Comments 1,124

Re: Review: Anbernic RG28XX - A Delightfully Dinky Emulation Handheld

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@Guitar_bard

You'll never stop thinking of him, but it does get less painful over time. Maybe youve already felt that happening, but it will come.

I played OG Zelda with my dad. he was an "outdoors" kind of guy, and to my knowledge, it was the only game he had any interest in. He even came across (NO idea how he managed this) maps that someone had hand drawn on graph paper, on big connected pages like from a dot matrix type printer! they looked like blueprints of the game, and even had notations with clues for the puzzles and locations of secret items, bombable walls and things. this must have been 89 or 90.

I cherish these memories. My dad was an addict, an alcoholic, and just a troubled guy. I knew he loved me, but he took off when I was 8, and never talked to me again. I was 33 when he died, 5 years ago. He was only 59 years old. I thought I still had more time to build up the courage to reach out to him, but it doesn't always work out like you think, obviously.

I played SMB with my gpa, it was my first game ever (along with Duck Hunt! 🤘🤘) and we played it until we beat it. I instantly fell in love with gaming.

He had little interest in 2 and 3, but when SNES came out, we both got one for XMAS that year! and World, of course. Let me tell you, we played the heck out of that game! over the course of playing and eventually beating that game, I felt my skills slowly eclipse his. I felt like I was growing up, haha 😂 I loved playing Mario with him because we would watch each other play when it wasnt our turn, and learn from each other, and cheer each other on. it was the best time I ever had playing videogames and to be honest, I will be chasing that feeling likely for the rest of my life, especially since at this point I'll likely not be having kids of my own.

He eventually developed Lewy Body Dementia, and died April 10, 2021.
He was my best friend.

(Sorry for oversharing, haha. it feels good to talk about it, in a way. ✌️ If you want to talk about your dad to an anonymous stranger, I'm here.)

Re: It's Insane How Much 'Zelda' Is On Switch, And That's Why It's Nintendo's Best Console

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CONTENT WARNING: UNPOPULAR OPINION

after decades of innovation, ambitious controller design, handheld-console cross play, etc etc, I find it a bit disheartening that Nintendo's "best console" is the PSP-like underpowered one with uninspired (and tbh, out of the box, terrible) controls.

I love my Switch and it's my no-second-guessing clear choice for this generation, but articles like this reinforce my opinion that Nintendo's real "competition" is emulation of its own legacy, not besting the standards it set for itself during its golden age.

Re: Modern Vintage Gamer Digs Into The PS2's Much-Hyped "Emotion Engine"

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@Sketcz

no apology necessary, my friend! it's all ancient history. ✌️ daydreaming, history, and counterfactuals are all we have left, along with our memories and aging consoles 😂

I agree that MGS2 had alot to do with the popularity of the PS2! in the ballpark of DVD playback and PS1 backwards compatibility.

Typical year 2000 gamer conversation:

You like games?

yah.

Me too what's your favorite?

well Earthbound, but right now I'm into Shenmue and Toy Commander. ✌️

😐😑😐

Re: Modern Vintage Gamer Digs Into The PS2's Much-Hyped "Emotion Engine"

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@Sketcz

I got a dreamcast for my birthday that year, 1 month after release. I had such high hopes for that console, and I spread the good word for that entire glorious 18 months, bringing it to every gathering, birthday party, etc etc. it's the only time I can remember EVERYONE taking turns playing, EVERYONE wanted to get into Soul Calibur, NFL2K, Crazy Taxi. NO one could believe what they were seeing! It was the biggest perceptible technological jump of my lifetime, like a miracle!

Like you, DC owners were rare in my area. In actual fact, I never met a single other person who had one during it's short life, and to this day I have one other friend who does. It felt like my own little portal into the future!

Nevertheless, the writing was on the wall already when I saw MGS2 fir the first time, and realized there was no way I was missing out on the sequel to MGS. It did feel like I was betraying my DC, but I'd have happily supported both consoles at the same time. they were the Genesis/MD + SNES of their time, like peanut butter and jam.

For the record I still have both, and they are probably still my two personal favorite Nontendo consoles ever. 👍

"I am convinced that if Sega paid enough to make MGS2 exclusive, they would have won the console war."

btw, I hadn't ever heard this. was this in the cards at one point?

