Yesterday, I posted a review of the FC-Twin Light Gun. As I did not have my television configured probably to get accurate shots out of the gun, I was less than pleased. The same setup allowed for accuracy out of my NES Zapper, so I thought,"Surely those would work for the FC-Twin Light Gun as well, right? ... right?"
Well, the answer to that question is a definitive no. To get an accurate shot out of the FC-Twin Light Gun, I had to lower my CRT TV's brightness settings down to zero. Of, course, this makes the games look a little darker than they should, but the gun is quite functional. So, in light of that, I feel obligated to re-review the FC-Twin Light Gun.
Build Quality:
I dwelled on it a little more than I should have because the gun wouldn't always fire correctly, but the truth is still that this gun is made of what feels like pretty cheap plastic. It's a very lightweight gun -- which is nice for these types of games -- but it doesn't give me a lot of confidence that this gun will work ten years down the road.
The trigger, in particular, feels flimsy. It's quite the step down in quality from the NES Zapper.
Functionality:
With your television properly configured, the gun will work just as well as the NES Zapper. I was able to get as far as I normally could in Hogan's Alley and actually a little further in Duck Hunt. The lightweight nature of the gun really does help with accuracy.
One game that I had trouble with was Operation Wolf. With same low-brightness settings, I could not get the game to register a single shot. This is (I assume) because Operation Wolf registers your hit differently. To get it to work, you need to raise the brightness. Despite my best efforts, it was hard to get a completely accurate shot out of that game. However, I honestly think it has more to do with the way Operation Wolf works than the FC-Twin Light Gun itself, as I've always had the same trouble out of the NES Zapper.
To Buy or Not To Buy
Since it seems to work (albeit with different brightness/contrast settings than you would get out of your NES), I would recommend it. I prefer the way the way Duck Hunt's brightness looks via NES, but not enough to actually hook up my NES and play Duck Hunt own it. Provided the durability holds up, the FC-Twin Light Gun is just as good as the NES Zapper. And that's saying something.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Thursday, March 14, 2013
A Review of The FC-Twin
As I said in my previous post on SNES game prices, I recently got an FC-Twin. There's a decent bit of information on this Famiclone from Google, but more never hurts.
Well, for starters, the FC-Twin is shaped to resemble a remodeled Super Nintendo (that would be the small one). It looks pretty nice, although I wish it was bigger like the original Super Nintendo. The FC-Twin feels quite light when you pick up, which is something I don't like in a game console. Pick up a NES, SNES, N64, GCN, Wii, or (I suspect) a Wii-U. You know you're holding a good device because it has a certain amount of weight to it. The FC-Twin's lightweight design doesn't give me that same assurance. But to be fair, it hasn't broken or anything yet. ;)
The device itself is used to play Nintendo and Super Nintendo games. For the most part, it seems like the FC-Twin can play whatever game you decide to throw at it. The performance is significantly better than many cloned Nintendo consoles I've seen on Youtube. When it works, it seems to do everything close to perfectly. The sound and video are quite good for most games. I've played the hell of Super Mario Bros. 1 on NES and I noticed one really insignificant difference.
However, problems WILL emerge with compatibility. Be careful, as there are contradictory lists on which games work and which games do not. To the best of my knowledge, I have a later revision of the FC-Twin. Tengen Gauntlet works in the sense that it will load, but the horrendous graphical glitches make it unplayable. I had to hook my NES back up to play it. Problems probably exist for other Tengen games as well. These problems more than likely extend to any unlicensed game which uses a different mapper than what the FC-Twin has been designed to handle.
Another bad thing is that it only uses SNES controllers. I like SNES controllers, so that doesn't really bother me too much. However, what does bother me is the lack of NES Zapper support. The FC-Twin does not come with a light gun, although Yobo (FC-Twin's manufacturer) makes one that you can purchase. My local game store didn't have it, so I had to order it online. It was thirteen bucks plus shipping, although there were some eBay auctions that had it cheaper than that. After it gets here and I've had a chance to test it out on my three or four Zapper games, I'll post a review of it on this blog.
But despite those problems, the FC-Twin can still a pretty worthwhile device. My NES works after going through the standard clean up procedures. You know, you have to clean the game with rubbing alcohol, put it in, adjust the cart's position ten or twenty times, and if you're lucky, you'll hit that sweet spot where the game will work perfectly for hours. In stark contrast, the FC-Twin works immediately when the game is compatible. And that is pretty freakin' sweet.
I long for a Famiclone with sturdy build quality and 100% compatibility. I'm sure the day will come, but until then, the FC-Twin is not a bad choice. It definitely cannot replace the original hardware, but it can make for a good companion for your original hardware. NES is nearly thirty years old, and it needs a second younger console to take some of its workload off it!
The device itself is used to play Nintendo and Super Nintendo games. For the most part, it seems like the FC-Twin can play whatever game you decide to throw at it. The performance is significantly better than many cloned Nintendo consoles I've seen on Youtube. When it works, it seems to do everything close to perfectly. The sound and video are quite good for most games. I've played the hell of Super Mario Bros. 1 on NES and I noticed one really insignificant difference.
However, problems WILL emerge with compatibility. Be careful, as there are contradictory lists on which games work and which games do not. To the best of my knowledge, I have a later revision of the FC-Twin. Tengen Gauntlet works in the sense that it will load, but the horrendous graphical glitches make it unplayable. I had to hook my NES back up to play it. Problems probably exist for other Tengen games as well. These problems more than likely extend to any unlicensed game which uses a different mapper than what the FC-Twin has been designed to handle.
