My So-Called Life: Volume 1
Veteran readers of N-Sider.com should at least know two things about us: we only write for the site because of our unhealthy obsession with Nintendo; and that Ive been a part of the N-Sider family for a number of years now. For the benefit of new readers, I think I better introduce myself, my situation, and this column.
If you havent guessed already, this is the first edition of a new column series. The intention is to give you a glimpse into the gaming habits of yours truly. Ill be talking about games Im playing, sharing my opinions on the movers and shakers of the gaming industry, and letting you all know how things are going with me (without sordid details, those are Deans territory in the forums!). Itll be different, all about gaming, maybe some other stuff too, and Im Australian so thats loads of entertainment right there. There are far too many Americans and Canadians on the N-Sider staff so its about time other countries and continents shared in the spotlight. James (Burns, the first and other Australian staff member) and I have tried to give the site some Australian flavour, but the way it is, is the way it is. North American and Japanese markets obviously take precedence, but we mustnt forget those other markets and the legions of Nintendo fans from there.
Now then, for those that dont know too much about me, Im one of two Australian correspondents of this largely North American-based website. Ive dabbled in some of the existing columns and Ive been a part of a rather hefty number of stand-alone articles over the years. I was born and raised in the worlds most liveable city, Melbourne, and over the course of my lifetime Ive seen my passion for Nintendo rise from the wondrous beginnings of Game & Watch to the extraordinary obsession of all things Nintendo, hardware and software. You name the system, and Ive got it (with the exception of Virtual Boy which never came out in Australia) and Ill gladly part with my hard-earned dollars to buy anything Nintendo designs and releases in the future. However, all of this is nothing new to most of the staff and many of our readers.
This year, I left my homeland in early May to begin a 12-month journey of a lifetime. The destination was North America, a continent that was on my to-do list of things to do before it was too late. I arrived in Los Angeles on May 9th, Mothers Day, (thankfully I have family there so I got free accommodation) and a little event by the name of E3 (the Electronics Entertainment Expo) was only days away. Needless to say, E3 was like a dream coming true. Anyway, May 29th was when I got myself to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, which was to be home for the next year. Long story short, Im currently still here (its currently October 2004 for those blissfully unaware) and enjoying being in a different place to Melbourne with such a different culture and way of life, but thats another story for another edition of this column.
Thats my gaming history in a nutshell. The real meat of this first edition is to talk about something quite serious and something Im sure others have either gone through or are currently going through. You see, I lost interest in portable gaming. Even worse, I lost interest in a Nintendo system and, worst of all, I lost interest in Nintendos games! It was blasphemy and I needed to do something about it. The story goes something like this:
Ever since I sold my GBA for the ultra-sexy GBA SP model, I found myself barely playing any games on the system simply because I hardly brought it with me wherever I went and that was combined with a perceived (in my horrendously underestimated opinion) lack of worthy games to play.
Rewinding back to the launch of the GBA, I was excited to be playing the likes of F-Zero Maximum Velocity and a curious title called Kuru Kuru Kururin. Moving forward to the launch of the GBA SP and up to that point Id only added Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Yoshis Island, Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance, and Pokemon Ruby to my completed gaming collection. Seven games in that timeframe isnt a whole lot (for me) and almost not worth my money buying the system in the first place. Especially when you consider that three of them are SNES remakes and another is essentially an updated version of a Game Boy game. Hmmm
Throw in Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Zero Mission into the mix from the time I got my SP up until E3 2004 and you can see the downward spike in GBA-playtime that has eventuated and how sad the situation really was. Wario Ware was but a blip in the radar by this point, something I just dabbled in but never really got that into until a friendly GameCube play session with the N-Sider crew at E3 changed my opinion of it, but still I barely played it on the GBA.
