Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogobig.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Bury the Shovelware: Jake Hunter Detective Chronicles]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/21/bury-the-shovelware-jake-hunter-detective-chronicles/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/21/bury-the-shovelware-jake-hunter-detective-chronicles/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/21/bury-the-shovelware-jake-hunter-detective-chronicles/#commentsFiled under:



Pedigree

Well, we've found one of the weirdest game company names in existence: Aksys Games. It's right up there with "Infogrames" and "Camerica." I was surprised to learn that they're not as obscure as their name would lead one to imagine: they're the folks behind the Guilty Gear series.

Jake Hunter was developed by Arc System Works, which is a large Japanese developer and publisher who publishes overseas via Aksys Games. That'll be something I've gotta keep an eye on in the future: the same-developer-same-publisher factor. I'd probably have to talk to a few people who work for a development team or a publisher to learn more about that one. Any such folks reading this who'd like to help me out? Come on, I know you're out there.

The Critics Said ...

IGN was quick to note that this is a Phoenix Wright-inspired adventure, but also added that "Jake is a stereotype, and the stories are straight forward, humorless affairs." Game Informer followed suit, stating that the game "takes itself way too seriously." So ... the game is being criticized for not being closer to what inspired it? This leaves me a bit befuddled. If Jake Hunter copied Phoenix Wright to a T, it would be criticized for not being original. But when it decides to take a serious approach (as opposed to PW's humorous presentation), it's criticized for not being enough like the original. Poor Jake Hunter can't do anything right.

Criticism of critics aside, the two reviews were basically on-par with their peers: the game holds a 47% aggregate score at Metacritic.

Continue reading Bury the Shovelware: Jake Hunter Detective Chronicles

JoystiqBury the Shovelware: Jake Hunter Detective Chronicles originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>jake-hunterjake-hunter-detective-chroniclesjoystiqfeaturesphoenix-wrightshovelwareWed, 21 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Top 5: Jury's Still Out]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/19/top-5-jurys-still-out/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/19/top-5-jurys-still-out/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/19/top-5-jurys-still-out/#commentsFiled under:


In this little hobby of ours, there are undeniable classics. Only an utterly clueless fanboy will ignore Shigeru Miyamoto's contributions to gaming, and any Nintendo enthusiast can never deny the quality of a series like Halo or God of War. No matter the platform, there are games which make up the foundation of this medium as we've come to know it.

Traditionally, the formula would seem to be game made by a respectable company + a few years to let it sink in = indisputable classic. Yet there are a few that still provoke debate.

These are games that are neither universally adored nor hated. They almost always spark conversation, and are considered by some to be an acquired taste. Here are the Top 5 games that we all can't decide if they're classics or not.



The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up.

JoystiqTop 5: Jury's Still Out originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-of-linkjoystiqfeatureslistlistsmariostar-foxstar-fox-adventuressuper-mario-bros-2super-mario-sunshinethe-wind-wakertop-5wind-wakerzeldazelda-2Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Bury the Shovelware: Cesar Millan's Dog Whisperer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/14/bury-the-shovelware-cesar-millans-dog-whisperer/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/14/bury-the-shovelware-cesar-millans-dog-whisperer/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/14/bury-the-shovelware-cesar-millans-dog-whisperer/#commentsFiled under:



You know, I usually have a fairly decent idea of where most of these shovelware titles are going. That's not to say that I haven't been disappointed or pleasantly surprised before, but judging a book by its cover is often appropriate with shovelware. Yet I honestly have no clue what this game will have me do. Is it a Nintendogs clone? Will I be tapping dogs on the neck in a tap-happy minigame? Will I have to make that "tchsszzt" noise into the DS's microphone? Let's find out.

Pedigree

One word: UBISOFT. That's correct; the "not-a-bad-company-per-se-but-still-known-for-creating-copious-amounts-of-shovelware" gaming bigwig both developed and published this title.

Continue reading Bury the Shovelware: Cesar Millan's Dog Whisperer

JoystiqBury the Shovelware: Cesar Millan's Dog Whisperer originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cesar-millandog-whispererjoystiqfeaturesnintendogsshovelwarethe-dog-whispererWed, 14 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Top 5: Worst. Cutscenes. Ever.]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/12/top-5-worst-cutscenes-ever/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/12/top-5-worst-cutscenes-ever/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/12/top-5-worst-cutscenes-ever/#commentsFiled under:


According to Activision (and after all, they made Pitfall!), video games will "eclipse" all other forms of media. Head honcho Mike Griffith went on to say that "Movies, recorded music and TV - these are all stagnating or contracting entertainment sectors."

I'm not sure how much I agree with that statement. Strictly in terms of cash flow, it's already happening. Gaming is a fairly pricey hobby, and it's been outpacing the other forms of media for several years (in terms of growth). Yet I have a difficult time imagining a time where video games are everyone's preferred form of escapism. Although their respective industries may see drastic changes with direct, indirect, or unrelated connections to gaming, music and film will always have a place. As much as I love gaming, it's not rare that I find myself preferring to zone out with TV or just listen to music and read instead of playing a video game.

What I do see is a further merging of the three into ubiquitous, all-purpose media devices. Microsoft and Sony currently do this, and it's only a matter of time before Nintendo catches up. While most households currently don't rely on gaming consoles as their sole provider of film / TV and music, I imagine that this will change. Perhaps the mediums will start to bleed into one another. With Metal Gear Solid blurring the lines between game and film and Audiosurf doing the same for games and music, perhaps media will merge and propagate a completely new and unique form of entertainment. Interesting stuff.

What was this Top 5 about, again? Oh, right: cut scenes. A lot of them stink. Here's the 5 worst ones.



The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up.

JoystiqTop 5: Worst. Cutscenes. Ever. originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 12:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentcd-icut-scenecut-scenescutscenecutsceneshotel-mariojoystiqfeaturesmariomortal-kombatresident-evilresident-evil-deadly-silenceresident-evil-dsresidentevilsuper-paper-mariozeldaMon, 12 Jan 2009 12:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Bury the Shovelware: 2008 in Review]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/07/bury-the-shovelware-2008-in-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/07/bury-the-shovelware-2008-in-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/07/bury-the-shovelware-2008-in-review/#commentsFiled under:



We're barely one week into 2009 and I'm already prepared to make a judgment about the current year: I don't like it one bit. With that in mind, I've decided to take a nostalgic look back to an easier, care-free time: 2008.

Our study began on the 2nd of July with a look at the laughably terrible Homie Rollerz. It will continue indefinitely (in other words, until my overlords decide to give me the axe), or until we can come to a concrete and atomic definition of "shovelware."

That's not to say that we've been woolgathering this past half-year. Indeed, we've learned quite a bit about what constitutes shovelware and what doesn't. Here's a handful of our most acute observations:

Continue reading Bury the Shovelware: 2008 in Review

JoystiqBury the Shovelware: 2008 in Review originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2008joystiqfeatureslistreviewshovelwareWed, 07 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Top 5: Resolutions for Nintendo]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/05/top-5-resolutions-for-nintendo/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/05/top-5-resolutions-for-nintendo/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/05/top-5-resolutions-for-nintendo/#commentsFiled under:


After being MIA last week, it's nice to be back. I hope you were able to get your fill of inflammatory statements and grammatical errors from another blogger. And most importantly, I'm glad you're back.

While I was away with loved ones, I did like many other of my countrymen and did not hold back on food and drink. Though I try to watch what I eat, the lure of freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies and egg nog were a siren's song I could not ignore. And when I make my way to the gym tonight for my semi-daily swim, I know that it will be infested with the dreaded "January Joiners." This is a term which refers to the large influx of people attending the gym in the early part of the year in a futile attempt to fulfill their weight-loss resolutions. Although maneuvering around the larger number of bodies is an inconvenience, I have no ill feelings towards this people. In fact, I wish that they'd stay all year. Sadly, I know better: they'll be gone before February.

