GHNeko's Project M PVP episode 2: Guest starring Strong Bad

Talk about Project M Donkey Kong and specific Project M stages with our Donkey Kong main Strong Bad. Watch it here.

http://fr.twitch.tv/ghneko/b/304100797

Also, there was an after stream of GHNeko, Kirisame, RyokoYaska and I chatting about various things. It's mostly random stuff.

http://fr.twitch.tv/ghneko/b/304112825

Editorial: The Zelda Timeline interpretation

You may need to refer to this table:

Source

The most popular assumption about the Zelda series was that the timeline was split in two: One following adult Link route, the other following child Link’s cycle. It was actually a good guess, but there was an eventuality we have not pondered before, and it was if Link had lost to Ganon in Ocarina of time.



As Zelda fan, we have a difficult time swallowing the idea that Link can fail. He has always been described as the brave chosen hero who can overcome any obstacle. We also become attached to Link to the point of identifying with the silent hero. Link is you. Thus, it becomes disconcerting to imagine that Link could fall at the hands of Ganon. Since you are get so engrossed into the game, you begin to play the game as if you are Link; meaning that implying that Link failed means YOU failed. Not only does it feel “off” for the chosen hero to lose after you beat the game and saved Hyrule, but the timeline in which he failed is the timeline with the most iconic classics. The original Zelda title, The Adventure of Link, Link’s Awakening and even A Link to the Past, the most celebrated 2D Zelda game are part of this continuity.

The gap between his failure and A Link to the past was explained as a “sealing war”, meaning that individuals other than Link managed to seal Ganondorf in his place. However, one thing escapes me. Who is the next Link? From what I understand, every Link is a descendant from the first Skyward Sword Link. If Link in Ocarina of Time died, where does his descendant come from? I’m just going to assume that Link had a jolly time at Lon Lon ranch before going to meet up with Ganondorf. Of course, by defeated, “death” is not the only option. He could have lost and survived, but I highly doubt that Ganondorf would have let Link live and I highly doubt that Link would have given up. Link’s Awakening could have been placed anywhere in the timeline, being a dream.

The successful version is a puzzle of its own. On the child side, we had all come to expect that Majora’s Mask would be in this timeline, and there is some sense in Twilight princess being part of it. Let me explain. From my understanding, there are two possibilities: One explanation could be that this is not what happens after Link gets sent back in time at the end of Ocarina of time, but rather, “Sealed realm protected” could mean that child Link prevented Ganondorf to get access to the temple of time but did not fight him. Link never got the master sword and Ganondorf remained as the king of thieves. Then, the event in which he was thrown into the Twilight world in Twilight Princess end up making sense because they could not seal him without the master sword.



Another alternative is that after Link sealed Ganondorf, he went back in time and was able to use what he knew from the future to prevent Ganondorf from gaining access to the sacred realm; perhaps by warning royalty. Perhaps it was his warning that caused him to be sealed for the events of Twilight Princess. I do not know which option is more sensible.

The next timeline has Ganondorf sealed and seemingly remaining as an adult. Another possibility is that when Link is sent back into the past, he disappears from the timeline completely explaining the absence of a hero when Ganon is revived again. However, this option removes the possibility that Link has a descendant, “unless” he got lucky with Malon. I did say yes when Talon asked me if I wanted to marry his daughter on my playthrough after all.



What Nintendo is basically telling us is one of two things. One possibility is that “there is no canon route”. The storyline branches out into what-if situations based on what happened in Ocarina of time. The other interpretation that I adhere most to is that they are all canon. The events of Ocarina of Time would have caused several timelines to exist independently from one another due to Link messing with the chain of events through time. They are all happening in three alternate realities.

Take none of what I said at face value. These are hypotheses and nothing more. I believe that one of the beauties of the Zelda uni(or multi?)verse is that it allows for interpretation. Part of the storytelling is up to our imagination. If you have alternate explanations you wish to share, write them in the comments below. I would love to read them.

SPOILER ALERT for Skyward Sword:

My intepretation of the ending is really simple. Link and Zelda are the "Adam and Eve" of Hyrule. The hylians are all their descendants. As for Demise, I theorize that Ganondorf is his reincarnated form.

Merry Christmas as well by the way.

Me guest-starring in a Project M interview.

I have been starring in an interview on my good friend, GHNeko's stream. He is a fellow PMBR member and wanted me there to discuss my main, Lucario. It's a long interview, and I find it a little embarassing to talk publicly, but I take pride in the work the backroom has put out.

I'm a little camera shy, but I'm still happy with the result.

http://fr.twitch.tv/ghneko/b/303459103
http://fr.twitch.tv/ghneko/b/303462264
http://fr.twitch.tv/ghneko/b/303462985
http://fr.twitch.tv/ghneko/b/303463702
http://fr.twitch.tv/ghneko/b/303465848
http://fr.twitch.tv/ghneko/b/303466275
http://fr.twitch.tv/ghneko/b/303467087
http://fr.twitch.tv/ghneko/b/303467672
http://fr.twitch.tv/ghneko/b/303469218
http://fr.twitch.tv/ghneko/b/303470724

Beverage reviews : Stewart’s fountain classics



When I go to work, I always need something to drink, and most of the time, I’m so tired that I require some sugar to sustain myself. At one point, I was into energy drinks, but I halted the consumption when I realized that my body was beginning to reject it. It was time to find a new, softer drug.

So I went and got myself some Stewart’s sodas during my stay in the United States (you may also find this in Quebec and Canada). It was a drink I tried a long time ago and remembered liking, but I did not have a car and since then, have forgotten the taste. I liked it so I started taking my car to by loads of them so I could bring them to work. Until now, I have tried the only four that are around my neighbourhood.

Apparently, these drinks originated from the Stewart’s restaurant chain that first started in Mansfield, Ohio in 1924 where the root beer was quite famous. This is not unlike the history of A&W as you can see. The bottling license was passed on to different companies but the quality did not decrease as drastically as one would imagine, if at all.

So let’s look at a few of the flavours from my least favourite to most favourite:


Key lime:



This one is strange. It is a creamy drink that tastes like lime. It is quite refreshing but the taste is more akin to carbonated, creamy, sweet lemonade. Actually, I could say that this most resembles Perrier with lemon Torani syrup in terms of taste (although tastes better). It has a lingering lime aftertaste. I’d say it’s a good drink but may not please everyone.

Rating:



Cream soda:



If you are used to cream soda being clear, this is a golden-coloured drink that makes you look like your carrying beer if you have a bottle of it on the streets. It’s a cream soda, not unlike Fanta, but more creamy and with a dash of vanilla. Once you drink it, the cream soda taste is immediate, then the vanilla taste takes over. Don’t go into it thinking you’ll drink regular cream soda. Vanilla is the most prominent taste and the aftertaste will also be of vanilla. It’s pretty good, but again, you got to like vanilla.