Re: Modern Vintage Gamer Digs Into The PS2's Much-Hyped "Emotion Engine"

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@jimmytodgers

i was disappointed initially as well, but then the game proceeded to blow my 15 year old mind, and become one of my personal favorite videogame experiences of all time 🤯

(ps the 'boat' chapter of this game was indeed a new benchmark for attention to detail and interactivity in a game! I'll never forget what a wonder that was at the time 🥂)

Re: Modern Vintage Gamer Digs Into The PS2's Much-Hyped "Emotion Engine"

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@mwatcher

some heavy projection going on there, friend. surely, some people were encouraged by the dvd playing ability, while others didnt care about that, or already had a dvd player (✋.)

for me, the main selling point of the playstation 2 was that it was the new playstation, broadly, and Metal Gear Solid 2, specifically. 👍 it ended up being one pf the best games consoles of all time, while i personally played very few dvds on it ever, and never found it to be a particularly great player. ✌️

Re: Video Game Music Legend Geoff Follin Has Passed Away

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@Ruler-Of-All-Evil

I cant imagine what that's supposed to mean 🤔

@KitsuneNight

"I know that one and several others on the list too."

I thought this would be the case 😊

"Shame they dropped out of the industry in 1995."

indeed! If either has non vgm music available I would be interested in hearing it. it's just good stuff, no matter the format!

"And that Pictionary theme goes harder then it has any right to do."

I must agree! 😅 it's almost like they didn't know what game they were writing for, and I love it!

if somehow you've missed the Plok OST, the song "beach" is something like if genesis and stevie wonder collaborated. 😆 lots of great ones on there, and a pretty good game, to boot. ✌️

Re: 8BitDo Just Dramatically Expanded Its Keyboard Range

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I still have my 1985 IBM model M keyboard, which i used all the time back in my desktop computer days. GREAT piece of gear, in terms of function, aesthetics, and size. it must weight at least 5lbs! 😅

now, i barely ever use a "computer," and when I do, it's not for any kind of fun.

this stuff all looks great, though 👍

quick question: can you use these keyboards with Switch in any way?

Re: Review: Anbernic RG28XX - A Delightfully Dinky Emulation Handheld

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light criticism: one thing lacking in these reviews, often, is relatable context, or even some hard number dimensions.

specifically, "the D-pad was actually a pleasant surprise. While it is small, it's also precise and accurate."

okay, thats cool and fine, but I still have no idea how to visualize the size of the dpad. is it the same size as the gameboy advance dpad? smaller? how about a dimension across, in millimeters, say?

otherwise, good review, and this looks great! ill likely pass on it due to the small controls (I'm 6'3") but OTOH, i have no problem with the GBAs controls...

thanks 😊✌️

Re: Here's The Logo For The Upcoming Live-Action Street Fighter Movie

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@JJtheTexan

what game movies do you consider better? i have to be honest, Mario was fine but not at all memorable or moving, and that Mortal Kombat movie a few years ago was soo bogus 😆 Apologies if those were the two you had in mind lol but I am curious if I've missed something good 👍

Re: Here's The Logo For The Upcoming Live-Action Street Fighter Movie

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Chris Klein should win some kind of award for his performance in the Chun Li movie 😂 instant classic.

@Blofse

"I'm not sure that's going to add confidence in the new film based on that.....

Seriously its not that good is it?"

Where in the article did anyone say it would, or is "that good?" 🤔

Re: Gundam Fans, You Need This Controller In Your Lives

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instantly thought of this ... thing.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bynLyD8e8N8/hqdefault.jpg

even down to the way they are promoting it. 😆

it was an era of tricking kids into asking parents (or saving allowance, etc) for peripherals rather than games, by selling FOMO basically. "imagine how much better all your games could be if you had THIS!"

PS - to @bkd777 's point, aftermarket peripherals work best (if not only) when the game(s) in question is designed specifically around them. 👍

Re: Limited Run Under Fire For "Horrible" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vinyl Release

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@DestructoDisk

you're not wrong. I think there's some room here for more than one approach. ✌️ I won't reiterate what I've stated here already but I will always feel that for a personal archive, as in a curated listening library that is virtually permanent, vinyl is just fine, and the limitations of the format are largely academic. 👍 thanks for the discussion! And for making your argument clearly and in a friendly way 🙂

Re: Limited Run Under Fire For "Horrible" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vinyl Release

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@Poodlestargenerica

i know this is theoretically probably true, but put my copy of Sleep's Dopesmoker on my turntable, with my (very accurate, bass-reproducing but not boosting) 1985 klipsch fortes, and tell me if you don't hear any low lows 😂 it's mind bending.

for the record, im again not a huge vinyl guy. i do most of my music listening on youtube and on CD. I was originally attempting an argument for why SOMEONE might want chiptunes on vinyl ✌️

Re: Limited Run Under Fire For "Horrible" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vinyl Release

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@DestructoDisk

all sound is analog. even if its a digital file, played back on a digital amp, the information must be converted to analog at some point for the speakers to reproduce the sound, and for your eardrums to hear it. 👍 you can't hear digital audio files without converting them to analogue. whether your current software and setup for listening to digital files sounds better than the mixing desk where the master was made for vinyl, that remains a question (but it likely doesn't, in many cases.)

this being said, your argument that you can make perfect copies of the files is valid, if that's what you want to do.

