In the Duck’s previous Listmas post, I listed a group of games that I played 10-19 years after their release dates. Now we’re getting into the really retro stuff, which were released a whopping two decades before my sorry self finally got around to playing them. For clarification, this list does not include the original Zelda or Metroid, which I barely played, nor does it include games from the Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection, since there are too many games to list, and I haven’t really played very far into most of them. Now, without further ado, let’s get listing!
7: Final Fantasy VI (Release: 1994; Played: 2014; 20 years): Some years ago, clearly in 2014 or something, I decided to buy a whole bunch of retro games for the PS1 (or SNES remakes…for the PS1). One of the games I was the most excited for was Final Fantasy VI because of the game’s villain, the infamous Kefka. Strangely enough, this game also got me into cosplay. Can you guess who I cosplayed as…?
6: Super Mario RPG (Release: 1996: Played: 2016; 20 years): Aside from a bunch of PS1 games, I also had a short list of SNES games I wanted to complete, as well. One of these was the much-loved Super Mario RPG. Though I feel I played the game a bit too late to enjoy it in the same way as those who got to experience it two decades ago, it was still a pretty fun romp, nonetheless.
5: Super Metroid (Release: 1994; Played: 2015; 21 years): Another must-play for me was undoubtedly the critically-acclaimed Super Metroid. And boy, was it as good as people said. And challenging! I can’t believe I ever managed to figure out the Space Jump…what the heck was wrong with that upgrade!
4: EarthBound (Release: 1994; Played: 2016; 22 years): Another one of my top priorities in retro gaming was definitely EarthBound. I heard this game was rather odd, which is exactly what made me so interested in playing it. To my great joy, EarthBound became available on the Wii U Virtual Console, granting me the wondrous opportunity to play the game at long last. Definitely one of the weirdest games I’ve ever played and most assuredly one of the best.
3: Final Fantasy V (Release: 1992; Played: 2016; 24 years): Yeah, another one of those retro PS1 games. This one was…okay. I did have a whole lot of fun with the job system, though. A whole lot of it.
2: Mega Man X (Release: 1993; Played: 2017; 24 years): Ah, now this was a fun game. My first ever Mega Man game, Mega Man X was good times indeed, once I got the hang of it anyway. This game sure kicked my butt, though…until I decided to kick butt back!
1: Final Fantasy IV (Release: 1991; Played: 2016; 25 years): I don’t…really have anything of interest to say here. But I can now tell people I’ve played Final Fantasy 4-13 (excluding 11). A quarter of a century after its release. Wow…
Who else has played a game 20 years or more after its release? Share your comments with me, dear readers! Share them in this season of giving!
Image from Flickr User: Daniel Zilioto
VIRTUAL BASTION 
I’m playing FFV right now! Or, well, I started playing it; it’s been a while since I’ve picked it up, but I really love it. FFVI was the first Final Fantasy I played when it came out in 1994, but I didn’t play FFIV until later like the 2000s. It’s my third favorite. You cosplayed Kefka?? That’s amazing! FFVII was the game that made me consider cosplay, but it wasn’t until I saw a particular coplayer doing my favorite character (Sephiroth) that I actually thought I could it it.
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Cosplay is so much fun, though my Kefka cosplay’s not the best. It was my first costume, after all, and I didn’t have a sewing machine or a good brand of makeup. It was still pretty fun getting to cosplay in a homemade costume for the first time, though. Before that, I dressed as Tifa (wearing her Advent Children clothing), in a costume I had bought off Amazon.
Did you ever end up cosplaying as Sephiroth?
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Not yet! It’s still in the planning phases…the very long planning phases hehe. I’m a bit of s perfectionist so I need to make sure I do it right. I have done others: Rarity from My Little Pony, Dany from Game of a Thrones, and Finn from The Force Awakens (easiest costume ever). I love that YouTube has tons of makeup tutorials. I’ve done some makeup trials that were fun and I have cat eye comtacts, but I need a lot more.
