Now Playing: 10 Games, 5 Systems
Column by N-Sider Staff
Edition: 04-19-2005
What you are about to read is a column where members of the N-Sider staff bring up and discuss memorable game experiences (good and bad). This is not an article of mini previews, nor is it to be taken seriously as any form of review. This is a space for our writers to talk about whatever their gaming hearts desire, in a relatively compact fashion. The games discussed are not limited to Nintendo published titles nor are we limiting games to those that appear on Nintendo systems. We are all gamers here and a great game is still a great game, regardless of the console or system it may appear on. So put your biases aside and enjoy.
In this edition, Guy experiences the joys of Katamari Damacy, Mark gets Street Fighter Anniversary, James Burns plays NiGHTS again, Travis tells a story from Chaos Theory, and more.
Guy Nelson
Game: Katamari Damacy
Platform: PlayStation 2
So all over the web I kept seeing these glowing reviews of this game whose name I couldn't pronounce. And one day I find myself in an EB Games with some X-Mas money burning a hole in my pocket, and I notice the aforementioned game is available for 20 bucks, so on a whim I pick it up.
Best damn 20 dollars I ever spent.
Nowadays games have these epic storylines, but back in the day game plots were bizarre, or non-existent. Take Pac Man for instance. "Yellow guy eats dots, and ghosts try to kill him for seemingly no other reason than the ghosts are assholes who dont like the round yellow guy." Katamari Damacy has a very "old school" plot. "The King of all Cosmos accidentally destroyed all the stars in the sky so he ropes his son, the Prince, into making new stars." How does one make new stars? By rolling a sticky ball (also known as a Katamari) around and sticking stuff to it until it is the right size. You start out very small, picking up thumbtacks and matches, but the more you pick up the larger your katamari gets, and the larger it gets you can pick up larger items. That book that was blocking your path is no longer a problem. Now you can roll over it and pick it up too! Were cars running into you and sending you flying? Get big enough and you can add them to your katamari too... Its the coolest and simplest concept Ive seen in a while. I love it.
So as a final note to my glowing review of this game (whose name I can now pronounce), the only thing I enjoy more than playing it is showing the opening cinema to unsuspecting friends and watching their jaw drop.
Game: Resident Evil 4 | Platform: GameCube
So I just beat the final boss of Resident Evil 4, and if you were to ask me, "Guy, what game does RE4 remind you of the most?" I would say Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Then you would no doubt say "what are you crazy?" and then I would explain my reasoning like so:
Ocarina of Time did a lot of things right, but in my opinion what it did the best was set the mood. While playing that game there were times when I didn't feel like I was playing a game, I felt like I was on an adventure. Like a good movie it draws you in to its world while you play. That is what RE4 does. From the first encounter with a village full of maniacs the game convinces you that you are never safe and they constantly and cleverly up the ante so that every enemy encounter keeps you in a freaked out state. I am fully willing to declare RE4 game of the year, because I cant imagine any game coming out this year that can match it (unless the next Zelda is as amazing as everyone wants it to be).
Cory Faller
Game: Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt
Platform: Nintendo DS
I bought a DS a week or so after it came out, I believe, along with Super Mario 64 DS. I played the pack-in Metroid Prime Hunters for a little while, but didn't stick with it for an especially long time. I used the thumb-pad when I played since I figured it would work better than the stylus did at last year's E3, and it wasn't bad at all. Admittedly, though, my thumb ended up getting pretty sore pretty fast.
I eventually got wrapped up into Mario 64 DS, and Zelda: The Minish Cap (GBA) after that. I only recently returned to Hunters, curious to see how it would control if I used the stylus instead of the thumb-pad. Imagine my surprise when I ended up finding myself with a significant upgrade in control. Using the stylus with my right hand gave more of a mouse-look feel than using the thumb-pad with my left hand, and I was able to aim and quickly spin around with much more ease than before.
I don't know what people are bitching about when they talk about certain DS games forcing you to hold the unit with only one hand. How exactly are they playing these games? Holding with one hand, and hovering their other hand over the middle of the unit? I don't know if I just have especially huge hands or something, but I can comfortably cradle the right side of the unit on my pinky and the left side of my open palm while I hold the stylus between my index and middle fingers, supported by my thumb. It's exactly how I write with a pencil - I have perfect stylus control, and I'm still holding the unit with both hands. Believe me; my description of it sounds a whole lot more complicated than it is.
