Mascots Missing in Action - Where Are They?
Every story-driven art form has its share of memorable characters that, in time, become virtual representatives of the very art form they originated from. Film, for instance, has an ever-growing roster of heroes and villains we associate with the medium, be it Indiana Jones for adventure, Darth Vader for sci-fi, or James Bond for action-thrillers. Likewise, great literature has its share of legendary figures, from Ebenezer Scrooge to Frodo Baggins to Atticus Finch.
Video Games are no different. When the topic of gaming arises in conversation, one cannot help but think of Mario, Link, Cloud Strife, Master Chief or any of the other numerous characters that have appeared throughout the art form’s brief history. Some of these characters have withstood the test of time and thus proven themselves to be truly legendary – one doubts Pac-Man or Sonic the Hedgehog will be fading into obscurity anytime soon. But what of other less fortunate characters that rose to great heights of popularity, only to disappear from the public eye within a mere few years?
Earthworm Jim, one of the most clever, edgy and humorous characters of the 90’s, is a perfect example of this phenomenon. At the peak of his popularity, the annelid had his own cartoon show and his games sold in the hundreds of thousands, but fast forward ten years and his name is barely recognizable among younger gamers. And then there’s good ol’ Crash Bandicoot, the crazy marsupial that helped sell millions of PSOne’s back in the day. Crash was so popular, in fact, he became Sony’s unofficial mascot, even going so far as to inspire a series of commercials in which a guy in a Crash Bandicoot costume sat outside Nintendo of America’s headquarters in Redmond, Washington, jeering and heckling the former industry leader from the company’s parking lot. Classic stuff, but the character apparently is not – a mere half decade later, the Crash franchise is in decline with apparent little hope for a comeback. It’s a cruel industry.
So what makes a character stand the test of time? Why do we still care about Megaman and Solid Snake, but not Bonk or Duke Nukem? While the complete answer remains uncertain, what is clear is that the characters that continue to thrive today do so with the tender loving care provided by their creators. Nintendo has kept Mario relevant to modern gamers through a long series of quality games spanning multiple genres, from sports to RPGs. In other words, even if some fans have tired of Mario’s traditional platforming, hop-and-bop gameplay, they can still pursue other Mario titles that provide fresher experiences that are now more aligned with their tastes. Capcom follows a similar tactic, essentially reinventing Megaman with every console generation. The SNES years saw an edgier, more mature Megaman in the X series, while the PSOne era placed the Blue Bomber into two fantastic 3-D action-adventures (Megaman Legends 1 and 2). And for the GBA, Capcom reinvented the character once gain, introducing the hero to cyberspace in the popular Megaman Battle Network series. Thus, Megaman continues to live on.
As for poor Crash and Jim, their sharp decline is perhaps not too surprising afterall, as both those character’s respective companies, Naughty Dog and Shiny Entertainment, eventually abandoned them for other pursuits. Naughty Dog sold the Bandicoot franchise to work instead on the Jak and Daxter trilogy, while Shiny left Jim behind to concentrate instead on PC development, eventually producing such odd fare as Messiah and the underrated Sacrifice.
In the end, proper support and quality titles are what keep our favorite mascots alive. One has to wonder whether the characters and series we take for granted today, be it Sonic the Hedgehog or Master Chief, will still be popular ten years from now, or instead be doomed to follow the course of other abandoned franchises.
Until next time. . .
Mario's Return to the 2-D Realm
With the hoopla surrounding E3 finally subsiding, gamers such as myself can once again concentrate their attention on current titles versus those that might still be years away in the coming.
The latest title to earn my time and money is the new Super Mario Bros. title that saw release last week on the Nintendo DS (which is actually named, oh so cleverly, New Super Mario Bros.). I naturally snagged a copy the first day of its release and have been playing it off and on for the last week or so. Like the classic 2-D scrolling Mario games of yesteryear, the game is pure platforming fun, with Mario running from left to right, bashing bricks for power-ups, jumping over holes, and stomping enemies. Even the story, what little there is, remains as traditional as ever–Princess Peach is kidnapped once again, and now Mario (and Luigi) must set out to rescue her. And yes, the classic-style gameplay is still fun after all these years.
All is not perfect in Mario Land, however. Being a hardcore Mario fan, I could not help but be irked by several aspects of the game as I raced through the levels. First, the title omits classic characters such as Toad--a peculiar omission considering New Super Mario Bros. is more-or-less a reimagining of the original Super Mario Bros. game (where the Toads first appeared). Instead, Toadsworth seems to have taken over Toad’s role of providing items and advice, and, well, I don’t care much for the Toadsworth character. I also don’t like that Bowser Jr. has apparently replaced the seven Kooplings from Super Mario 3 and Super Mario World. Bowser’s original seven bratty kids were far more interesting and fun than the badly realized Bowser Junior, and honestly, I just can’t help but wonder why the other kids are being excluded.
From a gameplay perspective, the title is also slightly inferior to its forebears. Super Mario Bros. 3, for instance, implemented a cool map and item inventory system, plus a variety of entertaining power-ups. And Super Mario World introduced an elaborate overworld and large levels that encouraged exploration. Conversely, New Super Mario Bros. contributes little true innovation to the long running series. Indeed, despite a couple of new power-ups to experiment with and a few other surprises, the game feels more like a nostalgic tribute to older titles rather than something truly special in its own right. And while it sports an impressive number of levels, most of the stages are extremely short, linear, and easy to complete. Even the save system is annoying, as it does not allow the player to save after every completed level, but only after finishing fortress and boss stages.
The final verdict? If you’re a Mario fan, then by all means pick up a copy – it’s still a lot of fun. But after waiting fifteen years for another 2-D Mario title, I was hoping for a game better than its predecessors, be it Mario 3, Mario World, and even Yoshi’s Island.
Final Score: 9.0
Until next time. . .
E3 Week - One to Remember
Well, after a brief hiatus, I’m finally back with another post. However, with E3 held this past week, there’s simply too much exciting news to cover in one meager post. The best I’ll be able to do is merely touch on the highlights of E3.
Probably the most exciting part of the show, at least for a Nintendo fan such as myself, was the full unveiling of the Nintendo Wii (formerly known as the Revolution). Yes, the name is silly and the system a bit underpowered, but some of the games the Big N demonstrated at E3 should have any self-respecting gamer excited. As if The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Wario Ware, Super Mario Galaxy, and Metroid Prime 3 weren’t enough to convert even the most ardent Nintendo critics, the company unveiled a surprise preview of a new Super Smash Bros. game near the end of the show, and it looks awesome. Entitled Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the game boasts an assortment of new characters, from Wario to Pit (of Kid Icarus fame) to even – get this – Solid Snake from the Metal Gear Solid titles! Can Sonic, Megaman, Simon Belmont, and Pac-Man be far behind?
On the DS front, Nintendo’s showing was not as impressive, but there’s still a lot to look forward to. The new Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass looks fun, a cool new Castlevania game is in the works, Star Fox is returning, and amazingly, Nintendo is working on an official sequel to the SNES classic Yoshi’s Island. This time, baby Peach and baby Donkey Kong join Mario and Yoshi on another grand adventure. Can’t wait!
I’m not a huge Xbox fan, so I can’t say I paid as much attention the 360 as I did the other systems this year. Even so, the 360 seems to be amassing a pretty good number of titles for itself – the most highly anticipated title, of course, being Halo 3. Meant to be the final installment of the series (or of the trilogy’s first story arc, at least), a cryptic two minute trailer reveals a war torn Earth conquered by the Covenant. A weary Master Chief observes the sad reality from a distant cliff overlooking a desolate valley, and he is not pleased. Good stuff, despite the trailer being a little too vague for its own good.
The last system I’ll mention for now is the PS3. First unveiled at E3 2005, over the last year the console has traded its boomerang-styled controllers for gamepads not unlike the current Dual Shock 2. One interesting change, however, is that the controllers will now employ a gyroscopic/motion sensor type of technology that will allow the player to control the action on the screen by merely tilting or turning the controller in different directions. This feature will be ideal for racing titles, for example, and steals a little of the thunder away from Nintendo’s own motion-sensor based Wii technology.
As far as games go, the most impressive looking for the PS3 are clearly Metal Gear Solid 4 and Final Fantasy XIII. The latter of the two perhaps had the greatest impact at the show, however, if only because its appearance was not entirely expected. The trailer depicts, with beautifully detailed visuals, an unnamed female protagonist jumping and flipping through the air while firing two rapid-fire pistols down at a crowd of enemies. Interestingly, menu options appear onscreen as the action unfolds, suggesting that the graphics are actually rendered in real-time. If so, the PS3 may indeed be as ridiculously powerful as Sony claims.
The drawback, unfortunately, is the price. With a lower-end model starting at $499 (comes with a 20 GB hard drive) and a higher-end model at $599 (comes with a 60 GB hard drive), the PS3 is way too expensive for the average gamer. This fact alone could well mean the eventual end to Sony’s dominance of the video game market. Time will tell.
All in all a pretty satisfying show. While I would have liked to have seen some new, truly groundbreaking software and technology (the Wii controller notwithstanding), there’s still no doubt that gamers have a lot to look forward to, and save up for, in the months to come.
Until next time. . .