So if you've made resolutions, try your best to stick with them. Whether fitness-related or not, setting goals is a great way to improve our lives. Write notes on a calendar, set Google alerts to remind you of goals, and keep your eye on the prize. While your resolutions will best be decided by yourself, we can all agree on a few for Nintendo. Here's the Top 5 resolutions that the Big N should set for themselves. Unlike the January Joiners, let's hope these goals aren't abandoned by Valentine's Day.


The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up.

JoystiqTop 5: Resolutions for Nintendo originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>joystiqfeaturesNew-Super-Mario-Bros-Wiinew-yearsnew-years-resolutionsNintendonintendo-wfcnintendo-wi-fionlinePlatformresolutionresolutionstop-5Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bury the Shovelware: Elf Bowling 1 & 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/24/bury-the-shovelware-elf-bowling-1-and-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/24/bury-the-shovelware-elf-bowling-1-and-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/24/bury-the-shovelware-elf-bowling-1-and-2/#commentsFiled under:



It's Christmas Eve, and Santa has come a little early. But apparently we've all been very terrible, for there exists a gift far worse than coal. In fact, coal seems downright awesome compared to this. After all, it's flammable. I am being utterly sincere when I say that I would much rather play Cake Mania 2 than this pile of reindeer droppings.

Pedigree

Elf Bowling 1 & 2 shares the same developer and publisher: Ignition Entertainment. A quick scan of their products page shows a great diversity in games. Notably but understandably missing is this game. It's difficult to comprehend the fact that the same resources which gave us the excellent and underrated Mercury Meltdown Revolution are also responsible for Elf Bowling 1 & 2. The company also published Metal Slug 7 in North America.

The Critics Said ...

Metacritic is a great tool to use when I determine the critics' reception of a game for this series. I've referenced the bottom of the list before. According to the "Index of Nintendo DS Game Reviews by Score" page, the worst-received game for the DS is Deal or No Deal with a metascore of 17. Yet Elf Bowling for the DS manages to do that 5 points better -- err, worse -- with a metascore of 12. Why it doesn't appear on the list is because it only contains four reviews and five are needed to appear on the grand tally. The four critics that did review Elf Bowling (the poor, poor souls) are all fairly consistent in stating that this game is the suck.

Continue reading Bury the Shovelware: Elf Bowling 1 & 2

JoystiqBury the Shovelware: Elf Bowling 1 & 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elfelf-bowlingignition entertainmentignition-entertainmentignitionentertainmentjoystiqfeaturesshovelwareWed, 24 Dec 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Top 5: Christmastime in Gaming]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/22/top-5-christmastime-in-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/22/top-5-christmastime-in-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/22/top-5-christmastime-in-gaming/#commentsFiled under:


Ahh, Christmastime. Every year, we look forward to cherished traditions such as fighting traffic, stressing out over finding gifts, and even the occasional Black Friday trampling. Yet one would be surprised to learn that December 25th has a history which shares very little with frivolous lawsuits and Bill O'Reilly frothing at the mouth.

Indeed, aside from its litigatious and hostile depiction on the news, Christmas is largely an excuse to shower our loved ones with food, presents, and joy. It's also an easy inspiration for a stressed columnist trying to finish his Christmas shopping to create a Top 5 list. As such examples of religious-based holidays are rare in gaming, this list will not be Nintendo-specific. For those who celebrate the date, I wish you a Merry Christmas. For those who don't, I wish you well just the same.



The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up.

JoystiqTop 5: Christmastime in Gaming originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>christmasdonkey-kong-countrydonkey-kong-country-3hit-and-runjoystiqfeaturesnightsnights-into-dreamsnights-journey-of-dreamssantasaturnsecret-of-manasegasega-saturnsimpsonsthe-simpsonstoejam-and-earlMon, 22 Dec 2008 12:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Bury the Shovelware: Bratz Ponyz 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/17/bury-the-shovelware-bratz-ponyz-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/17/bury-the-shovelware-bratz-ponyz-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/17/bury-the-shovelware-bratz-ponyz-2/#commentsFiled under:



After a few controversial picks, I've decided to take the edge off and pick on an easy target. After all, doesn't picking on the weak make us all feel a little better? So don't worry about today: we've got not one but TWO S's replaced with Z's!

Pedigree

Instead of talking about the developer and publisher, let's just take a long look at the title. It's in three parts. First: "Bratz," a franchise which has been criticized locally for allegedly attempting to sell sex to children. Abroad, things are even worse: "On December 21, 2006, the National Labor Committee announced that the factory workers in China, who make Bratz dolls, labor for 94.5 hours a week, while the factory pays only $0.515 an hour, $4.13 a day. The per doll amount is $0.17, much less than the Bratz dolls actually cost (from $20 to $40)." (Wikipedia).

And most important of all, let's not forget the last letter of the first word, a disgusting trait also shared with the second word: "Ponyz." When did the letter "S" become uncool? Did he totally say ohmigod and she was all like "right?" Or did Z suddenly become incredibly popular? Did Z come skateboarding through space while wearing sunglasses and playing a hot pink electric guitar? That's still cool, right?

Finally, we have the number 2 ... as if there were so many unanswered questions at the end of Bratz Ponyz 1.

Continue reading Bury the Shovelware: Bratz Ponyz 2

JoystiqBury the Shovelware: Bratz Ponyz 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bratzbratz-ponyzbratz-ponyz-2joystiqfeaturespinkshovelwaretweentweensWed, 17 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Top 5: Licensed Games That Don't Stink]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/15/top-5-licensed-games-that-dont-stink/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/15/top-5-licensed-games-that-dont-stink/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/15/top-5-licensed-games-that-dont-stink/#commentsFiled under:


Apparently, happy is the new angry (Uggh, I apologize; I hate the "X is the new Y" phrase as much as anyone). While the Angry Video Game Nerd series continues to grow in popularity, a legion of imitators -- err, "inspirées" -- have arisen from the depths of YouTube. While most appear to simply swap "Angry Video Game Nerd" with a few synonyms and reduce the effort, quality, and obtainable entertainment of the video, one manages to make the formula something completely his own. Alaskan native Derek, AKA lophatjello, has created the "Happy Video Game Nerd." While the self-explanatory premise may sound eye-roll-inducing, one would be hard-pressed to ignore his passion for the retro games he highlights after watching a video of his. And that is a quality which I value greatly: unbridled passion and optimism for gaming. We're too often deluged by a flood of pessimism and jaded cynicism from the gaming world.

Very recently, Derek covered the NES semi-classic Ducktales. He labels it as a "kick-ass licensed game." This is a notable statement, as conventional gaming knowledge tells us that a license is often indicative of a terrible game. While there are always exceptions to rules, I feel confident that most who are reading this post can agree that licenses are too often a kiss of death. Yet the HVGN is correct; Ducktales is a pretty awesome licensed game. Here, in my humble opinion, are the Top 5 games based on popular film and television.



The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up.

JoystiqTop 5: Licensed Games That Don't Stink originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>angry-video-game-nerdastro-boyavgnbucky-ohareducktalesfilmfilmsgoldeneyegoldeneye-007happy-video-game-nerdhvgnipjoystiqfeatureslicenselicensedlicenseslord-of-the-ringsmoviestreaasureMon, 15 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bury the Shovelware: Clubhouse Games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/10/bury-the-shovelware-clubhouse-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/10/bury-the-shovelware-clubhouse-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/10/bury-the-shovelware-clubhouse-games/#commentsFiled under:


For this edition of Bury the Shovelware, we're going to do something a little different. We're going to take a brief stroll through shovelware history and then see how its historical definition relates to one of the DS's most successful titles.

