All posts for the month November, 2009

New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Spoilers)

New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Pub/Dev: Nintendo
ESRB: E/Players: 1 – 4

(Since the game’s so new, I’ll try to keep my spoilers to a minimum.  But I’m so giddy about certain things that I’m going to talk about them, so if you’re the kind of person who needs to know nothing about a Mario title before you play it, refrain from continuing on!  Just know that the game is FANTASTIC!)

Nintendo’s been a little iffy towards hardcore fans so far this generation, catering mainly to casual and non-gamers with their Wii “insert genre here” titles.  Sure, we’ve had a dash of Mario, Zelda, Smash Bros. and Metroid to whet our hunger (and I’m not saying any of them are bad!  Most of them have been excellent!), but the overwhelming deluge of casual focus has left me a little uncertain of Nintendo’s future…and of what I should feel about them these days as a company.  I consider them the best of the best, my personal favorite and a huge inspiration for who I am, but watching their transition from then to now has been…well, a rather bizarre and unsettling trip, to put it mildly. 

So, back when this game was first revealed at E3, as if they wanted to alienate their old-time gamers who’ve been following them through thick and thin, they announce that a new demo mode would be packed in.  Stunned silence was quickly beset by panic, then by frustration.  A guide, we said?  Who needs a guide in a Mario title?  Nintendo’s gone too far!  They’ve lost touch with their fans!  (profanity)!…etc.  I remember those chaotic days, and was more than a little pissed myself about the inclusion of a hand-holding device in NSMBWii…even before we knew how it worked!  Irate feelings grew among my NinDB comrades, and only a mere few had the rationality to take the “wait-and-see” approach (I’m looking at you, Nester ;) ) in regards to how the mode would turn out.  Months later, as the game got closer to completion and we got to hear more about it, the anger subsided.  And now, I don’t even know what I was mad about in the first place.  As the details of the “Super Guide” became clear, I felt I had possibly overreacted.  It’s easy to do when something important to you changes in ways you aren’t pleased about, I guess.

Watching clips of NSMBWii the last few weeks erased the fears I held for the game.  It looked FUN.  So, I took a chance and bought it.  I haven’t purchased a new game all year.  Something about the way the gameplay looked…it compelled me to break down and buy it at full price.  I eagerly hoped that it would live up to the old Marios, and would push well beyond the scope New Super Mario Bros. on the DS did.  While that was a fine game, and I think of it highly, I think that Ninty played it a little safe.  Overusing Bowser Jr., mostly uninteresting boss fights, uninspiring power-ups, and a stupid save system (to be frank) hurt it.  The level designs were great, but it wasn’t the same experience as playing SMB3 or SMW. 

So, after I started up NSMBWii, tinkered around, made my way through the game and vanquished Bowser, I thought, man.  Did Nintendo push.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii is some of the most fun I’ve had with a game in a long time.  This is nostalgia done right.  Anyone who’s been attached with Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World will smile and laugh as they plow through this game’s many levels.  The sheer amount of retro enemy returns, gameplay mechanics, and musical throwbacks is astounding.  World 1 is pretty standard fare, but World 2 throws SMB3′s Spike, Fire Chomps, Boomerang and Fire Brothers, and Firesnakes at you, for example.  Further down the road, Big Boss Bass (AH!!!), Sledge Brothers, Mini Goombas, Mecha Koopas, Ptooies, Rocky Wrenches, Fuzzys, and a plethora of other baddies from the past await you, and I must have just looked like the happiest man of earth.  Seeing so many old foes return in such a glorious manner…I giggled in sheer delight each time I saw somebody reappear after so long.  And more just keep popping up as you go through the game.  It’s clear that Nintendo hasn’t forgotten all of these great designs from the past.  And the Koopalings!  BEST MARIO BOSS FIGHTS EVER.  Seriously.  Larry is pretty straightforward, but the tricks they throw at you as you go further along are just incredible.  I won’t spoil them here (honestly, you need to experience them!), but Iggy and Ludwig’s second rounds were by far some of the greatest 2D boss showdowns I’ve ever done.  And then…there’s the final fight with Bowser.  My god.  I thought the final fight in Galaxy was Bowser’s shining moment.  Nope, Nintendo topped themselves with an epic showcase that MUST be played to believe.  It’s as fun as it looked online and then some.  I tell you, the Wii and Bowser battles are ALL RIGHT.