The Megaman Renaissance
Wow. The PSP has been on a roll lately. With high profile titles such as Daxter, Splinter Cell, Metal Gear Acid 2, and Syphon Filter rocking the system, gamers who were previously giving the system the cold shoulder are now being forced to give the system a second look. And with huge games such as Valkyrie Profile Lenneth and a portable Gran Turismo on the way, the PSP will continue turning heads.
But the real reason to be excited about the PSP are two particular titles that saw release just within the last few months - Megaman: Maverick Hunter X and Megaman: Powered Up. The former is an amazing retelling of the SNES classic Megaman X. Featuring completely overhauled graphics, remixed music, rewritten story, and some truly cool extras, this is a game every gamer - X fan or not - should enjoy.
The other title is actually a remake of the original Megaman game released nearly twenty years ago on the ol' NES. Like Maverick Hunter X, the game features beautiful 3-D graphics but leaves the classic 2-D gameplay intact. But while X retains the more adult art style of the SNES original, Powered Up cartoonifies its source material by presenting everything in a very expressive, lighthearted manner. From Megaman's huge head and small body to quirky robotic enemies that overflow with personality, the game's humorous imagery is not easily forgotten. Reimagined graphics aside, however, the game also has a mind-numbing number of bonuses to unlock -- players can play through the title as any of the eight robot masters (yes, two of the robots are brand new), three different versions of Megaman, Roll (his sister), and Protoman (Megaman's brother). There's also two versions of the game to play through (the original plus a brand new edition), an extensive mission mode, and best of all, a comprehensive level-editor with which players can create their own levels and upload them to the Internet for others to download. Awesome, just awesome. (You can check out a level I made for Megaman Web with the code 41439585-001).
In other words, the Blue Bomber is making a comeback, and incredibly, the PSP is the vehicle that is ushering in his return. Who would have thunk it, eh?
Until next time. . .
Mascot Makeovers
Mascot Makeovers. . .Every so often, our favorite game characters undergo certain changes. Pac-Man, once a ravenous yellow disc that traversed through blocky mazes, is now “Pac-Land’s” determined defender and savior. In appearance, Sonic the Hedgehog was proportioned to resemble, albeit slightly, an actual hedgehog in the original games before being redesigned as a much more lean and wiry character in the Sonic Adventure titles. And MegaMan? Heck, it seems Capcom reinvents that character every few years. From his MegaMan X incarnation to his depiction in the Battle Network series, the robot hero has seen more than his share of face-lifts and makeovers.
But why all the changes? Do our beloved video game heroes need to be updated on a regular basis? Look at Nintendo’s Mario. While the plumber has undergone minor changes himself over the years, he’s still essentially the same in both appearance and personality as he was twenty years ago. And he’s still going strong. What is it about Mario that allows him to remain popular despite his, for lack of a better description , old-fashioned appearance and disposition, especially when almost every other mascot under the sun has been altered, modified and contemporized at one point or another?
In any case, at least some updating of certain characters is probably necessary. Although legendary characters such as Mario can stand the test of time relatively unchanged, chances are that other classic mascots (MegaMan, Pac-Man) probably would be a distant memory today if companies had not taken the time to revitalize them in some way. That said, do we need or want a newly revamped Link in every new Zelda title that comes out? Or a significantly younger or older Snake in every new Metal Gear Solid release? Were the personality changes done to Yuna in Final Fantasy X-2 necessary? Did Naughty Dog really need to change Jak so radically (from boy hero to gritty outlaw) from Jak and Daxter to Jak and Daxter 2?
Anyway, here’s hoping that when the next beloved character or franchise is updated, it’s actually for the best. Until next time. . .
Another Week, More Games to Play
Well, the weekend has kind of gotten away from me, so this will have to be a brief update.
As most of my readers should know, Super Princess Peach has finally been released, with most critics giving the title reasonably positive scores. The highest I've seen so far is a "second opinion" score of 9.25 from Game Informer magazine (given from a female critic, not surprisingly), while towards the other end of the spectrum GameSpy gave it 3.5 stars, which is about the equivalent to a 7 on a 10-point scale.
Now that I've played both the Japanese and American versions, I think the game probably deserves a score falling somewhere between an 8 and 8.5. The game is a lot a fun, especially when played in brief spurts, but the truth is that the level design is a bit repetitive, the storyline is cheesy even by Nintendo standards, and the challenge is nearly nonexistent. I'm also not fond of how some of the characters in the game, namely Peach, Mario, Luigi, and Bowser are portrayed somewhat out-of-character. Princess Peach, for one, would never go after Bowser by herself (nor would Toadsworth appove of it), and Bowser, who actually has a sort of King Kong-esque crush on the damsel, would never brutally attack her like he does during the final boss battle in the game (you'll have to play it to fully understand). But I'm a Nintendo fanboy, so these things naturally bothers me - no doubt others could care less. In any case, I recommend the title to any Mario (and Princess) loving fan, as it's still one of the more charming titles seen in quite a while.
Speaking of portable platformers, MegaMan - Powered Up is almost here! A long-awaited PSP title, the game is essentially a remake of the original MegaMan, but with extras galore. There's new levels, bosses (which you can even play as), and best of all, a cool level-editor that allows the player to create custom levels and share them on-line with others. Budding game designers unite! If Capcom keeps the quality titles coming, the PSP might just catch up to the DS in sales afterall.
Lastly, just a few quick thoughts and news bits: The newly redesigned DS is selling out everywhere in Japan, creating shortages for DS-loving Japanese gamers everywhere. Microsoft has a new line of titles called "The Best of Platinum Hits" which is essentially the very best selling titles on the Xbox now offered for a paltry ten bucks each. Bargain, I say. Oh, and Gran Turismo 4 and God of War are finally on Sony's Greatest Hits list for twenty bucks a pop, so now no one has an excuse not to check out these quality titles (especially the latter one).
And with that, I'm off. Until next time. . .
Finally, Finally, I Have Returned. . .
Hey, I’m finally back with another entry! I apologize for not doing so sooner, but now that I’m a part of the U.S. Air Force, “free time” has become a rare commodity. Alas, the days when I could just laze around my bedroom, playing games and writing to my heart’s content - for the next four years, it seems those days are over.
Speaking of which, Basic Training, from which I graduated just a mere five weeks ago, is not exactly an environment conducive for keeping up with the latest games. Actually, my mind boggles at the thought of catching up with all the holiday releases I missed during those weeks of pain. Yep, while I was being yelled at by my Training Instructor, doing push-ups and practicing drill (marching), you, my fellow readers, were sitting in the luxury of your homes playing some exquisite holiday titles. You guys got to experience the wonders of Shadow of the Colossus while I crawled through the mud, and got to direct your own films in The Movies while I scrubbed toilets and folded laundry. How I envy you people. . .
But I survived Basic and am now in Tech School, receiving technical instruction in the field of electronics. Life is a little less crazy here – I actually have a couple of hours to myself every night for non-military related pursuits – but my time is still limited. Nevertheless, I intend to continue following the gaming industry, updating the blog once a week with my humble analysis and thoughts on all things games. I’ll still discuss classic systems and titles (a lot of Airmen here at tech school actually prefer playing the older systems), and be happy to take suggestions from readers who want a particular topic explored.
As for 2006, it’s looking to be the year of transition many expected 2005 to be. The PS2 and the original Xbox are still going strong, while the Xbox 360 still has yet to prove itself. (Heck, stores are still struggling to meet customer orders from last year.) The DS and PSP war continues, with the DS still surprising critics with its unmatched popularity (and the newly redesigned model is rumored to be coming soon), although the PSP seems destined to narrow the gap, at least in America, with an inevitable price drop and (finally) some good games. (I’m telling you now, Megaman: Maverick Hunter X is awesome, as will be Megaman: Powered Up when it releases this March.) And then there’s the PS3 and the Nintendo Revolution, two upcoming systems that should be featured prominently at this year’s E3.
What games am I playing currently? Well, I’m rushing through Megaman X Collection, Pac-Man World 3, Ratchet Deadlocked and Shadow of the Colossus for the PS2, and Pac N’ Roll and Mario Kart for the DS. I’m contemplating purchasing Monkey Ball for the DS, and I assure you I will be snagging a copy of Super Princess Peach next week. I’ve already given Peach’s first game an import preview of sorts a while back, and I heartily recommend it to any Mario fan. It’s not quite in the same league as, say, Super Mario Bros. 3 or Yoshi’s Island, but it’s still a cute, fun adventure that has a surprisingly large amount of bonuses and extras included. Just don’t expect a tough challenge or a compelling story, because, well, there’s neither.
Well, time to run. Look for another update next weekend. Until next time. . .
Farewell, For Now. . .
Some big news here: I've joined the United States Air Force and I leave this Sunday, so this will sadly be my last post until I return from Basic Training. I wanted to say thanks to my small audience who gives the blog a reason to exist, especially SC, who often leaves insightful comments that are fun to read. Anyway, expect the posts to return sometime in mid to late January. Even with my crazy new Air Force life ahead of me, I should be able to update the blog at least on a semi-regular basis. And who knows? Maybe I'll eventually be stationed in a cool place like Japan where I can report on all the cool new Japanese trends and toys. If only I could speak the Japanese language. . .