Rating:


Root Beer:



This is the most famous Stewart’s sodas and pretty deservingly so. It is a creamy again, like most Stewart’s sodas, but also doesn’t have an overbearing taste like A&W root beer. It’s soft, sweet. I think this beats A&W root beer any day. As for the after taste? Just tastes like the root beer you drank, leaving some of the creamy flavour behind.

Rating:



Orange ‘n Cream:



Believe it or not, I am not a big fan of orange soda. I drink it just fine and I don’t dislike it, but I would almost never choose it given another choice. This drink is different however. It tastes like ice cream popsicle, the kind that is orange-flavoured with vanilla inside. The creamy aspect is used particularly well here to emulate this taste, and strangely, doesn’t feel weird at all. The creamy vanilla ice cream aftertaste seems to linger on a bit longer than the orange does.

Rating:



The only problem I have with Stewart’s soda is that they are a bit more expensive than regular sodas for their rather small quantity. They taste very good and constitute a very fine treat. It is something to drink slowly and enjoy. I highly recommend them, especially if you are into creamy flavours. This is currently my favourite. When I feel like it, I will probably cover energy drinks.

Modern gaming review : The Legend of Zelda : Skyward Sword.

1. Introduction
2. Aesthetics
3. Audio
3-1: Music
3-2: Sounds
4. Story
5. Gameplay
5-1: Controls
5-2: Difficulty
5-3: Gimmicks
5-4: Stage design
6. Conclusion

1. Introduction:

The Legend of Zelda series is one with a venerable history. It has consistently produced highly-rated and popular adventures for a very long time and always seemed like the kind of series that can never go wrong. This has been mostly true until the Nintendo DS came out and two less-than-stellar Zelda titles came out with poor controls and underwhelming gameplay despite strong artistic concepts and very fine ideas. Then, there was the case of Twilight Princess, which seemed botched and uninspired. It was a decent title, but one expects more than “decent” from a Zelda game. Playing it on the Wii however lowered the “decent” rating to a “mediocre” rating due to adding poor controls to its list of frustrations. I believe that the franchise was growing stated of late and that it needed a wind of change. Is Skyward Sword this wind of change or is it naught but a pestilent fart in our general direction?

2. Aesthetics:

I can only explain the general look of this game this way: It is a mixture of the cartoony graphics of Wind Waker and the realistic designs of Twilight Sword. The developers stated their intent at making this game look like an impressionist painting, and they do well in that regard. The characters are detailed enough to satisfy those who hated Wind Waker’s design, yet cartoonish enough to get creative with its animations. The characters are very expressive and I must say that I was quite pleased to see Link exhibit emotions without the need for any narrative to demonstrate it. Character design is fairly well done, with Link’s light green tunic being closer to his Ocarina of time design, yet sporting a discrete chain-mail not unlike Twilight princess. Zelda herself looks completely different but it is not an appearance that I find averse. She looks younger, more innocent. Yet, it fits with her character’s in-game personality and role quite well. While there are few NPCs in Skyward Sword, some look rather normal (usually more serious character) and others, completely whacky. It is a nice entertaining mix that I do not object to at all. The world is very colourful and detailed despite being merely textures. You will only notice graphical flaws if you stop and look for them. Enemy design is neither better nor worse than in other Zelda titles. However, you will notice less variety in the kinds of enemies in game. It is a very nice-looking title artistically.

3. Audio:

3-1. Music:

Several tracks in this game are orchestrated, finally. This is something everyone wanted and it really helps drive home the concept of an epic adventure. Some old classics return, but for the most part, most tracks are fresh and new. Not all songs are memorable however, but quite a few are. Overworld music tends to be rather bland and repetitive after a while, and dungeon music is pretty much your usual ambiance music from other Zelda games. The flight music is quite epic and so are the boss battle themes in general. Event tunes generally prevail at making you feel the emotions they want you to feel. It’s a good soundtrack overall. I was ready to lower its mark in the event where there would not be any orchestrated music. Since part of it is and part of it isn’t, it’s quite good but could be better.

3-2. Sound:

This game uses sound cues everywhere, and I am not kidding. You get a sound cue if your wallet is full, if you have a full bomb bag, if you have five hearts or less when drowsing for something, when your Wiimote battery is almost depleted, name it. The most noteworthy one is the inclusion of the sound-cued sword strikes from Wind Waker. They are a welcome addition. However, the sound cues can become grating at times. For instances, in this game, you lose more health when hit. So you are more likely to be at lower health. The fact that it start constantly beeping at five hearts can becoming rather annoying. Also, whenever Fi, the spirit of the Skyward Sword wants to talk to you, the sound cue will never stop until: 1) You indulge her, 2) The thing she wanted to tell you has become irrelevant. This by no means ruins your experience, but if can be a bit of a bother.

4. Story:



The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword boast a story, and I don’t mean just a narrative separate from the dungeons; I mean an actually story where Link, Zelda and other key characters actively participate. It is a story that tells much about the history of Hyrule, and rather than being presented through a long monologue only to stop talking about it for a long time, it is paced throughout many points of progression, never feeling too heavy, yet often feeding you with more bits and pieces of the storyline. In a sense, this holds your interest for longer durations. However, it does come at a price: The game is much more linear and this is very apparent in the stage design. Mr. Aonuma and his team really didn’t want you to access certain areas until you had triggered specific scenes. You are following a straight route from the beginning to the end with little room for interpretation or plain old fooling around and discovering new things. It is by far the most interesting Zelda Story in quite a while, but now you must be wondering: I can just watch a “let’s play”, so is the gameplay any good?

5. Gameplay:

This is where Skyward Sword gets mixed results. On one hand, Skyward sword has many great concepts while on the other, it is plagued with many annoyances that render the gameplay tedious for no reason whatsoever.

5-1. Controls:

Skyward Sword used the Wii Motion Plus accessory with the promise of providing a full 1:1 motion capture experience. I will start by saying that this is quite possibly the most precise motion experience the Wii has to offer. However, this is not 1:1. The game pretty much follows your movements with a minimal but still visible amount of lag. However, if you perform an action such as slashing with your sword, the Wiimote will approximate that motion, thus Link cannot for example do a curved slash. Also, no matter what length you swing, Link will always swing at the same width.

Also, while it is not explicitly explained in game, you are supposed to hold your Wiimote tilted to the side for best results. Holding the Wiimote like one would for a shooter game like Metroid Prime 3 would generally result in Link slashing diagonally. Save yourself some pain and heed this warning. The Wiimote is also too sensitive, meaning that at times, you will attempt to reposition your sword to the other side of your body, but Link will frantically slash like a madman. This get especially frustrating when you are facing a foe with electric attributes or weapons and you constantly damage yourself due to Link no responding as he should. There are already Ocarina codes for hackers out there that allow you to edit your controller sensitivity to your liking, but it will never fully fix the problem.

