Solstice is the Best Isometric NES Platformer - A Review | hungrygoriya 

Soundtrack is incredible. Tim Follin is a genius.

This is one of the best game reviews I have encountered in any media over 35 years.

Great review, entertaining and informative as always. I have to admit that I'm a little disappointed you didn't mention the best part though, the part right after when Morbius kidnaps the princess at the beginning, when he yells "it's Morbin' time!" and he morbs all over the player character.

Beautiful review and I love that you timed it out and released it for Winter Solstice.

I’m so happy you gave Solstice a play through. It’s my favorite video game ever made. I even bought a Pontiac Solstice because of it. I bet for a newcomer to this game it’s most likely extremely difficult. Thank you for not giving up on it! At this point I can beat Solstice in like 20 minutes or less. The World record is much shorter. So there is even more room for improvement showing this game has a high skill ceiling. Thank you so much for reviewing this title and Merry Christmas Goriya! If you are looking for another challenge and another amazing game then I recommend Solomon’s Key. Up is jump so that may be off putting at first but you get use to it. Some of the items can be altered by attacking them with a wand and there are many secrets. Solomon’s Key is one of the most difficult games ever created and it’s later puzzle stages are a master class in frustration and wonderful design. Good luck. 🍀

Solstice has a sequel on the SNES named Equinox multiple dungeons, your guy has an attack now, and there are some large boss monsters on the map to use it against

"This puzzle can get bent" - Priceless.

For some backstory on why Shadax is so muscular on the cover art (and more cool stories) look for a PDF "Classic Game Covers" by Mike Winterbauer, the artist who did the Solstice box and poster art. Basically he met a bodybuilder at a grocery store and really wanted to use him as a model for something.

This video just came up in my recommended feed, and I was like, oh yeah, HungryGoriya reviewed Solstice a while back! I wonder what I commented on that video? So I clicked to find out. To my surprise, despite Solstice being one of my favorite games of all time, it seems... I never commented on this video at all?! Egad! Rewatching the video, I'm not even sure I ever watched it before, as I don't remember hearing your talking points about it at all. But I'm glad to have watched it now, and glad to hear you enjoyed it! This, Legacy of the Wizard, Goonies II, Zelda II, Castlevania II, Faxanadu, and Crystalis are basically my top-tier adventure experiences on the NES growing up, and so far, you've raved about every one of them (making me all the more excited for your eventual Goonies II review!). And a lot of the games you've reviewed that I hadn't heard of before are games I've since played and enjoyed, so yeah -- really glad to be subscribed to you, as you have excellent taste! ;) (Though I will say, I for one quite like the continue system in Solstice, as I find it's a nice balance of risk/reward -- similar to the checkpoints in Shovel Knight, where you can either set your checkpoint there, or destroy the checkpoint for a ton of money. It gives you the option to choose your own fate, so to speak, and increases the game's sense of tension all the more. Nonstandard, but very interesting, and only adds to the game's atmosphere. I can absolutely see why you dislike it, but you've gotta admit... it makes everything just that little bit more exciting, doesn't it? Heheh.)

I remember playing this game for hours on end and would get so frustrated every time I died. The first time I ever beat this game was almost certainly by accident through sheer determination. Even with as crazy hard as it was this is still one of my favorites. Also that rock music title theme is one of the greatest ever produced!

This is one of the top 5 NES games for me. Absolutely brilliant game. Amazing atmosphere, so original and unique. It keeps on giving until you beat it completely. Great music, great visuals and super fun to play.

Actually listening to you critque something is one of the most relaxing experiences I have. Most people when they don't like something is just rant about how much it sucks over and over again. People just love to talk sh*t but you actually go out of your way of the ins and outs of the game.