The levels themselves are varied, with unique gameplay elements, enemies and secrets to discover.  Many of the stages also made me smile.  There’s some innovation going on here!  The use of light in some levels was ingenious, and one level has you leaping into bubbles of water in a Galaxy-esque manner.  Just some awesome stuff that’s ideal to run through.  The much-touted difficulty is perfectly ramped from beginning to end, and Mario veterans should feel right at home here.  It’s nowhere near as hard as some press sources were saying (I beat it in four days!  I never summoned the Super Guide in that time!  I had plenty of lives, and probably died a max of 5 times in a couple levels!).  I think either they’re getting soft in their offices or haven’t played a 2D Mario in a while. :p  And the power-ups are a vast improvement over NSMB’s.  The Propeller Suit, a nice resurrection of flying (how many different ways can one fly now in the Mushroom Kingdom, BTW?  There’s no need for planes with Super Leaves, Cape Feathers, Lakitu clouds, Wing Caps, FLUDD’s and Propeller Mushrooms roaming about :p ), uses shakes from the WiiMote to gain lift, which works 90% of the time the way it should (I’ll get to that in a minute).  The Penguin Suit is cute, combining elements of the Frog Suit, Mario 64′s sliding and Galaxy’s Ice Flower (which also joins the power-up parade) in a successful way.  The Mini Mushroom’s back, which was the most practical power-up from NSMB, and it works about the same.  Yoshi also returns, although he’s very limited in his use here, popping up in about 3 – 5 stages and being unable to leave said stages.  Still, he’s fun to use, and eating various foes remains a hoot like it was in SMW.

The controls are very NES-like: the control pad and two buttons do the majority of the gameplay’s work (and they do it up to the Mario standard, which is nigh-perfect), with additional help from shaking or moving the WiiMote.  The WiiMote integration is mostly well thought out, with several clever level designs coming from its use.  The problem is that the WiiMote is required to do tasks you might not expect it to.  Case in point – picking up any object that is not a shell.  You’ll have to hold 1 and then shake the WiiMote to lift Toad, ice blocks, barrels, POW blocks (nice to see such a classic Mario item in proper use again), Propeller blocks, and other similar objects.  It takes a bit of an adjustment to wrap your head around TWO ways of picking up things, which to me is a little convoluted and unnecessary.  To leap off Yoshi, you’ll also have to shake the WiiMote, which also takes time to compensate for.  The Propeller Suit requiring a shake makes sense, but at times it reacts when you don’t want it to (like trying to use the WiiMote to control stage scenery) or quick enough (usually in last-second reflexive situations).  Lastly, Spin Jumps almost seem tacked on.  It lets you sling Ice or Fireballs in both directions, but it can also screw up your timing if done at an inconvenient time.  I almost wonder if holding the B Trigger would have improved things.  All and all, it works most of the time, but occasional mishaps will occur.

The game looks and sounds like Mario.  That’s the best compliment I can give it.  The graphics are solid, with some neat special effects (The Koopaling and Kamek’s magic, the lava sparks, and the aforementioned lighting in particular), excellent animation, and the models looks crisp and sharp.  It’s not the finest looking Wii game, but it’s up there, and it certainly works for Mario.  The music brings back several classic tunes (the Hammer Bros. remix is really cool, especially the little fanfare at the end), and all of it is well composed and catchy.  Easily some of the best Mario music (another good cross of Wii and Mario – music that soars!) in the franchise’s history.

The multiplayer mode I can comment a little on – Grace and I have played through a bit of World 1 together, and it’s a lot of fun as well.  I’ve always wanted to be able to tackle a Mario game with a friend, and so far, I haven’t been disappointed.  I don’t know if 4 players is as entertaining or sensible as 1 or 2, but I’ll update this if I get the chance to try it out.

The somewhat long-winded intro to this Opinion had a purpose – to show that I had doubts about Nintendo’s current direction.  They’ve made some strange decisions that really seem to be a deliberate insult to their fanbase, and their game focus has curved onto a new path that tends to leave hardcore gamers adrift in unclear waters (there’s plenty of exceptions…Sin & Punishment 2, anyone?  But I’m speaking in general terms).  New Super Mario Bros. Wii may have been saddled with a casual-friendly Super Guide, but you know what?  Mario masters will never see it.  I can’t even tell you what it does.  I never had to deal with it in my playtime.  But if such a mode helps teach casual and non-gamers about the core mechanics of Mario, gets them addicted to the intensely gratifying gameplay and level design of this game, and they then download the classic games that inspired this beauty on the VC, then I’m all for it.  I hope some may find the beauty without any help, much like I did when I was young (which was the reason for my ire).  For those who grew up with Mario in the 80′s and 90′s, you’ll find plenty to like here.  Nintendo may be after a different market these days, but this game highlights that they still can put together one hell of a game, one that rekindles exactly why I adore them as a developer.

by WildcatJF on November 20, 2009  •  Permalink
Posted in Games, Opinions
Tagged , , ,

Posted by WildcatJF on November 20, 2009

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/new-super-mario-bros-wii-spoilers/

Fantastic Fictional Females: Sam Puckett

As I work around an ailing laptop and various creative projects, I’m attempting to get a regular schedule for the F3 editorial. I guess I’ll start worrying about it when I post more than every couple of weeks. :)

This entry in Fantastic Fictional Females addresses a surprising character, given the nature of her origin, but I’m not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Straight from the live-action Nickelodeon-original series iCarly, I present to you the second Fantastic Fictional Female, Sam Puckett.

