All posts tagged n64

Artistic Discussion: The Good and Bad of Gaming Box Art – 12/22/2012

Artistic Discussion is not dead! No, it’s going to be more in-depth and cover more regions! It will now be a cultural look at box art, looking at North American, European and Japanese examples. I’ll still be determining what I personally like and don’t like each time. Expect this to pop up once a month now due to the expanded content.

Japan:

n64-ob64

Good – Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber (N64, Nintendo/Quest)

I’m not too keen on the overall art style for this game, but everything came together so beautifully for this gorgeous box art. The main cast looks fantastic, the coloring is splendid, and it really evokes a sense of awe out of me. I wish the rest of the art looked this great, I really do.

n64-uchhannanchan

Bad – ?

Um…what? This is one of those classic “WTF” covers Japan puts out from time to time, and I’m sure there’s a really good explanation for the “tracks that lead to golden breasts”, but hell if I know what it is. The modeling though is quite poor; the breasts aren’t even the same size or centered properly. XD Just a weird box that I wish I could comprehend.

North America:

ps1-ad

Good – Azure Dreams (PS1, Konami)

I really like the mood of this one. Sure, the hero has dorky hair. But the vista he’s ogling makes me want to go explore it! It’s a lovely view of a desert area that is well drawn and thought provoking. Quite lovely, despite the awkward hairdo.

n64-bigmountain2000

Bad – Big Mountain 2000 (N64, Southpeak Interactive)

This XTREME attempt at being badass is a trainwreck. Those two are some of the most obnoxiously cliched characters I’ve ever seen. The woman has a screwed up face, terrible hair and poorly drawn legs; the guy looks like a deranged nutjob who wants my soul. At least his proportions aren’t all wacked out like the poor lady’s. Trying too hard to be sick; making me physically so.

Europe:

md-bf

Good – Burning Force (Genesis/Mega Drive, Namco)

I really like the mood this piece creates. The heroine here is excellently drawn (although in a rather pro-fanservice pose), as is her bike. She looks like she’s on the warpath, blasting at that enormous floating fortress ahead of her. The dynamic between the two is tense and well-executed. I’m intrigued to know what she’s doing attacking this ship. I’m sure it’s a simple story, but it is well told through this box.

wiiu-jd4

Bad – Just Dance 4 (Wii U, UBI Soft)

Eww.

Seriously, this is unattractive. The poor woman in front looks like a clown/KISS fan/prom date. The background dancers look cheesy as hell. The white skin thing lost its appeal with the first bloody game. And how the fuck is this series still going? I played one of them briefly, and I felt like the biggest dumbass in history because I COULDN’T DANCE the way it wanted me to. It’s a broken series that needs to be retired, and its graphic style is atrocious. GO AWAY.

by WildcatJF on December 22, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Art, Artistic Discussion, Features, Games
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Posted by WildcatJF on December 22, 2012

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/artistic-discussion-the-good-and-bad-of-gaming-box-art-12222012/

Virtual Console No-Shows: Excitebike 64 (N64)

106. Excitebike 64 (N64, Nintendo/Left Field Productions)

eb64

Brief Synopsis – This is the sequel to the NES Excitebike, developed by Left Field Productions. It is considered one of the better racing games on the console, featuring one of the earliest attempts of a random track (the desert track pictured here), which warps and changes depending on the player’s interaction with it.