Another bad thing is that it only uses SNES controllers. I like SNES controllers, so that doesn't really bother me too much. However, what does bother me is the lack of NES Zapper support. The FC-Twin does not come with a light gun, although Yobo (FC-Twin's manufacturer) makes one that you can purchase. My local game store didn't have it, so I had to order it online. It was thirteen bucks plus shipping, although there were some eBay auctions that had it cheaper than that. After it gets here and I've had a chance to test it out on my three or four Zapper games, I'll post a review of it on this blog.
But despite those problems, the FC-Twin can still a pretty worthwhile device. My NES works after going through the standard clean up procedures. You know, you have to clean the game with rubbing alcohol, put it in, adjust the cart's position ten or twenty times, and if you're lucky, you'll hit that sweet spot where the game will work perfectly for hours. In stark contrast, the FC-Twin works immediately when the game is compatible. And that is pretty freakin' sweet.
I long for a Famiclone with sturdy build quality and 100% compatibility. I'm sure the day will come, but until then, the FC-Twin is not a bad choice. It definitely cannot replace the original hardware, but it can make for a good companion for your original hardware. NES is nearly thirty years old, and it needs a second younger console to take some of its workload off it!
Sunday, March 10, 2013
The Surging Price of SNES Games
Disgruntled with the prices and general quality of modern gaming, I decided to get all retro and rebuild my SNES game collection. Boy, I was in for a rude awakening. Have you seen the prices of SNES games lately? For the core games, they're outrageous. Check out this Amazon listing of Castlevania IV. thirty-four dollars for a used copy, and that's without the box and manual. I do recall buying that game from a Wal-Mart bargain bin for twenty dollars. Wtf?
That's just one example. A Link to the Past will run you up to thirty. Donkey Kong Country games will go for just as much. The pack-in game Super Mario World is a somewhat overpriced at eleven dollars. Pretty much any game you remember fondly will run you cost you far more than it's actually worth.
I ask again: Wtf? These games were the best-selling titles for the SNES. There are millions of them in circulation. We're paying -- or rather, not paying -- the fanboy tax. I know full well that there are Zelda fans that would pay $200 dollars for a loose cartridge of A Link to the Past with a ripped label. Why? Who knows what motivates the deranged minds of the fanboy element? I leave that to the Sigmund Freuds and Carl Jungs of the world.
I've been searching the web for some sort of answer to this apparent surge in SNES game pricing. Different explanations have been presented:
Nostalgia Increases Demand: That's definitely part of it. As I said, nostalgia motivated me to look into rebuilding a SNES collection. However, I know my old game economics, and that these things simply aren't worth the asking price. That brings me to my next point:
Not-So-Savvy Consumers: The prices should fall if people aren't willing to pay these rates. However, people are willing to pay these rates. Maybe it's the thrill of buying it now, but you should be able to find the same game at a flea market or yard sale for substantially less. I'm talking five to ten dollars tops. That's assuming you can't find Castlevania IV for less than $34 at a used game store, and I -- HOPE -- that you can.
Hipsters: Related to above. Do people really collect retro games to be trendy? Uh, apparently so. The core SNES games are apparently seeing more demand than they might normally due to additional consumers.
New Hardware: I didn't mention it, but when I tried to boot up my SNES, I realized that the fabled Black Screen of Death had finally come to claim it. Research revealed that fixing it may well cost as much as a new (used) SNES, so I decided to try out an FC-Twin. It's a Famiclone that plays NES and SNES games. Compatibility is not 100%, but it's pretty good, all things considered. Audio emulation is pretty spot-on, which is apparently uncommon for Famiclones, but I digress. The point is that this newer, cheaper, hardware is making it possible for those who are not nostalgic blowhards like me to make use of the cartridges. I've seen Youtube videos of little kids talking about the Legend of Zelda being "a great FC-Twin game." Heh! Well, at least they're playing the classics. ;)
In looking at it all, it's clear that there's quite a bit of demand for SNES games out there. More than you would expect from a twenty-two year or game console. That's for sure. However, I really do believe that the amount of cartridges printed for these games more than exceeds the amount of cartridges needed for everyone to have one... atat a price less that forty dollars!
But I really want to play some SNES games that I haven't played before, anyway. Not to be too hipster-ish, but I'm going to find some cool SNES platformer that neither one of us have ever heard of. :P
That's just one example. A Link to the Past will run you up to thirty. Donkey Kong Country games will go for just as much. The pack-in game Super Mario World is a somewhat overpriced at eleven dollars. Pretty much any game you remember fondly will run you cost you far more than it's actually worth.
I ask again: Wtf? These games were the best-selling titles for the SNES. There are millions of them in circulation. We're paying -- or rather, not paying -- the fanboy tax. I know full well that there are Zelda fans that would pay $200 dollars for a loose cartridge of A Link to the Past with a ripped label. Why? Who knows what motivates the deranged minds of the fanboy element? I leave that to the Sigmund Freuds and Carl Jungs of the world.