As a whole, the motions are more responsive that your average Wii game but do not replace buttons in terms of precision. While the motions will often go in the general direction you tell them to, it will sometimes happen that Link will not do what you tell him to or will act against your will. Sometimes, the Wii Motion Plus will go haywire and Link will act as such.

The problem expands to the pointer, where you constantly need to push the down button on the D-pad to put your pointer back on the middle of the screen. It will happen almost every time you need to bring the pointer to the screen and gets somewhat worse if you are not pointing at the middle of the screen when you activate that map, item, or travel phase. It is fairly bothersome because you cannot expect to pull off an item and quickly use it in battle. Thus it will often result in players only using the sword in combat.

Despite the weak reliability of motions, the idea of requiring certain kinds of slashes to defeat foes is interesting, although this could be easily achieved by pressing A and using the Joystick, an input that existed in Ocarina of Time. It is regrettable that one can waggle through most enemies and decimate them. Other positive additions include the ability to temporarily dash using a stamina meter. It allows fast movements and the ability to run a few steps up walls, which creates interesting puzzles. The only problem is that the meter takes a very long time to refill and makes the ability to run a bit less interesting. Being able to roll bombs and upgrade items, shields and potions is also very interesting but I would like to see this system become more complex. Skyward Sword is full of great ideas executed poorly.




Finally, there are no left-handed controls; something even Wii Sports Resort was able to include. There is no excuse for this, and if you are not willing to put in the extra effort to accommodate the left-handed, just stick to traditional controls.

5-2. Difficulty:

The game is harder than your average Zelda, and there is a hero mode that increases the difficulty once the game is cleared. Hackers can most likely download save data if they are impatient. Enemies do more damage, taking an average of a full heart per hit. Bosses can be positively challenging as well since they are puzzles in and of themselves. However, if you die, it will probably be due to your Motion plus going crazy at an inopportune moment or Link moving against your will. You are not likely to feel that your death was due to your own mistake. I have actually died three times on a relatively easy timed-boss battle because I was wrestling with the Motion Plus losing its axis no matter what I did. After shutting down the system and opening it again, it fixed the problem for about five minutes.

Some things like not losing a heart when falling in a hole makes parts of the game extremely easy.

5-3. Gimmicks:

This game is like a very long and in-depth Wii Motion Plus tech demo. It finds every opportunity to make use of motions in every possible situation, to a point where there is so much that you You can spend a whole hour never touching a single button. Combat, flying, catching bugs, swimming, rolling, twirling, aiming, using items (most of the time), using special keys, falling, it is a Wiimote overload. What is saddening is that everything Motion Plus can do within the scopes of this game, classic controls can do better. There was no instance of using motions where I thought “hey, I couldn’t do this on a classic controller”.

Since Z-targeting does not make your ranged items lock on to targets, and aiming will most likely result in losing your middle axis, one would almost never use them in true combat. Z-targeting is only good for the sword and shield and out of combat, for the bug-catching net. The gimmick gets worse when most sidequests are minigames that make you repeat that same dull motions over and over again. Bug-catching could be less –demanding in terms of quantity since it is a rather boring aspect of the game when not done within the context of catching those you run into while advancing the plot.

The game has a tendency to force motions at every turn when another, better option could easily be available. Too many gimmicks make this reviewer frustrated, an emotion one should never feel while playing a game.

5-4. Stage design:

The stage design is both good and bad. On one hand, you have puzzles even out of the dungeons, which really will please the avid puzzle fans out there. However, this comes at a cost of having no overworld whatsoever, needing to travel back to a hud in the sky and to dive down to a level like in Super Mario 64. It could have been acceptable if there were more than just three levels for most of the duration of the game. Having to revisit these areas over and over and over again becomes a grating chore. The “grand world of Hyrule” below feels laughably minuscule. There are very few NPCs to interact with below the clouds, many “fetch and bring back like a good dog” sidequests. It’s good that you get to know some NPCs better as the story progresses however, but the world is so small and unpopulated that it still feels unnatural. The temples are creative, yet very linear. The puzzles are unlike anything you have seen in other Zeldas before, which adds a surprise element, but they are sadly very easy and if the answer is not right in front of you, take a few steps forward in the dungeon’s linearity and the answer will jump into your arms like a lost Nintendog looking to please its casual gamers.

Really, the great aspect is that you may be pleasantly surprised with more varied puzzles but I do wish they did not spell out the solution to you. Another positive aspect is that you now get to use most of your items in dungeons, so you don’t just solo a dungeon with the item you found within the temple anymore.

You will spend a lot of time doing puzzles in Skyward Sword, so if this is what you like most of a Zelda game, you will get your wish.

6. Conclusion:

My review may seem harsh to many but I have also enumerated about as many good points. The grade was brought down due to the fact that Gameplay was the worst aspect of Skyward Sword and it counts for much more than aesthetics and sound. And yes, I have seen the response Gamespot has gotten for its attempt at integrity. As I have said earlier, The Legend of Zelda’s past iterations have with a few exceptions, been ranging from very good to stellar, so this review takes this as a basis for comparison. I would like to point out though that. Whether you like it or not Skyward sword has many continuous annoyances and design flaws, and I cannot in my right mind give it a perfect grade. I am fully aware that I could get lots of hate from it and you know what? Just go ahead, give me your worst. I can already see some of you going:



Heck, I've even been called "petty" on various occasions for disliking elements from this game. You could claim that I am a Sony or Microsoft fanboy. However, I do not own any Microsoft systems and my acquisition of Sony systems is recent as a response to the Wii’s motion fad. You could say that I am biased toward hating motions, yet have played the game in its entirety and would have eventually gotten used to it. I could not have gotten paid since this review was made on an amateur blog. Yep, you got nothing on me. That fanboy mentality for every Zelda game has to stop. If you are going to get mad every time a Zelda game gets less than 9.5 out of 10 and are convinced that no Zelda can possibly be flawed enough to get less than that, then why are you reading reviews in the first place?

It’s an okay game. The story is its main selling point, but the gameplay is rather underwhelming. I would rather have watched someone play than deal with the frustrating aspects of the gameplay. Get it if you are a very dedicated Zelda fan and for some strange reason, you like motions.

Positive:

Great artistic style.
Some memorable audio.
More difficult than average Zelda title.
Original stage design
Great Story
Original puzzles

Negative:

Unresponsive controls.
Constant need to adjust Wii Motion plus
Little exploration
Linear stage design
Gimmicks overload
No left-handed support
Laughably easy puzzles

7/10

Editorial: Operation rainfall and the fail that is Nintendo of America

With the release of Xenoblade Chronicles, I’d like to take this opportunity to comment a little on operation rainfall. It’s an operation that has risen since Nintendo of American did not seem very inclined to localize Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story and Pandora’s Tower. These titles seemed to have been made with high production value and also seemed to cater to the hardcore gamers. With the Wii’s current library, a hardcore gamer does not really feel at home, and as you could imagine, we were ecstatic. Yet, Nintendo of America decided that these games were not fit for translation. Two of them are RPGs, so I expect that the company believed that they would not sell well because the North American conventional gamer has come to shun all that is too traditional or Japanese. I also expect that the company did not think that those games fit the image of its clientele. But the problem here is not only for us, but for them as a business. Their actions of Nintendo do not follow their words. Nintendo of America is known for making many bad business decisions, but really, this is not an isolated incident.