On the gaming front, the good news is that 2006 should be an exciting year for the medium, and anyone who calls himself (or herself) a gamer should be excited. With both the Sony PS3 and Nintendo Revolution coming, and some promising Xbox 360 titles on their way, 2006 will hopefully be a year to remember. For my part, I'm not so much interested in the games as I am simply in who will be the victor of the next generation. Will Microsoft finally take the lead in the system wars? Or will Sony remain number one for a third console cycle? Will Nintendo shock everyone and beat out Sony and/or Microsoft? And what of the PSP vs. the DS? Will the PSP make a comeback this year and finally give the DS some true competition? Who knows, but that's all part of the fun - wondering what direction this wacky industry will take next.
Here's wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Until next time. . .
Too Many Sequels, Not Enough Surprises
Well, with Christmas fast approaching, stores are being flooded with dozens of new releases, more than the average person can hope to keep up with. This is typical of the holiday season, and I ranted about it thoroughly in a previous post. But as I peruse the various game stores in my area, read through store ads and check the gaming web sites, I'm reminded of another problem that afflicts the industry - too many sequels and spin-offs!
Twenty years ago, sequels were almost unheard of. Sure, Pac-Man saw various spin-offs, and games such as Defender, Joust and Pole Position did get sequels, but the number of fresh, original creations far outweighed the derivative stuff. The early to mid 80s saw such diverse entertainment as Donkey Kong, Dig Dug, Tempest, Super Mario Bros., Metal Gear, The Legend of Zelda, Ultima, Final Fantasy, Double Dragon, Tetris and dozens of other creative titles - many of which would influence game development for years to come. (I know many of the games I listed here eventually saw numerous sequels themselves, but my point is that the 1980s was a time of unequaled innovation.)
Unfortunately, the current state of gaming is not so promising. With the industry obsessed with profits and big blockbuster hits, companies rarely encourage their development teams to take chances and experiment with new concepts and designs. As a result, the progress of game design has stagnated. Even the Xbox 360, a brand new console full of promise and potential, has a launch line-up of mostly sequels. Ridge Racer 6? Dead or Alive 4? Quake 4? Call of Duty 2? Do we really need so many sequels? Of course, there are
some new franchises coming. Gears of War, for instance, is a promising FPS slated soon for both the PC and Xbox 360. But in the end, it still is a FPS that looks to be only marginally better than the legions of other quality FPSs seen in just the past year. And therein lies the problem. Games are getting better, but are not breaking much new ground. Sure, most will agree Quake 4 is better than Quake 3, but only by a little. How much better will Quake 5 be over Quake 4? Should there even be a Quake 5? Perhaps some of these series should finally be laid to rest so that the developers can move on to more important projects.
The good news, however, is that some companies have realized this problem and have formed special teams and subsidiaries with the sole purpose of exploring and developing more interesting, innovative games. And the fruits of this practice are already being realized. Sony Computer Entertainment, for instance, just released the awe-inspiring Shadow of the Colossus, a game unlike any before it. Capcom has given us the wacky Viewtiful Joe and the brilliant Resident Evil 4 (one of the best sequels, ever!). Lionhead Studios just released the The Movies, an engaging simulation that allows the player to write, direct and produce his own films (via 3D graphics). And Nintendo, despite being guilty of releasing too many mascot spin-off games and sequels (stop it with the Mario Party games already!), claims its upcoming Revolution console will usher in a new era of gaming by providing players with new types of interactive experiences.
Of course, I write this while eagerly awaiting Mario Kart DS' (the fifth game in the series) release this week. My point, then, is that I think the industry needs both - the big sequel sellers and the original, more artsy titles. The sequels can earn the money necessary to keep the industry going, while the more experimental titles can continue pushing gaming forward as an art form. It's a Yin-Yang sort of thing -
both the business and creative sides must be emphasized for the medium's continued success.
We could only be so lucky if, someday, for every Halo or Madden there's also a Shadow of the Colossus or Katamari Damacy. Until next time. . .
Castlevania - Dawn of Sorrow Review - Part 2
(continued from Part 1) - Castlevania games are renowned for their exquisite graphics and moody soundtracks, and for the most part, DoS does not disappoint. While the art direction has taken on a more distinct (and generic) anime look, the in-game graphics, for better or worse, look akin to those found in AoS. Actually, many of the enemies in DoS appear as if they were ripped directly out of the GBA games, which is a little disappointing considering the obvious advantages the DS hardware has over its Game Boy cousin. That said, many of the larger enemies look great, and the bosses themselves are enormous and beautifully realized, even if players will have little time to appreciate them as they fight for their lives. The game’s backgrounds range from acceptable to fantastic, depending on the area. Some backgrounds are rendered in real-time 3-D and offer a level of immersion not seen in a Castlevania title since the PSone’s Symphony of the Night (SotN). Other backgrounds, unfortunately, are a bit blander and look little improved over those found in the GBA installments. The music, as expected, is quite good, although it still pales against some of the best tunes on the superb SotN soundtrack. The game boasts some effective sound effects as well, although it should be noted that the Japanese voice samples heard in the game have not been redubbed in English for American audiences, meaning that few people will be able to understand the limited spoken quips expressed by Soma and the supporting cast.
Players looking for a decent challenge will find one here. While not excruciatingly hard like the GBA’s first Castlevania outing, Circle of the Moon, DoS is the most difficult installment the series has seen in years, surpassing even Aria of Sorrow by a small margin. Most of the challenge comes from the bosses, who usually boast attacks and patterns that require a couple of tries before they can be learned and mastered. Complicating the situation further is the new “Magic Seal” system, which prompts the player to “seal” a defeated boss within a specific mystical symbol by drawing it on the touch screen. These symbols are acquired throughout the game and are usually simple enough to reproduce on the screen, but should the player make a mistake and not draw it accurately, the boss will come back to life with some of its energy restored. Balancing the difficulty, however, are the high numbers of healing potions that can be purchased (from Hammer, a weapons dealer) and held in inventory. This means that anyone who is having difficulty with a boss can simply heal himself over and over again with these potions, lowering the game’s difficulty considerably.
DoS is a quality title, but the truth is that, despite a few refinements to the gameplay, the game is largely unimproved over its predecessors. Indeed, exploring a mysterious castle, gaining new abilities that provide access to new areas, gaining new attacks, finding hidden items – these familiar elements of the series will always be fun. But after four earlier iterations of the game offering essentially the same style of gameplay, the “explore the castle” theme is beginning to feel a little tired and redundant. Even the DS’ special functions add little to the game, with the second (top) screen used mainly for a map, and the touch screen for gimmicky features such as the aforementioned magic seal. One can’t help but ask whether the series would be better off returning to its 16-bit roots with the next installment and offer a more linear, focused experience, or perhaps better yet, go in a completely new direction altogether.
In any case, Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow is still a well-crafted experience and is one of the few truly good action titles to grace the handheld. DS owners should definitely give it a look, but be forewarned - hardcore fans of the series will not find many surprises here.
Overall Score: 4/5
Castlevania : Dawn of Sorrow Review - Part 1
Since I'll be gone for the next week, I figured I'd post my review of the Nintendo DS' Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow to help make up for the delay in updates. I know the game's been out for a month already, but this is the best I can do for now.
In the gaming world, it’s not uncommon for a game to become hugely successful, spawn several sequels, and then fade into obscurity within a decade. Classic series ranging from Contra to Crash Bandicoot to even the original Mega Man have seen their popularity drop in recent years as gamers gradually lost interest in their redundant sequels and sought fresher experiences instead. An exception to this rule, however, seems to be Konami’s long-running Castlevania series, which continues to find fans as new iterations appear on current platforms. With the GBA games being particularly popular, Konami wisely chose to bring the newest installment of the series, Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (DoS), to Nintendo’s DS. The result is an engaging, if overly familiar, title that most DS owners should enjoy.
A direct sequel to the GBA’s Aria of Sorrow (AoS), DoS takes place a year later and finds leading protagonist Soma Cruz pursuing Celia Fortner, a shadow priestess who intends to resurrect Dracula with the help of two “candidates,” Dario Bossi and Dmitrii Blinov. The story, in essence, is not drastically different from its predecessor, and ultimately revolves around Soma’s ambiguous destiny – does he play the hero and stop Celia’s dastardly plan, or does he instead become the next Dark Lord himself? In typical Castlevania style, there are multiple endings that players can receive depending on whether they accomplished specific objectives or met certain criteria while playing through the game.
Like AoS, the crux of DoS’ gameplay involves leading Soma through a labyrinthine castle full of monsters and climactic boss battles. Soma can be armed with a number of different weapons, including various swords, spears, axes, and even less conventional weapons such as revolvers and boomerangs. Each weapon has its own strengths and weaknesses, with the more effective, powerful weapons naturally hidden deep within the castle. Soma, for his part, grows stronger as he gains experience points from defeated monsters, and can enhance his abilities further by wearing different types of armor and enchanted accessories.