I've been searching the web for some sort of answer to this apparent surge in SNES game pricing. Different explanations have been presented:
Nostalgia Increases Demand: That's definitely part of it. As I said, nostalgia motivated me to look into rebuilding a SNES collection. However, I know my old game economics, and that these things simply aren't worth the asking price. That brings me to my next point:
Not-So-Savvy Consumers: The prices should fall if people aren't willing to pay these rates. However, people are willing to pay these rates. Maybe it's the thrill of buying it now, but you should be able to find the same game at a flea market or yard sale for substantially less. I'm talking five to ten dollars tops. That's assuming you can't find Castlevania IV for less than $34 at a used game store, and I -- HOPE -- that you can.
Hipsters: Related to above. Do people really collect retro games to be trendy? Uh, apparently so. The core SNES games are apparently seeing more demand than they might normally due to additional consumers.
New Hardware: I didn't mention it, but when I tried to boot up my SNES, I realized that the fabled Black Screen of Death had finally come to claim it. Research revealed that fixing it may well cost as much as a new (used) SNES, so I decided to try out an FC-Twin. It's a Famiclone that plays NES and SNES games. Compatibility is not 100%, but it's pretty good, all things considered. Audio emulation is pretty spot-on, which is apparently uncommon for Famiclones, but I digress. The point is that this newer, cheaper, hardware is making it possible for those who are not nostalgic blowhards like me to make use of the cartridges. I've seen Youtube videos of little kids talking about the Legend of Zelda being "a great FC-Twin game." Heh! Well, at least they're playing the classics. ;)
In looking at it all, it's clear that there's quite a bit of demand for SNES games out there. More than you would expect from a twenty-two year or game console. That's for sure. However, I really do believe that the amount of cartridges printed for these games more than exceeds the amount of cartridges needed for everyone to have one... atat a price less that forty dollars!
But I really want to play some SNES games that I haven't played before, anyway. Not to be too hipster-ish, but I'm going to find some cool SNES platformer that neither one of us have ever heard of. :P
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Twilight Princess Vs. Skyward Sword
Someone mentioned how the Zelda games appear to be getting easier and easier. That led my mind down this track. Which is better: Twilight Princess or Skyward Sword? They're both fairly easy, provided you're accustomed to the core mechanics of how to play Zelda. I'd say Skyward Sword is significantly harder in terms of combat, but both games hold your hand the entire way through. To TP's credit, Midna's character does make that handholding a little more bearable.
Twilight Princess: Pros and Cons
Pros:
1) Standard Zelda Quest: The storyline and world of Twilight Princess fits right in with what you'd expect from a Zelda game. It's Hyrule, you are Link, and evil monsters are giving everyone a hard time. Some evil wizard seems to be causing these afflictions, but in the end, you learn that Ganon is really the cause of everything.
2) Simpler Control Scheme: Some mind find faults with the swordplay, but Wiimote IR aiming is pretty sweet. You don't need to recalibrate it, or worry that a change in sitting position might affect your shot.
3) Great Graphics: At the time of release, Twilight Princess' graphics were great. That's what we (or at least I) have been wanting since playing ALttP as a youngster. It makes Zelda look more hardcore than the lackluster quest actually was.
4) "Epic" Moments: Link is not a youngster trying to attain knighthood in Twilight Princess. He's a Legendary Hero that's been waiting for an opportunity to shine. No one else can save Hyrule, as only those Hyruleans with a piece of the Triforce can enter the Twilight. The people are all counting on him. Colin actually builds up Link's level of heroism at times, and even gives Link opportunities to look more legendary than he did before (i.e. When King Bulbin captures him). Link also engages in various sword battles against enemies which look quite intimidating.The darknut battles are some of the finest moments in Zelda, and the Ganondorf fight is pretty good too.
5) One of the Best Guides: Midna is right up there with Tetra and the King of the Red Lions from TWW. Fi is, in fact, a major step down from any Zelda guide -- even Navi!
Cons
1) Tear Drops. Oh Goddesses, the Tear Drops!: Before each of the first three dungeons, you have to collect these Tears of Light to revive the spirits of each Province of Hyrule. It is boring, and it takes forever. Why thought it back in SS, I have no idea.
2) A to Z Quest: Most of the games do have obligatory prescribed dungeon orders, so it's not a major fault. My main beef is with Midna telling me I can't leave the Twilight! That's an artificial barrier, and it sucks.
3) Handholding/Predictability: Maybe it's because I and most other players that find fault with TP have played too many Zelda games. I don't know. But actually figuring out what to do in TP was just too easy. The sidequest may appear unrelated to the main quest, but with Zelda logic in tow, you know that this is going to open up the way to another dungeon.
4) Easiness: Twilight Princess was a cakewalk, in terms of both combat and puzzles.
Skyward Sword: Pros and Cons
Pros:
1) Nice Swordplay: I liked the way the sword worked in this game. The actual swordplay wasn't 1:1, but the non-strike movement was. I imagine it became apparent that a more fun game could be produced if Link strikes in basic directions.
2) Some Fresh Music: Much of SS was orchestrated, in fact. I'm all about the Faron Woods theme! It kind of reminds me of the intro to Fires At Midnight by Blackmore's Night (the first few seconds, but nothing else. ;) ).
3) Reuse of Items: If TP's cons were any indication, I don't like SS' linearity. However, at least SS made good use of the linear path. In the later dungeons, the earlier items are necessary. In the last dungeon, every item is needed, if I'm not mistaken. It's a pretty cool idea.
4) Fleshed Out Characters: Characters not at all related to the main quest have their lives fleshed out. With the exception of Majora's Mask, I can't think of another game where this has occurred.