I think that's the most positive review I've ever seen for Solstice. I'm glad to see that you enjoyed the game as much as I did. It was my third game on the NES and I was absolutely obsessed by it. I think its biggest strength is the creepy atmosphere: the weird (but exceptional) music, the horrible scream when Shadax die, the monsters (even if they are sometimes quite goofy, special mention to the "foot with glasses"), the lack of fighting mechanism making me feel small, lost, and out of control. It was even more rewarding to me when I was finally making some progress against all odds. Many criticize the fact that the game plays on the perspective to dupe the player. It's one of my favorite feature. I really like optical illusions, it reminds me that reality is often not as it seems. It push me to be more humble, somehow. I finished it back in the days; I never really relied on the credits because, as you said, they sometimes bring you so far back they become useless. I still remember my favorite path to finish the game, it's printed in my memory forever. I could also finish it without using potions (almost, at least one room require it) and without grabbing extra life. I should put that on my CV. I was so obsessed that I spent countless hours drawing rooms on paper, dreaming that, one day, I would create my own Solstice game. I totally forgot about that; maybe I should look at creating a romhack. That would be fun. Equinox is really good too, but the atmosphere is quite different: more mysterious than creepy. I almost finished it when I was in the university; it's hard as nail, and there are no save whatsoever so you need to finish it in one go (I was playing on original hardware). The last level is insane, if I remember right it's as big as Solstice itself (350 rooms if I remember right). And before that there are many, many other challenges. Thanks for the trip down memory lane :)

The intro music is also solid gold, everywhere from the little fakeout intro down to its prog rock roots.

I’ve seen pictures of that mage before and had no idea where it was from. Also, I’ve heard this game’s soundtrack multiple times without knowing anything about it. Thanks for your take on this game. I appreciate that you include a highlight on the manual since that is a crucial part of the retro game experience that gets overlooked in many reviews. Thanks for another great video!

Ooooh the nostalgia! I spent many a night as a child playing NES games with my mom. Solstice was one of the most challenging ones we played together, but it really brought us together trying to figure it out. Thankfully we had a couple old guides and books with lots of advice on progression that helped us proceed without just spilling out exactly what to do. Good times with a good game. I haven't picked it up again in over 20 years, but I just don't know that I'd have the patience to try to figure out everything again.

I love that you refer to mistranslations and typos in manuals as "lying". It gives it a sinister kind of malicious feel, and I think "The 10 Worst Times Retro Game Manuals Lied To You" or something more succinct and catchy would be an awesome compilation video.

Fantastic video and Happy Solstice! This is definitely on my list of top NES games and all of your complaints and praise I completely agree with.

This was a great video, as always! I got this game as a kid for Christmas of 1991, and at first, I absolutely hated it. I was so used to the typical side scrolling left to right style games, and this was a whole new experience for me. But I found myself continuously going back to this game, and it quickly became one of my favourite games, and still is to this day.

So good memories .... First Nintendo i got at 7yo Always special to listen to the Tim follin theme... Thank you so much for sharing your love for this game ❤️

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised...one of my favorite NES games ever is Faxanadu, and here you have a wonderful review of Solstice, the predecessor to one of my all-time favorite SNES games, Equinox. I never played (or have even SEEN) a copy of Solstice, but I will always remember that Equinox was the first video game ever that my Dad actually complemented the music (otherwise he complained about it, and for good reason most of the time). It was also a great game, but I still occasionally start it up just to listen to the music.

Awesome as always. Something we did when we were kids was to hold the controller sideways so that left was now up and down was now left. It sounds weird but for some reason it does make the isometric platforming more fluid.

Solstice is a nerve-wracking game, but one id say really helped me pursue and conquer my fear of isometric games that started with the original Zaxxon. I love playing this game. And youre absolutely right. The instruction booklet is so great at creating a sense of ambience, as manuals should. I tried the sequel and it pales slightly, but its probably due to all the enjoyment my wife and i got out of Solstice. The world of isometric games owes a little something to it and we, your loyal fans owe something to you for illustrating some of the finer points of this creative game.

I'm super glad that I FINALLY remembered what this game was called! I used to be a big fan of a sort of fan-made spiritual successor called Maristice, but couldn't remember the name of the game it was referencing. Maristice is PC only and I've only made it about 10 minutes in, so I can't vouch for quality, but you might want to check it out if you need something that scratches this particular itch.

Every time I go back and play retro games, I'm amazed that there were people out there who could persevere through these. Emulation and the save state feature that it gives you access to is an absolute godsend.