Thankfully, things have now changed. With a new job and a morning and evening commute to and from work, I have a fresh new outlook on things. Suddenly I have an excuse to carry around my SP and plenty of time to play the new (and old) games. Thanks to the new situation, Ive been able to blow the dust off my SP and rediscover just why the Game Boy Advance is a special piece of hardware. My handheld passion was at a crossroads, and I have built a bridge and gotten over it. What you are about to read are the reasons why:
Mario Golf: Advance Tour
It might be to you, but its no secret to me how much I love playing golf in real-life and how much I love playing golf in videogame form. From Golf (NES), to Everybodys Golf (PSOne), to Mario Golf (N64 and GBC), to Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (GCN) and Tiger Woods PGA Tour (XBX), Ive seen my fair share of golf games over the years. Camelot defined button press golf on the PlayStation and Nintendo 64, refined it on GameCube, and hit a home run on the Game Boy Advance.
With its amazing range of shots, shot control, character development, mini-games, tournaments and match-play modes, Mario Golf: Advance Tour is a tour-de-force of a game. Its filled with so much charm and playability that it demands the player invests hours upon hours of gameplay into it. For the better part of a month, on those daily train rides in the morning and evening, Advance Tour has consumed me to the point where I almost didnt notice that hot chick sitting on the other side of the carriage or that little boy I made jealous because I was playing a GBA. Look Mom, hes got a GameBoy SP, he said. Can I get one for Christmas?, he begged. Well see, said the mother. Next thing you know hes hovering around me trying to see what game Im playing Ha ha, I think to myself! =P
Its almost a relief when its all over and you check your characters stats and realize just how far youve come, how much time and effort youve put into it, and you just know that it was all worth it. However, just like a good book, you wish there was just one more chapter, one more page, one more sentence anything so you can play it once more. It just has that addictive nature to its gameplay and Nintendo magic to boot. Camelot has outdone itself, but left me with one aching question: when is the Nintendo DS (and/or Revolution) version coming out?
I finished it, eventually. I needed something new to play; I needed something else to pass the time on those train rides. Mario Golf had run its course, and I needed to clear my to play list. Guess what game got the prize?
You guessed it: Mario vs. Donkey Kong. I had been looking for an excuse to get the cobwebs off the cartridge, and now that I suddenly had all this free time again I was sold.
Mario Vs. Donkey Kong
Initially when I got it, I played the first three levels and quickly got bored. It wasnt the game I thought it would be; I thought I wanted another action-packed platform game like Super Mario World or Super Mario Bros. 3. I didnt think I wanted an accomplished platform/puzzle game hybrid. I learned one thing then and that was that sometimes you should ignore what you think you want and try something again.
Im now a total convert. Mario himself displays his trademark deftness with the platforms, his amazing repertoire of moves, and his wonderful willingness to do what he has to against an enemy looking to ruin his fun-time. Taking quirky bits from both the Donkey Kong and Mario universes, youll find plenty of in-jokes and set-pieces from both. Strangely, with the melding of the two universes and a sprinkling of puzzle-game philosophy into it, the outcome is an amazingly good game.
Ive completed it, only to be confronted with another 6 + worlds to play with. Donkey Kong has proven to be a formidable foe in this game, especially with some of his boss battles in the + worlds. Im almost there, and this game is one of those that is good enough to make you WANT to make it to the end. Those first three levels that I gave it didnt do it justice. Now I can backflip to my hearts content, I can pick up and throw enemies to my advantage, find and nurture my little-Marios to safety. I can flip switches with the best of them and I can do it all in a timeframe that ensures I earn that out-of-reach star.
NSTC have come up with a corker with this one. Quietly unassuming, it is definitely a case of more-than-the-sum-of-its-parts and one of those understated gems that you simply must add to your collection.
Two Games + New outlook = Passion re-instated.
Two games. Thats all it took to rekindle my waning GBA passion, I reached an impasse and got through it with flying colours. Handheld gaming, to me, was almost at a point where I was going through the motions getting GBA SP just because and GBA games purely because I needed a reason why I had the SP in the first place but with the increase in available playtime and the rekindled passion, Im now at bursting point for that thing you see on the horizon. It has two letters, it is portable, and it has Nintendo emblazoned all over it. Thats right! Nintendo DS, I look forward to taking you with me on my daily commutes. The GBA may not be dead, but I know what Ill be playing on the train.
I want to hear Look Mom, hes got a DS! Can I have one for Christmas? Pleeeeaaaaassse Mom!?!?!?? That thing is so awesome!!