I’d love to see that Kefka cosplay! I know it was colorful 😆
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I’m a perfectionist, too, when it comes to cosplay. My Foxy cosplay took almost a year. It was exhausting! By the way, what brand of makeup do you use? I’ve been struggling to find good makeup for cosplay. I use Mehron brand makeup, but my makeup usually cracks within minutes of putting it on, and the suggested baby powder didn’t fix the problem. I’ve switched from liquid makeup to cream, but I’m still not sure if it’s exactly what I’m looking for.
That’s really cool that you do cosplay, too. I’ve made five costumes so far, but it’s so much work, I’m taking a break from cosplay at the moment. (Someday I’d like to do something Undertale-related or Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas.) Do you have any photos of your cosplays on your blog?
I can’t seem to find any posts on my blog with photos of my Kefka cosplay, but there are some photos on Flickr from the masquerade I performed in a few years ago. If you’re curious, a link to one of the photos is below. (I really wish I had worn a wig, but I don’t know how to do a ponytail on a wig without it looking weird.)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/phxcc/14242668167/
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I really love MAC and Sephora and Urban Decay is really good, too! They’re a bit on the pricey side, but they have this nice matte look to them that looks awesome on camera! MAC has this moisturizer you use before as a sort of base, and I’ll use liquid foundation then a setting powder on top.
I’ve…well I’m terrible at making anything, so a lot of times I’ll cobble things together from what I have or can buy. The Finn cosplay was so easy because I Just needed to wear all black and then wear the Poe jacket. I do have photos! I need to update this Halloween and last, but I here’s the link to the page. https://theshamefulnarcissistspeaks.com/cosplay/
Some of them are “want to do in the future” posts, but The Halloween Update should have pictures of me as Rarity Unicorn from My Little Pony 🙂
Where do you get your wigs from? I’ve actually been buying just every day ones from Arda-wigs.com (because I’m extra enough to want silver hair all the time hehe), and they’re actually really reasonable and very good quality! They have wigs with ponytail clips, and they even have a tip section. I need to learn how to do Sephiroth’s hair from Advent on one, but I know there are a ton of online resources about that. It’s less those spiky bangs and more feathery (ha) ones, but you still need hair gel.
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Thanks for the info! I’ll need to look into those brands of makeup. I really want some professional looking makeup. The Mehron cream makeup is pretty good (compared to what I used to use), but it still doesn’t look as clean and smooth as I want. As for wigs, I get YOPO brand wigs from Amazon. They are pretty good quality, and some people have mistaken them for real hair. I should check out Arda-wigs in the future, too. I always want the best for my cosplays, and there are certain hair colors or styles I need that YOPO doesn’t have.
I’ll have to check out your cosplay posts. Thanks! And good luck on your Sephiroth cosplay!
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I need to look into YOPO. I’m on Amazon ALL the time, so I’m surprised I didn’t see those hehe. I forget who clued me onto Arda, but they are really nice wigs that aren’t overly expensive. I’m learning how to better take care of wigs, but I’m still kind of a beginner with it. Arda will definitely have the colors you’re looking for. They pretty much have a rainbow plus.
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I’m pretty pleased with YOPO. Wigs I got previously from other companies were quite terrible…they were plasticy and didn’t fit right at all. YOPO wigs look pretty real, and they fit nicely without being lumpy on top of my head.
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I need to look into these! I can always use another wig source 🙂
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Oh wow, I just googled them and they are beautiful. Inexpensive, too o.O And you say they’re good quality? I might have to consider picking up one or two. Even if they tangle quicker than my Arda wings, I’ve only spent a fraction.
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Yeah, I’ve been happy with my YOPO wigs so far. I have a blonde one and a pink one, and I think they look pretty convincing. Someone even thought I had dyed my hair pink before I told them it was a wig. Plus, the price is good, and they fit really well.
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They look very high quality! Let me know what you think of Arda. I think they’re having a New Years sale right now. I’m so behind in my email o.O
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I’ll need to make sure my next wig comes from Arda. I’d definitely like to see how they compare to YOPO. I’ll have to order my Sally (The Nightmare Before Christmas) wig from them.
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I just bought one (don’t remember if I mentioned that. I don’t THINK I did since I just purchased it yesterday hehe), and it’s a ponytail one that I got for less than $40. I like that they have a variety and all different prices as well.
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Oh yeah, speaking of ponytails…I still need a wig for Kefka….
