Stream Archive! Retro-Bit and IREM's Holy Diver For the NES Played on an HDMI-Modded NES Top Loader

In this stream, we do some initial testing with our HDMI-Modded NES Top Loader with the limited Edition of Holy Diver from IREM and Retro-Bit

December 29, 2017. I remember this date because Ginger and I were watching Baby Driver, and I have to admit I was bored to tears. Then something happened that made me super excited. No, I'm not talking about the ending chase scene which was ok but definitely full of movie tropes. I'm talking about a text from Ryan at Castlemaniagames.com. He was looping me in to let me know that there was a special edition cartridge coming to the Castle from IREM and Retro-bit gaming. For the first time ever IREM was making one of the most popular Famicom games available in the USA for the NES. I'm talking about Holy Diver.

For those not familiar with the game, Holy Diver is based off the 1980's song of the same name by Dio. This action platformer is one of the earliest Metroidvania style games, at least in my opinion. You play as Randy, who partners with Zakk and Ozzy in the year 666 to battle the evil Black Slayer. Yes, I said Ozzy and Slayer, two of the most popular music bands in the 80's, especially in 1989 when the game debuted in Japan.

There have been versions of Holy Diver available through unofficial and semi-official channels over the years. Of course, you could get one off of eBay that was imported from Japan to play either on a Famicom or an NES with a 60-to-72 pin adapter. You could also buy Repro NES carts with the game installed. Retro-bit's own Super Retrocade system even had the game pre-installed. But this is the first time that IREM has worked with a publisher to release an official version in the USA.

The overall package that Retro-bit and IREM have put together is pretty amazing. The figpin of Randy is amazing, as is the Holy Diver logo pin as well. There is a hardcover notebook also included, and much like the Limited Edition R-Type Returns collectors edition, I do with this had a second notebook for actual usage. Several stickers are included too, as are two anime-inspired postcards. The extra bits included in with this cart really make it what it is.

The game includes a full-color manual, something really appreciated for someone like me who is more of a casual fan than some of the other more die-hard Holy Diver fans out there. I NEEDED the manual so I knew more about the story, the enemies, and the attacks. But one other cool thing about the manual is the shoutout to both me personally and this RoXolid Productions YouTube Channel. This acknowledgment is amazingly humbling and I cannot thank Ryan at Castlemania Games and the crew at Retro-bit enough for their support.

If you are a fan of Holy Diver you really need this set. It's crazy how awesome the overall package is, from the cart itself, manual, pins, cards and more. This is a great package and it is an awesome addition to any fan's collection. Plus there's just something extra cool about getting a new NES Cartridge in 2018. If you haven't done so yet make sure you head to Castlemania Games to order your copy today.

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