5) Some Great Bosses: The boss of the Ancient Cistern was pretty hardcore. On Hero Mode, I hard some serious problems keeping up with him. Demise wasn't as cool as Ganon, although he sort of was Ganon... I guess. I suppose the fanon is still out on that. Anyway, I was getting to the fact that the cinematics of the battle with Demise were flat out awesome.
6) Excellent Dungeons: Nice graphics, interesting puzzles, some good enemies. I'm a fan of the Stalfos Knights, and it's good to see them back for another game. Their SS form was good. Not as good as OoT's in terms of look, but the swordplay was right up there with the N64 controller.
Cons:
1) Fi: FI FI FI. Worst Con Ever. I've rambled about it before and I'm not doing it again.
2) Linear Path: Not as bad as TP's due to item reuse, but still. I don't like how the world is actually unavailable. There's not even the hope of being able to get to Lanayru before Faron. :(
3) The Sky: It takes forever to get anywhere in the sky. There's no warp system to get around up there either. They should have added in Sky-Rolling on button A.
4) A premise different from other Zeldas, but not a very good one: The Wind Waker was different from other Zelda games, but still very cool. If you can't go on a swordwielding medieval journey through a fantasy world, can't you at least be a pirate? Being a skyman is not something that I'd really like to do. :P
I would say that despite its many problems, Skyward Sword is a better game than Twilight Princess. It makes the same mistakes, but improves upon those mistakes in many areas. But that's just my opinion.
Twilight Princess: Pros and Cons
Pros:
1) Standard Zelda Quest: The storyline and world of Twilight Princess fits right in with what you'd expect from a Zelda game. It's Hyrule, you are Link, and evil monsters are giving everyone a hard time. Some evil wizard seems to be causing these afflictions, but in the end, you learn that Ganon is really the cause of everything.
2) Simpler Control Scheme: Some mind find faults with the swordplay, but Wiimote IR aiming is pretty sweet. You don't need to recalibrate it, or worry that a change in sitting position might affect your shot.
3) Great Graphics: At the time of release, Twilight Princess' graphics were great. That's what we (or at least I) have been wanting since playing ALttP as a youngster. It makes Zelda look more hardcore than the lackluster quest actually was.
4) "Epic" Moments: Link is not a youngster trying to attain knighthood in Twilight Princess. He's a Legendary Hero that's been waiting for an opportunity to shine. No one else can save Hyrule, as only those Hyruleans with a piece of the Triforce can enter the Twilight. The people are all counting on him. Colin actually builds up Link's level of heroism at times, and even gives Link opportunities to look more legendary than he did before (i.e. When King Bulbin captures him). Link also engages in various sword battles against enemies which look quite intimidating.The darknut battles are some of the finest moments in Zelda, and the Ganondorf fight is pretty good too.
5) One of the Best Guides: Midna is right up there with Tetra and the King of the Red Lions from TWW. Fi is, in fact, a major step down from any Zelda guide -- even Navi!
Cons
1) Tear Drops. Oh Goddesses, the Tear Drops!: Before each of the first three dungeons, you have to collect these Tears of Light to revive the spirits of each Province of Hyrule. It is boring, and it takes forever. Why thought it back in SS, I have no idea.
2) A to Z Quest: Most of the games do have obligatory prescribed dungeon orders, so it's not a major fault. My main beef is with Midna telling me I can't leave the Twilight! That's an artificial barrier, and it sucks.
3) Handholding/Predictability: Maybe it's because I and most other players that find fault with TP have played too many Zelda games. I don't know. But actually figuring out what to do in TP was just too easy. The sidequest may appear unrelated to the main quest, but with Zelda logic in tow, you know that this is going to open up the way to another dungeon.
4) Easiness: Twilight Princess was a cakewalk, in terms of both combat and puzzles.
Skyward Sword: Pros and Cons
Pros:
1) Nice Swordplay: I liked the way the sword worked in this game. The actual swordplay wasn't 1:1, but the non-strike movement was. I imagine it became apparent that a more fun game could be produced if Link strikes in basic directions.
2) Some Fresh Music: Much of SS was orchestrated, in fact. I'm all about the Faron Woods theme! It kind of reminds me of the intro to Fires At Midnight by Blackmore's Night (the first few seconds, but nothing else. ;) ).
3) Reuse of Items: If TP's cons were any indication, I don't like SS' linearity. However, at least SS made good use of the linear path. In the later dungeons, the earlier items are necessary. In the last dungeon, every item is needed, if I'm not mistaken. It's a pretty cool idea.
4) Fleshed Out Characters: Characters not at all related to the main quest have their lives fleshed out. With the exception of Majora's Mask, I can't think of another game where this has occurred.
5) Some Great Bosses: The boss of the Ancient Cistern was pretty hardcore. On Hero Mode, I hard some serious problems keeping up with him. Demise wasn't as cool as Ganon, although he sort of was Ganon... I guess. I suppose the fanon is still out on that. Anyway, I was getting to the fact that the cinematics of the battle with Demise were flat out awesome.
6) Excellent Dungeons: Nice graphics, interesting puzzles, some good enemies. I'm a fan of the Stalfos Knights, and it's good to see them back for another game. Their SS form was good. Not as good as OoT's in terms of look, but the swordplay was right up there with the N64 controller.
Cons:
1) Fi: FI FI FI. Worst Con Ever. I've rambled about it before and I'm not doing it again.