Why is it Missing? – There’s two reasons I can immediately think of, plus a lesser yet likely third. The first? It includes the original NES Excitebike as an unlockable, which presents competition for the standalone title. The second? It includes licensed bike brands that would need to be programmed out. Waverace 64 and 1080 Snowboarding did as well and are up on the VC without those licenses, so that’s the weaker of the three reasons. The third is the fragmentation of the relationship between Nintendo and Left Field. The two were pretty good buddies in the Nintendo 64 era, working on three Kobe Byrant NBA games and this particular title. Nintendo did invest in Left Field in 1998, but Left Field bought out that stake in 2002 and regained independence, leading to a split between the two. The company was working  on the sequel to 1080 Snowboarding before the separation, but that project was stalled, forcing Nintendo Software Technologies to step in and create what became 1080 Avalanche. This is the only game that could potentially see Virtual Console release out of Left Field’s contributions, but I do not know if Nintendo cares enough to try to work out a deal with the company again to re-release it…if that’s even a concern. I’m sure Nintendo owns the code and all, but the second party issue is one we’ve seen time and time again (Rare, anyone?), and that may be the sticking point here.

Other (Legal) Options – The Nintendo 64 is the sole choice for you here.

by WildcatJF on December 20, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Features, Games, Virtual Console No-Shows
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Posted by WildcatJF on December 20, 2012

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/virtual-console-no-shows-excitebike-64-n64/

Song Highlights – Banjo-Kazooie’s “Freezeezy Peak”

Banjo-Kazooie – Freezeezy Peak (N64, Nintendo/Rare, Grant Kirkhope)

If you want to roam around in an icy platformer level this holiday season, may I recommend, for maximum festivities, Banjo-Kazooie’s Freezeezy Peak. Not only does the music sound like some long lost Christmas tune, but the whole level is ripe with Christmas imagery. Kirkhope did a smashing job on the whole soundtrack, but this is one that truly fits the level it belongs to like a glove. How could I not pick this to be a Song Highlight this time of year?

by WildcatJF on December 19, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Features, Games, Music, Song Highlights
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Posted by WildcatJF on December 19, 2012

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/12/19/song-highlights-banjo-kazooies-freezeezy-peak/

Wildcat’s Gaming Collection – November 2012

I’m finally sharing my up-to-date photos of my gaming collection! Woo! A lot has shifted around since I did this nearly a year ago. I’ll talk about what I’ve picked up the last year, why I got rid of some things, what I still would like, and any other comments I can dredge up. :) I’ll also be including my screenshots on my Complete Game List in the near future for a visual representation of what I actually have. I’m sure the upcoming Christmas/birthday will render these obsolete, but they’ll work for now. :) Due to the high frequency of photos, I’ll force a jump to actually showcase what I have. (more…)

by WildcatJF on November 17, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Books, Editorial, Games
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Posted by WildcatJF on November 17, 2012

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/11/17/wildcats-gaming-collection-november-2012/

Wildcat’s 100 Favorite Game Tunes (2012)

Last year, I put up 100 tracks from gaming that I absolutely loved. However, as the year has rolled by, I think that I’ve cooled off on some of those songs and fell in love with others I had omitted. With that in mind, I feel that it’s a good time to revisit that idea and update the list. This year’s edition will increase the Top choices to ten. I will continue to operate under the rules set last year by keeping the list diversified through not picking all of, say, Mega Man 3′s soundtrack. Only two tracks per game will be allowed. Youtube clips are provided so you can sample the music, however, I can not constantly update this page with new links as Youtube users or copyright owners shut clips down! I’ve done quite a few Song Highlights on these tunes if you’d like to dig through and read why I like some of these songs. Enjoy!

TOP 10


Mega Man 3, Protoman’s Whistle Concert, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uikEuigprFE


Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Midna’s Lament, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7GWf3e_I3w


Chrono Trigger, Memories of Green, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr9-OcPLO3M


Beyond Good & Evil, Home Sweet Home, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTdcJWDNsao


Castlevania, Wicked Child, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7PFm7mrdVY

rdr1
Red Dead Redemption, Far Away, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IkvAb6THQY

Okami, Shinshu Plains (1 and 2), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yKG-Qu4WvM

Silent Hill 3, You’re Not Here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz3ufaZCoVw

Secret of Mana, Into the Thick of It, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3N9lrq-rks

Skies of Arcadia, Lower Valua, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlJxG1FmMOU