Here is a list of games Nintendo published only in Japan:

- Mother (NES)
- Super Mario Bros 2 (Japan) (NES) (Released on Virtual console)
- Nazo no Murasame-jō (NES)
- Famicom Tantei Club (NES)
- Shin Oni Ga Shima (NES)
- Time Twist: Rekishi no Katasumi de... (NES)
- Yūyūki (NES)
- Knight Move (NES)
- Backgammon (NES)
- Mahjong (NES)
- Famicom Golf: U.S. Course (NES)
- Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally (NES)
- Famicom Tantei Club: Kieta Kōkeisha (NES)
- Famicom Grand Prix: F1 Race (NES)
- Famicom Golf: Japan Course (NES)
- Nakayama Miho no Tokimeki High School (NES)
- Pro Wrestling - Famicom Wrestling Association (NES)
- Vs. Excitebike (NES)
- Clu Clu Land: Welcome to New Clu Clu Land (NES) (Released later in Animal Crossing)
- Panel de Pon (SNES) (Tetris Attack and Pokemon Puzzle League are based on it)
- Sutte Hakkun (SNES)
- Zoo-tto Mahjong! (SNES)
- Mario & Wario (SNES)
- Marvelous: Mouhitotsu no Takarajima (SNES) (First game involving Eiji Aonuma)
- Power Lode Runner (SNES)
- Power Soukoban (SNES)
- Mario's Super Picross (SNES) (Released clones much later)
- Heisei no Shin Onigashima (SNES)
- BS Zelda no Densetsu (Satellaview)
- BS Mario Paint: Yuu Shou Naizou Ban (Satellaview)
- Fire Emblem Akaneia Senki (Satellaview)
- Wario's Woods: Burst of Laughter Version (Satellaview)
- Yoshi no Panepon (Satellaview)
- Kirby no Omocha Hako (Satellaview)
- BS Zelda no Densetsu (2nd map) (Satellaview)
- BS F-Zero Grand Prix (Satellaview)
- Itoi Shigesato no Bass Tsuri No. 1 (Satellaview)
- Mario Excite Bike (Satellaview)
- Wario's Woods: Again (Satellaview)
- BS Zelda no Densetsu Kodai no Sekiban (Satellaview)
- BS Dr. Mario (Satellaview)
- Panel de Pon Event '98 (Satellaview)
- Marvelous: Camp Arnold (Satellaview)
- Marvelous: Time Athletic - Unknown
- Satella Q (Satellaview)
- Satella Walker (Satellaview)
- Satella Walker 2 (Satellaview)
- Shin Onigashima (Satellaview)
- Sim City: Gai Tsukuri Taikai (Satellaview)
- Special Tee Shot (Satellaview)
- Super Famicom Wars (Satellaview)
- Super Mario Collection (Satellaview)
- Super Mario USA Power Challenge (Satellaview)
- Sutte Hakkun (Satellaview)
- Sutte Hakkun '98: Winter Event (Satellaview)
- BS Tantei Club: Yuki ni Kieta Kako‎ (Satellaview)
- Zootto Mahjong! (Satellaview)
- Yakuman (GB)
- Game Boy Wars (GB)
- Picross 2 (GB)
- Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru (GB)
- X (GB)
- Koro Koro Puzzle Happy Panechu! (GBA)
- Domo-Kun no Fushigi Terebi (GBA)
- Tomato Adventure (GBA)
- Mother 3 (GBA)
- Hamtaro: Rainbow Rescue (GBA)
- Mother 1 + 2 (GBA) (Double the insult)
- Famicom Minis (GBA)
- Sennen Kazoku (GBA)
- Eyeshield 21: DevilBats DevilDays (GBA)
- Rhythm Tengoku (GBA)
- bit Generations: Boundish (GBA)
- bit Generations: Dialhex (GBA) (Remade as an Art Style)
- bit Generations: Dotstream (GBA) (Remade as an Art Style)
- bit Generations: Coloris (GBA)
- bit Generations: Orbital (GBA) (Remade as an Art Style)
- bit Generations: Soundvoyager (GBA)
- bit Generations: Digidrive (GBA)
- Densetsu no Starfy 1 (GBA)
- Densetsu no Starfy 2 (GBA)
- Densetsu no Starfy 3 (GBA)
- Magical Vacation (GBA)
- Custom Robo GX (GBA)
- F-Zero Climax (GBA)
- Sakura Momoko no Ukiuki Carnival (GBA)
- Kuruin Paradise (GBA)
- Calciobit (GBA)
- Custom Robo V2 (N64)
- Dōbutsu no Mori (N64)
- Sin and Punishment (N64) (Released on Virtual console)
- Doshin the Giant (GC)
- Dōbutsu no Mori e-Plus (GC)
- GiFTPiA (GC)
- Kururin Squash! (GC)
- Donkey Konga 2 (GC)
- Eyeshield 21: Field Saikyou no Senshi Tachi (Wii)
- Wii Chess (Wii)
- Minna no Joushiki Ryoku TV (Wii)
- Disaster: Day of Crisis (Wii)
- Another Code: R - A Journey Into Lost Memories (Wii)
- Takt of Magic (Wii)
- Minna ga Shuyaku no NHK Kouhaku Quiz Kassen (Wii)
- Ando Kensaku (Wii)
- Fatal Frame IV (Wii) (They published it in Japan)
- Captain Rainbow (Wii)
- Jam With the Band (DS)
- Daredemo Asobi Taizen (DS)
- Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan (Series) (DS) (Elite Beat Agents is different in musical content)
- Jump Super Stars (DS)
- Nintendogs: Shiba Inu and Friends (DS) (Okay, small loss)
- DS Rakuhiki Jiten (DS) (A Japanese Dictionary)
- Yakuman DS (DS)
- Kanji Sonomama: DS Rakubiki Jiten (DS)
- Magical Starsign (DS)
- Densetsu no Starfy 4 (DS)
- English Training: Have Fun Improving Your Skills! (DS)
- Project Hacker: Kakusei (DS)
- Jump Ultimate Stars (DS)
- Chōsōjū Mecha MG (DS)
- Eyeshield 21: MAX Devil Power (DS)
- Mawashite Tsunageru Touch Panic (DS)
- Kanshū Nippon Jōshikiryoku Kentei Kyōkai: Imasara Hito ni wa Kikenai Otona no Jōshikiryoku Training DS (DS)
- Mawashite Tsunageru Touch Panic (DS)
- Wi-Fi Taiyou: Yakuman DS (DS)
- Kenkou Ouen Recipe 1000: DS Kondate Zenshuu (DS)
- Point & Speak Travel Notebook (DS)
- Touch Hyakunin Isshu: DS Shigureden (DS)
- Jet Impulse (DS)
- Kuikin Nano Story Island (DS)
- Ganbaru Watashi no Kakei Diary (DS)
- Slide Adventure: Mag Kid (DS)
- Zekkyō Senshi Sakeburein (DS)
- Theta (DS)
- Facening de Hyōjō Yutaka ni Inshō Up: Otona no DS Kao Training (DS)
- Suujin Taisen (DS)
- ASH: Archaic Sealed Heat (DS)
- Kousoku Card Battle: Card Hero (DS)
- Make 10: A Journey of Numbers (DS)
- Soma Bringer (DS)
- Daigasso! Band Brothers DX (DS)
- DS Uranai Seikatsu (DS)
- Tomodachi Collection (DS)
- Okaeri! Chibi Robo! Happy Richie Dai Souji (DS)
- Nihon Keizai Shinbunsha Kanshuu: Shiranai Mamade wa Son o Suru Mono ya Okane no Shikumi DS (DS)
- Last Window: Mayonaka no Yakusoku (DS)
- Many Fire Emblems, even new ones (Various)
- The Tingle games (Various)