2) Linear Path: Not as bad as TP's due to item reuse, but still. I don't like how the world is actually unavailable. There's not even the hope of being able to get to Lanayru before Faron. :(
3) The Sky: It takes forever to get anywhere in the sky. There's no warp system to get around up there either. They should have added in Sky-Rolling on button A.
4) A premise different from other Zeldas, but not a very good one: The Wind Waker was different from other Zelda games, but still very cool. If you can't go on a swordwielding medieval journey through a fantasy world, can't you at least be a pirate? Being a skyman is not something that I'd really like to do. :P
I would say that despite its many problems, Skyward Sword is a better game than Twilight Princess. It makes the same mistakes, but improves upon those mistakes in many areas. But that's just my opinion.
Monday, November 12, 2012
My Top 20 N64 Games
I spent much a lot of last couple of weeks playing random N64 games with one of my friends. We really enjoyed it. It got me to thinking, and after I think, I tend to ramble! What do I think are the best N64 games? Hmm... it's like I'm kid in a retro gaming candy store, or perhaps just a kid in a retro gaming store. Keep in mind that this list is just off the top of my head. I'm probably forgetting a few games that I think are worthy of being on here.
20: WCW vs. NWO Revenge
I remember getting this for Christmas a decade or so ago. It's pretty sweet. It's a sequel to World Tour, which kind of sucks in comparison. The simple control scheme is what makes Revenge so much fun. It's pretty fun on single player, but you could spend days playing it on multiplayer. Also, the game has some knowledge of wrestling rivalries as they were at the time, and allied wrestlers will run in and help their buddies if they're losing too badly.
19: Doom 64
I love the way N64 FPS games conduct themselves. There's no online mode, so the campaigns are seldom linear. People would boo that stuff back in the day. From what I understand, Doom 64 is actually not the same game as the original Doom on PC. It's a sort of side story game that's made by Midway. Whatever the case, I like the way you have to explore the corridors and how enemies will pop up whenever you find something.
18: Snowboarder Kids
I don't have as much experience with this game as I'd like to, but I rented it several times back in the day. It's kind of like a kart racing game, except that it's on snowboards. I only recall that I really enjoyed it.
17: Gex 64
Gex is a one-liner delivering lizard. What's not like about that? I like all of the Gex games for N64 and PS1.
16: NFL Blitz
It's one of those games that's fun to play with friends. It's a shame that Midway couldn't get the NFL license for several of the later entries.
15: Starfox 64
Starfox is pretty nifty. The controls are nice and loose. I think Star Wars: Rogue Squadron is a much better game, but that's not to say Starfox is bad.
14: BattleTanx: Global Assault
Finally, you can blow up a buildings with tanks!
13: Mario 64
I have a confession: Aside from Gex, this is the only 3D platformer for N64 that I like (unless you could Zelda). I'm not big on Banjo Kazooie, and I hate Donkey Kong 64, so...
12: Wrestlemania 2000
This game is much better than the very-good WCW vs. NWO: Revenge. From what little I've played of No Mercy, I can safely say that I think it sucks when compared to this game. This has a Create-A-Wrestler mode, the ability to create little factions comparable to DX or whoever, a story mode, theme music for every wrestler, and is all around a fantastic game.
11: Mystical Ninja: Starring Goemon
It's kind of like Zelda meets Mario 64. I'm always eager for games that are sort of like Zelda. I like the other N64 Goemon game too, but not as much.
10: Duke Nukem 64
Like Doom 64, it's fairly non-linear. But Duke Nukem 64 has humor, and also a nice multiplayer mode.
9: Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
I'm a big fan of the movies. In some ways, I think of Rogue Squadron as a sort of sequel to Starfox 64. It's like not-on-rails version of that game, with better graphics, better sound, and generally better everything. It could have used a multiplayer mode, though.
8: Mario Golf
There are lots of unlockables in Mario Golf. You could spend a good bit of time just unlocking all of the courses and characters. The multiplayer is what's so fun about Mario Golf, though. I'm told you can actually create your own golfer if you have a GBC, a transfer pak, and Mario Golf for GBC, but that's a lot to hunt down. Heh.
7: Pokemon Stadium
Speaking of transfer paks, here's the only game I ever used that thing on. Pokemon Stadium is another good multiplayer game. Of course you can battle your Pokemon via Gameboys and Link Cables, but it's much more fun to do it in 3D. The graphics on this game are in 3D, it has commentary, and you can also play Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow from the transfer pak (with the games running four times as fast!).
6: Pokemon Puzzle League
I forgot how much I liked Pokemon when I was a kid. This game is basically Tetris Attack, but it uses the license of the Pokemon cartoon. There's lots of soundbytes, good midi renditions of the cartoon's music, and so forth. I honestly think that Tetris Attack is more fun in this form.
5: Goldeneye I prefer Perfect Dark, but I like the Golden Gun mode.
4: Majora's Mask
Majora's Mask is a really impressive game, mostly due to its sidequests. There are many of them. Termina's society is far more realistic than Skylofts. Given that 12 years have passed in-between these games, that's kind of sad.
3: Diddy Kong Racing
The game that led to this list. The actual game is fantastic, but it's better when you use cheat codes. You can actually unlock co-op campaign. How badass is that?
2: Perfect Dark
It's the perfection of the already-near-perfect Goldeneye. The campaign mode is intense, has heavily non-linear progression through the levels, there are a variety of guns (all of which have dual firing modes). There's a Combat Simulator mode with bots that you can play against. There are Challenges that can be completed by yourself or with friends. Perfect Dark is better than many newer console FPS games that I've played, and that's taking into account their online modes.