The Rest:
A Boy and his Blob (Wii), Forest, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC_u7bmVsSc
A Boy and his Blob (Wii), Plains, http://youtu.be/pfmiI9AttYc
Age of Empires III, A Hot Meal, http://youtu.be/jB1R5s3PVEM
Age of Mythology, Suture Self, http://youtu.be/KhvklZT0LMg
Age of Mythology, Chocolate Outline, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBpz9S6I07g
Batman (NES), Stage 1/5, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlGDKfgz4fA
Batman (NES), Stage 3, http://youtu.be/zERK-4IgQAg
Beyond Good & Evil, Hillyan Suite, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p48dpXQixgk
Bionic Commando (NES), Area 1, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hl5UCCBCXI
Bionic Commando (NES), Area 2, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIvcYCbWMfY
Blast Corps., Angel City, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2eRyyj_NCo
Blaster Master, Level 1, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUnwRFMo6D0
Blaster Master, Level 2, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIjIUyXrBJg
Body Harvest, Outdoors (Violin), http://youtu.be/pC41_–XeqQ
Body Harvest, Indoors (piano), http://youtu.be/wURLANzjDLk
Breath of Fire, Deep Forest, http://youtu.be/1iCbSLFrqrU
California Games (NES), Flying Disc, http://youtu.be/5iYMN2FKkoY
Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest, Bloody Tears, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjazC45Qkww
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, Jail of Jewel, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtRdjcXfXsc
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Dracula’s Castle, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgF0uBjCds0
Cave Story, On to Grasstown, http://youtu.be/VlmOhXoKmoQ
Chrono Trigger, Wind Scene (Yearning of Wind), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqZaFDA7PXY
Contra (NES), Level 3, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U58a-svZok8
Deus Ex, Hong Kong Streets 1, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzvw8uSWucM
Diablo, Tristram Village, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8jJJXgNLo4
Dragon Quest IX, Heaven’s Prayer, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myjd1MnZx5Y
Dragon Quest VIII, Strange World, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN9Up_0zuUs
Dragon Quest VIII, Heavenly Flight, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taVdFgxvhRg
Ducktales, Transylvania, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UuHesrJROw
Final Fantasy, Temple of Fiends, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hW56QbT0lrM
Final Fantasy VI, Terra’s Theme, http://youtu.be/W7RPY-oiDAQ
Fire Emblem (7 in series order), Wind Across the Plains, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFWOvIrBCgc
F-Zero GX, Captain Falcon’s Theme, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L0pW3Eol6k
Grandia II, Mirumu, http://youtu.be/ZG_oW5XH71Y
Heroes of Might and Magic IV, Swamp Lands, http://youtu.be/Cffc_s0eN5Q
Hotel Dusk: Room 215, The Last Sleep, http://youtu.be/BwdCg8Gqqfk
Jet Grind Radio, Magical Girl, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h9f939bW3c
Kirby’s Epic Yarn, Butter Building, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfdJbaCfXjQ
Kirby’s Adventure, Ending, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OVKyjZs-nU
The Last Ninja, Stage 1, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiLvoMpLQFA
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Forest Temple, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4o3EMdYaKw
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Spirit Temple, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0PVz2pIEcw
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Kakariko Village, http://youtu.be/LdERRFGaUjY
