I only really remember the dialogue near the opening: "My name's Mail... Popful Mail!" It was a long-running inside joke between me and two of my friends to, whenever we heard that infamous AOL "you've got mail!" announcement, to follow it up with "POPFUL Mail!"

One interesting thing about the sound design is that the music is almost all chiptunes. The CD storage needed to be saved for the cutscenes and voice acting so the actual music is generated by the Mega CD sound chip, which was actually a significant (if underutilised) upgrade from the stock Mega Drive. Just a part of what makes Popful Mail different from most Mega CD games.

Fun fact: In the Japanese MegaCD version, Mail is voiced by the legendary Megumi Hayashibara, the same singer who also voices Lina Inverse from The Slayers.

This game deserves a re-release!

Never played Popful Mail but the soundtrack has some real bangers. Volcano Zone in particular is one of my favorites of all time.

"But you can call me Lord Venuncio" hahaha. Great editing on this video, man. Loved the review.

The SFC version has a very similar story actually. There are differences, like some of the map layouts, bosses etc., but other than that it's not very different. Hopefully whoever does that translation translates the game more literally than was the case with the Sega CD version.

Good review. The difficulty restoration patch is also worth mentioning.

1:25..... I saw that. You can't hide from me. Better hope the purist police don't come a knocking.

This looks interesting! Would have never known about it without your vids! No one else talking about old games as much as you!

Now play VAY CD, LUNAR 1 CD, LUNAR 2 CD, LORDS OF THUNDER CD, ROBO ALESTE CD, SHINING FORCE CD, SOL-FEACE CD, HEART OF THE ALIEN CD, FLASHBACK CD, ANDROID ASSAULT

Yesssss great game, very underrated. I was lucky to get a copy for $80 cib before it jumped like crazy. So weird hearing you say segaaadrunk instead of sneeesssssdrunk. Yeah, it's a shame we have yet to receive a translated version of the SFC game. Maybe someday.

I originally thought "Popful Mail" was the name of e-mail software in Asia.

That actually looks awesome

Probably my most wanted translation of a SFC game. This games seems really good.

Great review. I still have my original copy from when I was young. It's still in good condition and in case. This was one of the best on the Sega CD.

I've always wanted to play this game ever since back in the day when it was advertised. I was such a sucker for anime games, and I knew Working Designes put out good stuff back then. I never owned a Sega CD though, since my parents hated video games. Maybe one day I'll find a copy that hasn't been destroyed (for a decent price I hope) and finally play this.

One of the Sega CD games that I wanted so much to play, but couldn't get a copy of. I may eventually get around to hunting it down and playing it, but it's not all that likely.... ah well. Thanks for the video!

yay do more sega-cd!

This is a game I've been dying to play since I first seen ads in gaming magazines back in the day. I'll probably pick up a repro eventually but in the mean time glad you did this review!

This version of Popful Mail was actually developed by SIMS Co. Ltd, which developed some Game Gear games and Elemix (GBA). You mentioned Slayers in the video though, it is because Megumi Hayashibara (CV of Lina Inverse) voiced Mail in the Japanese CD versions of the game.

this is my favorite sega cd game, thanks for checking it out. I especially love the soundtrack

i would say that's she remind me of ranma for some reason

Glad I grabbed a copy of this back in the day, because it's super expensive to get a hold of now. Still, there's always Fusion.

Mail reminds me of Nova from Magic Knight Rayearth.

A sega CD game I might actually want! You can definitely see the blast processing when the character mail moves :-D

I remember playing this and Snatchers on my buddy's Sega CDX (which I borrowed). Ah, such fun.

Great review as always. The game looks neat, hopefully whoever owns the rights eventually puts it on GoG/Steam.

Never heard of this game, but it looks really interesting! Thanks for reviewing this one, now I want to play this.

I really enjoyed playing this game and I liked it's sense of humor.

Apparently the audio is actually all Genesis based, and not CD Audio based(don't quote me on that though). Also, I love Mail and her "I Biffed it"

...You say the closest comparison is Monster World IV, which wasn't released outside Japan (wasn't there a translated Virtual Console release?), but... what about (Wonder Boy in) Monster World III, which most certainly saw a worldwide release (and was an absolutely excellent game)? Is this not very comparable to that? Anyway, my main point is that you can have a good night's rest for 15 gold.

I want to go back in time so I can Re-Market all the Classic games that never got any attention. How the fuck did this game go unnoticed?

I love the old FMV animation of these old Sega CD games.

Great review. Wish I could afford a real copy.

I love that this game had a release on different systems and each game is totally different

I still have this Game and love it! But... To this day I still haven't finished it! I'm not even sure if I got half way through (what is wrong with me??)! I need to pull this gem out of storage and give it another go!

Sadly, the Super Famicom Popful Mail will probably never get an English patch, as an experienced hacker I know once said that the rom is super-difficult to hack. It's a shame too because that "version" is almost completely different from the one for Sega CD and worth playing. Fortunately it is playable in Japanese, though there is a spot early in the game where you'll likely get confused without a guide (luckily there is one).

I love the smell of retropie in the morning

This has been recommended to me. Now I’m definitely interested.

The music to this really reminds me of Soleil/Crusader of Centy

Own it haven't played it... Gotta get through this back catalog

I'm still trying to figure out how you keep your videos to just 3 to 5 minutes. The reason I don't don't do product reviews like this is because I write way too much and thus would have a heavier workload of editing.