Fantastic Fictional Female #2: Sam Puckett

Sam Puckett as portrayed by Jennette McCurdy, from iCarly

Sam Puckett, played by teen actress Jennette McCurdy, is the best friend of Carly Shay and co-star of their webshow, iCarly (from which the series’ title was drawn), and fits in with the rest of the characters who have been cast as eccentrics with a pinch of normality to provide scope. In this aspect, Sam stands out above the others because, despite being a girl, there are almost no girly aspects to her; she’s lazy, greedy, loves to eat (she has a special affinity for meat and in particular cold, left-over chili), crude, intimidating to the entire male populace of her school, unafraid to express her opinions to anybody, and ferociously independent.

At this point I ought to put a disclaimer: there’s a difference between a character with admirable traits, and an admirable character. Sam as a character is fantastic, and every trait and flaw seems to have been designed strictly to dispel gender stereotypes, but she is by no means a good role model. I wouldn’t want my daughter to be caught eating breakfast in class (and then subsequently dump said breakfast, milk-in-cereal and all, into another student’s backpack), and as a student she leaves much to be desired. She can also get physically violent with anybody at any given time (particularly with Freddie, iCarly’s technical producer), and she’s prone to weaseling out of personal responsibility.

But again, all those flaws point to a powerfully developed character, especially as you usually see said flaws applied to males and never ever ever to females. It shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that a character like Sam came around, as Nickelodeon has proven itself capable when it comes to awesome female characters in the past with Avatar: the Last Airbender and Danny Phantom. Nickelodeon taking the next step and applying the same concept to their live-action series is absolutely fantastic on their part. There is nothing about Sam that’s girly (though that doesn’t keep her from trying on occasion), and for a teenage girl, that’s an impressive trait. (She has also expressed that a person’s first kiss is an overhyped and underwhelming concept, both before and after the experience; she shared hers with Freddie despite their immense friendly-dislike towards each other as he hadn’t either, mostly to get it over with, rather than save it for a special occasion). And of course, Jennette McCurdy’s acting skills are second to none, lending itself to Sam’s personality expertly, and it is in no small part thanks to her that Sam has come to life.

Sorta like in Aladdin with the whole diamond in the rough thing, Sam (and iCarly) stands out as one of the first, most original Fantastic Fictional Females on a live Nickelodeon-and-other-similar-channels televised series. Good on you, iCarly staff and Jennette McCurdy!

by TEi on November 16, 2009  •  Permalink
Posted in Editorial, Fantastic Fictional Females, Features
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Posted by TEi on November 16, 2009

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2009/11/16/fantastic-fictional-females-sam-puckett/

Belated Halloween Fan Art

For 8bit:

Click me for a larger size!

For Fryguy64:

Click me for a larger size!

 For parrothead:

Click me for a larger size! (mature content)

by WildcatJF on November 10, 2009  •  Permalink
Posted in Art, Games
Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Posted by WildcatJF on November 10, 2009

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/belated-halloween-fan-art/

Character Spotlight: Protoman

It’s been some time since I’ve done this feature.  TEi’s new feature series on Fantastic Fictional Females reminded me of my own article on one of my favorite characters, Jade, and that the idea of writing about my favorite characters was meant to be a series. XD  So, to revitalize said series, I’m going to tackle a character I’ve been a fan of ever since I was a kid – Protoman.

mm3-

Protoman first made his debut in Mega Man 3, which so happens to be the first Mega Man game I played.  As I discovered and absorbed the gameplay, one character leapt out to me more than any other – the mysterious red and gray bot who tested Mega Man’s prowess before letting him pass in three of the initial stages, and simply let MM get into Gemini Man’s stage (why there wasn’t a battle here, I have no clue).  The haunting music that predated his appearances became my personal favorite jingle of the NES – nothing else has better defined the NES sound chip than that whistle to me.  He fought by leaping and blasting out two blasts from his shield.  And once he received some invisible amount of damage, he beamed out, destroying the debris in your way so you could proceed.  After beating the Doc Robot stages, a somewhat familiar face confronted me.  My first playthrough was back in ye olde days before the Internet, so I had no clue what Protoman’s name back then was…until this first revelation: “Breakman”.  I could have sworn that the earlier bot I battled did not have a faceplate, but I ignored my initial doubts and pressed “A” to begin the stage.  Scrapping with Breakman was much harder than the earlier encounters – my Weapons gained from the Robot Masters were all useless.  The stage layout did not offer a lot of forgiveness for mistakes.  And Breakman was more furious in his assault.  With some perseverance, I delivered the final blow and he beamed out.  How…odd.  I expected him to explode and offer me some sort of power.  I beamed out, and an impromptu story segment directed me to Dr. Wily’s fortress, the Skull Castle.  Tough stages and tougher bosses were conquered.  A fake Wily was disposed.  But Breakman did not return throughout these trials.  It would take the toppling of Gamma and the real Dr. Wily’s apparent death in the ensuing rockfall to make Breakman come back and rescue Mega Man from the impending destruction of Skull Castle…but he muttered something about Wily and how it was “too late” to save him.  When Mega Man comes to, Dr. Light wonders about who it was who brought you back…until the whistle starts up.  “It must have been Protoman!” proclaims the excited Dr. Light.  After beaming out, the most beautiful ending music I’ve ever heard has really kicked in.  Beginning with the now-familiar notes of the whistle you’ve heard all game long, the tune now continued well beyond what it did during gameplay.  And it is accompanied by gorgeous NES sprite work.  And at the end, an epiphany.  Protoman, minus the faceplate, is shown to be Mega Man’s brother and the first robot Light had ever built.  It seemed that Breakman was merely a cover (or an alternate bot, which I believed for a very long time) for Protoman to be able to aid Mega Man.  Whoa.  For a 8-year-old who had not gotten much in the form of story and character development in his games before, this was a milestone.