I remember hearing of this title but never seen so much footage. Very interesting concept, and you did a great job promoting and reviewing it ;p

I’m going to be 60 in a month and this was my favorite game when my boys were young. I’ve been getting the components together to be able to play on a modern tv. Back in the 90s I wanted to build a 3D rendering so I could look over at it when I needed to see where I had been and where I needed to go instead of changing screens to look at the map. Had to order another copy bc I found that mine was not working. Aiming to play this on my birthday. So glad others enjoy it also! Great review! And fun to watch. As you made your points about the game I was agreeing with you right along! Thank you for putting this out there. I hope more people try it.

When i was a kid i loved this game, a friend of school had it and he let me borrow it a lot of times, i really loved the atmosphere and mystery of it, i had to buy a copy to have it in my collection, but i never had the chnce to finish it, it's hard as nails. Btw, another Snake Rattle'n Roll fan here! a childhood classic!

One of my favorite games from the NES as a kid. I would get lost in that dungeon for hours, and after awhile it felt like home.

Great review and timing haha I just had my solstice party. This video was nice to relax to, your delivery is really nice.

Man, this looks like a game that I'd get lost in trying again and again to beat rooms. The isometric look definitely does kinda confuse my eyes, but the tunes and the art look too good to not at least try it out! You really sold me on this review!

I first discovered this game because of Benzaie, a French RU-vid who used to do his videos in English. We're talking like... 2008. Man, I miss his videos

I wasn't aware of this game for the NES. Thank you for covering it.

Surprise HG video?! Well, Merry Christmas to me! I’ve definitely been looking forward to this one since we were talking about it a while back. Thanks again for doing what you do!

very clear and calming vocals. subbed!

Wow nice review. I remember that played this game back in the day at a friends place. Years ago I bought it but didn’t really gave it a try because reviews were so so. Now that I’ve seen your video I will add solstice to my holiday play list. Your way of explaining the game really intrigued me to give this game a real chance. Thanks 🙏

Ok I did giggle into my coffee on your delivery of "as he screamed into the sky". One of the things I like best about your streams and RU-vid content is your in depth look at games that I personally wouldn't probably play. Its a great way to enjoy something that I would have probably otherwise passed up. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this one!

Happy Southern Solstice. Ps: I caller like that because it's more accurate no matter of north(winter) or south(summer) hemisphere; the sun is more inclined to that direction.

Goriya, stumbled upon your channel and been watching a bunch of your videos over the past few days. Love your approach to your content, and just wanted to say keep up the great work! Posting a video a week is tough, but if you can do it, I'm sure your channel will go. You're so genuine! :)

I got through this once as a kid, from many, many, many, many times trying and dying over and over again. A bit like the movie Edge of Tomorrow lol. Eventually I figured out a route to go through and when I completed it I had one hell of a sense of achievement. I thought the music was great 👍

That dying sound use to creep me out as a kid 😱. Never finished this one, my mom did though :)

Phenomenal game!! I rented this in the eighties as a young teenager. Absolutely clueless and got nowhere. Fast forward 30+ years to present day I now own Solstice on my emulator. Happy to say I’ve finished the game all these years later. But I will also confess I had the help of a walkthrough. And abused the hell out of save states!! Lol The sad part is I still felt that crazy sense of accomplishment afterwards! It’s pathetic for sure but I still thoroughly enjoyed the game and glad to see you did as well! Great job grinding through like a trooper! Love your retro reviews!

Cool video. I don't think I've ever heard of Solstice before and it looks pretty darn cool! You're just giving me too many NES games to add to my playlist! 🙂 Hope you enjoy the holidays.

I didn't play Solstice, but I played its sequel on the SNES Equinox. Very interesting game as I recall, but I haven't played it since I was maybe 8 years old! I've been getting more interested in these isometric platforming/RPG type games lately, very interesting that they were doing this sort of stuff way back on the NES.

I've come to rely on this channel for what I now think of as "cozy reviews." They're nostalgic, even though I haven't played most of the games. They come from a place of love for the games, so even the more critical ones are respectful in their tone. No yelling or anger or insults. Just thoughtful and practical critique. These are games I want to play on a Sunday morning with some comfort food and an old-school controller. They're also just off-the-beaten-track enough of retro classics without feeling elitist or condescending. Just all around great stuff.