A Brief History of Shovelware

We've learned quite a bit on our journey to discover what exactly constitutes shovelware. From publisher responsibility to the affects of critical perception, we've covered much ground. One reoccurring issue that we see is the misconception about the word "shovelware" being synonymous with "bad game."

In the seemingly unending supply of phrases representing software distinctions, the term shovelware originally had a very specific meaning. It was used to refer to a large amount of games being ported to a single physical media source, usually with the advent of a new format which could hold many times the amount of its predecessors. Let's imagine a game that fits onto a single floppy disk. Since a single CD can hold several hundred times the amount of data that a single floppy disk can, some companies would attempt to make money by consolidating many of these games onto a CD. One might wonder how these collections came to be universally associated with crap games.

Continue reading Bury the Shovelware: Clubhouse Games

JoystiqBury the Shovelware: Clubhouse Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>42-All-Time-ClassicsBury-The-ShovelwareCard-Gamesclubhouse-gamesjoystiqfeaturesWed, 10 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Top 5: Nintendo's Worst]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/08/top-5-nintendos-worst/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/08/top-5-nintendos-worst/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/08/top-5-nintendos-worst/#commentsFiled under:


15 days ago, Guns N' Roses released their comically delayed album Chinese Democracy, giving hope to those who are still awaiting Duke Nukem Forever. Unfortunately, anyone looking for another Appetite for Destruction will be disappointed, as the new album's overcoming of its absurd delay overshadowed the album itself. One should question the album's association to the same band of twenty years ago, as Velvet Revolver contains more members of that legendary set. A more accurate title would be "Axl Rose solo project with some Buckethead." After hearing the album, I can confirm that it deserves a hearty "meh." If you truly consider this to be a Guns N' Roses album (which I'm not so sure that I do), it's undoubtedly their worst.

This got me thinking about the bottom rungs of other quality serial productions. Being the nerd that I am, it didn't take long for thoughts to drift towards gaming. We're all aware that it's a bit redundant to bash Nintendo as a company. But one aspect of the Big N which is almost never called into question is the quality of their games. Certainly there's always a few outliers which stray from conventional feelings just for disarray's sake, and good for them. Yet one would have to be certifiably bonkers to label anything from the main Zelda or Mario series as a truly terrible game. But like anyone who hasn't sold their soul to the devil, there's bound to be a few slip-ups. When you're talking about a history as enormous to gaming as Nintendo's, it'd be suspicious if there wasn't a blotch here or there.

These aren't quite at the top of the "worst games of all time" list, but they'd certainly be if the list was Nintendo-exclusive.



The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up.

JoystiqTop 5: Nintendo's Worst originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bad-gamesice-climberice-climbersjoystiqfeaturesmario-partymario-party-advancenintendopokemonpokemon-dashshovelwaretop-5urban-championwii-playMon, 08 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bury the Shovelware: Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/03/bury-the-shovelware-are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/03/bury-the-shovelware-are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/03/bury-the-shovelware-are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader/#commentsFiled under:



After a controversial piece last week, followed by a stressful and virus-contracting holiday weekend, I decided to take things easy this week and go for an easy target. As you can assume, my expectations for this title aren't that high. In fact, I've really only one question: is this game worse than Deal or No Deal.

As I popped the game into my DS, I notice something interesting. I asked for "Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader," but it looks like they sent me "Are You Smarter than a 10 Year Old," which is the British version of the American game show. I guess whoever was responsible for this is not smarter than a 5th grader ... (punches self). At least I won't have to deal with sub-par humor.

Continue reading Bury the Shovelware: Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?

JoystiqBury the Shovelware: Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>are-you-smarter-than-a-10-year-oldare-you-smarter-than-a-5th-graderare-you-smarter-than-a-fifth-graderawe-gamesawe-productionsdeal-or-no-dealjoystiqfeaturesmindscapeWed, 03 Dec 2008 11:50:00 EST<![CDATA[1. Kid Icarus: Eggplant'd]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/top-5-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/top-5-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/top-5-1/#comments

Kid Icarus is a notoriously difficult NES classic. In typical old-school fashion, the game is relentless in challenge and unforgiving with mistakes. What's the most frustrating thing you'll encounter in this game, you ask? Is it the vertical-scroll pit deaths? The eternal re-spawning of enemies? The over-priced power-ups? While these are all certainly frustrating, the worst thing to happen to our friend Pit occurs in the dungeon levels. After encountering the dreaded Eggplant Wizard, I'm almost guaranteed to leave the room having had my torso replaced by the dark purple vegetable. When this happens, Pit is reduced to nothing more than a walking life drain, as he has lost his ability to use any weapons. The only cure is to find the nurse who can remove it. But there's only one of these in the entire dungeon, and the nurse's room might be located on the other side of the entire level. Thus, you're often forced to traipse across many rooms, usually taking great abuse along the way.


<< BACK COMMENT

Joystiq1. Kid Icarus: Eggplant'd originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[2. Yoshi's Island: Fuzzy]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/top-5-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/top-5-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/top-5-2/#comments

"What drugs were they on when they made this game?" I've heard people state this many times before about various Nintendo games. While most Nintendo projects have an air of innocence, there's apparently a very fine line in perception between child-like fantasy and wild drug trip. These questions date all the way back to Mario's first grand adventure, when he devoured mushrooms and "got big." Indeed, it must take a lot of ... "imagination" ... to start with an overweight Italian plumber and end up with this.

You can't blame Mario for his pre-disposition to drug abuse; he's been around it his entire life. Before he was even delivered to his parents, he had a run-in with a mind-altering substance. His temporary care-taker was addicted to what was known on the streets as "fuzzy." Yes, Yoshi's Island players, let's admit our addiction: whenever playing level 1-7, we always seem to "accidentally" bump into the fuzzys. File this under "I know I shouldn't but I really want to."


<< BACK COMMENT NEXT >>

Joystiq2. Yoshi's Island: Fuzzy originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[3. Bomberman: Skull]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/top-5-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/top-5-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/top-5-3/#comments

A fairly consistent trait of the Bomberman series, the Skull item card is a mixed bag of almost certain bad possibilities. After touching it, you're given one of a handful of conditions. Sure, there's a max speed and a max bomb blast radius to be had, but you're more than likely not going to be happy with what you receive. There's the painfully slow movement speed, where you're basically asking to be cornered and blasted. There's the bomb impotence, which makes you unable to drop bombs and puts you on the defense. And my personal favorite is what my friends and I have dubbed "bomb incontinence": you simply drop bombs at random without any control whatsoever. Try forming any sound strategy out of that!

And like many infections, the sickness is communicable. Don't like your current status? Simply touch a fellow bomber and you're free ... that is, if there's any around. Certainly any bomberman worth their weight would avoid you like the plague, which makes sense considering you're all infected-like.


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Joystiq3. Bomberman: Skull originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[4. Mario Kart: Lightning]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/top-5-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/top-5-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/top-5-4/#comments

Shrinking racers since 1992, the lightning bolt is one of the most powerful weapons in all of Mario Kart. It's truly an unbiased punisher, rendering all but its user into miniature and flatten-able targets. I've often compared Nintendo-made multiplayer games to socio-economic classes, and Mario Kart is no exception. In this case, at the top lies either a single player way ahead of the pack, or a small group constantly trading the top spot amongst one another as the result of random item acquirement or blowback from the lower classes. In the middle lies most of the racers, struggling and battling fiercely amongst each other with the goal of achieving first place. In reality, they can only be the leader of their own group. Once in awhile a single racer by chance manages to find his or her way into the top tier, which only serves as motivation for the other middle-classers to continue struggling against one another. And at the bottom lies the proletariat; a group destined to round out the bottom.