Looking back now, Protoman’s ”mystery” was pretty silly to get myself all caught up in.  It’s obvious now that Protoman and Breakman were the same bot, and that Protoman was working with Wily only to double-cross him by aiding his brother (which would set up the plot of MM5).  But something about Protoman’s design has always struck me as awesome ever since.  The helmet design, with the triangular shades and the nifty three-pronged crest over it, was much cooler than Mega Man’s.  His scarf added much to his mystique, and his Shield backed his Proto Buster, giving him two forms of offense and a stronger defense than Mega Man could have.  Another thing I’ve pondered was his motive – whose side was he really on?  He worked for Wily only to end up backstabbing him.  He fought against Mega Man often enough in MM3 to suggest he wasn’t completely on his side, either.  He certainly criticizes Mega Man about his ignorance throughout his Classic MM appearances, and although Mega Man is left in the dark about the family connection, Protoman is absolutely clued into it, and teases MM in a similar fashion most siblings would.

As future titles would reveal, Protoman is a lone wolf, interjecting whenever he wanted to.  He felt that he had no personal commitment to Mega Man or Dr. Light (beyond family relations, really).  In fact, later titles highlight Protoman’s distrust of Dr. Light, which adds in another interesting quirk to his backstory.  He consistently refuses Dr. Light’s aid, and only once in the whole Classic MM timeline does Protoman go to Dr. Light for repairs (Mega Man & Bass, after being cleaved in two by King).  His name derives from what he was – a prototype robot Light would base his future creations Rock (Mega Man) and Roll on.  As such, he was not complete when he departed Light’s lab for good, and had to be fixed by Dr. Wily (which helps explain his robotic skills) to prevent his demise, which is why Protoman was working for Wily in the first place.  In the proceeding NES sequels, Protoman embraced his newfound freedom from Wily, appearing only when he felt he had to become involved.  In Mega Man 4, Protoman arrives to save Mega Man from Dr. Cossack, who had been forced to try to kill Mega Man.  Dr. Wily’s kidnapping of Cossack’s daughter, Kalinka, was the pawn that tied Cossack’s hands.  By having rescued her from Wily’s lair, Protoman released Cossack of his obligation to Wily, and Mega Man was spared.  Wily cackles from behind the scenes, and thus, Mega Man chases after him and defeats him yet again.  In Mega Man 5, Wily takes his revenge against Protoman’s machinations, creating a nigh-perfect clone of him to kidnap Dr. Light and wreck further havoc upon the city.  When Mega Man finally confronts him, Protoman’s clone nearly kills him…but one may have noticed that the trademark tune that defines Protoman seemed a little…off.  As Mega Man is pinned against the wall, 1 point of energy left before his destruction, the right whistle floats through the silent air.  The real deal appears and destroys the disguise surrounding Wily’s Dark Man, Mega Man conquers both Dark Man and Dr. Wily, and Protoman offers one last bit of aid helping Mega Man and Dr. Light escape before slipping away into the shadows once more.  In Mega Man 6, Protoman can be completely missed by the player, as he only appears in one place as an Easter Egg more than anything else.  If you have the Power Suit in Tomahawk Man’s stage and take the right path, you can crush a rock wall with the Power Suit and enter a secret area.  Protoman will whistle, beam in and drop a device, and then leave.  This device is an Energy Balancer, and it will refuel your weapon meters automatically for you as you pick up Weapon pellets.  These are the games where Protoman left his strongest mark upon me.  He’s appeared in future MM titles, but outside of the teasing Power Battle games (where you could play as him), I’ve still not had the chance to play him proper in Mega Man Powered Up! or MM9 (I want to, though!).