Sometimes I consider just wearing wigs in my everyday life. Then I can have pink hair or purple hair without having to dye my real hair. It sounds very convenient.
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Ooooh, I’ve seen tutorials for Kefka’s hair. Maybe…maybe? I know they exist. I think you have to glue wig pieces to each other. I remember watching this tutorial on Cloud’s hair, and it was so complicated.
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Oh, I didn’t know there were tutorials for Kefka’s hair. I’ll have to check that out. I did look up tutorials for Rosalina’s hair in the past, though, and it looked too tough. I ended up getting too nervous that I would mess the wig up and left it as it was.
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I bet there are a ton on YouTube. I know I found plenty of makeup tutorials for Sephiroth and other characters, and many cosplayers are more than willing to share their knowledge.
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I’ll have to check out more cosplay tutorials on Youtube. I always love learning new things about cosplay. That’s how I learned about making fursuit heads.
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I found this awesome wing tutorial, BUT I also recently found this woman who makes fully functional wings, and I might have to save my money for that!
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Ooh, I’ve seen people at comicons wearing wings that open and close. They’re really cool. I bet it’s a LOT of work, even for the wings that don’t move! So many feathers…
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I think the ones I found that were motorized were like $500 at least o.O I’m still thinking of saving up for them #seriousbusiness
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Woah, that’s a lot of money! I was curious one day and looked up Foxy the Pirate costumes online, and I found one that was $1000! I’m glad I made my own. It was super time-consuming, but it cost me a lot less.
I don’t think I could make anything that moves. I wouldn’t even know where to begin. (Well, I guess a tutorial is a good place to start, but I still doubt I could pull it off.)
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I’m awful at making anything, and I think that was the STARTING point for the wings o.O They’re all custom made and I’m wondering if just needing one would be less. I haven’t messaged her yet or anything, but it’s something I’d consider saving for!
Some of the outfits are so expensive. Sephiroth is really popular so you can usually find stuff for him, though I have no clue how to do anything with leather hehe. Thankfully Etsy has my back, and I’ve done custom made cosplay before. It’s not too awful.
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Yeah, you’d think one wing should cost less. I bet with the wing your costume will look really cool. I’d love to wear a costume with wings.
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It would make sense! Like I’m sure there’s a base pay for the opening/closing mechanism, but since she makes each wing by hand, I’d have to imagine only having to make one would be less time consuming.
Dark/fallen angel is my backup Halloween costume every year so I usually keep a few pairs of wings around :p
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I should look up a tutorial for making wings sometimes. I don’t know if I could actually make them myself…but I’d certainly like to see how it’s done. Some wings can be quite beautiful.
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Oh I’ll find the one I have!
Oh wow, okay I have a few. There’s a bunch of links here: http://fuckyeahhardfemme.tumblr.com/post/39383331409/wing-tutorial-masterlist
And then there’s this: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b5/fb/1d/b5fb1d316b5540f2bede91d64ae0e9ff.jpg
Let me know if you can’t get to the second. I think it takes you directly to my Pinterest.
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Thanks for the links! Goodness, those wings are so beautiful, but also super difficult to make. It’s definitely cool getting to see how it’s done, though. I love learning about how things are made.
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I know *sigh* I wish I were craftier. It is nice to at least have the instructions though!
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Omg I love that pic. I had to go to your site to see it, which is why I had to reply separately, but even without a wig, you look amazing. The makeup job is wonderful!
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Thanks much! I really appreciate it! I was rather proud of my Kefka cosplay, considering it was my first costume. There are certain aspects of the costume I think I could do better now, though. Sometimes I consider redoing it…at the very least, a blonde wig would help a lot.
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You did a great job for a first! My first left a bit to be desired hehe. I was one of the four Light Warriors from the original Final Fantasy, and while it was a simple costume (White Mage), it really wasn’t something I would’ve chosen.
One of the great things about cosplay is that you really only (should) complete with yourself! You can always improve and add more things to it next time you give it a try. I know I’m trying to get the Sephiroth one right the first time I do it, but I’m trying not to be too hard on myself if I don’t.