1: Ocarina of Time
What could be better than Ocarina of Time? Majora's Mask and Ocarina of Time are both phenomenal for their own reasons. I like OoT more because of the actual quest, though.
There you have it, gentlemen. Sounds about right. 10-1 are all pretty close.
20: WCW vs. NWO Revenge
I remember getting this for Christmas a decade or so ago. It's pretty sweet. It's a sequel to World Tour, which kind of sucks in comparison. The simple control scheme is what makes Revenge so much fun. It's pretty fun on single player, but you could spend days playing it on multiplayer. Also, the game has some knowledge of wrestling rivalries as they were at the time, and allied wrestlers will run in and help their buddies if they're losing too badly.
19: Doom 64
I love the way N64 FPS games conduct themselves. There's no online mode, so the campaigns are seldom linear. People would boo that stuff back in the day. From what I understand, Doom 64 is actually not the same game as the original Doom on PC. It's a sort of side story game that's made by Midway. Whatever the case, I like the way you have to explore the corridors and how enemies will pop up whenever you find something.
18: Snowboarder Kids
I don't have as much experience with this game as I'd like to, but I rented it several times back in the day. It's kind of like a kart racing game, except that it's on snowboards. I only recall that I really enjoyed it.
17: Gex 64
Gex is a one-liner delivering lizard. What's not like about that? I like all of the Gex games for N64 and PS1.
16: NFL Blitz
It's one of those games that's fun to play with friends. It's a shame that Midway couldn't get the NFL license for several of the later entries.
15: Starfox 64
Starfox is pretty nifty. The controls are nice and loose. I think Star Wars: Rogue Squadron is a much better game, but that's not to say Starfox is bad.
14: BattleTanx: Global Assault
Finally, you can blow up a buildings with tanks!
13: Mario 64
I have a confession: Aside from Gex, this is the only 3D platformer for N64 that I like (unless you could Zelda). I'm not big on Banjo Kazooie, and I hate Donkey Kong 64, so...
12: Wrestlemania 2000
This game is much better than the very-good WCW vs. NWO: Revenge. From what little I've played of No Mercy, I can safely say that I think it sucks when compared to this game. This has a Create-A-Wrestler mode, the ability to create little factions comparable to DX or whoever, a story mode, theme music for every wrestler, and is all around a fantastic game.
11: Mystical Ninja: Starring Goemon
It's kind of like Zelda meets Mario 64. I'm always eager for games that are sort of like Zelda. I like the other N64 Goemon game too, but not as much.
10: Duke Nukem 64
Like Doom 64, it's fairly non-linear. But Duke Nukem 64 has humor, and also a nice multiplayer mode.
9: Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
I'm a big fan of the movies. In some ways, I think of Rogue Squadron as a sort of sequel to Starfox 64. It's like not-on-rails version of that game, with better graphics, better sound, and generally better everything. It could have used a multiplayer mode, though.
8: Mario Golf
There are lots of unlockables in Mario Golf. You could spend a good bit of time just unlocking all of the courses and characters. The multiplayer is what's so fun about Mario Golf, though. I'm told you can actually create your own golfer if you have a GBC, a transfer pak, and Mario Golf for GBC, but that's a lot to hunt down. Heh.
7: Pokemon Stadium
Speaking of transfer paks, here's the only game I ever used that thing on. Pokemon Stadium is another good multiplayer game. Of course you can battle your Pokemon via Gameboys and Link Cables, but it's much more fun to do it in 3D. The graphics on this game are in 3D, it has commentary, and you can also play Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow from the transfer pak (with the games running four times as fast!).
6: Pokemon Puzzle League
I forgot how much I liked Pokemon when I was a kid. This game is basically Tetris Attack, but it uses the license of the Pokemon cartoon. There's lots of soundbytes, good midi renditions of the cartoon's music, and so forth. I honestly think that Tetris Attack is more fun in this form.
5: Goldeneye I prefer Perfect Dark, but I like the Golden Gun mode.
4: Majora's Mask
Majora's Mask is a really impressive game, mostly due to its sidequests. There are many of them. Termina's society is far more realistic than Skylofts. Given that 12 years have passed in-between these games, that's kind of sad.
3: Diddy Kong Racing
The game that led to this list. The actual game is fantastic, but it's better when you use cheat codes. You can actually unlock co-op campaign. How badass is that?
2: Perfect Dark
It's the perfection of the already-near-perfect Goldeneye. The campaign mode is intense, has heavily non-linear progression through the levels, there are a variety of guns (all of which have dual firing modes). There's a Combat Simulator mode with bots that you can play against. There are Challenges that can be completed by yourself or with friends. Perfect Dark is better than many newer console FPS games that I've played, and that's taking into account their online modes.
1: Ocarina of Time
What could be better than Ocarina of Time? Majora's Mask and Ocarina of Time are both phenomenal for their own reasons. I like OoT more because of the actual quest, though.
There you have it, gentlemen. Sounds about right. 10-1 are all pretty close.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
(Rumor) Nintendo is Buying Rare Back
Check this out. It's a rumor which briefly raises the hopes and dreams of countless Rareware fans. If you believe the anonymous email (and alas, you probably shouldn't), Nintendo is currently in the process of attempting to purchase Rare and its various Intellectual Properties.
