Crystal Beans from Dungeon Explorer: A Disappointing Remix

Introduction:

Multi-platform games are a staple of the industry. After Nintendo’s stronghold on third parties was broken during the 16-bit era, many games were released for both the Genesis and SNES. However, the Turbo Grafx-16 often missed out on these multi-platform releases in America. In Japan, the PC Engine and Super Famicom shared numerous games. Dungeon Explorer II was a standout title for the Turbo Grafx, but unfortunately, it didn’t receive much attention due to being released as a CD title. Crystal Beans, a SNES remix of Dungeon Explorer II, had the potential to be a great game, but it falls short due to several baffling decisions.

The Story:

Crystal Beans replaces the original Dungeon Explorer’s Turbo-exclusive story with a more generic plot. The land of Grandol has enjoyed 100 years of peace, thanks to the Miracle Gems that were used to save the world in the past. However, an ominous cloud suddenly appears, causing monster portals to spawn and resurrecting the 15 demons sealed by the Miracle Gems. With no other option, the King summons the Heroes of Light to save the world.

Changes and Gameplay:

Crystal Beans cannot simply be considered a port of Dungeon Explorer II. It feels more like a condensed version of the game. Cutscenes, story events, voice acting, and contextual details have been removed, resulting in a less immersive experience. On the positive side, the SNES controller’s extra buttons greatly improve the controls, with each function having its own dedicated button. Every class also has a unique melee attack, which adds variety to gameplay. The SNES d-pad enhances movement and aiming.

While the overall flow of the game remains similar, several changes have been made. The overworld has been eliminated, and players now choose their destination from a map. This streamlines the game even further, making it more straightforward. Some dungeons have been removed, and the remaining ones have been redesigned, with each being smaller and consisting of only a few screens. Side quests, special items, and class upgrades have also been removed. Without these elements, there is little incentive for exploration. Crystal Beans has become a short and easy game, with a lack of challenging enemies and simplistic boss battles.

Graphics and Sound:

The graphics in Crystal Beans are a mixed bag. While the dungeon tile sets and art remain largely the same as the original game, the sprites and towns have been redesigned to be larger and more vibrant. However, these new visuals clash with the original art style, which had a darker tone. It would have been better if the developers had fully committed to the new art direction. On the audio front, the game manages to faithfully recreate the redbook audio soundtrack, which is impressive considering the hardware limitations of the SNES.

The Verdict:

Crystal Beans from Dungeon Explorer is not a terrible game, but it fails to live up to its potential. Instead of serving as a more accessible version of an obscure yet good game, it falls into a confusing middle ground that strips away many of the elements that made the original great. While it would have been nice to see this game localized, in reality, we didn’t miss out on much, as a superior version already exists, even if it is hard to find.

Bold tags: Crystal Beans from Dungeon Explorer, Multi-platform games, Turbo Grafx-16, SNES controller, generic plot, Miracle Gems, condensed version, immersive experience, improved controls, streamlining, removed dungeons, simplified gameplay, mixed graphics, faithful audio reproduction

Image Sources:

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