| Who is enjoying the crap out of Sailor Moon Crystal with me? It seems I can’t get enough Sailor Moon, no matter how many times it’s rebooted. Even the Live Action version. ESPECIALLY the Live Action version. |
There have been plenty of Sailor Moon games, especially arcade-style beat ‘em ups where an assortment of butt-kicking sailor senshi inspire you to give up all your quarters. There have been Sailor Moon puzzle games, including a Tetris game and a balloon-popping game. If you have a free afternoon and an insatiable love for the series, you can find all sorts of 90s game kitsch devoted to the pretty soldier heroines.
Nearly all of these games never left Japan, but due to the wonders of the internet, Sailor Moon fans around the world have made these games semi-available to modern players. In honor of the latest Sailor Moon renaissance, I’ve decided to dust off the ol’ SNES classic, Sailor Moon: Another Story, a full RPG featuring a brand new adventure Sailor Moon and her friends. I can’t tell you how to procure a copy, but if you just so happen to stumble across it, you’ll find a real treat for Sailor Moon fans.
Sailor Moon: Another Story takes place after the Sailor Moon S series, so knowledge of the major plot lines is very beneficial to diving straight into the game’s story, especially since the fan translators kept many of the original Japanese names and words for inexplicable reasons. That said, I had a very basic knowledge of Sailor Moon lore playing this game for the first time, and I still had a blast. SM:AS has all of the humor and silliness of the beloved anime series, with the sailor scouts gossiping about boys, dreaming about boys, chasing after… you get the idea.
Goofy middle-school drama aside, there’s still a world that needs to be saved, and the scouts have all of their famous powers to bring the pain down on a variety of baddies. This game has all of the bad habits of 90s Japanese RPGs, so don’t be surprised if you’re suddenly underpowered and the rules of battle seem obscure.
Just remember these tips: accessorize your scouts with tiaras, bracelets and necklaces, learn link techniques where multiple sailor scouts combine their powers for massive attacks, and stock up on a variety of items.
Just remember these tips: accessorize your scouts with tiaras, bracelets and necklaces, learn link techniques where multiple sailor scouts combine their powers for massive attacks, and stock up on a variety of items.
If you like vintage magical girl mayhem, saving the world in a mini-skirt, old-school JRPG adventures, and very long Japanese fantasy words, Sailor Moon: Another Story is a must-play. Licensed games have a bad reputation for being hastily made and poorly-executed, but SM:AS is truly a joy for fans of the series and a legitimate game with a fairly-lengthy plot. So, between episodes of the latest series, get your retro SM fix with me!
In the name of the moon, I will punish you!
-The Dungeon Dame
In the name of the moon, I will punish you!
-The Dungeon Dame