I found this much from the first two pages of a single Google search. Many of these games are bad or do not fit for the North American audience. One rarely plays Mah-jong here and a Wario’s Woods version of the game that features popular Japanese idols would not make sense here. However, in the case of Xenoblade, The last Story and Pandora’s Tower, we’re talking about very high budget titles that would attract part of a hardcore audience; one Nintendo has been steadily losing since the Wii was released. Games like Fire Emblem, Mother 3 or Jump Superstars obviously fits a niche audience on North American territory, but sometimes, you got to take a calculated loss.

The casual gamer will not be a majority forever in the console business. Casual gaming will continue of course, but the casual gamer cares less about quality and more about convenience. The casual gamer doesn’t care if his game lasts 80 hours, he will likely never play more than five. The casual doesn’t care if his controls are very precise, so long as it passes time. The casual is what he is called: a person who does not take video games seriously. This person does not play with any passion and because of that, he or she will not seek to be particularly informed. I believe that this kind of individual will soon migrate towards gaming on the iPhone, which will conveniently always be with them; eliminating the need to carry a second device around. It’s cheap (they already got one anyways) and it’s easy to use. In other words, I believe that companies that will not prepare for this shift will suffer dire consequences, and this may be why Nintendo is currently attempting to reassure the core gamer that he or she will have content to spare on the Wii U. If you make fun and complete games, you will generally attract some hardcores. While the hardcore is currently a minority in the gaming industry, it is a security blanket, an audience that will continue to game after the casuals outlive the fad. I may be absolutely wrong, but I’m pretty convinced that the casual gamer does not constitute a very reliable audience in terms of fanbase loyalty. In fact, according to the desertion in investors, I can safely assume that I am not the only one who thinks that way. However, the solutions brought forward by these investors are ludicrous at best.

Source

Source 2


Some of the analysts think games don’t make a difference, which may be true. In the past, it was all about the games. You bought a Nintendo system because of Mario and Zelda. You bought a Sega for Sonic and Golden Axe. Hell, you even bought the Turbo Graphix 16 for YS if you were savvy enough in obscure titles in this era where gaming magazines actually were useful and Internet was absent from our homes. Investors also seem the think that Nintendo should go the mobile phone route. Honestly, I don’t think so. There is a difference between what a mobile phone can do and what a gaming console can do. The shape required to make a phone ergonomical requires a smaller screen, and a different control set-up. Needless to say, it would be very awkward to use a 3ds or PSP to talk on the phone. Maybe you could have some Bluetooth attachment on it but then again, these gaming systems would steer away from their original goal: create a high production value entertainment experience for the consumer. There is a reason why people own both a phone and a gaming console at the same time: They provide different experiences and fulfill different needs for different kinds of consumers. If Nintendo were to get into the phone business, it might actually get crushed anyways by the more established Apple. The result would have been the same, but with more magnitude: lost of investors.

It takes a lot to lose a fanboy. I for example accepted the lack of games on the Gamecube because it had Super Smash Bros. Melee, which I played long enough to freeze the gameplay timer. I bought a DS despite most early DS games being full of bothersome gimmicks. I even bought a Wii hoping that like the DS, they’d get better at it. I even bought Super Smash Bros. Brawl and tried really hard to like it, but in the end, it was so bad to me that for the first time, I legitimately hated Nintendo and bought a PS2 and a PS3 post-haste. And even if I am frustrated that most Nintendo games are almost unplayable for a left-handed person who is not quite as ambidextrous as some, that they ruined my favourite gaming series of all time, that they use gimmicky motions everywhere while if I prefer classic controls, I still technically have a glimmer of care for this company. I spent countless days saving the Lylat system, rescuing the princess and finding the magic sword. Some of the most enjoyable moments in my existence were early mornings when I had finally finished a game, body dead-tired, eyes burning red, and feeling like throwing up. The sense of accomplishment took precedence over all of these ills. With the lack of difficulty in games these days, the sense of accomplishment is gone. At times, the game has no ordeal to challenge, nor does it have a goal, rules, or even gameplay at all. So of course, the hardcore gamer hangs on to these rare good new titles; might be a change of pace from beating Chrono Trigger for the twelfth time. The fanboyism never fully leaves. It is comparable to the love a parent retains for his delinquent child. You don’t agree with him but you still care. You know the next Final Fantasy is going to suck, but you will check it out every time hoping in vain that it will capture but a glimmer of what made the early series so great.

As I have stated earlier, last E3, Nintendo tried to reassure us that we would get out share of hardcore games. However, they are also doing nothing about the lack of hardcore games right now, which removes all of the credibility their claims could have had. When the Wii U comes out, I will be careful, and I may not buy it right away, if I do at all. I know that Super Smash Bros 4 will not beat Project M, so there is no reason to get it. With the more classic-style controller of the Wii U, perhaps we will be able to use better-suited controls for hardcore titles. However, Nintendo of America’s attitude does not bode well for us. We are left with many questions like “Will Nintendo betray my trust as a consumer once again?”, “Will they take a hardcore direction temporarily to focus on the casuals again?”or “Will it matter at all? What if the good stuff doesn’t get released here anyways?”. There is no excuse for not releasing Xenoblade. The game has already been fully translated into English, French and several other languages in Europe; there is little left to do.

All this is doing is inciting people to load pirated copies through USB and making them angry and distrustful. There are many people who genuinely don’t want to pirate their games, but make an exception just for imported games. Others just don’t want to hack or pirate at all. Thus they are left with mind-numbingly boring and easy games or are denied the ability to own a game they want. Well, there is always the solution of getting a Pal Wii and a Pal disc, but the import costs are horrendous.

