Veterans, you must chat about this "Super Evolution Story" today. When I first saw the paper-cut painting style, I was stunned for a moment - it was different from the pixelated style I used to secretly play "Our Sun" on the GBA, but the "strange" smell actually brought back my youth at once.
I still remember when I was in junior high school, I saved up my breakfast money for three months just to buy a cassette of "Monster Farm". When I get home from school every day, the first thing I do is turn on the GBA, listen to the familiar startup sound, and then stare at the screen to watch my little monster grow up. The feeling of anticipation of an unknown creature hatching from an egg makes my heart beat faster just thinking about it. Unfortunately, the GBA was later confiscated by my mother, saying it affected my studies. That file is still stuck at the fourth level, which has become a knot in my heart.
So when I opened "Super Evolution Story" and saw this little paper-cut monster evolving little by little from my hand, I was in a trance. It is completely different from the pixelated gadgets on the GBA back then, but the sense of accomplishment of "The cub I raised looks handsome no matter how you look at it" is exactly the same! Moreover, this evolution is not just a skin change. You can actually choose your own coat of arms, match genes, and even adjust the lineup of gods. Isn't this just a transfer of the freedom of "I decide my own tactics" back then?
But to be honest, there is a big difference between modern mobile games and our old handheld games. In the past, when playing GBA, saving data relied on the battery, and it would be over if the power was cut off. Who has not experienced the "pain of lost progress"? Nowadays, when playing "Super Evolution Story" on mobile phones, it saves in the cloud and automatically hangs up. You can take it out and fight Longmian Strait anytime and anywhere. It is convenient, but it always feels like it lacks the "ceremonial feeling of starting up". In the past, you had to use infrared to connect to the battle line, but now you can directly match with one click. You can also see other people's lineups and learn the boss's routines. In this regard, the replica version really wins.
Then there's the picture. In the past, the GBA screen was so mushy that you had to rely on the reflection of a desk lamp to see the details clearly. Now the paper-cut painting style is really amazing on the high-definition screen. The outlines of each monster are as textured as paper sculptures, and the skill special effects are also fancy. But I actually miss the laggy feeling of those few frames of animation back then, the "rough but sincere" flavor. Well, maybe I'm just a nostalgic weirdo.
But how can I put it, "Super Evolution Story" gives me the feeling that it is not simply a copycat of an old game, but that it retains the core of "raising monsters, developing strategies, and showing off to others" and then wraps it in a modern coat. The gameplay of Star Core Eyes and spending time thinking about the matching process are as addictive as when I was studying genetic mutations. Sometimes after finishing the dungeon in the middle of the night and putting down the phone, I would hear the GBA menu BGM echoing in my mind, and then laugh to myself: Youth, it turns out that you can really extend your life through games.
Anyway, I have to go online every day to collect my energy. Although I am a little nervous, I feel comfortable. If you are also an old player from that handheld era, I really recommend you to try it. Maybe you can also see the shadow of yourself holding the GBA and being reluctant to let go in the evolution animations of those little paper-cut monsters.
It's great to have youth back. 😭✨