Mario Kart 64, Credits, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYwZT3CvpMw
Mega Man 2, Air Man, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FINefcN9pPc
Mega Man 3, Snake Man, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM-Fub7Oc_A
Mega Man 5, Wave Man, http://youtu.be/Nd2O6mbhCLU
Mega Man 6, Flame Man, http://youtu.be/qdWeTin2mho
Mega Man 6, Mr. X stages, http://youtu.be/uhJ7Ss-puVY
Metroid, Ending, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQeUkUp4uRc
Metroid Prime, Phendrana Drifts (second version), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbbUv1hz6mE
Metroid Prime, Tallon Overworld, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mziw3FQkZYg
Monster Tale, Ancient Ruins, http://youtu.be/iQ1D6UJW5Jg
M.U.L.E., Main Theme, http://youtu.be/VI2e-jwjhN4
Muramasa: The Demon Blade, Seifu Meigetsu A, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUF1lkbvoUs
Muramasa: The Demon Blade, Bosyoku Souzen A, http://youtu.be/c9qBwD4bxO8
Ogre Battle 64, Premonition, http://youtu.be/Rel-IOyQTX0
Ogre Battle 64, The Sensational World, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSnlp1YAUJ0
Okami, Reset, http://youtu.be/zpuGNH75pUc
Perfect Dark, Chicago – Stealth, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJbwLjKhVGw
Persona 4, Your Affection, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ChrBp1pEGM
Persona 4, The Almighty, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNVMKpk__HQ
Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations, The Dark Fragrance of Coffee, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxzTrWUajZg
Portal, Still Alive, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6ljFaKRTrI
Portal 2, Want You Gone, http://youtu.be/jBdRaGSI4jU
Power Blade, Level 4 – Tower, http://youtu.be/c-R6Zp3n608
Rayman Origins, Sea of Serendipity – Panic at the Port!, http://youtu.be/5UVPJxSmt54
Rayman Origins, Sea of Serendipity – Lums of the Water (“Glou Glou”), http://youtu.be/oNV2uakCtzs
Secret of Mana, A Wish, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLK8IrYrZxA
Shadow Hearts: From the New World, Dead Fingers Talk, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5clzlxOZQeU
Shadow Hearts: From the New World, Adios, http://youtu.be/-lkRjV7Zp-k
Silent Hill, Silent Hill, http://youtu.be/_EN-_1OGtUY
Silent Hill 2, Laura, http://youtu.be/6LB7LZZGpkw
Silent Hill 3, Breeze ~in monochrome light~, http://youtu.be/OneUwrYiGIw
Skies of Arcadia, Kingdom of Ixa’taka, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F-hJjD3XAs
Sly 2: Band of Thieves, Dmitri’s Nightclub, http://youtu.be/RCX3tV7lSdk
Sonic CD, Sonic Boom, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJXKoubh9sQ
Super Ghouls and Ghosts, Ice Forest, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4URokdL-dfM
Super Mario 64, Koopa’s (Bowser’s) Road, http://youtu.be/0rygsWPCjNQ
Super Mario 64, Water Course Theme (Dire Dire Docks), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqcPSbkS9TQ
Super Mario Galaxy, Gusty Garden Galaxy, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z2kxFCQ_mQ
Super Metroid, Maradia, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxobPQMNY_w
Super Metroid, Brinstar (Plant Overgrown), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ULlqfeNLWY
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Bramble Blast, http://youtu.be/G3rnyqI7dFc
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Metroid Theme, http://youtu.be/3MRznLSFGFQ
Tales of Symphonia, Like a Glint of Light, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFWadiZkA_8
Xenoblade Chronicles, Guar Plains, http://youtu.be/xweRl4LZlmo
Xenoblade Chronicles, Title Theme, http://youtu.be/nNR-wsFAfiU
Zoda’s Revenge: Startropics II, Dungeon Theme #2, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF-30Dg9Xs4
Zoda’s Revenge: Startropics II, Dungeon Theme #6, http://youtu.be/22ATqffTkIk