Anyways, back to Hunters. Playing with this new control style, I ended up putting a lot more time into the individual modes. I discovered the combo system that I had previously overlooked, and ended up easily getting into the high score tables that I never thought I could topple. Hell, I never even knew that there was a third weapon in the game (in multiplayer at least, which I had only played once), or that picking it or the missile upgrade up twice gave you the ability to charge your cannon for stuff like seeking super missiles. There's a whole lot of stuff in that demo that's making me a whole lot more excited for the retail version of the game, which I previously only had a lukewarm degree of anticipation for. The survivor mode, where you just try to stay alive while killing as many things as you can and maintaining the largest combo possible is especially fun.
One last mention goes to the third multiplayer level. It captures the feel of the Chozo Ruins from Metroid Prime surprisingly well, with the pieces of Chozo Lore, the broken and scattered bits of geometry, and everything. Very cool stuff.
I'm very glad I came back to Hunters. It ended up being a whole lot more fun than I thought it was.
Mark Medina
Game: Street Fighter Anniversary
Platform: Xbox
For some unknown reason, the Xbox version of Street Fighter Anniversary came out LAST in North America, making the wait for it all the more excruciating considering that had I been home in Melbourne (Im Australian, but living in North America for the time being) I'd have been playing the game for a number of months before the North Americans. To put it bluntly, this game has been more than worth the wait.
Street Fighter has always been my all-time favorite fighting game (for proof check out my Street Fighter Legends article). Having the chance to pit my skills against people all over the world was an unimaginably exciting prospect. Add to that the fact that "dream" matches are possible (e.g. SFII Zangief Vs. Super SFII Blanka, etc...) and I was in Street Fighter heaven.
This game, when matched with Xbox Live, is easily the epitome of the Street Fighter series. Not only does it allow you to relive the glory days of pure 2D fighting action, but it also gives you Street Fighter III to play with. Online matches are incredibly smooth, and incredibly quick if you happen to fight a very skilled player. For every Street Fighter freak out there, never in your wildest dreams can you imagine how amazing it is to finally be able to play anyone you want, whenever you want, using whatever character you want. Thanks to Xbox Live, I have been playing the odd match here and there, and SF Anniversary is the best example of "5-minute quick-bash" gaming akin to the classic Crazy Taxi. It's so easy to just have a quick-bash here and there, or to consume yourself with crazy matches. I've spent countless hours playing against random players (often losing because of the inferior Xbox controller), but always having a blast.
Gameplay-wise, Capcom have delivered a rock-solid conversion. All the moves are effortlessly executed, combo timing is impeccable, and the graphics are as "perfect" as you remember them. There's not much more Capcom can do to improve the game. Yes there are some minor niggles with the game, but nothing big.
The only thing more mouthwatering is the heavenly dream of an all-encompassing Street Fighter online-capable edition. Imagine being able to use ANY version of ANY character from ANY "true" Street Fighter series' game! Street Fighter, Street Fighter II (Original, CE, Turbo, Super, Super Turbo), Street Fighter Alpha 1/2/3, and Street Fighter III (original, DI, TS). Wow.
I love my Street Fighter.
Brenden Petracek
Game: Super Mario 64 DS
Platform: Nintendo DS
The beauty of Super Mario 64 still amazes me. And I'm not talking about the beauty of its graphics or the beauty of its well-crafted environments; I'm referring to a beauty that I fall in love with every time the game manages to draw me into its world. That carefree emotion; like the game has turned your game time into a lazy Sunday.
I'll go into a level with a clear goal in mind...then somehow I'll get distracted. A perfect example is in Wet-Dry World. I always thought it was so much fun to set the water at its second lowest level, then climb to the top (a feat that has been made easier in the DS version) and then dive off. No goal whatsoever is achieved here but it's still great fun.
I've played though the game without Mario's cap for a challenge (in one of my 120 star files, I just went and lost my cap, then went to get every star from the beginning again). I've dived off the top of that castle more times than I count. No 3D platformer has ever captured me like that. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that there is a certain simplicity to the game. Think about it, you can jump and run. That's about it. You can do variations of those, but in terms of getting around, there are no rocket packs, no vehicles, and no magical fairies. It is you versus the level. Any powerups you got are time-based, so theyre selectively chosen to help you, thus limiting their usefulness.
The thumb nub is an adequate replacement for an analog stick. It's not perfect, but it gets the job done. The way I see it, the lack of an analog stick is a small price to pay for having a portable, expanded edition of my favorite game of all time.