While the lightening bolt item will certainly cause dismay in a tightly-woven group, a clear frontrunner will usually not lose first place because of it. Indeed, it seems that no item from the lower classes can ever consistently dethrone those at the top ... with one exception. It is perhaps the greatest move that can occur in any video game. On an extremely long jump (think jumping over the steam boat in Mario Kart 64), you manage to fire off the lightning bolt right as the first place person is in mid-air. The shrink will cause them to lose all momentum in mid-air, sending them to the ground below and surrendering first place to whoever is next in line. It's truly a beautiful moment.


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Joystiq4. Mario Kart: Lightning originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[5. Castlevania: Poison]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/top-5-5/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/top-5-5/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/top-5-5/#comments

We've all seen this one before. What started in Symphony of the Night has continued throughout most subsequent Castlevania titles: coming into contact with certain enemies will cause specific status ailments. Being poisoned will slowly but steadily drain your health for a set amount of time. While the bloated health meters of recent Castlevanias make it almost a non-issue, it eventually becomes noticeable when you find that you're suddenly winding down to your last sliver of health. There's nothing more embarassing in Castlevania than to survive an onslaught of vicious enemies only to be done in by poison. The only way to stop the hemorrhage is by using an antidote. While this small facet of the Castlevania universe won't drastically alter one's feelings towards the series, it's certainly a nice touch.


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Joystiq5. Castlevania: Poison originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Top 5: Infections]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/top-5-infections/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/top-5-infections/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/top-5-infections/#commentsFiled under:


After visiting friends and relatives this Thanksgiving, I was left with something special inside. Was it fond memories? Was it a deeper connection with those who I love? Was it several containers of leftovers? Sure, I received a fair share of those, but the most significant thing I received this Thanksgiving was the flu.

I should have known. At least five different folks I saw over the course of the day claimed to be recovering from some form of the dreaded virus. Sure enough, by Friday evening I was sweating and freezing at once, aching all over, and debating on which end to point at the toilet (too much?).

Whenever I get sick, I tend to feel very isolated. While everyone else was out enjoying their four-day weekend, I was tethered to the bed. But it didn't take long for me to realize that I'm certainly not alone. Everyone gets sick sooner or later, and no one is truly immune. In fact, even our video game counterparts have their fair share of sicknesses that affect their goals. And thankfully, just like said counterparts, the infections are usually brief. Here's our Top 5 sicknesses to avoid.



The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up.

JoystiqTop 5: Infections originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bombermancastlevaniaeggplanteggplant-wizardinfectioninfectionsjoystiqfeatureskid-icarusmariomario-kartmario-kart-wiipoisonsicksickdayssicknessyoshiyoshis-islandMon, 01 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wii Fanboy interviews The Angry Video Game Nerd (part 2)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/26/wii-fanboy-interviews-the-angry-video-game-nerd-part-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/26/wii-fanboy-interviews-the-angry-video-game-nerd-part-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/26/wii-fanboy-interviews-the-angry-video-game-nerd-part-2/#commentsFiled under:


The AVGN:

How often do you get recognized at non-gaming events? What are your fans usually like?

I get recognized moderately in public. It always comes unexpected, but at a gaming convention, it's guaranteed to happen all day. The fans are usually very nice.

What's the strangest / creepiest interaction you've ever had with a fan?

Nothing that interesting.

James Rolfe seems to be a pretty laid-back person, whereas the Angry Video Game Nerd is known for acerbic rants and shouting obscenities. Are fans that you meet ever disappointed to discover the difference? Do you ever feel put on the spot to start acting like the AVGN?

People are often surprised. I haven't ever felt forced to be AVGN in public. I tried one interview in the past, in character, but it's not easy without a game in front of me. In a casual interview or meeting with a fan, I can't see how someone can expect me to be that way in real life. It's funny.

Let's say that MTV, SpikeTV, or some other large company offers you a life contract to continuously create AVGN videos. Would you accept, and perhaps stay a few generations behind the current and continue doing "retro" reviews, or do you think that the AVGN has an eventual expiration date?

I see no expiration date, but I also need a break sometime.

There are many videos online that are very similar to yours. Some try to do a parody, while others are nearly identical. How do you usually feel about such videos? Approval? Contempt? Indifference?

I haven't seen a whole lot, but generally, if someone's doing it in my style and is an obvious parody or tribute, I feel flattered.



Cinemassacre / Films:

If you were able to successfully be an independent film maker, would you continue to do so or would you instead actively pursue working with a major studio? What are the benefits of independent film-making?

It's all about creative control. That's why Cinemassacre is independent. If there was a project that could only be done on a monster budget, or if it was a franchise (sequel/remake) that I believed in, I would go with the studio.

Let's say you're given a huge break and one of the major film studios offers you the chance to direct the next installment or a remake of a major Hollywood film franchise. Which would be your dream to direct?

Oh wow, one answer just rolled into the next question. I always dreamed of writing/directing a Universal Studios monster movie, whether it be a spoof or a very outdated followup to the 1930's/40's films starring Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, and the Wolf Man.

I watched the Cinemassacre 200 film. Film-making is clearly a huge desire of yours. Are you ever afraid of being boxed in and labeled as the AVGN?

I see the effects it takes, that the majority of internet audience see the Nerd at face value, but it's also gotten a lot of attention to my past work, so it's done no harm.

Many of the videos on your website are retrospectives of movies produced in either the 50s or the 80s. What, in your opinion, was the true "golden age" of film-making in America, and how does the current state of film-making compare?

It's hard to say, but I feel the true golden age is between the 20's and 40's. There was no television, the only way to see a movie was to leave your house. The movies of that era have a timeless quality, the fact that they prevailed through the Great Depression and World War II, makes those movies seem more magical to me. They were about escapism.

As someone who is very familiar with video games and movies, you're likely aware of the atrocities of most video game to film adaptations. Why do you think so many fail, and is there any hope for a good conversion? What game(s) do you think could work?

Movies based on games... I gave up on that a while ago, so to be honest, I haven't kept up with most of the recent ones. I remember going to see Super Mario Brothers: The Movie, and it wasn't anything like the game. Street Fighter and Double Dragon were also ridiculous. But the one that satisfied me was the Mortal Kombat movie, because it had a lot of fighting and it was actually reminiscent of the game, rather than completely straying from the source material. Nowadays, it seems it's all Resident Evil and Tomb Raider, games made after the golden age of gaming, for me personally. I always wanted to see a Zelda movie made in the same style as Willow or Clash of the Titans. I also wanted to see a Metroid movie done in the style of Aliens. But honestly, now it's too late.

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JoystiqWii Fanboy interviews The Angry Video Game Nerd (part 2) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Wii Fanboy interviews The Angry Video Game Nerd]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/26/wii-fanboy-interviews-the-angry-video-game-nerd/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/26/wii-fanboy-interviews-the-angry-video-game-nerd/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/26/wii-fanboy-interviews-the-angry-video-game-nerd/#commentsFiled under:


Most viral video stars tend to fade away fairly quickly. The Afro Ninja is likely waiting tables, "Peanut Butter Jelly Time" reached its peak with a mention on Family Guy, and let's pray to God that we've seen the last of Chris Crocker (I'm ashamed to even know his name). Yet one Internet favorite has managed to grow exponentially in popularity and success since his first video debuted four years ago. What started as a simple decimation of Castlevania 2 on a VHS tape for friends has grown into one of the most recognizable features in the Internet gaming culture.

James Rolfe, better known as the Angry Video Game Nerd, is a New Jersey native who has entertained web viewers for the past four years with eviscerations of awful games. Every two weeks, he produces a new admonishment of an old-school abomination for ScrewAttack. What you might not know is that he's an aspiring filmmaker with a passion for the medium unrivaled by most directors with astronomically larger budgets. His hard work hasn't gone unnoticed, as the MTV-owned GameTrailers.com now sponsors his AVGN videos and Spike TV has commissioned him to produce non-AVGN related content.