 

Dropped from last year:
Banjo-Kazooie, Click Clock Wood (spring)
Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, Aquarius
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, Hail from the Past
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Crystal Teardrops
Contra (NES), Level 1
Donkey Kong Country, Theme (Simian Segue)
Dragon Quest IX, I Won’t Lose
Grandia II, Carbo
Hotel Dusk: Room 215, Big Dreams
Kirby’s Epic Yarn, Outer Rings
Legend of Zelda, Death Mountain (Final Dungeon)
Mega Man 2, Wood Man
Mega Man 5, Charge Man
Persona 4, Reach out to the Truth
Resident Evil 4, Sorrow
Super Mario Galaxy 2, The Tico and the Hat
Super Mario RPG, And My Name’s Booster
Tales of Symphonia, Dry Trail

Modified on 12/26/2012, JF

by WildcatJF on September 9, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Editorial, Games, Music
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Posted by WildcatJF on September 9, 2012

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/09/09/wildcats-100-favorite-game-tunes-2012/

Song Highlights – Xenoblade Chronicles, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Party, Rayman Origins

Guar Plains – Xenoblade Chronicles (ACE+, Wii, Nintendo/Monolith Soft)

Man, this soundtrack is incredible, with this one track a highlight of its quality. I adore wandering around to this theme. So adventurous!

Bramble Blast – Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Michiro Naruke/David Wise [original composer], Wii, Nintendo)

The original song Wise performed is nice, but I really do enjoy listening to Naruke’s arrangement. It has great instrumentation that take the original composition into peppier places, and I am a big fan of the way it sounds. Shame I don’t like the DK level it plays on. :(

Mario Party – Peaceful Mushroom Village (Yasunori Mitsuda, Main Menu theme, N64, Nintendo/Hudson)

A short loop but a really good one. Very relaxing, very mellow, and is the best thing I can recollect from this game. My palms still ache, Nintendo. :p

Rayman Origins – Lost Beats (Christophe Heral/Billy Martin, Desert of Dijiridoos stages, PS3/Xbox 360/Wii/PC/3DS/Vita, UBISoft)

The musical talents of Heral cannot be ignored. I don’t know how much Martin did, but most of this soundtrack screams out Heral to me. :p This is a lovely mix of instrumentation that is just amazing to listen to. It’s 10 minutes long, so it’ll keep you entertained for a bit.

by WildcatJF on June 25, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Features, Games, Music, Song Highlights
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Posted by WildcatJF on June 25, 2012

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/06/25/song-highlights-xenoblade-chronicles-super-smash-bros-brawl-mario-party-rayman-origins/

Virtual Console No-Shows: Pokemon Stadium (N64)

100. Pokemon Stadium (N64, Nintendo/HAL Labs)

Brief Synopsis – Pokemon Stadium essentially was a clever marketing ploy by Nintendo that allowed players to send Pokemon from the first generation into three-dimensional battles!  The key selling point was the Transfer Pak attachment, which allowed you to upload your own Pokemon from the Game Boy Red, Blue and/or Yellow cartridges into the game to conquer its challenges.  As an overall game, there wasn’t too much to it beyond some mini-games, a tournament mode, the ability to play Pokemon Red, Blue or Yellow on TV,  and rendering the Pokemon battle engine into 3D, but it did quite well sales-wise and a sequel soon followed.

Why is it Missing? – Nintendo’s Pokemon empire is so far removed from its earliest days that this game would almost feel pointless.  Only 151 Pokemon to play as?  Not to mention the loss of using the Transfer Pak, which would cripple a lot of the appeal of this game.  I think it’s ultimately a relic in the history of the franchise, and that Nintendo is thinking of bigger and better things.

Other (Legal) Options – The game is a N64 stalwart, and you’ll need a Transfer Pak and a copy of the Game Boy Pokemon Red, Blue and/or Yellow to get the most out of it.  You may want to consider the sequel for the N64 as well, which features the ability to incorporate Pokemon from Gold/ Silver/Crystal on top of the original trilogy.

by WildcatJF on April 12, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Features, Games, Virtual Console No-Shows
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Posted by WildcatJF on April 12, 2012

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/virtual-console-no-shows-pokemon-stadium-n64/

Song Highlights – Heroes of Might and Magic IV, Final Fantasy, Blast Corps, Street Fighter II

Terrain Swamp, Heroes of Might and Magic IV (PC, 3DO/New World Computing, Paul Romero, Rob King, Steve Baca, Paul James)

Man, I forgot how lovely the Heroes music was until I was listening to a few of the songs recently.  This is among one of my favorites from the game.  I love the overall ambiance of the instrumentation and vocals.  Great song.