Yes! One of my favorite games. The exploration, the atmosphere, the soundtrack... A fantastic experience. And I cheered when you mentioned the manual. I read through it so many times. Loved the story, though as a child I missed that the layout of Kâstleröck is described in it. I also got the sense that Morbius usurped the castle from previous inhabitants, hence the secret entrance he was unaware of, and that Morbius is so powerful that even his basic mooks cannot be hurt by someone as powerful as Shadax. Also noticed that the game makes it seem like a standard "rescue the princess" plot, but when you actually look at the manual, Shadax was already intending to go on this quest on that evening regardless.

and... very well said! Thank you again for all this good stuff to listen to while I grind through tedious tasks!

wonderful review as usual! this is on my short list of must beat NES stuff for 2023

Nice to see you enjoyed this game. It's very reminiscent of isometric games on the ZX Spectrum. Knight Lore, Head Over Heels, and Batman are computer classics.

It's 3:00am and I just saw that you had uploaded a new video to your channel... Time to watch it!

Great review and thank you for bringing more attention to game manuals! Even for retro game fans it's so easy to forget how important (and how fun!) they could be.

Finally got around to watching this, glad to see a lovely positive review of this game. My frustrations are similar to yours with the continue system, but I feel it was also purposeful as this is typically what cruel english devs did back then lol. Other than that block jumps can be frustrating midair as sometimes you'll swear you placed it midair but it won't come out and you''ll die. Playing this for the first time it did take more than a while to find the correct path to the end, but my strategy became to find as many extra lives as possible and then get all staff pieces alone that route. Speedrunning this briefly was one of the more daunting challenges I have done, but it felt good to be able to mainly consistently beat this now. 100% would be another challenge in itself. Great video and I look forward to seeing more!

I have great memories of playing this with my father. We never could quite get that last staff piece.

Great video, as you always do, thanks 🎉👍

I agree about isometric games! Always loved them in that era. The perspective was odd for jumping, but that added to the fun. I always liked the looks of them.

I just picked this up at a game shop and the little bit I've played so far is really great. How did you not mention the title theme? I was blown away when I heard it. I was pretty surprised to see it sitting on the shelf along with titles like Milon's Secret Castle, Astyanax, The Legend of Zelda II, and an Asterix game, the name of which is escaping me. I'm trying out a game for the Game Gear called Crystal Warriors; it's pretty similar to Fire Emblem, if you've played any of those games, and I'm really liking it so far. The character portraits are gorgeous and I love these games that go after different kinds of gameplay when platforming and side-scrolling were the standard.

Thank you for that video, was very well made and you have a wonderful voice for reviews. I haven't played Solstice since I was a kid and what a game it was! I was rubbish at it, but it was worth playing for the music alone.

used to play this when I was a kid.. it was to hard for me, but I got three pieces of staff at one point. I should really get back to this one.. it's still in my collection, so nothing can stop me! And I think the title-screen music is one of the (if not the) best song on the NES. Absolutely love it! Thanks for the video. Nice thing to watch while I'm eating breakfast.

I'm still catching up on your vids and I think I may have recommended this game to play at some point, so I was glad to see u had already done it and made a review. This was a sweet game as a kid though very tough and very underrated for its time. The music was done by an expert that was plagued by terrible games with excellent music, but this game had the best of both, and I think it had a great atmosphere. It terrified the shit out of me as a kid and that scream was a perfect reward for messing up and to keep you from ever wanting to mess up again. I had mixed feelings about the ending, it's incredibly short and sweet for what it is, and I both love and hate it. The whimsical tone that is played while you're blowing up Morbius is hilarious and it made me happy and sad all at the same time. I wanted the game to go on just a little longer...I suppose that' could be considered a sign of a pretty good ending when you are left wanting just a little more.

I was so excited when I get Solstice has a kid. I thought the cover art was amazing. I couldn't get through it. Thanks for the video and have a Marry Christmas.

I just got this game the other day (mainly because of Tim Follin's awesome opening music) and I was really surprised to find out just how good of a game it is--I feel vindicated that I passed on trying out Bubsy for this one! The game design is surprisingly solid (though yes, the perspective is tricky and takes some time to get used to). It's definitely challenging, but seldom unfair. The games open ended structure and emphasis on problem solving reminds me a lot of MYST, one of my all time favorite games, only player skill is just as much a factor as brain power in this game. I can tell this is a game that really knows how to make trial and error work in it's favor and feel rewarding instead of frustrating, just like Sonic 1 (another favorite). I imagine it'll be fun to Speedrun it once I get a grip on it. I think the Credit system is actually a great way of motivating the player too. 8$ more than well spent, to say the least. And I have to say, I really liked how informative your review is!