Ultimately, it’s his enigma that drew me to liking him.  He’s very mysterious whenever he appears, and you never really know what exactly he’s up to or planning.  He’s on your side, but he doesn’t seem to be helping you for any reason beyond his own desire to.  Protoman wants Mega Man to prove himself, in some way or another.  Be it defeating him in MM3, being clever enough to find him in MM6, or surviving difficult ordeals to have him step in and offer his aid (MM4 and MM5), Protoman seems like he’s always watching your actions, and reacting accordingly.  It’s fitting, as Protoman is Mega Man’s older brother, so it mirrors reality.  Protoman’s other major personality quirk is his personal choice of isolation.  He doesn’t tend to stick around when he appears – he does what he needs to do, and then drifts off.  He’s not one to hang around for no reason.  Another facet I dig about Protoman is his immense strength.  Mega Man never is able to destroy the floor – he can only break through certain walls, or lift particular blocks.  The way Capcom used Protoman in MM3 suggests that he has unimaginable power inside of that robotic body, and that he could really be a frightening force to fight were he inclined to give it his all.  However, Protoman is not invincible.  This power comes with a price: his life.  After all, thanks to knowledge from The Power Battles that is now canon, his energy core is malfunctioning, despite Wily’s best efforts to replace it.  Considering Capcom’s handling of him, it makes sense that Protoman only uses his full destructive talents in extreme situations…or it could cost him dearly.  Mega Man & Bass highlights this with Protoman’s Big Bang Strike assault on King, and how it nearly killed him in the process.  His power may be great, but he is aware of how much it taxes him, reserving it for critical situations.  He even intimidates foes with his possible destructibility in Mega Man Powered Up! with his dialogue to Yellow Devil (“When you attack me, watch out for my unstable nuclear core. One wrong move, and we’re both vapor, I’d say”). He may be cocky, but he knows his own limits better than anyone else.

MM3ProtoMan[1]

Protoman isn’t anywhere near as complex or as deeply interesting as Jade is, but he still intrigues me as a loner-style of character.  For a NES creation, he has a remarkable amount of depth in those 4 games he appeared in, and Capcom’s done a fine job refining his persona in later titles.  And after all this time, he still has that badass design edge and the curious mystification that drew me to him in the first place.  I look forward to giving MM9 a proper spin once I can, and finally getting a chance to play as one of my favorite designs.

Additional research conducted at the Mega Man Wikia Protoman page and VGMuseum.

by WildcatJF on November 8, 2009  •  Permalink
Posted in Features, Games
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Posted by WildcatJF on November 8, 2009

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2009/11/08/character-spotlight-protoman/

Okami done in 8-bit

I remember seeing this in my Okami Official Complete Works book, and was curious as to what exactly it was done for.  Retro music, it would seem!  Two clips highlight two of Okami’s majestic songs done as 8-bit renditions, with a still of 8-bit Okami as a backdrop.  Shame I can’t listen to them right now…but there’s always later!  Enjoy!

by WildcatJF on November 3, 2009  •  Permalink
Posted in Games, Music, News
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Posted by WildcatJF on November 3, 2009

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/okami-done-in-8-bit/

Super Smash Bros: Giving Franchises a Second Wind Since 1999

One thing I love about the Smash Bros. games is how their effect on old/obscure/dried-up franchises is nigh magical; the series has rejuvenated so many of those franchises that it’s almost silly, bringing both big and small titles back from the brink. The fact that Smash Bros. games are pretty much advertisements for what Nintendo has to offer helps, of course (I got into WarioWare and Pikmin because of Brawl), but the truth is out there, friends, and it dates back to the very first installment of the series.

Samus is a prime (heh) example here; by the time SSB on the N64 rolled around, Nintendo’s first bounty hunter/mercenary/whatever they want her to be this week had only had three games, the last of which emerging five years prior to SSB’s debut. Metroid games have always been great, but Samus’ inclusion in SSB – which had been a long shot and a surprising choice at the time – really put her on the map, because three years following the first Smash Bros. game (and eight years since Super Metroid), two new Metroid games launch side-to-side: Metroid Prime and Metroid Fusion. From here, the Metroid franchise just fucking took off like a rocket; Prime would receive two sequels (and then a compilation of all three games) and two spin-offs, the original Metroid would be released in the GBA as part of the Classic NES Series and then remixed for the GBA title Metroid Zero Mission, and in the future we have Metroid: Other M to look forward to. Metroid and Samus went from being franchise underdogs to absolute power players in the Nintendo market, becoming one of their biggest, most dominating franchises, especially amongst the western audiences. Perhaps a show of this strength can be found in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, being one of the few series represented by more than one new stage and carrying a massive, largely remixed song set – not to mention the inclusion of Zero Suit Samus as an additional character (a design first introduced in Metroid Zero Mission and teased at in the original Metroid game with the Justin Bailey code), and two boss characters in The Subspace Emissary.

The Earthbound/MOTHER series has received a much lower degree of success, Ness being largely unknown to gamers by the time the first Smash Bros. came about, but the amount of popularity it’s garnered hasn’t hurt. Unfortunately, Nintendo doesn’t seem intent to bring the love to the Western audience, what with a lack of Earthbound on the Virtual Console and a translated version of MOTHER 3. But Ness (and now Lucas) are known characters, whereas Western audiences would have absolutely no idea if Ness hadn’t been acknowledged in Super Smash Bros.