More interestingly, however, is the soul system, which allows Soma to absorb the souls of fallen monsters and use their powers as his own. For example, if Soma destroys an axe-armor knight, he might acquire the ability to hurl axes at his enemies. Or, if Soma kills a mini-devil, he might then be able to summon a mini-devil familiar to fight at his side. Half the fun of DoS is seeking out the numerous enemies within the castle, hoping to take its soul and thus add a new power to Soma’s arsenal. In an interesting twist from AoS, soul powers can also be leveled up depending on how many copies of a particular soul Soma has collected. Having five axe-armor souls, for instance, means that the axes Soma throws are more powerful than if he only had one in his possession. Unfortunately, whether or not an enemy gives up its soul is strictly a random process, meaning that players wanting a copy of every soul in the game will be working at it for a long time, killing certain enemies repeatedly until they finally release their spirits.
In another interesting addition, players can also imbue weapons with certain souls. When visiting Yoko Belnades, a witch intent on helping foil Celia’s plan, players can view the weapons and souls they have collected and, should they possess the right soul for the right weapon, combine the two to create a super weapon of sorts. It’s a fun process to tinker with, but is neither explained well nor necessary to completing the game. - End of Part 1
Xbox 360, Mario Mix and EGM's Top 10
No super inspiring or thought-provoking topic today. I figured I'd just write about a few things that have caught my interest over the last week.
First, the Xbox 360 is now being demoed in stores. Both my local Wal-Mart and EB Games has a console on display with several playable demos. When I first noticed the console at EB late last week, there were too many people crowded around the display for me to get my hands on a controller and play a game. With little recourse, I waited until later that evening and then headed over to Wal-Mart. By that time the store was nearly vacant and I was able to play the 360 in peace without a dozen people hovering around me.
My first impressions of the system are mostly positive. The console itself is sleeker and less bulky than the original Xbox, and I must admit, even more compact than some of the promotional pictures had led me to believe. More important is the new controller. After handling it for about a half hour, I can say it is probably the best version of a conventional gamepad yet released on a home system. It fits comfortably in the hand, much like the GameCube controller, still has the intuitive triggers of the Xbox's Controller S, plus adds two shoulder buttons above the triggers similar to the L1 and R1 buttons on Sony's Dual Shock 2 gamepad. Its two analogue sticks feel responsive, and the face buttons are laid out much like its predecessor, with only the start and back buttons relocated, for the better, near the top. Perhaps my only quibble is that the controller feels rather lightweight when compared to the heavier, sturdier feel of current generation controllers. While not a big deal, the lighter construction gives the gamepad a certain "cheaply manufactured" quality that it could do without.
In any case, the games I viewed and/or tried were pretty impressive. Call of Duty 2, a World War 2 FPS that I watched others play, sports some impressive visuals and does indeed look next gen (although I'm sure games released two years from now will look far better still). The title I chose to play was Kameo, a game by the (formerly Nintendo-owned) company Rare that was once intended for the GameCube and then the Xbox. Well, it's now a 360 launch title, and its platform/action gameplay is a good complement to the multitude of serious FPSs and racers seeing release around the same time. The game places the player in the role of Kameo, a female elf who can transform into other creatures. By changing into different beasts, she can more handily defeat enemies or reach areas not accessible in her regular form. The demo had players running through a besieged castle, fighting trolls and other baddies as dragons flew overhead in the night sky. Overall, I enjoyed my time with it, although the graphics didn't look much better than the already spiffy graphics seen in Rare's Conker's Bad Fur Day for the Xbox. I suspect this is because the game, being originally intended for less powerful hardware, is probably reusing much of the art from its earlier Xbox build.
On a different note, I said "what the heck" and purchased Dance Dance Revolution Mario Mix last week. I've never been a big fan of these dance games, thinking people who played them with open delight in arcades were kind of weird. Still, I guess people can now call me a closet fan, as this Mario version of the series is surprisingly fun and clever. In a humorous story mode, players, as either Mario or Luigi, follow the faithful Toad through various worlds, trying to locate the stolen "music keys" which, if not returned to their original resting place, will eventually bring chaos to the world.
Okay, the story isn't Shakespeare, but it's entertaining enough, and most importantly, the dancing challenges involve such timeless and fun actions as jumping on Goombas (jump on the mat!), outrunning Chain Chomps (run in place as fast as you can!), and even leaping to the top of flag poles (run in place and then jump off the mat at the last moment!). The remixed Mario tunes are also quite catchy. For Mario fans, the game is easily worth the fifty dollar asking price.
Lastly, the latest issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly rated the top ten video game characters of all time. The list is as follows: 10 - Lara Croft, 9 - Pikachu, 8 - Master Chief, 7 - Cloud Strife, 6 - Pac-Man, 5 - Sonic the Hedgehog, 4 - Samus Aran, 3 - Solid Snake, 2 - Link, and the number 1 character, as if there were any doubt, is Mario. For the most part, I agree with this list, although Pikachu and Lara Croft are a bit questionable at the 9 and 10 spots (where's Mega Man?). Still, not a bad list of choices.
I'll be going out of town this Friday and will not be able to update the blog until sometime next week. I may upload a (very long) review I wrote of Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow tomorrow night to help make up for the lapse.
Until next time. . .
Importing From Japan - Is it Worth It?
For today's post I figured I'd talk about something I hadn't done before a few days ago - import a game directly from Japan. Unlike some hardcore gamers, I've never been into the import scene - heck, most American consoles will not even play Japanese titles without special modifications done to their hardware. And once the modifications are made and a Japanese title is purchased, the game is often incomprehensible due to the steep language barrier between the two cultures. On top of that, imported games are expensive and certain titles can be difficult to obtain. Due to these factors, I have always opted to wait for the American version.
Until now. Being the owner of a Nintendo DS, a system compatible with Japanese software, I decided to import my first title. A title that I've been curious about for a long time. A title without an American release date. A title some men might be embarrassed to be seen playing in public. It's Super Princess Peach, of course.
Yes, the dainty damsel Mario has been rescuing for years has finally gotten her own title, and this time the roles are reversed - the Princess is actually on a quest to save Mario, Luigi, and Toad from the clutches of Bowser. And yes, while it seems odd that the Princess could handle such a dangerous quest by herself, don't be fooled. Peach hasn't suddenly become Lara Croft. Instead, she capers through bright, cheerful environments, bopping enemies with her talking parasol and solving simple puzzles with her emotion-based powers. Uh, yeah, that's right - by selecting from a touch screen menu of four basic emotions (Joy, Happiness, Sadness, and Anger), the lass actually gains special abilities for a brief time. See a seed that needs watering? Make Peach sad, and she'll cry on the seed and make it sprout. Can't get to the platform resting below a wooden bridge? Make Peach angry, and she'll literally catch the bridge on fire and burn it down so that she can drop to the platform below. It's all bizarre, surreal, and very, very cute.
Being an import title, however, it has delivered on the problems I mentioned earlier. I paid about twenty-five dollars more (counting shipping) for the game than I would have if I had waited for the American release - a game, keep in mind, that is written almost entirely in Japanese, from the story to the menus to the manual. Only Peach's voice is comprehensible. When she completes a level she chirps, "That was easy!" And she's right, the levels I've played so far are incredibly simple to complete, with only meager goombas and koopa troopas providing any danger.
The lesson I've learned here about importing is that, unless a truly good rationale exists for buying a game early, it's better to wait for the U.S. release. I recommend only importing games that will likely never see release in America, or games that do not rely on much (Japanese) text to be enjoyable. In other words, if you can't read Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji, don't be sending away for some obscure Japanese RPG. You won't progress far in it, I assure you.
As for Super Princess Peach, the game is an endearing, fun little title somewhat reminiscent of the more recent Wario Land games. While the graphics don't look far removed from the SNES era, the game brings back fond memories of certain classic 2-D Nintendo platformers from yesteryear. Peach, for her part, is animated well and brimming with personality, making her an appealing character, especially to the young girls whom the game is obviously targeted towards. The one boss fight I've encountered so far is inventively designed, and in a surprising show of depth, new moves for the Princess can be purchased at Toad's Shop at the end of each level. On the downside, the game is, again, very easy, the levels get a tad repetitive, and the whole emotion thing seems a bit forced. And I'm still not sure I can fully accept that Peach, after years of playing the gentle flower, could really save Mario and company all by herself. Oh well, I'm probably just taking this too seriously.
It's a no brainer, though. Gamers wanting a good DS game should give Super Princess Peach a look, especially when it appears in the U.S. sometime next year. But only import if you don't mind an almost incomprehensible story and menu screens. I, for one, can honestly say I don't regret purchasing my copy. It's cool being one of the first Americans to have experienced this game. And, in the end, perhaps that is the true thrill of importing.
Until next time. . .
Battle of the Portables
With each console cycle comes a new system war; the pattern began years ago when Nintendo's SNES was combating the Sega Genesis, and continues today between Sony's and Microsoft's consoles. But one conflict that has all but been forgotten is now beginning to reemerge - the battle of the handhelds.
For years, Nintendo has dominated the portable arena with its legendary Game Boy, easily besting its clueless competitors. Atari had the graphically superior Lynx handheld, but its high price tag, awkward size, and limited market penetration destined it for defeat. Sega was in a more advantageous position with its colorful Game Gear, but with its limited library of games and low battery life, the system had little chance of overtaking the Game Boy. And so, somewhat ironically, Nintendo's little machine with mediocre graphics and an ugly, non-lit screen, dominated the industry from 1989 to the start of the 21st century.
