. The art is quite nice for PS1 and the music is great too.

Overall Thousand Arms is a very unique and fun RPG with a nice spin of adding dating sim mechanics to the normal fare and a fun story. While it isn't the game for you if you want a serious and emotional story, it's a very solid game for those looking for something silly and lighthearted that makes zero effort to be serious even if the events in the plot are serious to the characters. Whoever ends up making a set for this should have lots of fun with it and so will players once it has a set!

Game	Console	Genre
Fate/Extra	PlayStation Portable	Role-Playing Game

• Writeup by: {% rauserpic Nepiki %}

I am a massive fan of the Fate series, as indicated by me having spent too much time on it... and money... mostly time though! But to an outsider, the franchise may seem a bit overwhelming with how many there are. Fear not, as Fate/Extra is a solid starting point that we retro achievers will especially enjoy! This is a secluded sub-series of RPG games making its debut on the PSP, featuring most staples established in the other parts of the franchise, such as the summoning of historical or mythological heroes in one of seven Servant Classes, duking it out one-on-one to be the final one standing and claim the prize waiting at the end. But it's not just a case of fighting the enemy and winning, but finding out the true name of your opponent to give you an edge in battle. The Servant Class names hide their identity, but knowing their true name will also reveal their weak spot they had in history. Think of something like once Achilles' true name is known, aiming for his heel is the way to go.

But not only is it important to learn the true name of your opponent's Servant, but also of your own. This game gives you the choice of three servants that are linked to the difficulty mode of the game, with Archer being the easiest and Caster the most difficult to play with. And while these difficulty modes are rightfully assigned to each of the Servants, it still is worth it to check the game out as all of them, as the bond between the main character and the Servant is one of the strongest points the game has. Together with the story, Fate/Extra is a tale of bonds, deepening the one you have with your own Servant while having people you may know being on opposing sides simply because that is how this Grail War works. Be prepared for loss, because when a Servant dies, their Master's life will come to an end as well.

But what I especially like about Fate/Extra is how information gathering is woven into the gameplay. Knowing your opponent truly is key, as the game features a rock-paper-scissors battle system with you not knowing what the opponent will do, but the better you get to know them, the more easy it becomes to recognize patterns and actually see what they are going to attack with. Admittedly it is a double-edged sword as it really sucks when you are fighting regular enemies and they do everything you didn't expect until you've fought them a few times. It still works fairly well though, and I do enjoy the contrast between gathering information in the school during day, and in the digital "dungeons" during night.

Oh, and this game has the most sick jazz tunes, so if that didn't convince you I don't know what will.

Game	Console	Genre
Tom & Jerry Tales	Game Boy Advance	Platforming

• Writeup by: {% rauserpic TheJohanx %}

Tom & Jerry Tales is a platforming game released in 2006 based on the TV show of the same name. In this game we control Jerry across many areas of the famous house where their adventures unfold. The game has 2 types of gameplay: platforming and minigames. In the platforming segments, you have to collect all cheese pieces to move on from the zone while dodging enemies and hazards; if you die, you have to start over. As for the minigames, you have to beat Tom in them in order to continue.

I remember playing this game as a kid and having lots of fun. I always started a new game since I never wrote down my passwords (yeah, sadly this game uses passwords to continue your game). I never made it to the end, so I would love to have an excuse to replay this game which is pretty decent for a licensed one!