And let’s not forget Captain Falcon and the F-Zero franchise; due to the good Captain’s inclusion in Smash Bros., the F-Zero series boomed, receiving several GBA spin-off titles (of dubious quality) and (a rarity for Nintendo franchises) an anime in its honor (also of dubious quality, but hey, it’s sort of flattering I guess). While there haven’t been many mainstream F-Zero games (only three overall), Captain Falcon’s continued presence in Smash Bros. titles and his immense popularity amongst fans (mostly as a meme, but still) guarantees that F-Zero will continue to live on in some form or another.

Then comes Super Smash Bros. Melee, where three largely unheard-of franchises come to light: Ice Climber, Fire Emblem and Game & Watch. In the cases of the first and third, much like Earthbound, the most to happen was a raise in fan-based awareness; thanks to Melee, Nintendo fans who didn’t know better could associate Game & Watch to the company, providing a greater interest in the series, and Ice Climber, like the original Metroid, received a port in the Classic NES Series on the GBA.

Fire Emblem, however, managed to walk away the winner of those three; previously a Japan-only series, Nintendo took a gambit by including Marth and Roy in the US, European and Australian releases. While there was an ulterior motive involved (promoting Fire Emblem 6 and its US debut, thanks to Roy’s inclusion in Melee), the gambit ultimately succeeded as now Fire Emblem has a place amongst English-speaking countries and has seen numerous sequels in the time since Melee’s release. Marth’s presence in both Melee and Brawl also increased awareness of him as a character; this, I’m sure, is what prompted Nintendo to re-make the original Fire Emblem for the Nintendo DS, with spiffy new graphics and everything.

And then, there’s Brawl.

In this case, it’s mostly the Assist Trophies that do the advertising here, but a couple playable characters also contribute:

  • Pit has skyrocketed the general awareness of the Kid Icarus series, although we have yet to see a new installment to the franchise
  • Little Mac’s inclusion has spurned a new Punch-Out!! title after so many years of idling
  • Saki, in tandem with the Virtual Console translation of the original Sin & Punishment some years after its Japanese release, has drawn attention to the series and allowed a world-wide release of S&P2
  • Lucas and Porky have further promoted MOTHER, particularly MOTHER3 (irritating western gamers with a Japanese-only release for the title)
  • To a lesser extent, Jeff increased awareness of Earthbound
  • Olimar’s presence cements the Pikmin series as a power player
  • People actually know who R.O.B. is now
  • Starfy being an Assist Trophy has finally brought the titular character’s series to the west
  • And finally, Isaac’s presence has spurned a new Golden Sun game.

It just goes to show how much weight and power a multi-franchise crossover fighting game can sling around.

by TEi on November 3, 2009  •  Permalink
Posted in Anime, Editorial, Games
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Posted by TEi on November 3, 2009

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/super-smash-bros-giving-franchises-a-second-wind-since-1999/

Virtual Console Recommendation: Fighting Street (TG16-CD)

Fighting Street (TG16-CD)

W- Fighting Street is a port of Capcom’s arcade Street Fighter (don’t get confused!), but as a game experience, there’s not much point to DL’ing this over any SFII option.  The game’s controls are awkward and hard to pull off, the roster’s one deep (Ryu) for one-player, and it’s lacking the magic that SFII features so well.  It’s interesting as a transitional piece of gaming history, but little more than that.  It’s certainly not worth the points it’s being asked for here.

by WildcatJF on November 2, 2009  •  Permalink
Posted in Features, Games
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Posted by WildcatJF on November 2, 2009

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/virtual-console-recommendation-fighting-street-tg16-cd/

The Virtual Console Alternate Version Guide 2.0

The Wii Virtual Console library spans nearly 400 games across eight platforms plus arcade titles, so if you’re looking for a quick gaming fix, you’ll likely find something that you’ll enjoy. However, you might notice that among the selections are a few duplicate games, usually consisting of alternate versions on different platforms. It might get a little confusing trying to figure out which version is the “best,” so I’ve put this guide together to help you sort things out. Below is a description of every game on the Virtual Console that has multiple versions.

Click on the images for higher quality versions.

Altered Beast (Arcade, 1000 points)
Altered Beast (Genesis, 800 points)

Altered Beast comparison

The original arcade version has superior graphics and sound to its Genesis counterpart. Plus, as with all arcade games on the Virtual Console, you have access to its arcade settings, which is always cool. Whether that’s worth an extra 200 points is up to you, as otherwise the differences are minimal.

Ghosts ‘N Goblins (Arcade, 800 points)
Ghosts ‘N Goblins (NES, 500 points)

Ghosts 'N Goblins comparison

Again, the arcade original looks and sounds better than its home port to the NES, plus you get the arcade options menu. On the other hand, the NES version contains a secret code that allows you to select your starting stage, and knowing the game’s brutal difficulty level, that might be an important thing to take into consideration. Otherwise, you’ll be paying an extra 300 points for arcade authenticity.