Operation rainfall’s supporters are likely an amalgalm of each type of person here. They are no different from the benevolent hackers who are working on Project M’s development to repair the blunders in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, or the guy who made the Classic controller support code for Donkey Kong Country Returns. They want something and they are trying to do something about it. As a fellow gamer, I urge you to support them. It is one thing to not be able to play Nakayama Miho no Tokimeki High School but it’s another to not be able to play games with such enormous production values. Nintendo is a corporation and at the top of the hierarchy sits not the president but your wallet. If enough people show their displeasure and threaten to stop buying their products, they will have to change their minds.

Closing comments: I am not here to support piracy, but here to explain why many would take this drastic measure. Many individuals wanted nothing more than to buy Xenoblade, The Last Story and Pandora’s Tower. Nintendo of Japan has actually made some efforts recently to get some hardcore titles here. They’ve been working with Square Enix to get Dragon Quest and Capcom to get Monster Hunter exclusives as well as fixing some of the issues that were present in recent Mario Kart titles in Mario Kart 7 like the annoyance of the flying blue shell and the apparent removal of bikes. They also revived Kid Icarus and are earnestly trying to make a new Mario title for the 3DS that plays like a 2D Mario in 3D with old classics like the tanooki suit. The additional circle pad is a little disheartening because it should have been on the 3DS from the get-go, but that seems to show that Nintendo legitimately wants to give more tools to companies, finally making Metal Gear Solid 3 seem like it will actually be playable with decent controls. The Wii U will actually have several buttons, which is a huge plus in comparison to the Wii. Nintendo seems to be legitimately trying to fix some of its issues. Hardcore gamers will need a lot of convincing before they reintegrate Nintendo’s clientele and Nintendo of America is not helping the cause. I don’t know how they managed to miss the point but it’s clear that they need to be given a clue. Consumers hold more power that you would think, so I urge you to make use of it and together, we could change a few things.

Gaming exploitation: Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2 extra star bits.

The Super Mario Galaxy series is actually a pretty decent bunch of Mario titles, and honestly, I was happy that they increased the difficulty in Super Mario Galaxy 2, although it was still much too easy. Still, while the game was kind of fun most of the time, it is not without its degree of annoyance and demands that you use motions when one could literally place each motion inputs in this game on a button press. Spin jump could be relayed to a button, the flying minigame you just have been done with a joystick, the Luma feeding could have just been done using a scrolling menu. Really, the only things that could not be transposed on a button input were parts of the game that were frustrating an unnecessary. And those that could have been transposed on a button input would have worked better that way. Nevertheless, the control scheme can easily be abused to your advantage.

In ball-rolling minigames, all you need is one hand, and you tilt the controller standing up as if it was a bad joystick with no resistance. The game also features the possibility of having a second player do the lame job of using a second Wiimote as a pointer and getting star bits, shooting them (which you will never do because you want to accumulate star bits) and giving minor, rather pointless help to the player. Combine these two concepts and you can see the possibilities. Now that you don’t have to use the nunchuck and have one free hand, you can technically grab a second Wiimote and get the star bits on the screen. First, you are much more likely to get an extra life, so you can potentially restart the minigame as many as you want if you mess up, and you just get more star bits to unlock future stages. Finally, you look stylish. This can also be done in the bird flying minigame since if does not require the nunchuck, but you don’t have the option to just stop and collect like in the ball-rolling minigame.



Certainly, it is only a small bonus and will maybe only reduce the time it takes to beat the game by about twenty minutes, but that is twenty minutes of less collecting star bits pointlessly and a few extra lives.

Tune in next time.

Obscure gaming: Ys VI: The Ark of Naphitism

Here is the box if you wish to read its information: http://www.covergalaxy.com/ps2/Ys%20The%20Ark%20Of%20Napishtim%20COVER.jpg



Since the Wii came out and motion gaming became the new rage, I have run out of good games to play for the first time in my existence. I don’t like motion games in general and I will avoid them if I can. It’s like how some people just can’t stand 3D movies and no matter how much they earnestly tried to get used to them, it just doesn’t do it for them. I am squarely against the idea of a game forcing people to employ a semi-functional rehash of the old powerglove concept (it’s the same technology). I am against using a controller that has a high chance of failing when doing precise, split-second commands. I am also against the existence of a controller that makes the lives of left-handed people harder and that removes from their sentiment on immersion for the apparent sake of “market expansion”. I’m also against removing complexity from gaming to render games idiot-proof, making the experience mind-numbing for highly-skilled players when game companies could just put difficulty settings.

Yes, that recycled idea from the Nintendo Entertainment System era that was supposed to be a Nintendo Gamecube accessory add-on became the driving force of the highly successful Wii console and has dragged Sony and Microsoft with it too. The first effect was me waking up from my Nintendo fanboyism and trying to find games elsewhere. I’ve ventured on the Sony consoles, which I always had a negative bias against, but found out that some really good games are on them. I often searched through the used games bins and tried games at random. My fun was to ask the store clerks if they had any idea what the game was, and if they said no, I’d try it out. This is when I realized the obscure titles can be very, very good and deserve to be known better. Smaller companies don’t necessarily have the budget to attempt to conquer the more fickle casual market, and thus, many aim for niche markets. And because their market is generally constituted of hardcore gamers, they are not scared of adding complexity to their games. I played lots of titles from companies like Treasure, Atlus and Falcom and some of their series became personal favourites. I also played a few PC games and revisited the libraries of old Nintendo and Sega consoles to play Japanese-only titles, or games that just flew under the radar for most of us. We all that that Final Fantasy VI is good, but that’s not interesting to hear.It’s much more interesting to hear someone talk about Romancing Sa Ga 3 or The Treasure of The Rudras. So today, I’d like to share my impressions of one of these hidden gems from a niche series that I generally enjoy: Ys VI: The Ark of Naphitism.

I’m sure most of you have no idea what Ys is. Ys is a franchise that is owned by the much underrated company Falcom, which is also responsible for other games such as Dragon Slayer and The Legend of heroes. Ys games have been released on many systems including PC, and only a select portion of the games have been translated in English. However, fan translations exist for most of the unreleased ones.

Originally, Ys titles were played using only the directional pad and walking into enemies. Damage was dealt based on statistical variables, but one was much more likely to damage without being damaged by hitting from the front but a little off-center (So that your sword arm would touch the enemies but theirs would not touch you), from the side or from behind. The game was very simple to manoeuvre, but it one was not careful, it was possible for enemies to swarm the player. The difficulty was great at first, but players could get EXP, better equipment, and many helpful items and spells. Nevertheless, the difficulty changed from moderate to very hard once the player engaged a boss. These battles required precision, quick thinking and preparation. Indeed, difficulties ranged from encountering a boss without heeding the advice of villagers and getting the necessary item to end up being stuck in a hopeless battle to having to navigate through a bullet hell to hit the boss. End game bosses were difficult and no amount of grinding could save you. You needed the top level to stand a chance (although if one played normally, one would be very close to maximum level at the end of the game).