Temple of Fiends, Final Fantasy (NES, Square-Enix, Nobuo Uematsu)

I heard a remix of this Darangen did (I’ll put it up later on this week as part of the Spring Break Remixfest) and was reminded of how great the original Final Fantasy music actually is (apparently, this is a “something reminded me” type of post. XD ).  Anyway, this is menacing and well-tempoed.  A good way to build the tension on the way to Chaos.

Angel City, Blast Corps (N64, Nintendo/Rare, Graeme Norgate)

Surprisingly rocking stuff on the N64 soundchip.  Rare was no stranger to making that thing rock, but this is one of the better examples of a hard-hitting tune.

Chun Li’s Theme, Street Fighter II (Arcade, Capcom, Yoshihiro Sakaguchi, Yoko Shimomura, & Tetsuya Nishimura)

Another piece from the SF2 STK, this time the theme to Chun Li’s stage.  I like the distinctly Chinese sound this song eludes.

by WildcatJF on March 27, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Features, Games, Music, Song Highlights
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Posted by WildcatJF on March 27, 2012

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/03/27/song-highlights-heroes-of-might-and-magic-iv-final-fantasy-blast-corps-street-fighter-ii/

Metroid Oddities AND Wildcat’s Favorite Series Cameos Extravaganza

Just to show that I haven’t forgotten about Metroid in the last month (I don’t know if I should take on these franchise-wide challenges anymore – they wear me out XD ), I’ve decided to discuss the three curious Metroid offshoots and a smattering of cameos from the series today.  Let’s begin with the weirdos.

Oddities

Super Smash Bros. (series)

Samus Aran has made a playable appearance in all three games thus far, armed with her Charge Beam, Screw Attack and Bombs for her specials (the Missile would join in for Melee onwards), the Grapple Beam for her throw/tether recovery, and the ability to fight as Zero Suit Samus in Brawl.  Zebes has been the most popular place from Metroid to battle, with the majority of the three game’s stages being plucked from there (SSB – Planet Zebes, SSBM – Brinstar, Brinstar Depths, SSBB – Norfair), with only Frigate Orpheon representing the potential worlds outside of that doomed planet.  Ridley has been in all three games (background in Planet Zebes in SSB, trophy in SSBM and boss/trophy in SSBB).  Kraid made his sole 3D appearance in Melee in the Brinstar Depths stage, and a Mother Brain-styled prop in the background shakes up the acid on the Melee Brinstar stage.  Metroids appeared as Assist Trophies, and the Screw Attack has been an item from Melee onward.

Metroid Prime Pinball

Developed by Fuse Games, who preceded this title with Mario Pinball Land, this revisits the setpieces of Retro’s Metroid Prime, but forces Samus to bounce around in Morph Ball form in a pinball re-imagining of that game’s events.  Apparently it was pretty decent!  I will admit to not having played it, so I don’t know how much more I can go into it at the present.

Metroid Prime Hunters

Another Prime spin-off, but this one was handled by Nintendo Software Technologies.  This was a second attempt to create a pure Metroid FPS (Echoes’ shoddy attempt of a multiplayer mode predated this a bit), and although it worked a little better, it required extensive use of the touch screen to control, and honestly I don’t think the Metroid universe needs to have the FPS style infest it.  Nintendo backed off from that angle after this game’s release, and I don’t know if we’ll see it return beyond the updated Echoes multi in the Wii Prime Collection.

Notable Cameos

The ones I’m including here are ones I find neat.  Metroid Database has a slew of official Nintendo ones as well as a few done by fans of the franchise for a more complete list than the one I provide.  Screen shots courtesy of one of my haunts, NinDB.