The Game Boy saw several iterations as the years passed, from a smaller design (Game Boy Pocket) to a color screen model with slightly improved hardware (Game Boy Color). Companies such as Bandai (Wonderswan), Tiger (Game.com) and SNK (NeoGeo Pocket) tried to break Nintendo's monopoly by releasing their own handhelds, but they all failed miserably. Thanks to the GB's low price, popular titles (think Pokemon), and long battery life, Nintendo had the market virtually locked. The introduction of the Game Boy Advance (2001) further cemented the company's grip on the portable scene.
That is, until Sony announced its Playstation Portable (PSP) at the 2003 Electronics Entertainment Exposition (E3). A slick, glossy device with a beautiful, high resolution wide-screen and impressive hardware, Sony claimed the PSP would provide gamers with a true console experience equal to that found on the PS2. The announcement caught Nintendo completely by surprise, for remember, it had been years since the Big N had had a serious competitor.
Nintendo's answer to the Sony problem was the Nintendo DS (Dual Screen). First announced in January 2004 and then demonstrated at E3 a few months later, the system sported a clamshell, dual screen design and could display 3-D graphics. Most interesting, however, was that its bottom screen was actually a touch screen similar to those found on PDAs (although not nearly as large). Sony scoffed, claiming the system was underpowered and would be unable to provide the realistic experiences gamers wanted. Nintendo countered this by explaining that the touch screen would allow developers to offer unique interactive experiences not possible on other consoles.
And the rest is history. Both systems are now battling it out for the number one position with Nintendo's DS currently ahead in total units sold, thanks in part to a significantly lower price and some titles cleverly aimed for the mass market (read: Nintendogs). Sony's PSP, however, is still doing respectably, far better than any other competitor has yet fared against the mighty Nintendo.
So which system is the best? Which one should win the war? That's a tough call, as neither system is perfect, but each also has its advantages. Both systems do/will offer on-line wireless play. But the DS is cheaper, and is geared more towards people who want to play games in short spurts. Games like Yoshi's Touch and Go, Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow and the upcoming Mario Kart DS can all be easily played for as little or as long as the player chooses. The PSP, on the other hand, takes a minute or two just to boot up and load a typical game. It's also expensive and suffers from poor battery life. Still, the PSP does offer web browsing, MP3 support and video playback, plus boasts the powerful hardware necessary to provide immersive gaming experiences. Believe it, many a gamer will be anxiously buying the graphically complex Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories later this week - a game the less powerful DS could never run successfully.
Being a Nintendo fan, I own a DS and am looking forward to titles such as Mario Kart DS, Super Princess Peach and Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time. With great titles like these on the horizon, I don't feel I need a PSP just yet. But there's no denying that the PSP is just now beginning to show its potential. Who knows, maybe a year from now, it'll be the DS that is lagging behind in the sales.
Until next time. . .
Holiday Bliss or Blues?
Every year it's the same thing. For the first nine months we're forced to tolerate a flood of mediocre titles with just a couple of "great" ones popping up here or there. And then, WHAM! The holiday season is here and we suddenly have more quality games to play than we know what to do with.
I received the November issue of GameInformer in the mail today and, upon glancing over the "new releases" page, counted a ridiculously long list of promising or "must have" titles just for that month alone. A sample of those games include Fable: The Lost Chapters (Xbox), Okami (PS2), Pac-Man World 3 (multi), Star Wars Battlefront 2 (multi), Castlevania: Curse of Darkness (PS2), Painkillers (Xbox), The Movies (PC), Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows (multi), Half-Life 2 (Xbox), Mario Kart DS (DS, duh), Mega Man X Collection (multi), Shadow the Hedgehog (multi), Sonic Rush (DS), King Kong (multi), Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time (DS), SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALS (PSP), Dragon Quest VIII (PS2). . .the list might as well be endless.
And remember, those are only November releases! Notable games like Ultimate Spider-Man (multi), Shadow of the Colossus (PS2), Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (DS), Radiata Stories (PS2), and Fire Emblem (GC) have already been released, and December will have its treasures as well. How can anyone afford, let alone find the time to play, even half of these titles?
And then there's the Xbox 360's release on Nov. 22! Titles such as Dead or Alive 4, The Elder Scrolls IV, Kameo, Quake 4, Perfect Dark Zero, and Ridge Racer 6 will all be prominent titles vying for gamers' time and money--and they all release within mere weeks of each other (and many are launch titles). One really has to wonder why more companies don't wait until January or February to release their titles, or simply aim for a summer release - a time when there's less competition and numerous teenagers are looking for something good to play.
But this never happens. Year after year, companies hoard their best games until quarter four, expecting great holiday sales. Instead, many find their games overlooked as shoppers, with only so much money to spend, play it safe and buy only the most visible, mainstream titles. Many great games have been overlooked due to this phenomenon, including Ubisoft's fanciful Beyond Good and Evil, a captivating title that sold abysmally at retail.
In my case, I still have a stack of games from over a year ago that I need to play. What is a poor gamer to do? Until next time. . .
The Top Video Game Heroines
Because I wrote about female gamers in my last post, I thought it only appropriate to dedicate my next piece to gaming's greatest heroines. Listed below are my favorite female video game characters, selected because they meet two important pieces of criteria - historical significance and superb design.
The list as follows:
1. Ms. Pac-Man - She's not the buxom, sexy lady gamers are accustomed to seeing in today's games, but she truly was video gaming's first female star. Even today, the Ms. Pac-Man arcade game remains popular around the world, even beating out the original Pac-Man in total units sold.
2. Princess Peach Toadstool - With all the tough and violent female characters in games today, it's sometimes difficult to remember a time when video game women weren't all about maiming and slaughtering bad guys. The lovely Princess Peach, the Big N's first princess of gaming, remains a breath of fresh air in a sea full of game women barely distinguishable from their male counterparts. True, the Princess still plays the damsel-in-distress role in many titles, but games like Paper Mario reveal her to be a character full of heart, hope, and courage, untainted by the dark edge seen in many other female protagonists. And while her recent depictions in games such as Super Mario Strikers seem a bit out-of-character for her (see earlier post "Sacrilege! Nintendo, What Have You Done?!"), other titles still show her as the kind, peaceful woman we've known since her first appearance in Super Mario Bros. back in 1985.
3. Samus Aran - Heroine of the Metroid series, Samus was the first female character many gamers took serious notice of. Clad in heavy armor that concealed her true identity, most gamers playing the original Metroid naturally assumed they were playing through the game as a male character. Only after defeating the final boss, the heinous Mother Brain, was her true identity revealed, delightfully shocking gamers across the country. Believe it or not, many a young man's first crush was on Samus Aran, which is probably why the heroine remains rooted in the consciousness of many modern gamers. For an excellent modern take on the character, readers should seek the games Metroid Fusion (Gameboy Advance) and Metroid Prime (GameCube).
4. Chun Li - Originally the only playable female character in Capcom's now legendary Street Fighter 2, the beautiful Chun Li quickly stole the hearts of SF2 fans everywhere. The fact that she was one of the game's better contestants didn't hurt her popularity either, and even today she remains one of Capcom's most prized female characters. Her personality has changed slightly over the years, with her lighter, feminine side sometimes overshadowed by a more serious, determined disposition, but at her core, Chun Li will always be the struggling, virtuous daughter seeking justice for the murder of her father.
5. Aerith (Aeris) - Perhaps gaming's most tragic character, the serene and compassionate Aerith was a ray of sunshine to the often dark locales in Final Fantasy VII. In fact, gamers became so attached to her, the damsel's shocking death mid-way into the game still haunts Final Fantasy fans to this day (myself included). Her fate greatly affects the game's other heroes as well, namely Cloud Strife, the game's primary protagonist and Aerith's love interest. Gamers still hope that Square Enix will one day remake the game and provide gamers with the option of preventing Aerith's untimely death from ever occurring.
While these are my favorite game women, I am fond of many others. A few runner-ups are: Princess Zelda (from The Legend of Zelda series, although versions of Zelda vary from title to title), Cornet (from Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure), Amy (from Sonic Adventure), and Shantae (from, well, Shantae). Also, for significance's sake, I should also mention Lara Croft (from Tomb Raider, although I am not a big fan of her myself).
So, agree with my choices? Disagree? Have your own favorites you want to share? Let me know! Until next time. . .
Why Don't More Girls Like Video Games? And Should They?
One of my earliest posts discussed, albeit in a somewhat tongue-in-cheek fashion, the growing interest women are taking in gaming. While gaming is still regarded as generally a "guy thing," girl gamers are far more common now than they used to be, and similarly, women are becoming more involved with the industry as a whole. Fifteen years ago, female game designers, artists and programmers were nearly nonexistent; today, the thought of women filling these roles is no longer unthinkable (although female programmers are still hard to come by). In fact, the video game industry actively seeks female employees for a wide range of positions, from PR and HR jobs to graphic artists and producers.
Even so, men still comprise the bulk of both the hobby and the industry. Many have pondered why this is so. Why aren't there more female gamers? Why have women been so slow in entering the gaming workforce? Theories abound, of course. Some cite the marketplace, claiming that most games are designed for only a male audience. The thinking is that, until more titles are designed with a female audience in mind, girls are going to continue ignoring games. Others blame the (so-called) oversexualized portrayal of women in games, claiming it doesn't provide girls with characters they can relate to, and thus repels them from the hobby.
