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…)
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Wildcat’s Gaming Collection – November 2012
Posted by WildcatJF on November 17, 2012
http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/11/17/wildcats-gaming-collection-november-2012/
Artistic Discussion – The Good and Bad of Gaming Box Art: 10/2/2012
Good – Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Genesis, Sega)
I’ve always liked Sonic 3′s box. It’s got a nice diversity of color, three of the four key characters prominently displayed (only Knuckles is missing, which was probably on purpose), and dammit, it’s attractively drawn. Good work, Sega.
Bad – In the Groove (PS2, ROXOR/redoctane)
Look, if you’re going to rip the shit off of something, do it a little more…covertly? It’s blatantly obvious that ROXOR swiped Konami’s Dance Dance Revolution premise for its own innovative take on the genre I’m sure, but this is the type of cover that I imagine would repulse most potential buyers away. It screams cheap knock-off. Maybe I put too much weight into individuality, but I would rather play DDR than an imitator that can’t do anything better than reusing the same symbolism DDR does as its key selling point. Uninspiring crap.
Posted by WildcatJF on October 2, 2012
http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/10/02/artistic-discussion-the-good-and-bad-of-gaming-box-art-1022012/
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
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
Posted by WildcatJF on September 9, 2012
http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/09/09/wildcats-100-favorite-game-tunes-2012/
Looking Back – My Favorite Game of 2004
2004 was overall a very good year…but it was a little tumultuous for its first few months. I was confused, that I was. You see, I wanted so badly to be in a relationship. It took me way too long to figure out who I wanted to try to ask out. I had been shot down three times by now, and the fear of rejection was pretty high. The early months of 2004 was me puzzling and debating over that kind of mental torture. Who gave off the best vibes about liking me back? The real sticking point about that question was that Grace was interested in me. She made her own difficult approaches to get me to go out with her to see a movie or something twice in that chaos, and due to me being a big dumb idiot, I declined. XD I regret absolutely nothing about my life with Grace beyond that bit of gloriously blind stupidity. However, she said the other day when I mentioned that to her that it had worked out just fine, and I don’t disagree. I just wish I was able to be with her earlier.
Anyway! After a trip to Ashland, Oregon with the drama club, I finally realized that Grace liked me too and we agreed to meet to discuss my (quite crappy) poetry the following weekend. That turned into something beyond either of our expectations and with it came the realization that we were suddenly a “thing”. Unfortunately, her sister and her boyfriend were sent out to “rescue” her, so we couldn’t spend the whole night together. Once that was cleared up, we officially began dating a couple of days later. It was a little rocky, because we both were new at this dating thing and had our own preconceptions of what it all meant. However, it all panned out and we got engaged a year later, on the day of our first “date”. But that’s next year! I’ll continue on with that next time.
School wise, I started taking journalism that year, which I really liked. I spent a year and a half editing the college paper, and that helped springboard my interest back into English. Drama was my major to that point, but I didn’t feel that I wanted to do that forever as a career. It is a lot of fun, but it puts a lot of strain and attention onto you that I didn’t want to deal with. With the journalism major essentially eradicated, I went with English, which was a lot of fun. I had a couple of teachers that clashed with me one way or another, but the majority of my classes were awesome and worth the time. It helped build the desire to write that I have now.
I don’t think I picked up anything new or exciting in 2004 system wise. My DS was bought in 2005. Gaming had a pretty solid year, though. Not as marvelous as 2003, but a pretty good year regardless.
Shortlist:
Metroid: Zero Mission (GBA, Nintendo)
A complete remake of the original Metroid. It updated Samus’ arsenal with some tricks from Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion and some new abilities, redid the level design to make it more like the later games, and threw in a whole new section after you beat Mother Brain. Beyond a couple of missteps, this was a great way of reinventing a classic.
Tales of Symphonia (GC, Namco)
Sensational music, a fantastic cast, an engaging battle system and mostly impressive visuals power the Gamecube’s best original RPG.
Sly 2: Band of Thieves (PS2, Sony/Sucker Punch)
Sly Cooper returns to steal more loot from a new host of bad guys, all in the hopes of collecting the pieces of his nemesis, Clockwork. His pals Bentley and Murray join the playable roster, and the three make for a rewarding gameplay experience.
Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (GC, Nintendo)
Despite being somewhat crippled in its design due to the GBA requirement to play multiplayer, Four Swords Adventures is a surprisingly good installment in the franchise. It is radically different from the other Zelda titles, but it retains plenty of the charm and puzzle-solving the series is known for. Underrated.
In my opinion, the best game of 2004 was…
Sly 2: Band of Thieves (PS2, Sony/Sucker Punch)
To be written.