Wii Fanboy recently tracked the man down during production of his latest video, a scathing look at the Philips CD-i. We discussed gaming old and new, the AVGN character, and his independent film studio known as Cinemassacre. Find out more about the man behind the glasses and Rolling Rock after the jump.

Continue reading Wii Fanboy interviews The Angry Video Game Nerd

JoystiqWii Fanboy interviews The Angry Video Game Nerd originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>angry-videogame-nerdjoystiqfeaturesWed, 26 Nov 2008 14:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Bury the Shovelware: Metal Slug 7]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/26/bury-the-shovelware-metal-slug-7/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/26/bury-the-shovelware-metal-slug-7/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/26/bury-the-shovelware-metal-slug-7/#commentsFiled under:



After seeing the ho-hum critical response to Metal Slug 7, I decided to give the title a look in the ol' shovelscope in order to further explore how critics' scores can heavily affect our perceptions of a game before we're ever able to form our own opinions. Plus, I just wanted an excuse to talk about it.

Pedigree

While the Metal Slug series doesn't have much mainstream recognition, it's generally regarded as a well-kept secret amongst 2D enthusiasts. Furthermore, it's near-gospel to fans of side-scrolling run and gun titles, such as Contra and Gunstar Heroes. The original title is interesting in that it served as a glorification of 2D gaming right at the exact time when 3D gaming was taking over. It looked and played like a 16-bit title on steroids. Its characters were cute, its colors were bright, but the game orchestrated sprites into an all-encompassing celebration of hand-drawn beauty and retro charm.

And with great fandom comes great pressure. Let us not forget the support of all things SNK by the company's monomaniacal fans, a group arguably more devoted than Nintendo's fan club. Although SNK must greatly appreciate the support and instant-buzz generated by the fans, they are also subject to very high expectations.

Continue reading Bury the Shovelware: Metal Slug 7

JoystiqBury the Shovelware: Metal Slug 7 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>criticcriticsjoystiqfeaturesmetal-slugmetal-slug-7reviewsshovelwaresnkWed, 26 Nov 2008 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[1. Tell Us How You Really Feel]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/top-5-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/top-5-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/top-5-1/#comments

Iwata's ignoring the emerging presence of online gaming? Over-cautious financial planning. Miyamoto's hissy fit over Donkey Kong Country? Simple emotional release. Fischer's child-like ignorance? Well ... I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say that he was just momentarily clueless.

But there's some statements that simply defy comprehension. Coming from a man who has been the president of a major corporation for over half a century, one would assume that every decision, every statement, nay, every thought would be part of a larger scheme. Yet I think even a Bill Gates or a Warren Buffett would be left wondering what on earth was he thinking after hearing these words escape former Nintendo President and CEO Hiroshi Yamauchi's mouth: "[People who play RPGs are] depressed gamers who like to sit alone in their dark rooms and play slow games."

One could take the easy way out and assume that the man, aged about 72 years at the time of the statement, was simply having a "grandpa moment." But this couldn't possibly be the same man who radically transformed a playing card company into a technological revolutionary. Turn-based RPGs were never my personal favorite type of game, but I would never attack a game without reason simply because I didn't prefer it (unless the game was Deal or No Deal, then it totally deserves to be attacked). The same man who once downplayed Microsoft as a clueless non-competitor eventually grew a reputation for head-scratching quotes. Whether he was dissing competitors or claiming that graphics were meaningless to most consumers, we can merely guess at what on earth he was thinking when he made such brazen statements. Pent-up rage over the Square-Nintendo falling out? Dismissal of a genre which catered more to larger quantities of storage, something that wasn't a priority for Nintendo in the N64 and GameCube eras? I would normally follow that sentence up with "who knows but the man himself," but one must wonder if even he knew what he was saying.


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Joystiq1. Tell Us How You Really Feel originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[2. The A-word!!!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/top-5-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/top-5-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/top-5-2/#comments

Not everything shocking has to be negative. At E3 2004, Reggie Fils-Aime gave a speech in which he kick-started a new era of Nintendo, starting with a single line: "My name is Reggie. I'm about kickin' ass, I'm about takin' names, and we're about makin' games." Like a modern day Gettysburg Address, this speech -- more accurately, this line -- proved to be a turning point for the Big N.

Before this moment, Nintendo seemed to be flirting with the possibility of being the loser in the home console race for three consecutive generations. As Sega taught us, it doesn't take many failures before a console-maker goes toes-up. Even this blogger considered the possibility that The Twilight Princess would be Nintendo's swan song and entertained the idea of a future Mario title being played on a competitor's system. I get the impression that I was not alone in hosting these dark thoughts. But by amalgamating a few simple words into one immortal quote, Reggie instantly won the hearts of Nintendo fanboys. More importantly, however, his presence signified a metamorphosis in Nintendo. With the use of a simple curse word, Fils-Aime drastically altered Nintendo's image from the company run by Japanese dinosaurs who "just don't get it" into an aggresive, no-nonsense, take-no-prisoners game-making machine. The results speak for themselves.


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Joystiq2. The A-word!!! originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[3. Revenge of the Otaku]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/top-5-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/top-5-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/top-5-3/#comments

I've mentioned this a few times before, but it was such a slight against gamers that it bears repeating. In July of this year, managing director of marketing for Nintendo of Europe Laurent Fischer noted that the only people who want additional storage for the Wii are "geeks and otaku." I find it interesting that a director of marketing, someone who I assume has education and experience in marketing, doesn't see the connection that those who are running out of space are consumers who have purchased much downloadable content, and they want extra space so that they can continue to purchase even more downloadable content. One could grant Fischer a pardon due to his apparent ignorance, but resorting to name-calling demonstrates that Fischer has not advanced past an adolescent tendency to make ad hominem attacks when challenged.

Adding insult to injury was his non-apology apology: "I regret that this misunderstanding has created such offence and disappointment within the community." In other words, we're at fault for "misunderstanding." What is there to "misunderstand" about juvenile name calling? Claiming that hurt feelings are the fault of the victim's interpretation is nothing short of unfettered arrogance. While the previous items on this list are arguably just as outrageous, to have such a high figure in Nintendo literally insult their customer is baffling and reflects very poorly on the company. It's insulting at best and an utter mistake-hire at worst.


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Joystiq3. Revenge of the Otaku originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[4. FU, DKC]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/top-5-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/top-5-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/top-5-4/#comments

"Donkey Kong Country proves that players will put up with mediocre gameplay as long as the art is good." Ouch. While this statement would be at home in a 1994 recess debate between a Genesis enthusiast and an SNES fan, it actually comes from Nintendo's golden boy himself, Shigeru Miyamoto. While I find it difficult to question the man who gave the world Mario and Zelda, it's perplexing to hear such inflammatory statements about such a finely crafted game. No one would argue that DKC's gameplay was revolutionary, but to dismiss it with such pomposity is the equivalent of attacking hot dogs for not containing tenderloin. Sure, it's no filet mignon, but those hot dogs are darn delicious. I've fawned over the game before, so the defense will rest.

According to the semi-reliable Wikipedia, Miyamoto was simply venting his frustrations from apparent pressure at the time by Nintendo to make Yoshi's Island graphically similar to Donky Kong Country. And if a brief emotional release is what it took for Miyamoto to keep the utterly sublime sequel to Super Mario World the way he intended, I say we give him a pass. While the statement was uncalled for, he was simply speaking his mind at that moment. And that's what some artists tend to do. After all, even Mozart was apparently a bit of a jerk.