If you want a copy that sounds good to listen to, and will last as long as you do and pass down to your kids and grandkids vinyl is a good option. ✌️

EDIT - like i said before, im not a big vinyl guy. I have lots of records but I have only one game OST on vinyl. I most often use zxtune or YouTube to listen to game osts (or legacy music hour,) and im generally happy with that 🙂👍

Re: Limited Run Under Fire For "Horrible" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vinyl Release

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@Robcmyk

it's true. I feel like I touched on that when I said

"vinyl is also the most archival format, in the sense that it will last forever if cared for properly (particularly if it is not played regularly, which may not be true of cds and tapes which can simply degrade on the shelf)"

of course it's all down to how many times a month week or day you listen to that particular record.

in terms of listening to music before the mp3s and the internet, in my experience vinyl lasts for many more plays than cassettes, and doesnt seem to get as many wtfs from regular handling as cds. but thats neither here nor now.

otoh the shelf life of records not being played is tremendous compared to almost any other physical format i can think of (again, if reasonably cared for.) 👍

(edit - I'm not a big "vinyl guy" per se but I do like comparing virtues of different things 👍👍)

Re: Limited Run Under Fire For "Horrible" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vinyl Release

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@Razieluigi

of course, you're not wrong on the facts. though i would offer the slightly off topic caveat that to an individual, what is most "accurate" may not always sound "best."

my experience with digital files is that as far as "my collection" goes, historically it's been pretty dicey from an archival sense. without some digital savvy and a bit of infrastructure in the form of a backup system, ive found trying to hang on to precious audio files over time to be a bit like holding rainwater in a pasta strainer (in extreme slow motion lol.) of course, i can always redownload those files, theoretically, but the amount of time and work that goes into actually retaining a digital archive in my mind is even more than keeping physical media on a shelf.

in other words, I have a vast, ethereal and inaccessible digital collection of unknown quantity floating around out there on various dead hard drives and old computers, and almost nothing to show for it after almost 30 years of digital accumulation.

OTOH i have almost every vinyl record ive ever bought going back about as far, including the first one I ever remember buying (The White Stripes - De Stijl in 9th grade, c. 2000 🤘) without even really trying. likewise, my grandparent's 1970s technics DD turntable which i inherited around that time is still going strong, requiring zero maintenance, and in active use spanning MANY generations of digital audio reproducing tech, and distribution models.

one could argue that digital proliferation is its own archival system, but ive now lived long enough to see the folly in that line of thinking. 👍

Re: Limited Run Under Fire For "Horrible" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vinyl Release

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@Razieluigi

i partially agree with you. part of the point of vinyl is to have an analog medium with which to enjoy analog music. 👍

OTOH, vinyl is also the most archival format, in the sense that it will last forever if cared for properly (particularly if it is not played regularly, which may not be true of cds and tapes which can simply degrade on the shelf) and requires no digital tech (or even electricity technically) to play, and in the sense that it's a large scale representation of the associated cover artwork, often with extra content in the form of bonus art, words in the form of lyrics, credits, interviews, essays, etc, and other ephemera.

I love my Mother 2 vinyl for these reasons, though I listen to the OST on youtube or while playing Earthbound generally ✌️

that said, I'm not clamoring for a whole stack of game osts on vinyl (though i do wish id grabbed that Suikoden ost from ship to shore when i had the chance 😆😆 and I'd love to have an LP copy of darius gaiden's ost.)

Re: On-Rails Shooter 'Bat Galaxy' Is A Colourful Take On Star Fox And Panzer Dragoon

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@Poodlestargenerica

personally, I call these 3D shmups and reserve the term "rail shooter" for games like rez and panzer dragoon where your characters movement is "on rails."

otherwise, any automatically scrolling game could be called "on rails" and it's too vague of a term. rez and starfox are not at all the same and should be different sub genres IMO.

The full family of subgenres then would be 3d shmup, rail shooter, gallery shooter, and light gun game. thank you.

Re: Here's Everything We Know About The Dance Dance Revolution Classic Mini

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@Anti-Matter

in step mania, is a "routine" generated to match the tempo and characteristics of the songs you add?

(i dont know what they are called, "level" doesnt seem right. I hope I am making sense.)

or by "add" do you mean dlc? I'm gonna look it up i guess but im interested in hearing about it from you if you dont mind. ✌️🙂

EDIT - I looked it up! this looks great! 👍👍 it's even FOSS which i appreciate in particular.