Which is right? Maybe both, to an extent. Videogaming is primarily a male hobby, and is indeed dominated by men creating games for other men. Likewise, gaming does have its share of over-endowed, buxom women that may be more the product of male fantasy than reality.
But perhaps the ultimate answer is even simpler. Video games, by nature, are usually action-driven, and thus commonly feature violence of one form or another. And traditionally, women have not embraced action-oriented fare as readily as men. The situation is similar to the "chick flick" syndrome, where the guy wants to see the next action-thriller while his girlfriend would prefer a romantic-comedy. And therein lies the problem - certain genres common in older art forms, namely film and books, don't translate well to the gaming medium. Ever play a romantic-comedy video game? How about a video game soap opera? The answer is no, of course, because gaming requires action to remain interesting and fun, an element both romances and dramas cannot easily provide. Hence gaming's fixation on the action-friendly science fiction, horror, fantasy, crime, and adventure genres.
In other words, gaming does not lend itself well to the themes that have traditionally interested women the most - relationships, love and loss, reconciliation, faith, hope, redemption, etc. Therefore, women don't find gaming as interesting as men. In fact, the role-playing genre, one of the few gaming genres capable of expressing the themes listed above, is actually growing in popularity with women due to this very reason. Certain non-violent games, such as Pac-Man, Sonic the Hedgehog and Tetris are also popular among girls, as are certain multi-player games such as Mario Kart and Super Smash Brothers. Because many other titles are grittier and/or more violent than these, they don't attract as large a female audience.
Of course, there are probably numerous other factors as to why women don't find video games more appealing. There's actually a yearly convention, called the Women's Game Conference (scheduled this month on Oct. 26-27), devoted to discussing this and other issues. Maybe girls simply see gaming as a time-consuming hobby and are not willing to sacrifice the time to play when they have more important things to do. I can actually relate to this, as I myself am constantly struggling over whether to play the latest game I bought or instead do something more productive (like work on this blog, right?).
In any case, considering how many Americans already waste their lives in front of the television, perhaps the push to get more women into games is a bit hasty. Maybe women are better off free from the addictive grip that gaming has wrought onto the male populace. Food for thought, anyway.
Until next time. . .
Twenty Years of Super Mario and the NES
With several posts concerning classic gaming already on this blog, and at the behest of a few readers, I thought it only fitting to dedicate my weekend update to the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), the console that, upon its release in 1985, single-handedly resurrected the video game industry. In fact, this year marks the 20th anniversary of both the NES and the original
Super Mario Bros. game, so a post dedicated to the system is even more appropriate.
Shown above are the three primary incarnations of the system. The top picture is of the Famicom (The Family Computer), which was the Japanese version of the console released in 1983. It featured two controllers already hardwired into the system (they could not be unplugged from the hardware) and a top-loading cartridge slot for easy plug and play gaming.
The first American version of the console, renamed the Nintendo Entertainment System, is shown in the middle picture. Due to the disastrous video game crash of 1983-84, most retailers and toy manufacturers were extremely cynical of anything having to do with video games by the time Nintendo appeared on the scene with its NES. Aware of this, Nintendo gave its system a radical redesign in hopes that retailers would not view it as just another gaming system destined for ruin. To help mitigate this stigma further, the Big N even touted a disk drive and keyboard attachment that would turn the NES into a full-fledged computer, and also promoted R.O.B. (short for Robotic Operating Buddy), a toy robot that would act as "player 2" for certain titles. Nintendo hoped that these attachments, peripherals and upgrades would convince retailers that the NES was not so much a game machine as it was a productivity and edutainment tool, or at the very least, a sophisticated toy. Unfortunately, the computer components were never released in America and R.O.B. proved to be a near-useless novelty, but nevertheless, Nintendo's strategy still succeeded brilliantly. By the early 1990s, the company had sold over 30 million consoles in the U.S. alone.
The NES 2, featured in the bottom image, was an attempt by Nintendo to boost 8-bit sales during a time when the 16-bit consoles, namely the Sega Genesis and Nintendo's own SNES, were quickly growing in popularity. Inspired by both the SNES and Famicom designs, the NES 2 was in many ways the system Nintendo should have released back in 1985. Although identical to the original NES in terms of hardware, its top loading design meant that it could better withstand normal wear and tear than the original version. The NES 2 was not perfect, however, as it lacked the AV outputs of its earlier counterpart, meaning that players had to tolerate lower picture quality using an RF modulator. Even so, the NES 2 is now highly sought after by collectors wanting a more reliable means of playing their favorite Nintendo games.
Nintendo's first five years in the American console industry is an amazing success story. Silencing the critics and dumbfounding the cynics, Nintendo, a Japanese company mostly ignorant of American ways, overcame seemingly impossible odds to dominate the game market for the rest of the 80s. Not only did the company earn huge profits off system and software sales, but also through constant merchandising of its most prized franchises. Everything from Zelda trading cards to Mario coloring books to Nintendo cereal filled stores of all kinds, and kids scooped up the products in droves. Creating an empire is one thing, however, but maintaining it is another, and this is where Nintendo revealed its darker side through some questionable business practices, from creating artificial "chip shortages" (to inflate demand of certain titles) to bullying retailers into only carrying Nintendo products. I will cover this topic more closely in a future post.
But for now, let's end this update on an optimistic note. Thanks to great games and characters such as Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, Yoshi, Samus, Link, Zelda, Donkey Kong, Kirby, and a host of others, Nintendo has broadened the imaginations of gamers across the world. Who can forget the first time he saved the Princess, or completed the Triforce, or defeated the evil Mother Brain? We owe these fond memories to the Big N.
Oh, and happy 20th birthday, Super Mario and Luigi! Until next time. . .
Revolution, Mario Kart and Megaman
Unfortunately, I don't have the time to do a proper update this morning, so I'll just write about a few things I've noticed in the gaming press over the last week or two.
On the Nintendo front, it seems the media is liking the Revolution controller the Big N debuted a couple weeks back at the Tokyo Game Show. Most opinion pieces I've read regarding the new gadget are rather optimistic - perhaps too much so. Although I stated myself that the controller is an exciting development, I still think it's too early to go cheering that Nintendo is back from the dead and is destined to change the industry forever. Sure, this
could happen with the Revolution, but until I see some games, I'm going to remain somewhat skeptical concerning just how "revolutionary" this controller truly is. (And I just have this horrible fear that Nintendo is going to screw up the next Smash Brothers by forcing it to work with the motion-sensor features of the controller. Don't do this Nintendo! The control in Super Smash Brothers Melee is fine the way it is. Don't fix what isn't broken in the sequel!)
In other Nintendo news, Mario Kart Arcade GP is slated for American arcades in October. I can remember hoping Nintendo would release an arcade version of Mario Kart back even when the SNES version was still popular, so this has been long in the coming. The game ditches the bizarre two-character-per-kart gimmick the Double Dash version used on the GameCube and instead offers a more straightforward experience, including 24 tracks to choose from and the return of the hop/powerslide technique last seen in the GBA installment. Even better, the coin collecting element from the original game is making a return, giving the title a cool old school feel. And get this - Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man and Blinky the ghost are playable characters! (Namco is producing the title for Nintendo, hence the cameos.) Weird but true.
Although I have yet to purchase a Sony Playstation Portable, two games were shown at the Tokyo Game Show that now have me thinking about getting one - Megaman: Powered Up, which is a remake of Megaman 1, and Maverick Hunter X, a remake of Megaman X. Both games look fantastic in motion, but Powered Up is the more anticipated of the two due to the included level-editor that allows users to create their own Megaman stages. Awesome, I say. I just hope there's a way to easily share one's custom-made levels with others over the Internet. . .
Ah well, enough stream of consciousness for now. I'll post a proper update to the blog this weekend. Until next time. . .
Video Games Keep Going to the Movies
Movie adaptations of video games have rarely been noteworthy. The number of worthwhile game-to-movie productions is so low, in fact, it's a wonder why Hollywood still continues to produce them.
The earliest video game movie of which I am aware is Tron, a 1982 film that blended cutting-edge computer animation with live-action footage and never-before-seen lighting techniques. Although a good flick, it's not a "video game movie" in the conventional sense due to the fact it is not based on any particular video game of the period. The plot mainly revolves around Flynn, a former video game designer and programmer who gets dematerialized and then digitized into cyberspace by a hostile mainframe computer (known as the MCP, short for Master Computer Program). Once inside the computer, he joins forces with a program known as Tron to thwart the mainframe's plan of ultimately taking control of the world's computer systems (or something like that). Interestingly, the movie actually spawned two video games - Tron and Discs of Tron - that were both loosely based on the movie. Again, Tron was a visionary piece way ahead of its time in the early eighties, a period when most people barely understood what a computer itself was, let alone the tech-speak and high-brow concepts found in the movie. Because of this, the movie fared rather poorly at the box office, proving too esoteric and surreal for the average viewer. Even so, Tron still stands as one of the best "video game" films to date, and has gained a significant following over the years.