The classic feel of the game and the refreshing difficulty was welcomed, and when I first tried Ys I & II on the virtual console, I was surprised to compare the game to Zelda if it had more Japanese action RPG undertones.

The character art was simply gorgeous on the Turbo Graphix 16, the setting could involve the player without being too heavy on dialogue, the puzzles were difficult and sometimes downright sadistic, but the clues were readily available and you had only yourself to blame for not taking your time, the characters were very memorable, and the gameplay was a bit rough, but classic. It was a positive experience overall.

The series stars Adol, the red-haired adventurer who becomes known throughout the world for his adventures, his fame growing ever since his ascent of the Tower of Darm in Ys I. The silent protagonist is brave and reckless, but also a kind gentleman who wishes to aid those in need. Certainly, his character is stereotypical, but the growth of his fame is what makes him somewhat of a fun hero. When you are playing as Adol, you are building his legend, people remember his previous adventures, old friends can be encountered when one least expects it. Adol himself seems to be pretty popular with the ladies, but following his heart as an adventurer, he chooses travel over love. Later episodes introduce a cast of support characters that help drive the storyline, including Dogi the wall crusher and Terra the ex-bandit who seems sweet on Adol and seems like she will accompany him in his future adventures. Ys VII: The Oath in Felghana is a remake of Ys III, so we will have to wait for a bit to see if she becomes a truly recurrent character.





The franchise changed as it grew and became its own genre, now a happy marriage between The Legend of Zelda and Secret of Mana. In The Ark of Naphitism, Origins, The Oath in Felghana and other recent titles, the player now has much more control over Adol, and is able to control when Adol attacks, jump, and use special skills and much more. This game is a typical hack and slash-type RPG, but when boss battles come, it is a ruthless puzzle. You are not expected to charge in the fray. Rather, you are expected to employ a wait and see tactic, find the boss’ moment of weakness and capitalize on it. In Ys, waiting means dodging relentless attacks. If that’s too hardcore for you, you’re free to go home and become a family man. That’s how we played video games in my days.

In Ark of Naphitism, Adol fights using three different elemental swords. The first is the wind blade, that allows Adol to summon tornadoes or to spin into tornado slashes repeatedly, the second is a flame blade that allows Adol to charge fire magic or throw a fireball for example. The third is the lightning rapier that allows Adol to skewer foes with electricity when the button is pressed fast enough, or send a lightning bolt. The blades each have different properties and have limited magic each (one can unleash a powerful move from a fully-charged sword) and must recharge when a special attack is unleashed. The key is to carefully manage the three swords while effectively using the special skills of each blade in real-time combat. This combat system is unique to Ys VI, but shares the puzzle experience of boss combat that defines the series. An easier difficulty level is there for beginners, but easy mode is pretty much what the hard mode for a regular game would be like.





Unlike a Zelda game, however, finding the weakness does not guarantee you a win. All it does is giving you a chance to win. The story is simple, yet interesting, the characters are likeable and interact with you, old faces return, developed from previous games, and new NPCs also seem to have a life of their own considering that their dialogue changes fairly frequently throughout the game. Since events occur at a fairly rapid and steady rate, the NPCs often have new things to tell you, are found in different locations and seem to change their perceptions of you as time flows by. While not a fully interactive experience, it reduces some of the repetition found in some games. The music is simply breathtaking, ranging from epic overworld themes to fast-paced power metal combat music for boss battles. The graphics on the PC version that I played look like top of the line PS2 quality, which makes sense given that the game was released during the PS2 era. The game shares a feature with Baten Kaitos, in that camera angles are static, but water effects, animations, lighting effects and textures are well done and richly detailed.

The story is the usual epic journey through the unknown, and the introduction of the rival character “Geis” and new allies is fairly welcomed. The game avoids stereotypical JRPG character arcs and fanservice and settles for “less is more”. A large portion of the storytelling is dependent on the player being the hero. Adol Christin never says a single word, unless it comes from a choice selection, which is again reminiscent of Zelda. Unlike Zelda, however, allies and villains have much more dialogue and the story tends to be told through their interactions with you.

The gameplay as I’ve said above is simple and a happy mixture between The Legend of Zelda and Secret of Mana. While I have stated that boss battles are very interesting, there are some gameplay flaws in the overworld. In order to get stronger, you need EXP and emel pieces, which you must gather to power up your swords. If you neglect either of these tasks, the bosses will demolish you. Thus, depending on your skills, you may find yourself mowing through weak overworld monsters for hours to gather EXP and collect the emel because you don’t want to be stuck losing repeatedly. You also need gold to buy the best equipment, but you will soon find gold to be next to useless once you acquire everything, so I propose you waste the rest on buying vitality seeds to boost your HP. This is rendered even more troublesome if you end up in a boss room and forgot to prepare. One cannot change their held items during a boss fight. At the same time, you can stack up to nine of any recovery item, which is eight more than you could carry in any early Ys games. If you are rich enough, you can potentially make a fight much easier by stacking on really good items. The game is hard but if you’re not someone with fast reflexes, there are ways to advance, so it’s not that bad. The overworld monsters can murder you at the beginning of the game, but it will not take long until you think of them as no more threatening as minor background fighters in a bad Kung fu movie. Using the tornado slashes from the wind sword should get rid of most of them.



The overworld is mostly entirely opened up for you, and you may try to venture in places that you were not meant to access. You will then promptly get your bottom handed to you. There are sidequests, but there are few. Still, when you do complete them, the rewards are generally worth it. That extra bit of damage from that Seed of Strenght that NPC will give you will come in handy.

I like Ys, it is one of the great obscure titles out there that most North Americans never even heard of. While many once great games series are being ruined by their attempts at expanding their audience (more precisely speaking, dumping one smaller but stable market for another bigger fad-dependent market), Ys kept in line with the things that made games so dang good back then and still managed to innovate and become its own style. I wouldn’t say Ys VI: Ark of Naphitism is original, but it is fun, and it fills a need; the need for old school action that has become scarce and that some of us crave. Sure, the game came out before the Wii and the casual movement took over the industry, but it’s most likely that most of you have never played this game series before, and can enjoy seven high quality games. The trend seems to continue with Ys VII The Oath in Felghana and apparently even lets you control more than just Adol, but I’ve not gotten to it and I don’t want to talk about a game I didn’t finish.

I would recommend this title and series for anyone longing for an old-style action RPG, and it is for PC, PS2 and PSP. A fan translation for the PC version exists and can easily be found on the Internet.