Game: Winning Eleven 8: International | Platform: Xbox
My actual introduction to this series probably came about with ISS 64, but I really don't remember it all that well. I'd say that Winning Eleven 6: Final Evolution was truly the title that turned my head. Back in the fall of 2002, I had heard that EA's FIFA franchise had received some realistic physics improvements. Things like the removal of the ball-glued-to-foot syndrome and making it much more difficult to pull off bicycle kicks. So, I decided to pick up their latest title. Sure enough, it was quality.
Then a former staff member, Anthony Pepera, after sharing similar feelings over FIFA, introduced me to WE6: FE. I had to mod my GameCube and import the title from Japan, but it was well worth it. It opened my eyes and pulled me in. The ball physics were amazing, the animations were realistic and most importantly, the game was incredibly challenging. Goals didn't come easily, even when playing on the lowest difficulty level. The game forced you to play smart and strategically, just like real life.
While the GameCube has yet to see another Winning Eleven title, the Xbox was graced with WE8: International this February. I gladly picked it up, relishing the chance to play a WE title in English. There were a few things that I never explored in my import of WE6: FE due to the language barrier, one of the key ones being the Master League. In it, you create and manage a team in a two division league, where you play your team and train your players to improve and become the best in the league. Do well enough and you'll be invited to some tournaments. The depth of Master League is pretty incredible and I'm not going to go into detail or anything. And even if you're not into that sort of the thing, the game offers plenty of other normal leagues that you can play in.
I do have my complaints. The lack of league licenses is still annoying. Granted, the lack of licenses has resulted in one of the best edit modes in any sports game, but I'd still rather see the real teams and players. They've expanded this time around, but it's just not enough. The announcers are pretty useless as well and the removal of the Live component, while understandable, is a disappointment. Still though, the gameplay is so good that absolutely none of that really matters.
James Remington
Game: GoldenEye: Rogue Agent
Platform: GameCube
When EA announced Rogue Agent I couldn't believe their audacity. As if it isn't bad enough that they are consistently tarnishing the Bond name with mediocre game after mediocre game. Now they have the nerve to smear the title of the one and only Bond game to achieve greatness?!
Not that I'm bitter mind you, it's just that I've always thought that EA's game creation process can best be summed up as a formula. A formula that insures a games success and even insures it'll be an acceptable game, but in the process strips the title of anything that makes it original or unique. The resulting game generic and soulless, but very profitable. Sadly to say, Rogue Agent is no exception. Most of it is pretty good, but it's still visible that the game was based upon a formula. Add a lot of guns, some hot babes, a couple of pointless gizmo's, a handful of puzzles with the depth of a puddle to compliment the gizmo's.
One of the biggest disappointments I've had with it is the lack of evil. That was supposed to be the games cornerstone. You can tell where they've tried to make some elements of the game evil and failed. For example, in the later stages of the game you're given an enhancement to your goldeneye that allows you to throw enemies within a certain range across the room. Effectively killing him and stunning anybody standing nearby. There are also traps that you can set off, like activating a transport sled that runs over everybody in its path, or shooting the cable holding a pallet over your enemies. The problem with all this though is that it's not really evil. At least it doesn't feel evil. Heck most of the games evilest elements can be found in many of the other Bond games out there.
Don't get me wrong, it's an acceptable game -- a soulless, nothing special, technically decent game. It fits right in with much of EAs library.
Travis Woodside
Game: Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Platform: Xbox
Aside from fixing most of the problems of its predecessors, Chaos Theory brings online cooperative play to Xbox Live. The co-op campaign is designed specifically with that in mind, meaning that it's not just the single player campaign with your buddy tacked on. As a spy you'll be working cooperatively with your fellow agent in tactics as well as in moves that only two spies can do together. Need to get down a level, but fail to see how to do it? Lower down a rope and let your fellow agent down. Dont know how to get over a wall? Give your fellow agent a boost and then use his hanging body as a ladder to climb your way up.