Kid Icarus (NES)

Metroid and Kid Icarus were in development at around the same time by R&D1, so I suppose the devs, hoping that the Metroids would be notable enough, snuck in an eerily similar Komayto (or in Japan, Kometo, or “child Met”) to populate the Greek-styled worlds of Pit and Co.  They’re on their way back for the 3DS Uprising, too.

Tetris (NES)

Samus, alongside a heap of other oddly-rendered Nintendo heroes, pop up in this celebratory screen for those who conquered Game B on the “speed 9, height 5″ settings.  She turned out the best, honestly.

Kirby Superstar (SNES)

Kirby can occasionally transform his Stone ability into this great Samus pose from Metroid II’s box art.  It’s pretty rare but also really awesome.  Samus’ Screw Attack symbol is also a treasure that can be earned in the Great Cave Offensive, here called the “Screw Ball”.  Clever pun.  In the DS remake, the Samus statue is seemingly gone but the Screw Attack remains.

Super Mario RPG (SNES)

Square must have liked Metroid a little to sneak Samus into Peach’s bed in the Mushroom Kingdom castle.  To see her, according to NinDB admin Fruguy64:

When you reach Land’s End for the first time, instead of completing it, head all the way back to the Mushroom Kingdom and sleep in the Castle’s guest room. When you wake up, head to Princess Toadstool’s room and check the bed.

Also, an action figure of Samus appears with a few other Nintendo cameos in a box in Booster’s Tower at the top.

Kirby’s Dream Land 3 (SNES)

Among the more obscure cameos in this game (Japanese-only Famicom Fairytales: Yuuyuuki and Shin Onigashima, anyone?) is Samus and some Metroids.  Here’s the details courtesy again of NinDB to gain Samus’ Heart Star in Iceberg L2:

To earn her Heart Star, collect the Ice power before you enter the volcano and defeat all of the Metroids that you find hidden in each room. After defeating them all and reaching the end of the stage, Samus removes her helmet and awards you with her Heart Star.

Failure to defeat all of the Metroids will keep Samus’ helmet firmly on.

Those are my top 5, although there are plenty of others.  What Metroid cameo’s your favorite?  Feel free to share in our comments!

by WildcatJF on December 24, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Features, Games
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Posted by WildcatJF on December 24, 2011

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2011/12/24/metroid-oddities-and-wildcats-favorite-series-cameos-extravaganza/

Song Highlights – Red Dead Redemption, Final Fantasy VI, Resident Evil 2, Monster Tale

Red Dead Redemption – Triggernometry (PS3/Xbox 360, Rockstar, Bill Elm and Woody Jackson)

This is a pulsing, riveting song that smacked me sideways when I listened to it out-of-game.  Definitely one of the best songs from a stellar soundtrack.

Final Fantasy VI – Terra (SNES, Square-Enix, Nobuo Uematsu)

Have I gone this long without giving Uematsu any sort of props?  *facepalm*  Well, I’m remedying that now with what song struck me the most from my playtime in FF6 thus far (man, more games I need to finish…).  A wonderful overworld theme, that’s for sure.

Resident Evil 2 – Escape from Laboratory (N64/PS1, Capcom, Masami Ueda, Shun Nishigaki, Shusaku Uchiyama)

Tense, tense stuff to dash through a self-destructing Umbrella zombie lab to.  An incredible tune, that this is.

Monster Tale – Ancient Ruins (DS, Majesco/Dreamrift, Ian Stocker)

Monster Tale is a charming little game, and its soundtrack stands tall as one of the best for the DS.  Ancient Ruins happens to be my favorite of the bunch, and gives a good impression of how solid Stocker’s work was.

by WildcatJF on December 7, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Features, Games, Music, Song Highlights
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by WildcatJF on December 7, 2011

http://lvls.wordpress.com/2011/12/07/song-highlights-red-dead-redemption-final-fantasy-vi-resident-evil-2-monster-tale/

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