Hey Drunk, you should check out the Sega Megadrive/Genesis game 'Sub-Terrania', and also a the Turrican's game (Snes and Sega versions)

Mail, Popful Mail Had this game as a kid, and that joke stuck with me. Good game, sadly wish I had kept it.. best comparison I'd say would be Ys 3 for Genesis and maybe Cadash.

I own a copy of this one. It's one of my favorite pieces.

Your reviews are the best!

this game looks freaking amazing

Can you review the Tengai Makyou Zero translation for SFC next?

Badass game. Mega CD top ten for sure.

I loved that game as a tween and played it to death.

i am interested in what you have to say but no mater what it is this game is one of the bestest ever THE END

Working Design's HOOOOOOO!

*Zelda 2 clones* , is what I'd describe the genre. Apart from Monster World IV, this and Faxanadu on NES, I can't think of many Zelda 2 clones.

I'm curious if you will look into other Sega CD games.

I love this game's anime style! Any other games out there that is like this? (Non Sega CD)

Great upload bro thank you

Damn, I am surprised there is no english translation for the SNES game. Is it good?

Don't think I didn't catch you editing this video where you said the word "balanced" right at the moment the sprite was balancing at an edge. I see what you did. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/i7qPpJCZ1LLFfH0.html

Been wanting to purchase this game for a while. Always balk at the price. :(

Yesssssssssss! This game was so good!

best sega cd game i owned

Do you only cover games worth like a bajillion dollars or something?

Working Designs was notorious for making the English versions of these games much harder and really stupid meme laden translations. If you like em, cool, but I don't have rose tinted glasses for these games so I'm a bit more critical. Fortunately there are some hacks out from a collection called "un-worked designs: working designs without the bullshit difficulty" that has been reworking these games to their Japanese counterpart's difficulty and balancing. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, there aren't any re-translations being done.

You usually say price or rarity

I almost hate watching videos like this because these games are too damn expensive to buy

the loons, i can hear the loons, ga

Too bad the Super Famicom version is not translated. I own it and have tried to play through it a few times.

How was that bad voice acting? I thought that voice acting was excellent.

Nicee

Good luck finding a decent copy on the cheap. So rediculous.

RIP Lil Peep 🙏🙏🙏

Looks like a game pumped up due to the fairly shitty Sega CD library.

I don't know why, but women with super skinny legs creep me out.

NO more Sega CD, please. Ugh...

I hope Sega makes a classic collection and include this game. Also Mail killed Toad from Super Mario at the end. Cool video. ^_^

This is a the BEST VERSION of All!!! Sega Mega CD / Sega CD N°1 !!!!!!

Favorite thing: There's (roughly) three separate and different scripts for the dialogue bits that aren't full cut scenes. Once you get all three characters a lot of the scenes play out different ways depending on who you have selected when you hit the trigger point. It does not change the long term outcome, but the scripts for each character can be significantly different. Least favorite thing: The invincibility frames/bounceback/stun-lock mechanics on this game are rotten

From what I've heard this game was almost reskined into a Sonic Game when it was being brought to the US. It was supposed to star Sonic's sister apparently.

Absolute banger of a game and I hate anime.

Picked the video to hear Gaw talk damn it 😠. I am disappoint

Really, really loved this one. Found a second copy at a yard sale once and sold it for hundreds of dollars.

Okay buy why is this "worth" $600? I'm not seeing anything super interesting here.

One of my all time favorites!

One of the problem with Working Design's release is how their translation isn't in line with the original script. For example, Material Horn is the original name for Muttonhead, as well as Blackie for Slick And then of course there's the cheesy western humor, such as a Mario-like italian accent for nuts cracker. Understandable since western humor and Japanese ones rarely mix well, gags that only works in Japanese typically gets lost as it crosses the language barrier. Not to mention back then game companies in the west had a hard on for "americanization" on foreign contents One thing you forgot to mention is that Working Design artificially raised the game's difficulty intentionally, increasing the enemy's damage output while reducing your own, raising prices for shop items, and all but eliminated the invincibility frames upon taking damage Still, the Japanese version is a real high quality production, simply because it's got legendary voice actors like Megumi Hayashibara and Akira Ishida that voiced Mail and Tat respectively, it doesn't get any better than that. Despite Falcom tried to pitch an animation adaptation and no one was interested, the in game dialogues and cutscenes is just like watching an animation in it's own right. If there's one thing the English version did right, it's having Jennifer Stigile sing the ending song, and although the lyrics is completely different than the Japanese original, it still sounds very good

I loved this game made me glad I got a sega cd when it was 25$ 😆

Wow, you know Slayers?

if you knew nothing else about the GOD AWFUL "system" sega cd and saw this demoscene clip then rented the game.. youde have gone HMMM why didnt i pay the 400 dollars for this system?? these games are so great!!. then you played the rest of the sega cd "library" and lmao its another symbol of what sadly could have been. needless to say ...

This gane is stupid ridiculous exspensive

On my fifth beer and watching your videos. Thumbs up all. Thanks!

This game was great!

Mail gives me Lina Inverse vibes

Someone should mod the Game to be Sega's Intended Localization could Sister Sonic.

You gotta play Lunar 1 and 2 (if you haven't already) and Shining Force CD.

Japanese version of this has enemies which are slightly less damage spongey

More sega cd games please

The music is so good. I've listened to certain songs many, many times in the past. Hopefully, I'll get to play the game some day as well.

As soon as i saw the art style i though about Slayers...and the slapstick vibe seems to fit too. Definitively will try it or at least watch the anime

So this is actually an action-adventure, since you have neither experience points nor a skill tree.

I love the look.