Stagnation of fighting games

I’ve never been a fighting game maniac, and indeed, the only games I ever played competitively is Super Smash Bros. Melee and Project M. However, I do like to play fighting games for fun, and with the horror that is Brawl, I understand why many fighting games fans get so angry when they receive an inferior product in a sequel.

Much like Brawl removed most of the franchises’ technical aspects; most fighting games in general have been getting on people’s nerves lately. It seems that fighting games are either getting more casual or we’re just paying for less.

There are many examples of this: Guilty Gear for example has pretty much retained the same gameplay for as long as it has existed. Buying Guilty Gear X or Accent Core pretty much amounts to buying the same game with a different balance and a little more content, but the roster generally increases by one or two per game, and sometimes, characters are flat-out removed. The re-balancing isn’t that good, with middle tiers being nerfed and high tiers getting buffs. It’s like the developers don’t know what they are doing. Mind you, Guilty Gear is a fun game, but with the gameplay being fundamentally the same, it always felt like a ripoff to always buy a balance patch at full price.

The same problem occurs with Blazblue, where Continuum shift got two more characters. Sure, there were four DLC characters, but they weren’t given to us and were incomplete, none bearing a story arc in story mode for example. It’s like they were just slapped onto the game for a quick cash-in. Two free characters is not enough to warrant a buy. Sure, there was a balance patch and modes like the new legion mode. The interactive tutorial was nice and helped people understand the mechanics a little more. Additional stages are pretty much pointless because they’re all flat surfaces anyways; it’s no more different than changing your wallpaper. There were a few more character songs, and the music plays an integral part in Blazblue (Playing Blazblue or Guilty Gear on mute is a crime in and of itself), however one wonders why there was no Jin vs Tsubaki song or other obvious pairing choices. Daisuke Ishiwatari’s music is very fitting for a fighting game and more music form him is always welcomed. Continuum shift got a continuation to the actually interesting graphic novel-style story of Blazblue: Calamity Trigger, but it was still not enough. I skipped this one and we ended up getting Blazblue Continuum Shift II, which is a rehash of Continuum Shift but with some balance recalibration and now free DLC characters. That is all. Anyone who bought Continuum shift must have felt horribly ripped off, and this taught me that the best thing to do when interested in buying a fighting game is to buy the game at the end of a generation, so that one can get the final version of the game. Continuum Shift II was a big insult to the fans, and arguably, could have been just a patch.



Mortal Kombat on the other hand tried a whole bunch of different things but went too far and denaturalized the series to a point where it was unrecognizable from its origins. Again, you gained new features, but they would most often be gimmicks and they would remove fan favourites just to fit the storyline. I understand the concept of Mortal Kombat... as in, it is about fights to the death, but in a fighting game, characters get fans who are attached to them. If you kill them off, you piss their mains. In other words, Mortal Kombat should have just gone “screw continuity”. An example of this is when they decided to kill off Liu Kang, the main character of the series and resident nut-puncher. Reviving him as a zombie was not consolation enough. Even as a non-fan, I was legitimately angry. I don’t care what people say about MK 9 right now, since there is one thing I must say about it: they screwed with the continuity, and that was a good a good thing and it may be what the franchise needs to get back on track.

Of course, Capcom is one of the biggest offenders with Street Fighter. After the release of a Street Fighter game, I’ve come to expect a super version, a turbo version, an arcade edition, etc... In other words, once a Street Fighter game comes out, you know that if you buy the first version out, a new, better one will come out very soon after. Street Fighter IV for example was soon followed by Super Street Fighter IV, then the Arcade edition. I mean, sure, they added characters, changed the balance, etc... but it is still on the exact same engine and could have been a downloadable patch. Not to mention that the original Street fighter IV had less characters than some of the earlier versions of the game. I don’t really care about a graphic overhaul and bad dance remixes; as a gamer, I want a reason to play this game, and I will not buy a game that does less than an earlier version that I own. Oh, and Street Fighter X Tekken? Yeah, that’s Street Fighter IV with Tekken characters. I’m no lord of Tekken, but that seems again like a lazy cash-in.

And that brings us to Marvel Vs Capcom 3. The game was heavily anticipated and was supposed to be huge and flashy. The game indeed sported very detailed graphics, but for some reason looked less good that the sprites from MvC 2, which seemed to move faster thanks to frame animation skips. It had 36 character, 38 if you count the DLC. That is still much less that the PS2 version that had a whopping 56 characters. MvC 3 was lacking many fan favourites like Gambit, Guile or Megaman. And Characters like Jill Valentine or Shuma Gorah (the later was an unlockable in MvC 3) had to be bought as DLC. So you got much less and had to pay to still have less. Then, when everyone got suckered into buying the already overpriced MvC 3, they announced Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3. The game in itself is a balanced patch with 12 new characters including the highly anticipated Phoenix Wright, bringing the default roster up to 48. That is still nowhere near 56. Where are the other 2, you may ask? Well the two DLC characters... Well they’re not included, so you’ll have to download them if you didn’t own MvC3 before. At least Blazblue had the decency to give them to us in Continuum Shift II (although they are guilty of putting too few new content on the new disc).



It is obvious that these companies are ripping the consumers off, but there’s a reason why they do this. We let them. Consumers fail to realize that they are actually the boss of the market. It pisses me off most of the time, because the market is full of fanboys and casual gamers these days, and they are the reason why Super Smash Bros. Brawl and other idiotic games of the sort exist. However, in this case, this complacent attitude gaming giants have taken to content in fighting games affect all us, hardcores and casuals alike. If anything, we should unite against this practice and just stop buying their scrap. Companies makes games not to please us, but to fill their pockets, and that is because they are corporations. In other words, they will only change their ways if they realize that their cheap practices are hurting their sales.

Take the 3DS for example: Nintendo has a habit of releasing new versions of its portable systems. The GBA was followed by the GBA SP, GBA Micro, etc.. the DS by the DS lite, DSi, DSi XL, etc... They also release new colours later, bundles, price cuts, etc... This has helped Nintendo get a lot of sales in the past because everyone wanted the latest one. But now, that bit Nintendo in the posterior because first: they have too few games, second: people are waiting for a 3DS lite or another colour. And now, look at what Nintendo is doing. Twenty free games through the ambassador program, a price cut very early... They are now paying for teaching people to wait for a better product. And you know what? I don’t feel an ounce of pity. Some companies (e.g. Nintendo, Square enix) can just makes ton of money by plastering some popular franchise name onto a pile of garbage and thus, their products become of lower quality. They know they can get away with it because we still buy them. People will buy Skyward Sword even though it’s a gimmick; people have bought Final Fantasy XIII even if it was a terrible experience. The only way to increase the quality of our games is simple: be more picky. If Super Smash Bros. 4 is like Brawl, opt out, if The Legend of Zelda forces you to swing a Wiimote like you’re on crack, don’t buy it either. As for Ultimate MvC3, Street Fighter IV Arcade edition and all of these rip-offs, just forget about them.