I have to say, though, that the moments most excelling in fun come in the form of complete freak accidents. For example, I was playing through the training mission with a friend of mine (it really would help to learn how to do these co-op moves without enemies on your tail). We came to a wall and we knew we had to give each other a boost, we just weren't sure how. Eventually my comrade pressed the right button and his spy told me he was ready, then I went up to him and pressed the same button and I was boosted right over the wall. Of course, it was almost a guided leap as my spy sailed right over the wall and to the other side. How was I supposed to let him grab onto my legs to get over the wall, I thought? So I look around for a time and then realize there was a door there all along. I go to said door and notice the option to bash it open. Thinking that would be humorous I tell my friend to look at the door. Unfortunately he takes this to mean, "Go stand in front of the door and try to open it." Needless to say, I bashed the door right into his face and he was knocked back against a wall. It took some morphine to shake him out of that one.
James Burns
Game: NiGHTS Into Dreams
Platform: Sega Saturn
So I dug out my dusty old Saturn for a quick play session last night. I only intended to play for a few minutes; mostly to see if the thing still worked, but I ended up playing Sonic Team's NiGHTS for a good hour or so.
It's funny how a game with generally average review scores can end up becoming a kind of cult classic. When NiGHTS was released, the scores were pretty mixed. Many praised the simple-to-play, hard-to-master approach, while others bashed the game for being too short and linear.
But I have to say, it's become one of my favorite Sega games. It's just so simple to play; the directional pad (or stick, if you're using the 3D Controller) moves your character around and any of the face buttons are used to do a quick drill dash. The shoulder buttons allow you to perform special acrobatic moves in mid-air, which can help to increase your score at various points.
It's tough to describe exactly why I love this game so much. It's truly unique; its "2.5D" design creates a strange old-school flavor, while still ultimately bringing you something that you haven't played before. At the same time, the game is insanely easy to get into, with intuitive controls and a very simplistic set of goals (ie: gathering the required number of orbs within the time limit). When you combine that with the whimsical art design and the highly memorable and pleasant music score, you have something that is more than just a game. It's truly an experience.
As a matter of fact, playing NiGHTS again reminds me of titles like Electroplankton. Of course, NiGHTS does have specific goals and scores unlike Electroplankton. But it's pretty short and it's certainly not a traditional type of game in any sense. It's like a bizarre rollercoaster ride that leaves you with a great big smile at the end.
Here's hoping that Sonic Team finally makes a sequel (or even a remake). You know a game is classic when, after some ten years, it can still deliver that sense of delight and freshness that you first experienced all those years ago.
Jeffrey Van Camp
Game: Super Monkey Ball Deluxe
Platform: Xbox
I can only imagine why I have to play this game on an Xbox. Sega, wake up!
Do you just not like free money, Sega? It would have taken roughly no effort at all to produce Super Monkey Ball Deluxe for the GameCube, yet Sega has done no such thing. Instead it has brought the game to every console except the one whose fans have treated the series so well over the years. It makes no sense.
SMB Deluxe is a complete compilation of everything in the GameCube hits Super Monkey Ball and Super Monkey Ball 2 into one big package. There are now over 300 different single player stages. Sega took all 114 levels from the original SMB, the 140 from the sequel and added roughly 46 new stages for the deluxe version. In addition, a new challenge mode was added and the game has all 12 different party games from the two games. So not only does it have a whole lot to offer in the single player venue, the multiplayer component is stronger than ever. There are few party games that can match the fun of Super Monkey Ball this generation.
Monkey Fight and Monkey Target remain my two favorite multiplayer minigames, but Monkey Tennis and Baseball certainly have their moments as well. For those who have never played a Monkey Ball game, there is basically only one thing you need to know: moving the control stick moves your monkey (who happens to be encased in a ball). The main game pits you up against levels pitted with ramps and holes and obstacles, your goal being to make it to the goal line without falling off. Its a very simple, yet endlessly addictive, concept. In Monkey Fight, each player is put in a ring together and equipped with a spring-loaded boxing glove. You win by knocking the most people (tap A to punch) out of the ring within the given time limit. However, my favorite mode is Monkey Target. That game has each player roll off a large ramp and fly out onto the ocean. You then press A to open up your ball and use the two sides kind of like a hang glider. Your goal is to successfully land on one of the many floating targets (the smaller they are, the more points they are worth usually). The mode reminds me of parachuting in the original Pilotwings (SNES), for some reason.
GameCube owners are going to have to pay $20 for SMB and $20 for SMB2 (if you can find them) to play what Xbox and PS2 owners are getting in one neat package for $30. I am certain that this compilation would more than likely sell best on the GCN, but Sega doesnt seem to care. There are more than likely quite a few people who own one game or the other that would pay to have them together or even just for the extra 46 levels. Irregardless though, for $30 this is a great deal and a very fun game.