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Joystiq4. FU, DKC originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[5. On ... line?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/top-5-5/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/top-5-5/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/top-5-5/#comments

In 2004, Satoru Iwata said that "customers do not want online games." At a time when the GameCube appeared to be a sinking ship, Nintendo's President and CEO made this statement which, in the ears of fanboys clamoring for online battle, seemed to punch a hole in the already doomed vessel. What a difference four years can make, for now we can achieve a dream that's been brewing since the SNES kart-racing classic debuted: power-sliding our way to victory both at home and on the go.

Though the statement is a bit inflammatory, Iwata's statement deserves to be understood in context. According to some reports, online gaming revenue is expected to quadruple in 2008 from four years ago. Although this doesn't provide accurate figures of consumer demand for online gaming in either time period, it does show that Nintendo hasn't ignored this enormous influx. As the less-quoted amendment to Iwata's statement demonstrates, "We're not negative toward the idea of going online. We're just practical." While you can debate the practicality part, you can't argue that Nintendo hasn't taken a 180 degree turn from that time. And you can never ask that someone is perfect; rather, ask that they learn and grow.


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Joystiq5. On ... line? originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Top 5: Say What?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/top-5-say-what/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/top-5-say-what/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/24/top-5-say-what/#commentsFiled under:


Ahh, the quote. Whether used to end an essay or defame a political opponent, the quote is a very versatile tool. Particularly in the era of blogging, every word that escapes a well-known figure's mouth has the potential to be immediately flung back at them. It's quite scary to look back on conversations I've had and consider the possibility of quotes of mine being used to define my character as a whole.

In fact, judgement of character based on a quote can even usurp the validity of the quote itself. Conventional wisdom asserts that singer Lauryn Hill once made a statement to the effect of "I'd rather have my children starve than have a white person buy my album." While this is simply not true, the false statement has been cited by those who would define Hill as a racist. Even Eminem supported the fallacy in a song whose title I won't mention.

Being over a century old, Nintendo is bound to have a few interesting quotes attributed to them. Coupled with a philosophy that is undoubtedly unique and perhaps offbeat, the Big N is not lacking in the department of ear-catching statements. Two weeks ago, I made a Top 5 in which I tried to downplay any tension between Nintendo and its fans. This week, I'm providing cheap ammunition. Enjoy.


The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up.

JoystiqTop 5: Say What? originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>donkey-kongdonkey-kong-countryiwatajoystiqfeaturesnintendoquotequotesreggiereggie-fils-aimesatoru-iwatatop-5yamauchiMon, 24 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bury the Shovelware: Zoo Tycoon DS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/19/bury-the-shovelware-zoo-tycoon-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/19/bury-the-shovelware-zoo-tycoon-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/19/bury-the-shovelware-zoo-tycoon-ds/#commentsFiled under:



Pedigree

Based on the PC series of the same name, the Zoo Tycoon games are rooted in the business / construction simulation titles that proved to be very popular in the 1990s. These types of games include the SimCity series and its numerous spinoffs, Theme Park, and the Civilization series. These sorts of titles usually appeal to those who take gaming very seriously; perhaps you could say "connoisseurs" of gaming. Thus, a certain level of quality and depth is expected.

Publisher THQ is neither fully innocent nor consistently guilty as a shovelware publisher. Developer Blue Fang Games is an interesting case in that the only games they've ever created are those in the Zoo Tycoon series. This game marks their first appearance on the DS, and one of only two games ever created for Nintendo's portable (the other being Zoo Tycoon 2 DS).

It's worth noting that while neither of the two PC Zoo Tycoon titles were excessively praised nor bashed, they have won numerous awards relating to its family-friendly play. I can't vouch for the prestige of any of these awards, but it's always interesting to find a disconnect between critics and award organizations.

The Critics Said ...

Nintendo Power gave Zoo Tycoon the sole positive review. They claim that it "faithfully reproduces the ZT experience, from building exhibits and guest facilities to managing cash flow." I haven't played the original, but I can't imagine the series being this successful if all of the games are similar to this (more on that later). Statements made by other critics seem to fit the shovelware definition to a tee. A few snippets from the critics: "the forced or rushed feeling of this title," "tedious gameplay," "unwieldy controls," and "it will bore you into hatred."Game Informer pleasantly noted that the game is "about as much fun as giving an elephant a suppository." Gee ... a simple "I didn't like this game" would have worked just fine.

Continue reading Bury the Shovelware: Zoo Tycoon DS

JoystiqBury the Shovelware: Zoo Tycoon DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>joystiqfeaturesshovelwaresimulationzoo-tycoonzoo-tycoon-2zoo-tycoon-dsWed, 19 Nov 2008 14:35:00 EST<![CDATA[1. Free Speech]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/top-5-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/top-5-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/top-5-1/#comments

Ah, the list that builds up only to end with a general "talk amongst yourselves" point. I apologize for the banality, but it's undoubtedly true: free speech is a primary facet of gaming. Most of the issues I described, along with countless others, are mere blips in the herculean dialogue on freedom of speech. It's a discussion as old as democracy itself. It's a right granted by this country, and one which we are obligated to defend. Since we were born predisposed to be attracted to blinking lights and neat sounds, video games represent our post to guard in this battle.

But let us not become narrow-minded in a quest for tolerance. What are the bounds of free speech, if any? Does the old "yelling fire in a crowded theater" scenario count? Does blatant slander? Do I have the right to make a game where the object is to kill a real-life high-ranking politician? What if the politician was replaced by you? Yes, the you who is reading this right now. What if a game developer decided to pick on you and make a series of games where the objective was to kill you? Is there any difference?

As video games continue to ingrain themselves into our culture, they will adapt our perceptions of what free speech is, and vice versa. If this doesn't convince you that our dumb little hobby has become an enormous part of society, then nothing else will. As the late American anthropologist Clifford Geertz once said, "I don't feel that an atmosphere of debate and total disagreement and argument is such a bad thing. It makes for a vital and alive field." Indeed, every muscle tightened by unreasonable censorship, every tooth ground down when encountering frustrating DRM, and every hair grayed by Jack Thompson is not in vain. Like the sculptor crafting a beautiful statue, every response we have to such experiences shapes our definition of free speech. So marshal those feelings: think, discuss, and act.


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Joystiq1. Free Speech originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:48:00 EST<![CDATA[2. The Power of the ESRB]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/top-5-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/top-5-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/top-5-2/#comments

Let it be known that I'm not declaring war on the ESRB. In fact, compared to the MPAA (the film rating board), the ESRB is a fairly reasonable organization that has, for the most part, helped gamers. Its "federally suggested" formation in the early 1990s helped relieve pressure from the US Congress, who were growing increasingly antsy about the higher level of violent detail in the 16-bit era. It's a self-regulating organization whose ratings procedure is fairly open, especially when compared with the MPAA. And unlike the FCC, the ESRB is run and maintained by the video game industry, thus leading one to believe that it has good intentions for the business as a whole.

Yet one should be aware of the great power the ESRB wields over free speech. Although there are no legal ramifications to producing a game that the ESRB rates as "Adults Only," such games are essentially dead in the water. No major retailer which carries video games will stock them, and it's unlikely that any independent retailer would bother to go through the trouble to acquire such games. Furthermore, the three major console publishers would never allow an AO game to be published for their system (assuming that they knew about it beforehand). Indeed, only a handful of games have ever received the rating, and most of them were made for the PC. A game given the dreaded rating will often be forced to alter content so as to acquire a "Mature" rating instead, thus granting the ESRB de facto censorship powers.