It goes on to say that Retro Studios is already developing a Banjo Kazooie game. That strikes me as a tad odd. It would be unusual for them to develop a game that they don't even own. Heck, it would be copyright infringment! The only way I can rationalize that is that Retro Studios is making a generic 3D platformer on which they will tack Banjo and Kazooie in the event that the purchase is successful. To me, that seems rather unlikely.
But as the initial publisher of the rumor Zelda Informer did, I'm inclined to humor the speculation. With the Wii-U coming up, Nintendo is trying to target the 'hardcore' gamer types. Producing types of games Rare used to make would do just that. Hypothetical games like Killer Instinct 3 (which need not be developed by Rare if Nintendo owns the whole thing) and Perfect Dark 2 would do wonders for their effort to regain their traditional market. I would buy a Wii-U to play a new entry into the Perfect Dark franchise or even some of Rare's more off the wall games like BlastCorps.
Of course, the people who made Rare great are no longer there. If it's happening (and it's not), the move is just to gain those Rare game IPs which aren't doing anything for Microsoft right now. If Microsoft would just have Rare try and make a few traditional Rareware games, this rumor wouldn't have any traction.
At any rate, a google search for "nintendo buying rare back" revealed this petition. A noble endeavor, even if it will probably never happen. Sign it if you're so inclined.
http://www.petitiononline.com/petitions/f42f5ved/signatures
It goes on to say that Retro Studios is already developing a Banjo Kazooie game. That strikes me as a tad odd. It would be unusual for them to develop a game that they don't even own. Heck, it would be copyright infringment! The only way I can rationalize that is that Retro Studios is making a generic 3D platformer on which they will tack Banjo and Kazooie in the event that the purchase is successful. To me, that seems rather unlikely.
But as the initial publisher of the rumor Zelda Informer did, I'm inclined to humor the speculation. With the Wii-U coming up, Nintendo is trying to target the 'hardcore' gamer types. Producing types of games Rare used to make would do just that. Hypothetical games like Killer Instinct 3 (which need not be developed by Rare if Nintendo owns the whole thing) and Perfect Dark 2 would do wonders for their effort to regain their traditional market. I would buy a Wii-U to play a new entry into the Perfect Dark franchise or even some of Rare's more off the wall games like BlastCorps.
Of course, the people who made Rare great are no longer there. If it's happening (and it's not), the move is just to gain those Rare game IPs which aren't doing anything for Microsoft right now. If Microsoft would just have Rare try and make a few traditional Rareware games, this rumor wouldn't have any traction.
At any rate, a google search for "nintendo buying rare back" revealed this petition. A noble endeavor, even if it will probably never happen. Sign it if you're so inclined.
http://www.petitiononline.com/petitions/f42f5ved/signatures
Thursday, July 5, 2012
The Top Five Things I Hate About Skyward Sword
Skyward Sword has some redeeming elements... just not many. Anyway, one my friend's kids was playing SS, and he said to me, "This game sucks. There's too much text, Fi is annoying, and how anyone could possibly think this is better than Ocarina of Time 3D is beyond me." with OoT 3D being the only other Zelda game he'd ever played.
I'd thought that maybe I was just being a nostalgic blowhard by thinking it sucks when compared to previous Zeldas, but if a youngster who didn't grow up in the N64 era thinks so... well maybe I wasn't. Without a further ado, I'd like to rant about the top five things that bother me about Skyward Sword. Now of course, in contests like these, readers might be able to think of literally hundreds of things worth mention that suck about SS, but one would have to write a book to list everything wrong with this game.
5: Unnecessary Reminders
The first time you find a green, red, or orange Rupee, the game will notify you of its value. This is fine. Now, reset your Wii, then and find another Rupee. The game will notify you again. Why!? This is not only condescending, but flat out unnecessary. The amount of Rupees is shown on-screen, and anyone first grader can do the math. Really: If I was able to out Rupee values playing ALttP when I was five, kids today should be able to do it, too. Perhaps Nintendo (understandably) doesn't have any faith in our education system.
That's inexcusable, but it gets worse. How would like to have Skyward Sword notify you about what kind of bug you catch every time you turn your Wii on? And what about crafting materials? Would you like routinely hear about those? Well, no worries my friend. They've got you covered with unnecessary notifications.
And it gets worse: Fi is an unnecessary notification system that's built into the storyline. Like all Zelda games, this game has a heart meter that beeps when you're dying. However, it also Fi to explain to you that your hearts are low. A second beep will start when you have less than three hearts, that beep being Fi wanting to talk to you. She'll also talk to you when your batteries or low. I won't even touch on how she patronizes you at every turn.
4: Lazy Man's Collision Detection
Beedle's Airshop is a shop that floats above Skyloft. To get Beedle to lower a rope for you to climb up, you need to ring his bell. But how? Well, you need the slingshot for that. Can you throw a pot at the bell? No. Tell me why a pot could not hit a bell? Give me one good reason! If you throw a pot at the bell, it would go right through. You could also try using a Skyward Strike on the bell, which also go right through. You could even successfully jump off a cliff and unsuccessfully strike the thing with your sword.
The unnecessary notifications are annoying, but this is just poor design. It even continues into the regular gameplay. Why can't you shoot something with a bow that can be shot with a slingshot? Because Hylia is kind of lazy when it comes designing her civilizations? That's all I can figure.
3: It's the text, stupid.
The first problem: There is too much text in this game. The second (and worst) problem: There is no text speed option. I don't support the idea of voiceacting in Zelda, but the lack of text speed in this game makes a compelling case for it. Final Fantasy 1 had a text speed modifier in the options. For a text-based game made in 2011 not have this is just... worse than magical can-only-be-hit-three-things bells.