Golden Axe (Arcade, 900 points)
Golden Axe (Genesis, 800 points)

Golden Axe comparison

Once again, Sega created a pretty faithful Genesis conversion of their original arcade game. While the arcade version has the typical superior graphics and sound, plus the arcade options menu, this time the home port saw a few upgrades of its own. The Genesis version contains a couple of extra areas, including an entire new level and new final boss. It also has a two-player “Duel” mode. On the other hand, it doesn’t have the arcade version’s awesomely wacky ending, but with more content for 100 points less, the Genesis just might have the edge this time.

Ninja Gaiden (Arcade, 600 points)
Ninja Gaiden (NES, 500 points)

Ninja Gaiden comparison

Despite having the same names, the arcade and NES versions of Ninja Gaiden are significantly different, and thus comparing them is rather moot. The arcade game is a beat-em-up in the style of Double Dragon and Final Fight, whereas the NES version is a side-scrolling platform game somewhat in the vein of Castlevania. Speaking in general terms, the NES game is considered far better, but of course it really come down to whatever type of game you’re in the mood for.

Solomon’s Key (Arcade, 600 points[NA]/500 points [EU])
Solomon’s Key (NES, 500 points)

Solomon's Key comparison

As usual, the original arcade version has slightly better graphics and sound than its NES port, plus the arcade options menu. While the NES version does not initially appear to have the unlimited continues of the arcade version, it actually does have a secret continue code. The difficulty was also toned down a little bit on the NES. However, each version does have a few exclusive levels not found in its counterpart. All in all, it’s hard to pick a clear winner.

Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis, 800 points)
Sonic the Hedgehog (Master System, 500 points)
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Genesis, 800 points)
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Master System 500 points)

Sonic the Hedgehog comparison

Actually, despite the fact that these games share the same names, they’re really not the same games. The Master System versions of Sonic are actually completely different from the Genesis versions. Between them, Sonic 1 and 2 on the Genesis are far superior in pretty much every way, as you would probably assume. The Master System games are curiosities more than anything, and generally lack the speed and great level design the series is known for. However, if you’re a big fan of Sonic, you might find them worth checking out.

Space Harrier (Arcade, 800 points)
Space Harrier (Master System, 500 points)

Space Harrier comparison

It should be pretty obvious, but the arcade version blows the Master System version out of the water. Better graphics, sound, and an options menu, including the ability to use motion controls is well-worth the extra 300 points. The Master System version chugs along as well as it can, and despite having an extra final boss, a better ending, and a secret code that lets you play as the jet from After Burner, the gameplay just doesn’t measure up. In fact, it’s safe to assume that if arcade games had been supported on the Virtual Console sooner, the Master System version probably wouldn’t even be here.

Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (SNES, 800 points)
Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting (SNES, 800 points)
Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition (Genesis, 800 points)
Street Fighter II ‘: Champion Edition (TurboGrafx, 700 points)

Street Fghter II comparison

All right, let’s break this mess down!

The original Street Fighter II: The World Warrior on the SNES is the most bare-bones of all versions on the Virtual Console. It only has eight playable characters, you can’t play as the bosses, and two players can only pick the same character after using a tricky cheat code. Therefore, this is probably not the version you want to go for.

Despite the difference in names, Turbo and Special Champion Edition are both based on the arcade version of Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting, and both games include versions of the standard Champion Edition as well. The SNES version has clearer graphics and sound, and the Genesis version includes an elimination-style Group Battle mode. Certain features that are available by default in the Genesis version need to be accessed with cheat codes in the SNES version, but they’re present either way.

The TurboGrafx version is a little bit of a novelty. While it costs 100 points less than the other versions, it contains only the standard Champion Edition, and thus lacks the speed, extra moves, and options of the Turbo editions. Additionally, it’s an import title, and thus much of the text, including win quotes and endings, are entirely in Japanese. Despite this, many consider the graphics and sound to be superior to those on the Genesis, and even rival the SNES for arcade authenticity.

I’m aware that this will largely come down to personal preference, as some people may be nostalgic for one version or another. But personally, for my money, I’d go with the SNES version of Street Fighter II Turbo for having the most options with the cleanest presentation.

Of course, there’s also…

Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers (SNES, 800 points)
Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers (Genesis, 800 points)

Super Street Fighter II comparison

Did we get enough Street Fighter II yet? Capcom says no!

Both versions are nearly the same, with only minimal cosmetic differences. The Genesis version has grainier but higher contrast graphics, while the SNES version looks softer. The sound effects and voices are also significantly more gravelly on the Genesis than the SNES, although it also has a couple of minor extra gameplay options.

The Genesis version does have one clear edge however: ONLINE PLAY! That’s right, this is the first Virtual Console game in North America to allow online multiplayer. You can hook up with anyone you’ve shared Friend Codes with, or with completely random, anonymous strangers. It’s very bare bones, but that may not matter to you.

