Hello Wii, we need to talk. We've had a time.
I took a nap today and had a vivid dream about Jeff and Ryan. They were at my house and wanted to take a nap before they did a podcast. The podcast was going to be conducted at my house, cool right? Well, Jeff was pretty cool but couldn't really sleep and Ryan was like a big baby. Ryan wanted to listen to music while trying to take his nap. I had to find him some headphones and then he wanted the bed closer to the window. So there I was moving shit around the room while Ryan kept complaining about wanting this and that, move this and move that. Jeff laughed at Ryan, but by that time Ryan was fast asleep.
Nintendo became a buzz word this week with rumors flying around like some kind of freakish circus act, but I had a feeling something like this was going to happen. As you know, one of the rumors is of the new controller type for Nintendo's new home console. Touch screen, camera and some other doodads.
As this information was pouring in, I thought back to an old EGM I had. Specifically, September 2005 issue #195. At this time, the Wii was still the Revolution and everyone wanted to know what the new controller would be and or look like. Well, EGM tried to speculate and got it way wrong as the Wii Remote looked like a TV remote. But now, looking back, EGM might be on to something. Take a look at these scans from 2005. Click links to go to my images so you can zoom in.
http://www.giantbomb.com/controller/51-1760595/
Strange depressions and the smoke of alcohol dreams led to the Thrill Kill Kult weekend. Strange how sounds remind you of your past and maybe present. Word play is my future.
I don't do drugs anymore, but I can drink the shit out of some beer. Maybe the mind needs a trip to the past. Maybe it's time to mine my own business. Time to play games...?
We are on lock down motherfuckers. Troll still free. Still funny.
Artfully
I've been on an old magazine kick recently and when I came upon this one, two things stood out. I was reminded once again how I've never played a Final Fantasy game. The other was how Stronghold came to my attention twice in less than a week. I watched the Throwback Stronghold Quick Look and a couple days later saw the review in this old magazine. Maybe the gaming gods are trying to tell me something. Another thing about this edition is how new the Xbox and GameCube were, the Dreamcast was dying and the PlayStation 2 was rolling out the titles. Here's the Review Lists.
I traded in my Dreamcast and bought a PS2 in 2001. It was a great deal. I played a quite a few of these games.
 | 1. Final Fantasy X 9.75 -The Power of Expression- "Without question, Final Fantasy X is Sakaguchi's most ambitious project yet, and is a radical departure from the formula we've become accustomed to. As you well know, in the past, characters would pantomime to text that would flash across the screen. In Final Fantasy X, every character has a synchronized voice, which in turn presents lifelike qualities and the true essence of drama. Even if you don't approve of all the changes that Square Soft has installed, I'm sure you'll agree that Final Fantasy X is a breakthrough release, a visionary tale, and a masterpiece for the ages." -Reiner- *Second Opinion* 9.75 -Justin- |
 | 2. Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy 9.25 -Zelda, Mario, And Crash All Rolled Into One- "Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy feels as though it were shot out of Shigeru Miyamoto's cannon. For those of you who thrive on platformers, or count the days until the next Zelda release, or simply want to play a game that is continually rewarding, Jak and Daxter is the title you've been waiting for." -Reiner- *Second Opinion* 9 -Matt- "I played this one, it was great" -Claude- |
 | 3. 007: Agent Under Fire 9.25 -EA's Got A Brand New Bond- "I hesitate to call any game that bears the 007 logo a sleeper, but with the incredible number of triple-A titles being released for PlayStation 2 this holiday season, it's possible that many will overlook Agent Under Fire." -Matt- *Second Opinion* 9 -Andy- "Cool game" -Claude- |