I loved watching you play this. Solstice holds a very special place with me. I'm not very good at it at all, but that doesn't hasten my enjoyment of it. It really is a quirky title that people enjoy, once they get a good handle of it. And yes, it can definitely get addicting. It's one of those, "YES! I finally progressed. Okay...let's get a little further." Wonderful video, friend. Nicely done.

I had this game as a very young kid, back when it was pretty new. I ran out of patience pretty fast, haha. It wasn't until years later, with a game genie code that gave me infinite potions, that I finally finished it. It still took me multiple days, and needing to talk my parents into letting me leave the NES on overnight, to do it. It's a game I look back on fondly, but I think I was just too young to appreciate it and I can't say I feel any urge to play it again now that I'm an old man. Still, I'm always happy to see it evaluated critically like this, especially when the conclusion is that it's a good game. It absolutely is, and it's such an unusual one for the NES that anyone who hasn't played it should at least try it out blind once or twice before going to U Can Beat Video Games or something to learn the fastest strategy to beat it.

I’ve always held off on this game, but your video makes me want to try it again👍🏻 I will say the title screen music has some of the best prog rock the NES has to offer!

This was one of my favorite games as a kid.

Fantastic game, My reflexes are not good enough to play Solstice anymore but I did enjoy a playthrough over on U Can Beat Video Games channel a few months back.

I finally got around to beating this game not too long ago. I had to map the heck out of it, but it was a blast to play. Glad to see you enjoyed it.

Hey! First time commenting, but love the channel. I don’t know if you’ve had a chance to play Tunic yet, but if you love ambiguous adventuring, I can’t recommend it enough!

God, wasting the potions by accidentally hitting start ALWAYS sent me into a fit of rage. But damn this game was, is, and always will be one of the greatest!

Enjoyed the video. Never played it myself but had an amazing time a few years ago watching streamer PJ Dicesare grind the **6 minute** speedrun. So it was fun watching a more conventional review. My only complaint is that you didn't play the amazing title screen music!

I’ve always wanted to play this. I have a fondness for the SNES sequel and would love to try part one.

There's another isometric game like this on the GameBoy, Monster Max, it's pretty rare, but it's really good. There's also more modern inspirations like Lumo on modern systems. You can also get Head over Heels on the Switch, one of the influences for Solstice.

Truly the definition of the squishy mage archetype. Since you like using the original manuals in these old games, I feel like you would enjoy a lot of the old Electronic Arts games for the Genesis. Those are pretty much the only retro games I go out of my way to get the manuals for, because they are usually very good. Especially Starflight, which may well have the best manual ever made for a video game, and is also a game I think you would enjoy.

Excellent review. And super underrated I’d say.

This is one of the games that I most wish had a save feature. I love the atmosphere and the concept and have tried playing it various times over the last thirty years, but I've never been able to power all the way through in a single sitting.

An ICE-ometric game just in time for the winter season ;D Jokes aside, Solstice's open-ended map with non-linear solutions to the puzzles is so ahead of its time, definitely not something I'd expect from an NES title. It's also quite the graphical showcase, something about the isometric look always just looks really cool to me. Happy holidays, Goriya! 🎄

Always enjoy your vids Goriya I love the hard core old school vibe. I hope you do Alundra for Ps1 at one point

haven't played this one in ages, but I loved it as a kid! I appreciate a good isometric game. seeing Zaxxon in the arcades got me hooked!

Not gonna lie. That sorcerer is LEGIT J A C K E D and yeah that music that plays is a BANGER great video as always

Hooray! Another Solstice fan!

The fact you said "get bent" made me giddy lol. This is a game I've owned for awhile but haven't given a shot yet. I even managed to get a CIB copy, too! Thanks for the thoughts on it, HG!

Glad you finally played Solstice and enjoyed it.

solstice is up there on my list. what lacks in action/combat, makes up for it with the platforming, puzzles and exploration. another great title i played as a kid.