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It’s definitely best to remind ourselves that it’s okay if something doesn’t turn out perfect. Certain parts of my costumes have been really difficult, and it would drive me crazy trying to make it work, until I decided to just do my best and not worry too much if it’s not exactly the way I wanted it. I did Foxy the Pirate last year, and I was very upset about the ears being a bit lopsided. I finally decided it was okay, and I don’t think it’s that noticeable anyway. Besides, I can always find a way to fix it in the future.
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I am pretty much inept at making anything by hand, and because I’m a perfectionist, you can see how this is a problem. I’m more than likely going to just buy a custom made costume from Etsy (which I actually did for Halloween. They literally will make it to your size specifications), due to this, and also because leather (even fake leather) is NOT easy to work with. Now of course I could bug friends, but I’m also really independent? And I hate relying on people for things like that, because if it doesn’t turn out the way I want, I don’t want to either have to pretend it’s okay or make them feel bad. I’m hoping I can put more work into this year…after I lift some weights :p
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That’s cool that you can get custom-made costumes on Etsy. Now if only I could pay someone to do my makeup….
I agree, I couldn’t ask friends or family to make costumes for me, either. I always have a pretty clear vision of what I want, and I’d feel bad if I wasn’t totally happy with how it turned out.
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I learned so much from YouTube tutorials! I wish I could, too, though. I want to learn contouring, because you can literally change what your face looks like by doing that. I can do a little bit in the Gothic look area, but I’m no expert by any means.
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I haven’t heard of contouring before. I just looked it up, though, and that’s very cool. I have a lot to learn when it comes to cosplay makeup. I guess I just need to practice. People can do so many cool things with makeup.
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Right??? It’s amazing what you can do with makeup. A good foundation is such a key component. My IRL BFF just bought something from Fenty, Rihanna’s line. I’ve wanted to try that ever since it came out. I do like MAC though, especially since they no longer test on animals, and Sephora has some good stuff, too. There’s this amazing eyeliner called No. 7 that I’ve found at Target. I’m a liquid eyeliner fan for the top lid, but I Like pencil for the lower. I wish I had time to DO my makeup more often let alone do a makeup blog :p
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I have so much to learn when it comes to makeup. I really want to learn how to do makeup that makes me look undead. That would be cool. I tried this once before, and it turned out okay…. I once saw a picture of someone who had cosplayed as the Hatbox Ghost (from the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland), and his makeup was the most amazing I had ever seen. I want to look like a spooky ghost person….
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There is SO much to learn about makeup. I would pay to take a class in it to be honest lol. Just to learn tips and tricks like how to arch my eyebrows. I just recently learning the best way to apply false eyelashes, which is so important 🙂
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I’m still trying to figure out how to change my eyebrow color to match my wigs. Someone had said to use eyeshadow on one’s eyebrows, but it didn’t seem to work for me….
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Oh! I know the answer to this one. One of the best Sephiroth cosplayers I’ve ever seen gave me this advice: acrylic paint. You buy acrylic paint from a craft store and mix what you need together. It apparently covers your eyebrows perfectly.
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Ah, that’s quite interesting. And it’s safe to use on your face?
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I believe it is! The person who gave me the tip has done it often and doesn’t seem worse for wear. I’d obviously be careful if you have sensitive skin (re: me), but it definitely seems like a viable option.
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Cool, thanks for the tip!
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Reblogged this on DDOCentral.
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I started playing Super Mario RPG on the virtual console, loved it but decided I wanted to put it on my PSP instead since it felt more suited to a handheld now. I can’t even remember if I loaded it or not, but I still haven’t finished it! One day though…
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I almost didn’t finish Super Mario RPG. I actually got stuck at one point because the enemies were too tough…until I remembered I could buy clothing to make my characters stronger. I’m not sure why I didn’t think of that at first, though.
How far did you get into the game on the Virtual Console?
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Not very far. Only a few hours.
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Still need to complete a full playthrough of Final Fantasy VI…and Secret of Mana…and Earthbound…there’s just too many great games out there! Also, how crazy is it that these games are over 20 years old now?! I still remember seeing Super Mario RPG in the store game cabinet!
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Yeah, it’s hard to believe some of these games are so old. And I’m not even including any NES games. The original Zelda is about 31 years old now!
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