 | 4. Dynasty Warriors 3 7 -The Slaughter Continues- "Koel's battle cry remains constant. In fact, if the Dynasty Warrior 3 logo ddn't flash across the screen, I'd swear I was playing the previous installment all over again." -Reiner- *Second Opinion* 6.5 -Kato- |
 | 5. Disney's Tarzan Untamed 7.75 -Welcome To The Jungle- "I think kids are going to find Tarzan Untamed cool enough, but due to its oft-frustrating difficulty, only the most determined will make any headway into the game." -Justin- *Second Opinion* 7.75 -Matt- "Surprisingly fun" -Claude- |
 | 6. NFL 2K2 9.5 -2K2's Gutsy Road Win- "If you're a Dreamcast owner, you'd have every right to think you got screwed once you play this PS2 version, for here is where the true 2K2 resides. The Dreamcast? It's been left in the dust." -Kato- *Second Opinion* 7.75 -Kristian- "Oh yeah, I ate this one up" -Claude- |
 | 7. Burnout 7.75 -Gunter Gueben Glauchen Globen- "Aside from this entertaining gimmick, Burnout is a solid driver, with agood control and some decent graphics, but that's about it." -Justin- *Second Opinion* 6.75 -Kato- "I liked it better than these guys" -Claude- |
 | 8. Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex 6.75 -Drops A Load- "It doesn't live up to the legacy of the series." -Andy- *Second Opinion* 6.5 -Reiner- |
 | 9. Evil Twin: Cyprien's Chronicles 6 -Have and Have Nots- "It's as if developer In Utero was inspired by Conker's Bad Fur Day, but lacks the experience Rare has to back up a solid concept." -Kato- *Second Opinion* 3 -Matt- |
 | 10. Forever Kingdom 5 -Some Things Are Best Left Overseas- Andy *Second Opinion* 4.25 -Kristian- |
 | 11. Shadow Hearts 7.75 -Fear Roger Bacon- "It's no Final Fantasy, but RPG fans will appreciate its peculiar story and gameplay." -Andy- *Second Opinion* 7.25 -Reiner- |
 | 12. Tsugunai: Atonement 7.25 "Atlus has taken this Japanese RPG under its wing, and taken the good and less-than-good aspects along with it." -Kato- |
 | 13. Project Eden 5.5 "...nothing more than a decent-looking puzzle game with a few gun battles thrown in." -Kristian- |
 | 14. The Mummy Returns 2.5 "It would seem this title was created with the specific purpose of torturing those who play." -Reiner- |
 | 15. Dark Summit 6.5 "...I'd skip it." -Matt- |
 | 16. Stunt GP 4 "Originally destined for the now defunct Dreamcast, ...should have followed poor old Dreamcast to the grave." -Andy- |
 | 17. Jeremy McGrath Supercross World 5 "...the only thing it does is put you in a world of hurt." -Kato- |
 | 18. ESPN NFL Primetime 2002 6 "but this is still a not-ready-for-PrimeTime player." -Kato- |
 | 19. Soldier of Fortune 4 -A Bloody Mess- "The Brits have an expression, "bog standard," which basically means that something is average or run-of-the-mill." -Matt- *Second Opinion* 4.5 -Andy- |
I didn't get a GameCube until the summer of 2002.
 | 1. Pikmin 9.25 -The Cutest Game Ever!- "Although this is essentially a detailed puzzle game, the detail is truly a sight to behold. If you're not having fun within ten minutes of the opening sequence, you probably forgot to turn your television on." -Kristian- *Second Opinion* 8.5 -Reiner- "I loved this game and its sequel" -Claude- |
 | 2. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 9.75 -Anything PS2 Can Do, Cube Can Do Better- "This release had many things going against it. The development team was porting one of the greatest games of the year onto new hardware, and trying to do so before GameCube launched. Despite pressure and forced insomnia for Neversoft, things couldn't have turned out better." -Justin- *Second Opinion* 9.75 -Reiner- "I played it on the PS2, awesome" Claude |
 | 3. Crazy Taxi 7.5 -Four Times Crazy- "This port is virtually identical to both the Dreamcast and PlayStation 2 versions," -Matt- *Second Opinion* 6.5 -Justin- "I played it on the Dreamcast. It was fun for a while" -Claude- |
I wouldn't get an Xbox until 2003.
