March Retro Community Playthrough - Phantasy Star

[Disposed Hero]

I'm in.  Now I finally have some motivation to play the SMS that GrayGhost sent me 

[JerryGreenwood]

Playthrough Notes:
I highly encourage trying to play without any walkthroughs or maps, but I expect we'll need them at some point or other. If you're stuck try to ask help here first and we can figure it out together, let's leave the walkthroughs as a last resort! I recommend graphing paper to hand-draw the dungeon maps like it's 1987.

Platforms:
 
 - Nintendo Gameboy Advance - "The Phantasy Star Collection" (I'm not sure how much might differ on this one compared to the original and later releases as it's on a handheld, not recommended just in case but is still an option)

Hosted by Techwizard

Agreed. A walkthrough will ruin your experience. It is harder ("puzzle"-wise) than Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy. I expect all new comers to be stumped at least once.

Drawing your own maps are a must near the end of the game and probably useful as early as the second cave.

I've never played the GBA version, but I've heard it's much easier grinding-wise. Also, the graphics are different so the animations of the monsters are probably different and that was one of the more charming things about Phantasy Star. Furthermore, if you play the GBA version, you will be missing out on some of the greatest sound effects in video game history. I'd STRONGLY recommend NOT playing this version.

[douglie007]

If only i had my FM mod in my SMS already for the play through.. is it ok to play it on the Xbox 360 genesis collection? I will play my original but I thought I would ask for others that doesn't have the SMS

[Shadow Kisuragi]

douglie, you should be fine playing the Genesis Collection version. It doesn't offer any major differences.

[techwizard]

@douglie i'm playing on the PS3 genesis collection, like shadow said i don't know of any major differences.

for everyone who's playing the "Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection" take note in the original post of the red text "Important note", you'll regret it if you didn't already know it.

[ericeskapade]

right on time: the postman just delivered my copy of "Phantasy Star", a free friday afternoon, the flat is already cleaned, coffee is served..I think I'll gonna check in on the Algol Star System now Have fun lads!

[singlebanana]

Sounds like a great way to spend the day. The first checkpoint should be up soon.

[techwizard]

first checkpoint will be up at midnight my time tonight, PST (GMT -0800). feel free to get started early though

[douglie007]

Just thinking about tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there'll be Fun

[techwizard]

First checkpoint is up! remember to save often especially in the early game when you can't handle much fighting. You could get away without graph paper on the first dungeon (Medusa's Cave) but from the second and later you'll definitely need it unless you have an extremely good sense of direction.

[Addicted]

I checked my save and it works. Now to figure out where I am in the game.

On my way to:

Spoiler (hover to show)

find the gas shield and the flute

I spoke with Miki about Sega games.... 

[techwizard]

I checked my save and it works. Now to figure out where I am in the game.

On my way to:

Spoiler (hover to show)

find the gas shield and the flute

I spoke with Miki about Sega games.... 

are you playing on the original or Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection? the save issue i noted was only for the Collection version, the original cartridge should have no problems saving

[singlebanana]

Sounds like your about halfway through the game Addicted.

[Addicted]

@techwizard: The original. I wasn't sure the battery in my SMS cart was still good.

@singlebanana: That's good to know. I'm currently after an axe for Odin.

[JerryGreenwood]

You're cruising, Addicted!

I'm going to start tonight, but I'd like to point out a few subtle things that  help make Phantasy Star probably my favorite game of all time.

- The overworld/dungeon BGM continues to play on mute during a battle. It fades, then the battle theme starts, then after the fight the overworld/dungeon BGM fades in again, not from the beginning, but from where the track is as if it never faded in the first place. A very MINOR detail that I can't think of any other game doing. In an early RPG where multiple battles can occur within a few steps, I think this is a positive to help keep the song fresh, rather than replaying it from the start after every encounter.

- Fleach pointed out that this is one of the first games that had a female protagonist. It's also one of the first games with cut scenes and it might be THE first home console game to have them. I can't think of anything on SMS, NES, Atari, etc that came before it.

- As far as I know (I haven't played many PC RPG's), this game invented 2 common RPG mainstays. (If you've played 10 minutes on Motavia, you can view spoiler).

Spoiler (hover to show)

1 - talk to the game person multiple times for different results & 2 - The "undefeatable" boss

I'd be interested if anyone can think of an earlier game with cut scenes or an earlier game regarding my spoiler.

- Nearly every NPC has something useful to say. Whether it's a clue, a description of what's going on in the world, or something that adds to the atmosphere, there are very few NPC's have meaningless info like "I like pizza!" or "I'm a dancer!"

- The enemy animation. It's unbelievable. Aside from other Phantasy Star's, when is the next time an RPG enemy has any sort of movement? 8 years later in Chrono Trigger is my best guess.

Just some food for thought