Another question, however, is whether you should choose between Super Street Fighter II or Street Fighter II Turbo. Well, aside from the allure of online play, different people seem to have specific preferences in this department. It is worth noting that even the SNES version of Super SFII has heavily compressed audio, and thus actually sounds worse than the SNES version of SFII Turbo. However, all versions of Super SFII have a full 16-character roster, including the four “New Challengers.” Yet, some people don’t like the changes that were made to the existing characters, and consider Turbo to be a more balanced game. Taking all of these things into account, you’re going to have to make your own call on this one. Good luck!

Tecmo Bowl (Arcade, 600 points)
Tecmo Bowl (NES, 500 points)

Tecmo Bowl comparison

As with Ninja Gaiden, the names are the same, but the games are different, albeit not quite as different as the two Ninja Gaidens. Both versions of Tecmo Bowl are arcade-style American football games, but the NES version is the deeper and more playable version of the two. One caveat, however, is that the NFL teams and players that were originally represented in the NES version have been stripped away due to licensing issues. The arcade version, on the other hand, has the usual superior graphics and sound, as well as an options menu, and allows for up to four-players (the NES version is restricted to only two). However, there’s no team or player selection, just two generic teams. The NES game scores the winning touchdown this time.

Wonder Boy (Master System, 500 points)
Adventure Island (NES, 500 points)

Wonder Boy comparison

There have been a number of games on this list that have the same name, but are actually different games. Well, this is actually the opposite! Despite the different names, Wonder Boy and Adventure Island are mostly the same game. In fact, Adventure Island is essentially an NES port of Wonder Boy with the main character stripped out of it. Between the two of them, Wonder Boy is often regarded as the better game due to a more balanced difficulty. However, both games went on to spawn their own completely separate series, and if you’re a fan of one or the other, that might make a difference with your decision.

Wonder Boy in Monster Land (Arcade, 900 points)
Wonder Boy in Monster Land (Master System, 500 points)

Wonder Boy in Monster Land

The Master System version is actually a pretty good port of the arcade original, albeit with downgraded graphics. The sound is pretty accurate, and includes the option to switch to FM synthesis, although the arcade version has more music. There are a few quirks in SMS version, however. Hit detection is iffy, and when you attack while jumping, you tend to drop straight down. There is also no ability to continue, and you can’t exploit the “money glitch” from the arcade version. The arcade version is a little more difficult, but allows for unlimited continues due to the ability to credit-feed (although this is taken away from you in the final round).

It’s a tough call, even considering the difference in price, and it really all comes down to personal preference. For me, however, I give the edge to the arcade version because it’s the original, and I like that authentic arcade experience.

Monster Lair (TurboGrafx, 800 points)
Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair (Genesis, 900 points[NA]/800 points[EU])

Monster Lair comparison

As with all of the TurboGrafx ports of the Wonder Boy games, Monster Lair strips out the license by changing the story and characters. Aside from that, though, the TurboGrafx port of Monster Lair is nearly arcade-perfect, sans parallax scrolling, and includes a Red Book audio CD soundtrack. The Genesis port, while faithful to the original story and characters, received several downgrades in graphics, sound and gameplay. And if you live in North America, you’ll be paying an extra 100 points for those downgrades, so you should probably stick with the TurboGrafx version.

Wonder Boy III: Dragon’s Trap (Master System, 500 points)
Dragon’s Curse (TurboGrafx, 600 points)

Dragon's Trap comparison

Both games are more or less the same. Dragon’s Trap was made specifically for the Master System, so that version is the original. The TurboGrafx version, once again, censors the Wonder Boy license, but does have better graphics and sound (even though it’s not a CD game). It also fixes a glitch from the Master System version where if you equipped a certain piece of armor, you were essentially invincible. But considering how frustratingly difficult the final areas of the game can be, the option to exploit such a glitch isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Make your own call, but my personal choice is the original Master System version.

Wonder Boy in Monster World (Genesis, 800 points)
The Dynastic Hero (TurboGrafx, 800 points)

Monster World comparison

Phew! Talk about confusing! These Wonder Boy game have alternate versions all over the Virtual Console, and their screwed up name-changes make them a nightmare to sort out! But since they’re all excellent games, it’s worth it!

Anyway, Monster World on the Genesis is the original version and follows the canon of the series. The TurboGrafx port, once again, removes the Wonder Boy license and replaces it with original characters, but as it was made for the Turbo CD, it also has upgraded graphics and sound. Most of the soundtrack has been altered, however, but it includes an animated opening with a vocalized theme song. Both games are essentially the same, but if you’re a fan of the series, you might want stick with the official Genesis version for continuity. On the other hand, The Dynastic Hero is one of the rarer Turbo CD releases in North America, so if you’re a fan of the TurboGrafx, this is a nice, affordable way to check out one of its more sought-after releases.

The excellent Hardcore Gaming 101 was used as a reference for this article.

by Nester on November 1, 2009  •  Permalink
Posted in Features, Games
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Nester on November 1, 2009

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2009/11/01/the-virtual-console-alternate-version-guide/

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