More recently, the ESRB caused shockwaves when they bullied Gametrailers.com into removing a trailer for Fallout 3 from its site, claiming that it violated the organization's "advertising guidelines". I'm no lawyer, but I'd assume that a website should be free to run any content that it pleases, so long as it's not breaking any laws. The ESRB knows this, so it decided to go through Fallout 3's publisher and have them "request" that the trailer be taken down. I've seen the trailer in question, and it's no worse than any R-rated zombie flick I've ever seen. Something about this just reeks, and the ESRB isn't commenting on the situation. I think we owe it to ourselves to keep an eye out for any more ESRB-sanctioned censorship in the future.


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Joystiq2. The Power of the ESRB originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:48:00 EST<![CDATA[3. DRM]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/top-5-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/top-5-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/top-5-3/#comments

Good morning, Dave. Your name is just one small piece of information that could have been swiped from your computer had you tried playing anything containing the Sony rootkit of 2005. Officially approved by Sony, trying to play the CDs on a computer running Microsoft Windows would automatically and secretly install a rootkit which affected the computer's functionality (even functions completely unrelated to the original CD) and opened various security holes.

This was all done in the name of digital rights management. In the post-Napster world, publishers have been scrambling for a way to keep people from digitally stealing their property. And what it usually results in is tricky and often annoying hoops that a consumer must jump through after legally purchasing a product. Though DRM was initially created to control the sharing of music, it has since been applied to many games. And of course, this has spawned much controversy.

This is an issue which has no simple answer. In fact, you'll find that gamers' opinions on DRM range from utter contempt to complete approval. The reason for this is that there we're at the beginning of a new era. While digital property has existed for decades, we now live in a time where it's virtually effortless to transfer large quantities of data. Surely, publishers should have a way to protect their property from being stolen. Yet this shouldn't be at an additional expense to the consumer, and it certainly should not be a gateway for malicious practices such as Sony's rootkit fiasco.


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Joystiq3. DRM originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:48:00 EST<![CDATA[4. Media Ignorance]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/top-5-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/top-5-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/top-5-4/#comments

As I said before, gamers are becoming more and more diverse by the minute. But for every 80 year old grandmother collecting skulls in Halo 3 there exists a ten-fold cluster of people who are uninformed and unfamiliar with gaming. This is fine; no one should be obligated to learn about something in which they have no interest. But when news programs start blasting out embarrassingly alarmist headlines such as "'SE'XBOX?" and clueless commentators are given a forum to make gross inaccuracies about video games, then you can't fault grandma for giving your 360 the stink eye.

It seems that every youth-oriented tragedy of the past decade has been tied to gaming. Excluding feelings of sympathy and sorrow, one of the first thoughts I had after the Virginia Tech massacre was "I wonder how long until someone tries to publicly blame this on a FPS?" Answer: less than 8 hours from the first victim's death. While gamers are slowly percolating into most areas of society, news programming teams still appear to be sorely missing a gaming advocate. But all is not terrible. The big boys are stepping in, and voices are being heard. To their credit, EA stood firmly behind Mass Effect after the "'SE'XBOX?" nonsense. And Cooper "I know very little about this thing I'm so strongly against" Lawrence later retracted her statements after actually witnessing someone play the game. Mark that as a small victory for gamers: a strike was made against us, and we fought back. Freedom of the press is one of the pillars of a great society, but let's do our best to keep them honest.


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Joystiq4. Media Ignorance originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:48:00 EST<![CDATA[5. Anti-Gamers]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/top-5-5/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/top-5-5/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/top-5-5/#comments

Jack Thompson, we hardly knew ye. Actually, we knew far too much of ye. I won't spend much time kicking a man while he's down, but it would be a glaring omission to ignore him since he represents the archetype anti-gamer. A former attorney, Thompson has a history of waging jihad via ridiculous legal action on all people and things that he interprets as unholy. In 1993, after being fantastically zing'd by Janet Reno, Thompson filed a police report complaining of battery because she put her hand on his shoulder. Turns out he was pissed at her for not hiring him as an assistant State's Attorney. Picking quotes of his and tearing them apart is somehow easier than shooting fish in a barrel, but here's a small sample for the three of you out there who are unfamiliar with the man: "In every school shooting, we find that kids who pull the trigger are video gamers." Never mind that all school shooters fall into a youth demographic which shares many hobbies, such as movies, music, and breathing. Aah, why am I even bothering ... attacking him is a bit old hat, as the Penny-Arcade folks virtually removed all of his credibility two years ago (see: "A Modest Video Game Proposal").

Rest assured that Thompson is not alone. As James Bond once told Auric Goldfinger, "You're forgetting one thing. If I fail to report, 008 replaces me." And trust us: there's always another dying to cash in on this market. While many have described Thompson as a simple religious zealot, there's a higher power being worshipped here: the dollar almighty. Thompson literally made a career out of slandering our pastime, and has a history of demanding exorbitant amounts of money in frivolous lawsuits. After challenging pro-gamer Jason Della Rocca to a series of debates, Thompson claimed the two could reap more than $3,000 per event. Della Rocca responded by suggesting they do it for free. Being a man who cares much more about his morals than money, Thompson then ... refused to participate. These individuals get large amounts of money for lectures and presentations, so you can bet that they aren't about to host or even consider an alternative viewpoint if it means potentially invalidating their livelihood. What's worse is that the media often treats these people as legitimate and fair interpreters of gaming violence. Which leads me to ...


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Joystiq5. Anti-Gamers originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:48:00 EST<![CDATA[Top 5: Get Up, Stand Up]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/top-5-get-up-stand-up/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/top-5-get-up-stand-up/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/top-5-get-up-stand-up/#commentsFiled under:


Coming off perhaps the longest election of all eternity, one aspect that stands out for me is the relentless demand for voting. Particularly for young people, the act of voting transcended the realm of obligation and became more of a societal requirement. 2004's "Vote or Die" campaign resurrected itself as "Don't Vote": a series of videos where celebrities tell us to be apathetic about voting ... and then hit us with a psych! You just got sarcasm'd! In reality, the "Don't Vote" videos are giving the viewer a wink which nonverbally says "we're messin' around; go vote, you moron!"

Inarguably, such campaigns have been successful. The youth turnout was very large in 2004 and even larger this year. 24 million of them, in fact, aged 18 to 29 showed up, which is an increase of 2.2 million from 2004. While it's great to see participation in our political process, one wonders about the old newspaper to voting question, which goes something like this: "About half the population vote and about half read the newspaper. Let's hope it's the same half." Indeed, I question who is the better person: an uninformed voter, or an informed abstainer. On the other hand, perhaps pressuring us into the voting booth is justified: by voting for or against a candidate, we're investing ourselves in those individuals. Thus, we follow their progress and learn as we go. Whether the ends justify the means is for someone wiser than me to decide.

Which leads me to gaming. Gaming is both entertainment and an art-form. It's evolved from an experiment by college researchers to a hobby for electronic enthusiasts to a distraction for bar patrons to a culture for children before finally reaching its final stage of metamorphosis: a global juggernaut larger than film and music which appeals to an incredibly diverse group of folks. And as it becomes more relevant in our society, those of us who follow it closely should feel a responsibility to stay informed and take action when appropriate and/or necessary. Last week I presented a list of items that divides gamers. Here's the Top 5 issues that should leave you standing shoulder to shoulder with your gaming comrades.


The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up.

JoystiqTop 5: Get Up, Stand Up originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>censorshipdrmdrm-freedrm-toolesrbesrb-ratingfox-newsfree-speechjack-thompsonjoystiqfeaturestop-5Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:48:00 EST<![CDATA[Bury the Shovelware: Bubble Bobble Revolution]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/12/bury-the-shovelware-bubble-bobble-revolution/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/12/bury-the-shovelware-bubble-bobble-revolution/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/12/bury-the-shovelware-bubble-bobble-revolution/#commentsFiled under:



Pedigree

Though certainly not as revered as Mario or Zelda, the Bubble Bobble franchise falls into the category of 1980s arcade games that were made legendary when ported to the NES. Games such as Ninja Gaiden and Bionic Commando were successful in the arcades, but the home ports were often tweaked for the technically inferior systems, but usually to great success. In particular, Bubble Bobble was a pioneer for two-player cooperative gameplay. While many games offered two player modes and most sports titles offered simultaneous play, Bubble Bobble was one of the first titles to have players working together towards a common goal. Despite how outdated one may find the original title to be, its legacy as a pioneer deserves kudos.