The next video game movie of significance is The Wizard, a film which many 80's-era kids remember fondly. The movie is essentially a ninety-minute Nintendo advertisement starring Fred Savage, the child actor best known for his role as Kevin Arnold on The Wonder Years television show. Unlike Tron, which is a good movie that never got the attention it deserved, The Wizard actually performed decently at the box office, but is not a particularly good film. It is more-or-less a road trip flick that happens to feature Nintendo games as a prominent theme, along with some predictable family comedy and drama. The highlight of the film is the climactic Video Game Armageddon Tournament scene that features what was then the first glimpse of the now legendary Super Mario Bros. 3. Back in those pre-Internet days, gamers had few outlets to turn to when seeking information on upcoming game releases. Super Mario Bros. 3 was one game EVERYBODY wanted to learn more about, but there was precious little info available outside an occasional blurb in Nintendo Power magazine. Thanks to The Wizard's memorable climax featuring the yet-to-be-released Super Mario Bros. 3, gamers everywhere got a few tantalizing glimpses of the game in action. The title would eventually become the top-selling Nintendo game of all time. Unfortunately, The Wizard has yet to be released on DVD here in the States (a German DVD-edition does exist).
After The Wizard, it took a few years before the next slew of popular games made it to the big screen. Some were poor and quickly forgotten, such as the Double Dragon movie that few today even know exists. Others, namely the Mortal Kombat movie adaptation, proved to be a modest hit among teenage audiences, despite it being a merely okay film. Perhaps the most notorious video game movie of this era, however, was the bizarre and, most would say, awful, Super Mario Bros. The Movie. Having virtually nothing in common with the games it was based on, the film was a dark, dreary fiasco, although in fairness, Bob Hoskins (Mario) and Dennis Hopper (Koopa) performed their parts as well as could be expected. But with the movie bearing no likeness to the property it was spawned from, critics and gamers alike rightly criticized it. The late critic Gene Siskel even called it the worst movie of 1993. Ouch.
The late-nineties and early 21st century saw other prominent games leap to the silver screen, the most successful of which were the 2001 Tomb Raider movie featuring the ever sexy Angelina Jolie in the starring role of Lara Croft. Like most game-to-movie productions, the film was rather mediocre, but audiences didn't seem to care, making the film the highest-grossing video game movie of all time. However, its sequel, 2003's Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, did not fare nearly as well, perhaps due to the declining popularity of the Tomb Raider games by that time. Another profitable film was the so-so 2002 Resident Evil movie, a modestly budgeted affair designed to appeal especially to teens looking for the latest thriller. The sequel, 2004's Resident Evil Apocalypse, was also a moderate success.
With so many video game movies performing poorly from both artistic and business standpoints, why do Hollywood studios continue churning out the pictures? Who knows, but thankfully, movies based on video games are finally improving, thanks in part to better scripts, bigger budgets and the fact that fans are beginning to demand that their favorite games be done justice on the big screen. The upcoming Doom movie, for instance, stars the Rock in a leading role, plus boasts reasonably high production values and, supposedly, a good script. We'll know for sure when it hits theaters in October. Other movies rumored to be in production include Halo, Metroid and another Tron (yes!). Any of these franchises would make fine movies if done properly.
If anyone catches the Doom movie next month, feel free to write in and let me know what you think of it! Until next time. . .
Video Game Anthologies - Some Good, Some Bad
With all the talk and hype concerning the upcoming next-generation consoles and their respective games, I figured I'd keep to a simpler topic and instead write about some classic game anthologies I've played through recently. In fact, so many companies are now releasing compilations of their past titles, one could say classic (or retro) gaming has become its own genre. Unfortunately, with the glut of collections now on the market, discerning the good ones from the bad ones can be difficult. Hopefully, this post will make matters a little easier.
For old-school gamers wanting their Atari fix, I heartily recommend the PS2's Activision Anthology. Not only are the fifty-plus games top notch (for their time, anyway), but the 80's presentation is charming and true to the era. For example, classic 80's tunes actually play in the background while the player chooses a game from a rack inside a virtual bedroom. There are also loads of neat unlockables to find, from art work to old game commercials, assuming players can reach the high scores necessary to unlock them. Without a doubt, one of the best collections around.
Another good collection is the Atari Anthology, also for the PS2. While it lacks the cool 80's vibe and intuitive interface of its Activision counterpart, it still is the most comprehensive set of Atari games ever published in one package, including not only the Atari VCS (2600) titles, but also the arcade greats including Asteroids, Centipede and Tempest. Well worth checking out for those interested in gaming's early history. It even features an interview with Nolan Bushnell, the founder of Atari.
A couple of other worthy purchases are the Midway Arcade Treasures volumes 1 and 2, which are bargain priced collections of, naturally, classic Midway arcade games. The first volume houses over twenty classic titles including Joust, Robotron, Defender, and Gauntlet, while the second volume contains another twenty titles of more modern fare including NARC, Xenophobe, and amazingly, complete versions of Mortal Kombat 2 and 3. The presentation and extras on the two volumes are somewhat lacking, but the very reasonable price tag (twenty dollars) and the availability of the volumes on each of the three consoles make buying the discs a no-brainer for anyone at least slightly interested in classic gaming.
Moving forward to the NES era, I recommend the Megaman 10th Anniversary Collection, which collects ten classic Megaman titles from the original NES game to the final installment on the PSone (Megaman 8). Also included are some neat extras, including two rarely seen Megaman "fighting" games that up until now were only seen in arcades. The compilation is available for both the PS2 and GameCube, but players who want a control scheme most like how they remember it on the NES should pick up the PS2 version. For some unknown reason, the Cube's version has the "fire" and "jump" buttons swapped around. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but veterans of the series will not like it.
For people who yearn for the good ol' 16-bit days of the Sega Genesis, two anthologies come to mind: The Sega Smash Pack for the Dreamcast and the Sonic Mega Collection (Plus) for the current three consoles. The Smash Pack collected a bunch of the Sega greats, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Golden Axe, Vectorman, and even Phantasy Star 2. The Sonic Mega Collection, on the other hand, collects all the major 2-D Sonic games sans Sonic CD (a pity), along with a few other Genesis titles such as Comix Zone and Ristar. As a bonus to PS2 and Xbox owners, their versions of Sonic Mega Collection were given the "Plus" extension to signify that some Sonic Game Gear titles were also included in the package.
Unfortunately, for every good anthology there's a disappointing one. A few that let me down were the recently released Sonic Gems Collection (GameCube) and slightly older Sega Classics Collection (PS2), both of which contain mostly lackluster titles and, in Sonic Gems' case, too high a price tag for what's offered. Nintendo, sadly, has also released some poor collections, namely its GBA NES Classics line that is little more than old NES titles copied, individually, on over-priced GBA cartridges (although, to be fair, the prices have since dropped). Don't expect any extras either on these shameless rereleases.
A few other collections that weren't particularly good or bad include the Intellivision Lives! anthology (decent, but many of the games are too difficult to play with modern controllers) and Street Fighter 2 Anniversary Collection (again, not bad, but the interface could be greatly improved, and more extras should have been offered). Another is Namco Museum, an anthology that has actually been released several times in different forms. While none of these installments are terrible, because they are so similar to each other, and due to their lack of worthwhile extras, I recommend just getting the most inexpensive release and ignoring the rest (the PSP version excepted - this is a good, and different, enough version to warrant a purchase in addition to the console releases). Incidentally, the Namco Museum series originated on the PSone as a five-volume collection, offering five games per installment. Because each one boasted an explorable 3-D museum filled with Namco memorabilia, these particular titles are now valued on the collectors' market. It's a pity that later versions of Namco Museum lost this feature, but at least the games finally started being collected on a single disc.
Hopefully this primer has been helpful to those deciding which anthologies to add to their personal collections. Over the years, Classic Gaming has become big business for the game industry, and with more compilations on the way from Konami, Capcom and Sega, and with Nintendo preparing to offer downloadable classic games on its upcoming Internet Wi-Fi service for the Revolution, the trend shows no immediate signs of abating.
Does anyone know of a good collection I've left out? Let me know! Until next time. . .
Nintendo's Revolution Controller Finally Revealed!
I know I said a few posts ago that I usually don't write about current events in gaming, but once again I could not resist - Nintendo finally unveiled its mysterious controller at the Tokyo Game Show in Japan, and boy, is it a doozy!
At first glance, the device looks rather silly. It strongly resembles a remote control of some kind, and hardly looks "revolutionary." Still, once Nintendo demonstrated it, everything became clear - this device really will change how we play games.
The controller is essentially a 3-D mouse, so to speak. By tilting the device in different directions, the player can move an object on screen in 3-D space, or alternatively, adjust the camera to effortlessly get the optimum view of the three-dimensional landscape. Additional peripherals can be attached to the main controller to provide even more control options. For instance, to improve movement and accuracy in a hypothetical first-person-shooter (say Half-Life or Metroid), players can connect an analogue stick attachment to the base of the controller. This way, the player can move his character with the stick in his left hand, while adjusting his view and aim with the main controller in his right. In other words, Nintendo's new system will grant the user with an unprecedented amount of control and flexibility in its games, assuming, of course, that the games are designed properly to make use of the controller's potential.
And how does this device track motion so well? Interestingly, Revolution owners will place two motion sensors on the front of their television, one on each side. Each sensor will then track the movement of the controller as the player moves his hand. Of course, the controller itself is wireless.
