Video games have always been associated in some form through out my life. Either it be at home, or during car rides to and from work/school I'm usually playing something. More often or not generally I'm replaying older games I grew up playing during my childhood such as old classics like Super Mario Bros., Tony Hawk Pro Skater, WWF No Mercy, Pokemon Red/Blue, and even some Legend of Zelda. No matter what new game comes out, or how much I enjoy games on my PS4, Xbox One, or Wii U I always drift back to the games of my youth because they never grow tired to me.
Recently I decided to playthrough a bunch of NES, SNES, and N64 games since I focused on exclusively new games. With my 3DS XL and Wii U in though older games like Mega Man, Castlevania, and Mega Man have sparked renewed interest in playing because of the save state feature. Say what you will about save states, however for someone like myself who wants to experience the game without having to toss the controller due to lack of progression this feature is a saving grace. PC gamers for years have taken advantage of it through emulations and such. For someone like myself who wants to play at his own pace without spending hours on the same level this was a welcome addition as now I can truly enjoy the hard classics of the 80s and early 90s without so much anger.
Ninja Gaiden is next on my list. I'm on stage 5-1 and am really struggling to progress due to all the enemies they toss at you at once. Regardless I'm having a ton of fun getting to replay this old classic and I'm going to beat it this time!
Yeah to be frank I haven't been around here for a long time, but after reading a bit of Dan Ryckert's latest topic about him and his goals for 2015 I figured I'd give a few goals I want to strive for.
1. Winning 100 battles in the Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire Battle Spot. Basically I want to win 100 battles in total between Singles & Doubles.
2. Finish at least 10 games from my backlog.
3. Get my consoles and controllers decked out in decals and such.
4. Invest in a 2 TB external hard drive for my Xbox One.
5. Play a little more games online with friends.
6. Finish a few games on Steam.
7. Give the Vita little more love by playing stuff on it.
8. Get a New 3DS if my 3DS XL craps out for some reason.
9. Play major game releases like Uncharted 4, Batman Arkham Knight, and Legend of Zelda.
Each year since 2008 I've tracked what games I've beaten just for the fun of it. It wasn't until 2010 when I added individual goals that I really started to enjoy going back and playing my games the way I used to back when I was a kid. At first it was a few basic goals like beat "insert how many games here", or 100% one game. Since then I started to add weird twists to them such as beating a game that starts with the letter "E", beat a game on three different handhelds, beat a game released before 2006, or beat 20 games on Nintendo systems.
For this year I wanted to further expand upon these resolution goals by making some goals completely off the wall. This time I want to add some more individual game specific goals to see if it's possible to beat games a certain way. Below are a list of Gaming Resolutions I want to achieve for the year 2013:
- Beat an entire Mario game without a power up
- Beat Contra without the Konami code
- Beat Mario Kart 64 on the N64 using one hand (My father managed to achieve this despite having one functioning hand. I want to experience what my disabled father went through to understand how he plays video games.)
- Beat a game in the month I was born in (April)
- Beat the entire Mass Effect trilogy
- Beat 100 games and photograph their end screens as proof
- Go through my retro backlog and finally beat these games for the first time: The Legend of Zelda (NES), Final Fantasy VII (PSX), Persona 3 FES (PS2), Persona 4 (PS2), Fire Emblem Path of Radiance (GCN), Bioshock (PS3), and EarthBound (SNES).
I'm sure 2013 will test my limits, give me plenty of good laughs, and be entertaining from beginning to end! :D
Nintendo has made a name for themselves building up crazy ideas, and capitalizing in a way that doesn't seem possible. Super Mario Bros. is a fantastic example of this combining side scrolling levels with game play that's fluid, simple, and easy to comprehend. The general idea of Super Mario Bros. must have sounded strange at first when unveiled at a investors meeting. Shigeru Miyamoto standing up there giving his pitch, "Hey I got a great idea for a game for our new Famicom system! Why don't we take jump man from our smash hit game Donkey Kong, have him explore various side-scrolling stages, have him fight mushroom creatures and turtles, and have him power up by eating special mushrooms!" No doubt about it this idea sounded crazy, but in the end that very same idea came to revolutionize gaming as we know it. When rumors late last week hinted about a possible Star Fox/Metroid hybrid game it sounded confusing and really convoluted, but could the paring of these two games be a match made in heaven?