Posted by WildcatJF on August 12, 2012
http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/08/12/looking-back-my-favorite-game-of-2004/
Artistic Discussion: The Good and Bad of Gaming Box Art – 6/14/2012
Good – NeoGeo Battle Coliseum (PS2, SNK Playmore)
Eisuke Ogura is talented, and this may be one of the finest works he did while at SNK. The logo does block out Kisarah and Akari, but otherwise the artwork is allowed to shine all so brightly. Great colors, a nice mixed selection of faces from the roster…a grand effort.
Bad – Castle of Dragon (NES, Seta)
If I didn’t have such animosity for the NES M.U.L.E. box or such disgust for the awkward Code Name: Viper box, this would have handily won the Worst Box of 1990. What good is there on this box? The dragon is not all that imposing, really, what with its malformed limbs and tiny size. The background is a masterwork of lazy fog and minimalist detail. The atrocity of the knight and damsel top everything else, though. The human body should not have been given to this artist to render. They couldn’t do it. The knight is in one hell of a bizarre pose, and that woman is appalling. Both lack clarity and solid proportions. And mixed in with everything else, it’s an absolute disaster of a box.
Posted by WildcatJF on June 14, 2012
http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/06/14/artistic-discussion-the-good-and-bad-of-gaming-box-art-6142012/
Eurogamer Unearths Second Sight
I am a fairly big fan of Free Radical’s Second Sight, a game that got lost in the midst of massive releases (Half Life 2, anyone?) and the more advertised Psi-Ops from Midway. However, Eurogamer does the gaming world a service by revisiting the forgotten title, analyzing its various qualities and recommending a playthrough. It is indeed a splendid little game, hampered a bit with some convoluted controls as the article states. Still, if you can bypass that issue, you’ll be rewarded by the game’s fascinating plot (which I warn you now the article completely spoils the twist at the end!) and well-done gameplay mechanics.
Posted by WildcatJF on May 6, 2012
http://lvls.wordpress.com/2012/05/06/eurogamer-unearths-second-sight/
Wildcat’s Ten Favorite PS2 Games (Updated 8/23/2012)
While I have more PS2 discs than anything else, the majority of them seem to be retro compilations, which I don’t want to include in this list. So, I discovered that I have several games I need to sit down and play, but I’ve experienced enough to pick what ten games from the system I love the most. This list will most certainly change over time.
Shin Megami Tenshi: Persona 4 (Atlus)
I love Persona 4. It’s on my Absolute list, so I’ll keep myself short here to avoid repeating myself.
Sly 2: Band of Thieves (Sony/Sucker Punch)
Sly 2 is a wonderful stealth/platformer/action game, with each piece of its genre puzzle shining. Top-notch voice work makes the characters pop, and it’s a bunch of fun riding along with Sly, Bentley and Murray as they progress in the plot. It’s a game that I argue putting into my Alternate list all of the time.
Okami (Capcom/Clover Studio)
Okami does so many things right. Beautiful visuals, incredible music, and an enchanting environment make wandering the Japanese countryside as Amaterasu a treat. It’s a little long in the tooth, but it’s quite wonderful despite that. Further thoughts in my Opinion piece.
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of a Cursed King (Square-Enix/Level-5)
Charming as hell with some of the best voice acting in any game, Dragon Quest VIII is a gem and a half. Awesome characters (with, as I said, AMAZING voice work), beautiful music, quirkiness up to wazoo, and a solid battle engine makes for a lovely, lovely JRPG.
Psychonauts (Majesco/Double Fine)
Double Fine’s attempt at a 3D action/platformer is very unique in the genre. It throws in a lot of crazy ideas, characters and worlds to explore, and Raz’s psychic talents are well-implimented and great to play around with. The controls are a tad rough and the game lacks fine tuning, but its zeal and wildness makes up for its downsides.
Burnout Revenge (EA/Criterion)
This is my favorite racing game. It’s chaotic, it’s fast, and it’s responsive, which is everything I need to be intrigued at all by a racer. A marvelous game Grace and I love very much.
Silent Hill 3 (Konami)
Both the PS2 Silent Hill sequels are excellent in their own ways. Heather’s self-discovery is the one I prefer, mainly because her character is actually likable (James seems so distant and disconnected from everyone around him). The atmosphere here is also creepier on the whole than SH2, and it’s a little more refined gameplay-wise. Both games are worth looking into, but I’ll continue to hold SH3 as the gem of the franchise.
Silent Hill 2 (Konami)
If you want a crazy plot that challenges the concept of gaming narrative, Silent Hill 2 is your game. This is one of the most poignant storylines in any game, and it’s worth playing to witness James’ progress. That being said, it’s not quite as personable as SH3 thanks to James’ general apathy and the support cast’s antagonistic natures, but it’s still one hell of a memorable ride.
King of Fighters XI (SNK Playmore)
Fighting games are not in short supply on the PS2, but I’ve spent the most time with SNK Playmore’s eleventh chapter in the long-running King of Fighters line. It’s got a robust cast, the best play system the series has had, and despite a cheap-ass boss, it is a lot of fun to do battle here.