So, does Revolution live up to the hype now that the controller has been revealed? I'm amazed I'm writing this, but yes, I think so. I do question the "remote control" look of the device, and I'm disappointed the Big N didn't show some actual Revolution games in action, but Nintendo did succeed in proving that it can still be a visionary company with new ideas to offer gamers and the world.
I do have a few concerns, however: Will we have to buy new add-ons for the controller with every major release title? Will the controller alter certain games for the worst (Smash Brothers comes to mind; I don't want to have to move the characters by waving my hand everywhere). How well will the system be supported by third-party companies? What is the device's battery life? Will some genres work worse with the controller than others?
Lastly, even with the innovative design, I still don't see the Revolution (which is not the system's final name, by the way) beating out, in terms of popularity, the more conventional designs of the Xbox 360 and PS3. Due to its more novel approach, I think the Revolution will be seen more as a complimentary console to one of the other systems rather than a replacement. Nevertheless, you can bet I will be buying a Revolution the day it releases.
Anyone wanting to see the system in action should check out this
link. It leads to a video showing the controller in action and is a must-see.
Until next time. . .
Video Game Cartoons on DVD
I was recently surfing IGN.com and uncovered some good news - the complete
The Legend of Zelda cartoon series that aired on the
Super Mario Super Show back in the late eighties/early nineties is being released on DVD this October! Anyone who's been reading this blog knows that I'm a fan of these old Nintendo cartoons. I even posted a couple of Zelda and Mario animation cels on an earlier edition of the blog (check the "Video Game Cartoons and Animation Cels" post in the archive section). Anyway, a link to the full news article on IGN is
here.However, as much as I like Zelda, the one series I would truly love to see on DVD is the Hanna-Barbera produced Pac-Man cartoon that aired in the early eighties. Some of my earliest childhood memories are of that classic series (I would watch it religiously on Saturday mornings - yeah, I was a Pac-Man nut when I was young). It was a pretty decent production, too, considering it was based off of a character that, at the time, was little more than a bland yellow disc that moved around a blue maze.
Another series I'd like to own is the old eighties
Donkey Kong cartoon, which featured an extremely early version of Mario, who, if I remember correctly, worked at a circus (I guess DK was one of the circus animals). Other than that, I remember virtually nothing of the short-lived series, but that just makes me want to see it even more now.
Although I've already mentioned Zelda, I'd be crazy to not reminisce again over the old
Super Mario Super Show. The cartoon featured both live-action and animated segments, with the WWF (now WWE) wrestler Captain Lou Albano portraying Mario in the former and voicing the character in the latter. While the live-action bits were cheesy even by Mario standards, the cartoon segments were good fun, and featured surprisingly good voice talent for the main cast of characters. Not only did Mr. Albano portray a believable Mario, but the voice acting for Luigi (played by Danny Wells), Toad (played by John Stockton) and Princess Toadstool (played by Jeannie Elias) were also quite good. So good, in fact, that the voices Nintendo currently uses for characters such as Mario and Peach pale by comparison. (I have to force myself not to cringe every time I hear Mario's ridiculous Italian accent, or Peach's forced falsetto, in modern Mario games.) Anyway, readers who want to learn more about the Mario cartoon should check out this
link and type in "Super Mario Super Show" in the search engine. The site provides a good description of the series, plus some interesting factoids.
Speaking of Nintendo, another popular cartoon of the early nineties was
Captain N: The Game Master, a series in which avid game player Kevin Keene is sucked through his television while playing his NES and is dropped into "Video Land," a world inhabited by famous Nintendo characters. He soon joins forces with a princess and her freedom-fighting band of gaming icons (including Simon Belmont and Mega Man) to battle the evil Mother Brain. While the cartoon seems weird, cheesy and even blasphemous by today's standards, it still remains a fun and humorous take on a variety of classic game characters. A DVD release of the full series, or at least of the first (and best) season, would be greatly appreciated.
Of course, the shows I've mentioned here are just the tip of the iceberg. Ancient, forgotten programs such as the old
Q*bert series probably exists in some god-forsaken vault somewhere, waiting to see light once again. And let's not forget there's at least three different versions of
Sonic the Hedgehog that have been aired on TV in the last fifteen years; each one differs drastically from the others in both style and substance, and this is not even counting the fourth and current Sonic series,
Sonic X.We can only hope that, like Zelda, all these cartoons will one day see a full release on DVD. Until next time. . .
Nintendo's Long History With Blondes
Ever notice that all of the Big N's major female characters are blondes? This phenomenon has been in place since the advent of
Donkey Kong back in 1981. Back in those days, players had to guide Jumpman (the early version of Mario) up beams and over barrels to defeat DK and save his hapless girlfriend, a blonde lass known as Pauline.
Jump forward a few years, and suddenly we have Mario marching his way towards Bowser's castle in aim of rescuing the fair Princess Peach (Toadstool). While originally a red head, the Princess immediately became the damsel of choice in the Mario universe and replaced poor Pauline, who was hardly heard from again. Perhaps to symbolize this fact, the Princess' hair color was gradually lightened over time until she became the pristine blonde we know today.
But the blonde trend didn't stop with Peach.
The Legend of Zelda series introduced the brunette Princess Zelda, who, by the time
A Link to the Past appeared (the third game of the series), now had a blonde mane of her own. And then there's Samus from the Metroid series. As with Zelda, she started her game career as a brunette but was made a bodacious blonde by the third game of the series,
Super Metroid. Lastly, there's Paula from the
Earthbound games. Like a miniaturized Princess Peach, she has long blonde hair and even wears a pink dress.
So, is there a point to this post? Not really. This is just an observation of Nintendo's odd infatuation with blonde, and fair skinned, female leads. And, being a fan of the blonde beauties myself, I'm not complaining, although sometimes I still catch myself imagining Princess Peach as the cute red head I remember from the old
Super Mario Super Show cartoon. *sigh* There's just something about red heads. . .
In other news, I'm going to be out of town for the next several days so there will not be any updates until sometime late next week. Have a cool holiday! Until next time. . .
The Big Three - Who Will Succeed in 2006?
Anyone familiar with my blog knows that I rarely talk about current events in the video game industry. I figure that, if someone wants to learn more about the Grand Theft Auto San Andreas "Hot Coffee" mod controversy, or catch up on the games revealed at the recent German Games Convention, he is better of going to a gaming news website such as IGN or Gamespot (both of which have links on this page). It's not that I don't like talking about current events, it's just that providing deep analysis of gaming news and developments is usually beyond the scope of this humble blog.
Still, with E3 long since over, and the aforementioned German Games Convention having just concluded, I figured I'd share a few of my feelings regarding the three giants - Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo - and conjecture a bit about what awaits us in 2006.
First off, I think Microsoft is wise to jump ahead of the competition and release its new console, the Xbox 360, by this Christmas. Yes, being the first system out of the door is a gamble, a fact many a poor Sega Dreamcast owner will attest to, but I honestly think the 360's early entry will work to Microsoft's advantage. Despite the 360's shameless and ostentatious revealing on MTV a few months back, plus another iffy E3 presentation, the system still seems to be generating a good amount of buzz among gamers, and the two price points - a $299 and $399 version - will help anyone who wants the system to be able to afford one. Let's just hope the launch titles are as good as Microsoft boasts them to be. And incidentally, buy the $399 model if you can, it's by far the better deal.
Next is Sony and its cleverly named Playstation 3 (note the sarcasm here). To be fair, I think the design of the system is the most original of the three coming consoles, and if Sony is to be believed, it should also be the most powerful. Still, footage of actual games for the system has been scarce, and the videos that
have been shown have been largely criticized by the press as being merely prerendered movies (and thus not true representations of what the system can do). Also of concern are the rumors regarding the system's price - estimates range from the reasonable ($350) to the astronomical ($600). With the already powerful Xbox 360 at $300, why would anyone pay an extra $100-300 for a PS3? One can't help but feel Sony may be trying to make the system too powerful, and thus more expensive, than it really needs to be.
Finally, there is Nintendo's enigmatic Revolution, the system the Big N promised would be released before or at the same time as the PS3, but now will likely be the last of the three consoles to hit the market. Unlike its competitors, Nintendo is not focusing on sheer hardware power but is instead concentrating on another important element - interaction. Supposedly, Nintendo has adapted a "revolutionary" technology to the system's controller that will provide gamers with an unprecedented amount of control and feedback in their experiences. Unfortunately, Nintendo has been characteristically secretive in regards to what the controller or the technology might be, leaving gamers and the media scratching their heads in wonder (and frustration) over what the company is hiding. Is the technology really so great that it justifies the Big N's seemingly endless silence? My hunch is that when the controller is finally revealed, people's expectations will be so high, they're going to be at least mildly disappointed by what they see. In any case, at least the Revolution will boast on-line capabilities, a crucial feature GameCube owners more or less missed out on.
So, which system will ultimately reign? It's a tough call. I suspect the Xbox 360 will give the PS3 a good challenge in America, but will still lose to Sony in Japan. The Revolution, no matter how great (or not) the controller turns out, will likely place third in America, although it will still be popular with the kids (in part to a relatively low price point) and a sleeper favorite among the hardcore. Besides, it's supposed to have an on-line Smash Brothers game at launch, which is reason enough for any self-respecting gamer to give it a chance.
So, which system(s) do you plan on getting? Until next time. . .