To make matters worse, the text is unskippable on a new file. Twilight Princess, to its credit, allowed you to skip cutscenes all day long. But in SKyward Sword, you need to play Hero Mode to be able to skip cutscenes. What if someone wants to play the regular mode with heart spawns, but doesn't want to sit through the three hour intro?
2: An A to Z Journey
It seems like I wrote an entry about this. I'm certain I complained about it on ZU or somewhere, if not. Skyward Sword is the most painfully linear Zelda game ever made. It's worse than Twilight Princess in this area, and that's saying something! Gone is the excitement of open-world exploration. It's replaced with storyline. You can't go to a later dungeon because you'd see a cutscene at the wrong time. And when story is, at best, B-movie material, it all seems very -- what's the word? -- sucky.
1: Fi. Fuck Fi!
Fi makes bad things in SS worse. The game would be so much better if Fi had been left out, or at least replaced with someone more interesting. Midna was a good guide that contributed to the story. Navi was at least helpful and not overly intrusive. Fi just constantly notifies you of things, and spits out probabilities in a manner that would make the cast of Quantum Leap shout, "STFU Ziggy! We're not retarded!" How many times in this game does a character tell you something, after which Fi tells you the same thing again? How many times does she explain dowsing to you? How many times does she abruptly stop you to state the obvious?
Really, fuck Fi!
It's good to have this off my chest.
I'd thought that maybe I was just being a nostalgic blowhard by thinking it sucks when compared to previous Zeldas, but if a youngster who didn't grow up in the N64 era thinks so... well maybe I wasn't. Without a further ado, I'd like to rant about the top five things that bother me about Skyward Sword. Now of course, in contests like these, readers might be able to think of literally hundreds of things worth mention that suck about SS, but one would have to write a book to list everything wrong with this game.
5: Unnecessary Reminders
The first time you find a green, red, or orange Rupee, the game will notify you of its value. This is fine. Now, reset your Wii, then and find another Rupee. The game will notify you again. Why!? This is not only condescending, but flat out unnecessary. The amount of Rupees is shown on-screen, and anyone first grader can do the math. Really: If I was able to out Rupee values playing ALttP when I was five, kids today should be able to do it, too. Perhaps Nintendo (understandably) doesn't have any faith in our education system.
That's inexcusable, but it gets worse. How would like to have Skyward Sword notify you about what kind of bug you catch every time you turn your Wii on? And what about crafting materials? Would you like routinely hear about those? Well, no worries my friend. They've got you covered with unnecessary notifications.
And it gets worse: Fi is an unnecessary notification system that's built into the storyline. Like all Zelda games, this game has a heart meter that beeps when you're dying. However, it also Fi to explain to you that your hearts are low. A second beep will start when you have less than three hearts, that beep being Fi wanting to talk to you. She'll also talk to you when your batteries or low. I won't even touch on how she patronizes you at every turn.
4: Lazy Man's Collision Detection
Beedle's Airshop is a shop that floats above Skyloft. To get Beedle to lower a rope for you to climb up, you need to ring his bell. But how? Well, you need the slingshot for that. Can you throw a pot at the bell? No. Tell me why a pot could not hit a bell? Give me one good reason! If you throw a pot at the bell, it would go right through. You could also try using a Skyward Strike on the bell, which also go right through. You could even successfully jump off a cliff and unsuccessfully strike the thing with your sword.
The unnecessary notifications are annoying, but this is just poor design. It even continues into the regular gameplay. Why can't you shoot something with a bow that can be shot with a slingshot? Because Hylia is kind of lazy when it comes designing her civilizations? That's all I can figure.
3: It's the text, stupid.
The first problem: There is too much text in this game. The second (and worst) problem: There is no text speed option. I don't support the idea of voiceacting in Zelda, but the lack of text speed in this game makes a compelling case for it. Final Fantasy 1 had a text speed modifier in the options. For a text-based game made in 2011 not have this is just... worse than magical can-only-be-hit-three-things bells.
To make matters worse, the text is unskippable on a new file. Twilight Princess, to its credit, allowed you to skip cutscenes all day long. But in SKyward Sword, you need to play Hero Mode to be able to skip cutscenes. What if someone wants to play the regular mode with heart spawns, but doesn't want to sit through the three hour intro?
2: An A to Z Journey
It seems like I wrote an entry about this. I'm certain I complained about it on ZU or somewhere, if not. Skyward Sword is the most painfully linear Zelda game ever made. It's worse than Twilight Princess in this area, and that's saying something! Gone is the excitement of open-world exploration. It's replaced with storyline. You can't go to a later dungeon because you'd see a cutscene at the wrong time. And when story is, at best, B-movie material, it all seems very -- what's the word? -- sucky.
1: Fi. Fuck Fi!
Fi makes bad things in SS worse. The game would be so much better if Fi had been left out, or at least replaced with someone more interesting. Midna was a good guide that contributed to the story. Navi was at least helpful and not overly intrusive. Fi just constantly notifies you of things, and spits out probabilities in a manner that would make the cast of Quantum Leap shout, "STFU Ziggy! We're not retarded!" How many times in this game does a character tell you something, after which Fi tells you the same thing again? How many times does she explain dowsing to you? How many times does she abruptly stop you to state the obvious?
Really, fuck Fi!
It's good to have this off my chest.
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