 | 1. MX 2002 featuring Ricky Carmichael 7.5 -The Real Ricky Retread- "I'm not sure it's capable of converting the mainstream to its cause just yet, but Xboxers should be happy to get in on the ground floor with this one." -Kato- *Second Opinion* -Kristian- "I played it on the PS2, nice game, enjoyed my time with it" -Claude- |
 | 2. NBA Live 2002 8.5 -Tossin' Balls In The Box- "Live has been putting up big numbers for years, on nearly every conceivable home system." Justin *Second Opinion* 8.5 -Reiner- "I played it on the PS2, it's a basketball game" -Claude- |
 | 3. Shrek 2 -You Cut Me Shrek, You Cut Me Deep- "Shrek can burp and light his farts!" -Matt- *Second Opinion* 3 -Andy- |
 | 4. Mad Dash Racing 6 -Stop And Smell The Green Meteor Things- "For the young kid who's been starved on a diet of crappy kart games, this will seem like a feast." -Kato- *Second Opinion* 6 -Matt- |
 | 5. NHL Hitz 20-02 8.5 -Ride The Zamboni Pony- "If you've got a hankering for some good multiplayer fun or a mindless testosterone tirade, Hitz is your hook-up." -Justin- *Second Opinion" 8 -Reiner- |
Goodbye Dreamcast
 | 1. Tennis 2K2 9.5 -The Dreamcast's Swan Song- "I know that most of you who have stayed faithful to the ill-fated Dreamcast are in an uproar over the cancellation of the DC version of Shenmue II. Still, I urge you to hold off putting the system in mothballs until you've had a chance to sample Tennis 2K2. It's better than the bloated and overrated Shenmue, and an excellent end to the Dreamcast's run." -Matt- *Second Opinion* 8.75 -Andy- |
 | 1. Arc the Lad Collection 8.5 -Arc, Arc, Arcin' On Heaven's Door- "Good quests, good writing, and a huge compilation make for a no-brainer for RPG fans." -Justin- *Second Opinion* 8 -Andy- |
 | 2. Twisted Metal Small Brawl 3 "Shame on you, Sony." -Andy- |
 | 3. V.I.P. 1 "Like the show it's based on, the game is so indescribably bad that it's almost good in its ow weird way." -Matt- |
 | 4. Virtual Kasparov 7.75 "Forget Deep Blue, I was getting my butt whipped by the PlayStation's puny 32-bit processor every time." -Matt- |
 | 5. The Weakest Link 7 "Weakest Link on PS-X is not a few itches short of a rash. Good-bye." -Justin- |
I didn't play any of these PC games. But my PC habits were heating up.
 | 1. Aliens Versus Predator 2 9.25 -Jesse Ventura Not Included- "You get a lot of game for your money with AvP2. I would say go get it before your neighbors." -Kristian- *Second Opinion* 8.75 -Matt- |
 | 2. Dark Age of Camelot 8.5 -EverQuest's First Real Contender- "Overall, there are so many things to like about DAoC that it's hard not to find the game charming." -Andy- *Second Opinion* 8.75 -Kristian- |
 | 3. Myth III: The Wolf Age 6.75 -Dispelling The Myth- "From a storytelling standpoint, this game deserves high praise, but as a PC game it just doesn't cut the mustard." -Kristian- *Second Opinion* 5 -Matt- |
 | 4. Stronghold 9 -Hold On To The Knight- "For those who eat, sleep, and live strategic defense design and implementation, Stronghold should be number one on your to-get list." -Kristian- *Second Opinion* 8.5 -Andy- |
 | 5. The Sims: Hot Date 8 -Sim Steam- "Hot Date is another solid release in this ever-growing franchise." -Kristian- *Second Opinion* 8.5 -Justin- |
 | 6. Empire Earth 6.25 -Almost Famous- "...the game's performance couldn't equal its scope." -Kristian- *Second Opinion* 7 -Kato- |
I had a Game Boy Advance for about two weeks. I sold it back to the dude that sold it to me.
 | 1. Wario Land 4 8.5 -Good To Be Bad- "It's nothing new to the Wario Land enthusiast, but it's enjoyable nonetheless." -Andy- *Second Opinion* 8 -Reiner- |
 | 2. Golden Sun 8.5 -GBA's Golden Child- "Its greatness even exceeds the nostalgia I felt for Breath of Fire's GBA port. We have a new ruler in the GBA RPG realm." -Justin- *Second Opinion* 9 -Andy- |
 | 3. Spyro: Season of Ice 6 -On The Rocks- "Gotta hand it to Digital Eclipse for trying, but maybe 2D would have been the way to go." Kato *Second Opinion* 7 -Reiner- |
 | 4. Tetris Worlds 7 "Bonus points for having legendary Yes artist Roger Dean do the box art." -Matt- |
 | 5. Mech Platoon 8.25 "As a handheld RTS I have to give this game its due." -Kristian- |
 | 6. Boxing Fever 7 "Fever doesn't quite equal NES' Punch-Out, but then again, it could teach Midway a thing or two about boxing fun." -Kato- |
 | 7. The Powerpuff Girls: Mojo Jojo A-Go-Go 6 "This game is a shooter." -Justin- |
 | 8. Prehistorik Man 7.5 "Prehistorik man doesn't have an original bone in his body, but I didn't seem to mind." -Matt- |
 | 9. F-14 Tomcat 6 "Tomcat just doesn't make a smooth jump from frustrating for its own good." -Justin- |
 | 10. Phalanx 5 "Even with the GBA exclusive levels and difficulty toggies, I found it to be extremely boring." -Reiner- |
Private Message by Claude
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