SOCOM 3: U.S. Navy Seals (Sony/Zipper Interactive)
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed SOCOM. I didn’t expect much from it, but it is a great squad-based shooter that has some awesome moments wrapped up in its levels. The AI isn’t perfect and Jester is obnoxious, but on the whole I am glad I had a chance to give it a try. More here.
Contenders:
Shadow Hearts (Midway/Sacnoth)
God of War II (Sony)
Neo Geo Battle Coliseum (SNK Playmore)
Half Life (Sierra/Valve/Gearbox)
Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves (Sony/Sucker Punch)
Posted by WildcatJF on December 29, 2011
http://lvls.wordpress.com/2011/12/29/wildcats-fiftewildcats-ten-favorite-ps2-games-updated-8232012n-favorite-ps2-games/
Retro Comps Update – Capcom Classics V.2 Expanded!
This is slower than I had anticipated, but progress is progress, and there’s some additional thoughts on Capcom’s second Classics Collection now up in the Retro Comps feature. I can tell that I am going to need to spend some more time with these discs in the near future – Capcom’s alone has eight I need to replay to add some thoughts about them, and I know Taito’s will have many holes due to the sheer quantity of those discs. XD Those may come later so I can tackle the easier ones first. We’ll see.
Posted by WildcatJF on December 20, 2011
http://lvls.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/retro-comps-update-capcom-classics-v-2-expanded/
Pictures of my Gaming Collection
The HG101 forums recently had a thread about people’s gaming collections, so I decided to take some shots of mine to share. These were originally done in December 2011. My collection has shifted around a little since then, but for now it’ll work. I’ll update them sometime this summer. Note that all of these images are much larger than they appear here. I hope you enjoy the Christmas tree to the right in some of the shots, too. :p They’ll be after the jump, as the images are quite large. (more…)
Posted by WildcatJF on December 13, 2011
http://lvls.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/pictures-of-my-gaming-collection/
Artistic Discussion: The BAD BAD BAD of Gaming Box Art – 12/5/2011
It’s been a little while since I just ripped on some atrocities for the eyes that once graced store shelves, so let’s get on the bandwagon for some fun-making.
Rocket Ranger (NES, Kemco-Seika)
Aside from shamelessly ripping off The Rocketeer (look at that hero and compare it to Billy Campbell’s outfit), this cocky man can breathe outer space’s oxygen-free air with ease (as can his girlfriend, who has funny cleavage and a strange juxtaposition of her legs), hold on to his lass with his slightly elastic arm, and make his fingers drip milk with a smirk! The villainous entourage behind him need to hire a better assassin to fire those lasers – at that range Mr. Smug should totally be blasted by that bizarre stream of lasers that (beyond being lasers) are impossibly shot. And I guess they’re flying over the moon, yes? Our hero’s trying to shred it apart with his oddly pointed blaster. *sigh*
As a fun barely on-topic sidenote, Grace misread the title as “Pocket Badger”.
Super Bust-a-Move (PS2, Acclaim/Taito)
Acclaim would sully the good name of Bust-A-Move more than once – this is merely the first example I’ll be sharing. What a baby in shades blowing a red bubble has to do with Bust-A-Move (beyond the red bubble) is beyond me, and it’s actually sort of gross seeing that bubble, as it looks a bit bloody, like the baby’s got some internal bleeding problems. XD
Planetscape Torment (PC, TSR/Black Isle)
If my memory is correct, Planetscape Torment is sort of like a sci-fi Baldur’s Gate. This actor encased in blue makeup and awkward dreads (with photoshopped beads!) doesn’t really sell me on that potential. It’s one of those boxes that fail to properly show what the game is actually about, instead hoping for whatever they slap on the box will be cooler or something. Hate to break it to you, but it didn’t work. That quasi-(really) human in front of decidedly unalien structures colored orange does not intrigue me at all. And that equates to apathy.
Strider (NES, Capcom)
Man, Hiryu did not catch a break in his early days. His Genesis box was terrible, and the NES adventure doesn’t try to top it – it may even be worse! Strider at least looks a little more ninja-esque than his 16-bit counterpart, but that’s about the only compliment I could give. His face is not proportionate, his outfit is awkwardly drawn, the pose is weird, and his Russian adversary is dorky and disproportionate throughout. Who wears a deep sea fish finder on their belt? The backdrop also fails proportion 101, with the tower far left looking more ice cream than Russian architecture. The best part is the sword swing – Strider’s cypher looks kind of cool with the streaks flying from its blade…but that does not a box art save. Piss poor again, alas.
Posted by WildcatJF on December 5, 2011
http://lvls.wordpress.com/2011/12/05/artistic-discussion-the-bad-bad-bad-of-gaming-box-art-1252011/