So, like many other publishers, the team of Rising Star Games, Atari, Codemasters -- all of which are shovelwaring repeat offenders -- decided to tap the well of nostalgia and remake the original. Furthermore, developer Marvelous Interactive is the publisher behind the ill-created Space Invaders Revolution. Things are looking bad for poor Bubble Bobble Revolution.

The Critics Said ...

"The new game is frustrating, repetitive, and not as memorable as the first. " That was a comment from one of the highest scoring reviews this game received, courtesy of GameZone. Yikes. The critics were fairly brutal to this game, due mostly to a game-ending bug in the original version that caused the game to become unplayable at the end of the 30th level. Thus, many reviews for this title tend to stray from discussing the actual gameplay and instead focus on the neglect of the developer and publisher.

Interestingly enough, with over two thirds of the game being inaccessible due to an utterly inexcusable bug, the game's metascore is still over 20% better than Deal or No Deal. Having played both games, I can definitely see why.

Continue reading Bury the Shovelware: Bubble Bobble Revolution

JoystiqBury the Shovelware: Bubble Bobble Revolution originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bubble-bobblebubble-bobble-revolutionjoystiqfeaturesWed, 12 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[1. 'The Wii is [anything but awesome].']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/10/top-5-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/10/top-5-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/10/top-5-1/#comments

Speaking of President-elect Obama, I'm sure the current President could tell him when they meet today that he's going to be in for a world of vitriol. Being top dog is synonymous with braving insults. And since the numbers don't lie, the Wii is the natural recipient of much criticism. It's been called a temporary gimmick, a PS2 with waggle, and, most amusingly, two GameCubes duct-taped together.

So how should one respond to such gross assumptions? It's quite simple: enjoy playing your Wii. There is no greater counter-argument to the questioning of something's worth than the realization of its users' happiness. That is not to say that we should delude ourselves into enjoying every move Nintendo makes. Instead, we should allow ourselves to enjoy what we do and never let anyone convince us otherwise.

One must understand that throughout history, there has never been a leader who was universally loved by all. King Tut, Julius Caesar, Jesus Christ, Queen Elizabeth I, Mahatma Gandhi, Adolf Hitler, Martin Luther King Jr.: perhaps the only thing that all of these leaders had in common is that they each had their fair share of supporters and detractors. You'll never be able to control the thoughts of every last human being, nor should one person ever be able to do so.


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Joystiq1. 'The Wii is [anything but awesome].' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:50:00 EST<![CDATA[2. 'Old-school Nintendo Games are Overrated.']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/10/top-5-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/10/top-5-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/10/top-5-2/#comments

My sincere apologies; I repeat myself often. I've discussed the benefits of retro gaming before, so I will let that be. Instead, I ask those who are offended by this statement: why do we care what they think?

It may sound as though I'm simply burying my head in the sand, but I honestly feel that someone incapable of appreciating Super Metroid, Battletoads or Contra is severely missing out. To know that there exist hundreds, maybe thousands, of games that some would refuse to give the time of day to is simply baffling. You might take offense to hearing your cherished favorites being bashed in a comment list or message board, but who ever elevated to a level of power based on Internet slander? As far as I know, Barack Obama didn't get elected President of the United States based on his platform of "ZOMG MARIO IS DUM AND GAY AND IF U LIEK IT THEN U ARE DUM AND GAY!!1."

One could argue that if those who are against retro gaming are not met with opposition, then companies will not acknowledge this market and steer their efforts away from offering options for such folks (i.e. Virtual Console, Retro Compilations, Mega Man 9, etc.) But again, if it sells, that's the first and only voice publishers will hear. So why do we focus on negativity? Because it's easier to blow up trains than to make them run on time. I'd challenge those who take offense to build and not destroy. Write a blog entry about how awesome those games are, make YouTube reviews of your favorite titles, start a site highlighting classics, or, if you're really awesome, make games like these. Furthermore, let's not forget the basic principles of reality: these games exist already. Assuming that your country of residence doesn't become a totalitarian state in which retro gaming is expressly forbidden, no one can ever take them from you.


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Joystiq2. 'Old-school Nintendo Games are Overrated.' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:50:00 EST<![CDATA[3. 'Nintendo is too kid-oriented.']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/10/top-5-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/10/top-5-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/10/top-5-3/#comments

"But wait! We've got Extreme Gunplay X, Blood & Guts Y, and Unnecessary Mutilation Z! We've got a game where you can de-genital someone with pliers! That makes us mature, right?"

When met with this inflammatory statement, such is the common response from many Nintendo followers: recite as many M-rated titles as possible. In fact, this extends to many areas outside of gaming debate. When challenged by someone, we feel the need to immediately defend ourselves. While questioning one's own beliefs and assumptions is perfectly healthy, to feel the need to spring into action when met with marginalizing statements is nothing short of proving your challenger's power over you. Instead, it's sometimes more appropriate to understand where your opponent is coming from. He or she simply prefers games with mature content. We all have our preferences, and those of your opponent leads to their dismissal of all that doesn't fit their expectations.

This leads to a question: what does "kid-oriented" mean, exactly? Sure, I'd raise an eyebrow if Nintendo's entire release calendar consisted of nothing but Ben 10 and Dora the Explorer games. And who doesn't like a well-made mature title? But to those who would support this argument, I'd ask you where the agreed-upon designation of adolescence lays? Does experiencing pleasure from whimsical and silly things make one less of an adult? Do I need to beat up a hooker to prove my maturity to you? If experiencing the near-limitless joy of Super Mario Galaxy makes me childish, then I say "goo-goo gaa-gaa."


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Joystiq3. 'Nintendo is too kid-oriented.' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:50:00 EST<![CDATA[4. 'Mega Man 9 was a dumb idea.']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/10/top-5-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/10/top-5-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/10/top-5-4/#comments

From the moment that those Nintendo Power scans hit the Internet, a sea of retro-loving hearts were thawed. But right around the same time, opposition arose. And thus began the 54 trillionth entry in the "graphics vs. gameplay" debate. Though this argument isn't strictly Wii-specific (since Mega Man 9 was the first original game to be released on all three major download services), Nintendo fanboys seemed to make up a large number of the game's supporters. Unlike item number 5, this conflict was fairly easy to understand. To say that it was purely generational would be an over-simplification. Yet that assumption is not entirely without truth.

Imagine the year is 1997 and you're 8 years old. The Nintendo 64 is your life. The vast open spaces of 3D represent a frontier which fans the flames of your vast imagination. You've never heard of an Atari 2600, but someone is apparently making a game for your beloved 64-bit machine that's completely in the style of something like Adventure. Unless you're an incredibly open-minded 8 year old, your reaction would probably fall somewhere between indifference and "WTF?!?"

I'm certainly not implying that all who weren't impressed by Mega Man 9 have the intelligence and tolerance of a young child. Instead, I'm merely suggesting that perhaps such individuals don't have the active appreciation for NES games as do those who devoured the blue bomber's latest adventure. That's not to say that they're incapable of acknowledging the significance of 8-bit classics. Instead, they would rather play 2004's Ninja Gaiden than 1988's. Again: to each their own. It sounds really simple when you put it like that. Now if only we could all draw-down on one another.


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Joystiq4. 'Mega Man 9 was a dumb idea.' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:50:00 EST