It's crazy you reviewed this game recently. I was just thinking about Solstice the other day. Great game with good controls and solid music. I also have a love affair with 2D isometric games. Snake Rattle n Roll is my jam too! Always got a kick outta the random big disembodied feet. No pun intended.

This channel is wholesome af

Loved this as a Kid. Revisiting it, Just as Good as I remember.

God this brings back memories. One of the only games my sister and I agreed on. We spent weeks with graph paper mapping the whole game out... I miss the 90's :(

Wow, I've never played this game, but it reminds me a lot of Equinox on the SNES! Maybe it's just cause of the isometric view point, but I'm getting some real nostalgia just watching this review.

Title song is a banger, the guy who wrote it did silver surfer and others. Awesome NES music.

This game was so great on the NES, it made such awesome use of the limited palette.

I'm sure you're more of a console gamer, but if you like this game, I think you'd enjoy _Mystic Towers (A Baron Baldric Game)_ on MS-DOS. It's a little more combat-oriented than this game, but it's isometric, full of puzzles, has great music, and lets you play any way you want (to a degree). Also, the music in _Solstice_ was composed by legendary music man Tim Follin, who made his claim to fame alongside his brothers, Geoff and Mike, doing music for ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64 games. Tim Follin also provided music for games like _Silver Surfer_ (NES) and _Plok!_ (Super NES), which is awesome. The man knows how to synth, let me tell you!

Wow! A gamer that ACTUALLY knows what she is talking about! I'm watching your older videos, and I'm in heaven!! You really do make sense! You got my Bell Sub! Very awesome and very good!❤

I saw a parody of this called Maristice that was pretty cool! Excited to find out about the original!

Yes! Always loved this one. I came back to it 6-8 yrs ago & most of it came back pretty quickly so it wasn't so hard. I was able to find my way around and remember how to collect the 1-ups, etc. But man, at first I gave up on Solstice a couple of different times because of one jump right near the end, that I just didn't understand. Then, on a later effort, when I got there, it clicked! --Don't miss the sequel, Equinox.

If you like this title might I suggest the sequel? Its the one I played a lot and, in my opinion, is a worthy follow up! In fact I learned about this one after when seeing a couple reviews. It even keeps the same naming conventions: Equinox! For the SNES. I use to rent that one so many times just to try and get further. Yes it has a save feature but when renting you often don’t have that file when you get it again. So of course the first couple areas I know by heart. I say areas cause Equinox has an over world and dungeons to explore! Anyways, always fun seeing your videos 😊

Great video. I'm probably focusing on the wrong thing, but this game impressed me with how it handles sprites. Especially how they move in front of & behind background elements. That and the title theme. :)

The only isometric (light) platformer I can think of to recommend is Hakoniwa Explorer Plus, a recentish indie title. It’s marketed as a smut game, but I’d say strictly speaking it’s inexplicit, mostly just vulgar in the dialogue. Visuals are truly delightful, with every tile on the grid animated with bouncy pixel art (charming enough to overcome my… initial distaste lol). The gameplay is focused on exploring with some basic action rpg combat. Easy, though progression can get a little obtuse (nothing you can’t handle I expect). All in all, fun to breeze through and 100% in under 20 hours. Has a free demo on Steam and regular sales, so if you’re hankering for more in the genre it might be worth a look (though admittedly perhaps outside the usual wheelhouse of your channel).

Wow, this game is SO British. It's riffing hard on 8 bit computer games of the 1980s. It seems to be taking heavy inspiration from Knight Lore (by the same developers as Snake Rattle n Roll incidentally) and Head Over Heels in particular. Other interesting isometric platform games of the 1980s include Batman, Fairlight, The Great Escape, Inside Outing, Get Dexter, 3DC... and loads more. It was quite a popular style in Europe. Head Over Heels is an easy recommend.

I played this game when I was a kid and it didn't click with me. Listening to you made me very excited to give it another go but then I kept listening and watching the video. I'm back to not wanting to play every again. 🤣 I enjoyed the video though.

I remember seeing this or a very similar game in videos about old british 8bit computers and the golden age of their quaintly fun and very homemade videogames.