According to the rumor Retro studios is developing a hybrid game involving both Star Fox and Metroid in one epic adventure. The game itself would involve a few game play mechanics with one being intense Arwing space shooting action with planetary battles, and the other being a lone desolate experience with Samus exploring different areas while collecting different abilities. The story is centralized around Fox McCloud's nemesis Andross harvesting Metroids to fuel his plans for galactic supremacy. Apparently there are also mentions of Fox McCloud having land based missions where he'll move and attack similar to Ryu Hyabusa.
Upon first analysis of this rumor I felt really mixed about it. On one hand the sounds of two great Nintendo franchises sounds like a great idea on paper, although on the other hand mixing up Star Fox and Metroid feels like the equivalent of mixing two condiments you like (we'll say mayonnaise and grape jelly) but taste terrible because they're the polar opposites of each other. Star Fox has always been a series that's been light hearted at best. No one really takes the story of a Star Fox game too seriously since its focused on fast paced action, aerial dog fighting, and mixing in multiple paths to explore while trying to reach the final stage. The Metroid series on the other hand has always had a great atmospheric feel. The game play focuses on exploring uncharted terrains, battling wild alien beasts, collecting suit power ups, and piecing together what's happened. The sense of isolation and curiosity of what happens next is what drives the Metroid series up there with the elite gaming franchises.
Even though the idea of this hybrid Star Fox/Metroid game sounds crazy it doesn't mean Retro Studios doesn't have the knowledge, or experience to create a great game. Retro Studios has cemented itself with the Metroid Prime series, the rebirth of Donkey Kong Country, and helping develop the latest Mario Kart game. Their implementation of a series's mythos along side their take on fresh ideas creates an experience that feels logical and well placed. This is a developer that can squeeze in intricate details without being too convoluted or unnecessary. With Retro one thing is for sure, no matter how obscure or seemingly difficult a project may seem they've always found a way to excel. Which makes it interesting what Retro might actually do with this type of cross hybrid.
Take this rumor with a grain of salt. To whether this is a match made in heaven is left to the individual, from what I think as much as I want to see a new Star Fox and Metroid game for the Wii U I don't want a cross product that could potentially harm both series. With each series coming off of their last games being some what controversial, and traveled away from their core basics it would be in Nintendo's best interests to go with what made them great to begin with. E3 seems like an eternity away. Once Retro Studio's new game is unveiled I have a feeling gamers will not only be excited, but will relish in the thought this new game will be the reason they buy a Wii U.
A few months ago I got done watching the entire series of Gurren Lagann (awesome). Now a few months later I'm interested in beginning another series, but ultimately don't know where to begin. I like to watch anime with action, or a decent story to it. What I don't like to watch is animation with a ton of gore, sex, suggestive themes, tentacles, or anything else that seems entirely uninspired.
What is there to watch for an animation fan like myself?
To say this time of the year is slow is an understatement. The last major games I enjoyed playing through was Mass Effect 3 back in early March, and Skullgirls way back in mid April. With this current month not looking so hot as far as interesting games I want to play I've decided to delve back into my backlog.
My virtual console games that I've neglected for so long are finally starting to see some play time. This week alone I've dabbled with Super Mario Kart, Super Castlevania IV, and beat Super Mario 64. With as much time I'm spending on these classic titles little by little I'm starting to grow more appreciative of how fun, and simple they were without the needs of over excessive hand holding, or achievements.
When I was growing up back in the early 90s it wasn't unusual to spend more then a few years trying to play through a single game, or replay the same game over until something new came along. I remember playing through games like Super Mario All-Stars, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Super Mario World, and Joe & Mac so much that I felt satisfied with what I was playing.
There is a certain charm to playing older games. The nostalgia one gets from experiencing, or re-experiencing a game from the past is enlightening to a degree. I'm loving playing through these old relics of the past on my Wii. Even if I don't buy another new game from now til June I'll be satisfied playing some retro games til then.
Now if you excuse me I think Castlevania: Rondo of Blood is calling me. ;)
I have finally done it. After a few years of listening to the Giantbomb podcast I finally decided to join the site. Like a moth to a open flame I join a place that's filled with excitement, uncertainty, and unknown combustible elements.
On other sites I went by The Jack Of Hearts, but on here I wanted to start anew with the name of Dynablade. I have alot of interests which include video games, music, pro wrestling, anime, art, and sports.
I've been a gamer for 21 years now, and have loved every moment of it. From gaming on the NES as a toddler to scoring trophies on my PS3 I've had the chance to experience a wide range of games. The types of games I love to play are action, puzzle, rpg, fighting, platforming, arcade, and the occasional FPS.
Hopefully I'll add something to this community and not make anymore enemies lol.
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