I find BotW attractive (technical issues aside), but does anyone else wish the in-game graphics were as vibrant as the box art? The colours and contrast are kind of muted in-game, whereas the box has a lot more punch. Not sure if TotK makes any changes here.
Mistake, retcon, or simply shoving the icon up north to make room for the other NYC-based level (which I assume is what that nearby purple dot stands for)?
The icon for Metro City isn't even placed on Toronto- rather, some tiny northern town that no one's heard of, like New Liskeard (400km straight north of Toronto).
To be fair, I've only been up there once, and it wasn't in 199X, so maybe there was a giant, crumbling metropolis that got bulldozed in the new millennium?
@Sketcz I haven't read Wolf's book. It doesn't seem to be available now, at least at the link given in this article, but it does sound interesting.
I looked up The Adventures of Nyangi after you mentioned it, and yeah... it does look pretty rough. However, this is from 2007 (quite early, as far as indies go- especially 3D indies!), and the dev reportedly coded it himself from scratch, so that's still an accomplishment, I'd say!
There's tons of potential out there, for sure. Africa comes to mind, both for being so huge (containing more countries than Europe, plus 3x the population and 3x the landmass!), and for how little about its various countries and cultures most of us know.
Unfortunately, it's an uphill battle for smaller game dev scenes outside of the usual countries to make it on a worldwide level, and of course, a lot of writers and game designers from other countries end up making European- or American-inspired works anyway, as the article touched on.
And if a western studio tried their hand at it, they'd need to do a heck of a lot of research first- and then it would still cause controversy, even if they did it right.
But who knows, especially with indie devs around the world finding new opportunities these days? I wouldn't have guessed that one of the best beat-'em-ups of all time would come from two guys in Uruguay, for example!
@Utena-mobile Exactly! No one took movie preservation seriously in its early days, but now we see the movies themselves and their pre-release materials as historically and culturally significant, after it's too late.
But apparently, we don't learn, because history repeats itself- source code, prototypes, and even some finished games are still being lost, even after we've been lamenting the loss of silent movies or The Wizard of Oz's Jitterbug scene (i.e., lost beta content!) for decades now.
For centuries, if not millennia, there has been simultaneously an appreciation for "culture" (old stuff) alongside an apathy or even disdain for "pop culture" (basically anything current), even though it's just a matter of time until what's new becomes historical...
Good article, and a big topic that definitely warrants discussion!
But why keep insisting that the closure definitely had nothing to do with pressure from Nintendo? FoI's official statement leaves a lot of room for interpretation ("a few reasons" could mean a lot of things!), and togemet2's less-official comments strongly imply there was something heavy and legal-related going on. I'm not seeing anything to rule out involvement by the dreaded "Nintendo Ninjas".
Unless there was another statement made later, which I'm not aware of!
@Damo Yeah, they're on the Anniversary Collection from 2023, but not the smaller collection from 2022. (I'll edit my previous comment for clarity.)
For anyone who's not a total completionist, your best bet is arguably to pick up the Sega Vintage series Wonder Boy collection on Xbox (around $10 at full price!), grab Monster Lair by itself on Steam ($1), and then get the remake of Dragon's Trap ($20). That covers all of the games from Anniversary except the original Wonder Boy.
@Pally356 Is that boss even possible to beat on 3 hearts? With the way Shion gets thrown around by everything (including a conveyor belt that moves as quickly as he can run), I would've thought it's impossible to avoid taking damage.
Heh, I bet the prince makes it clear that he's dying in the Japanese version. His English text is so hilariously casual that it must be censorship.
Just to clarify: the original version of MWIV was delisted on Wii, but it's still available in the Wonder Boy collections on all modern platforms.
On that topic, all of the games in this list are available one way or another, but it's an awkward patchwork unless you buy the Anniversary collection that released this year:
The previous Wonder Boy collection (from 2022) on PS4 and Switch lacks Monster Lair and Dragon's Trap, but it does have the original Wonder Boy, whereas the even older (and cheaper!) Sega Vintage one on Xbox systems doesn't have any of those three. Monster Lair wasn't in any actual Wonder Boy compilations prior to this year's Anniversary Collection, but can be purchased through "Sega Mega Drive and Genesis Classics".
My memory is a bit fuzzy- is there anything preventing players from getting the ice arrows before entering the Water Temple at all? I remember using the Hookshot to cross the desert early- there's a spot where you can just barely latch onto one of the flagpoles and pull yourself across the quicksand.
Or am I misremembering, and it's only the Longshot that can do that trick?
There was also an original Game Boy version of the Bible text, but I'm pretty sure that one actually saw a release in its time. This GBA version looks like it would have been a lot more readable, though, thanks to the smaller text with smoothing.
@-wc- Judging by the different shades and textures there, it looks like there is a lot of blending (using dithered patterns, of course). The extremely saturated R/G/B shades that the Spectrum uses probably wouldn't blend as well, and wouldn't they also be really garish by comparison?
The source that claims Samus is only 190cm with the suit is derived straight from the original Japanese manual for Metroid II, if I recall correctly. Between that and the less-specific reference in the American promo image, I'd say the former seems more likely to be "canon". Still, Samus is pretty tall, regardless (nice try, Team Ninja).
Not that it really matters, but does she even wear heels inside the suit? That seems silly, not to mention those are a new addition. More likely that the Power (or Varia, Phazon, etc.) Suit's boots add 1-2 inches, and the Zero Suit effectively adds nothing to Samus's height when she's in the Power Suit.
@Guru_Larry Haha, glad I'm not the only one who was bothered by that! However, images like the one above reveal that her shoulders don't really extend outside the torso section- she has to lift her arms out towards the sides a bit, even when the suit's arms are down, and the shoulder pieces are always basically empty.
@Tobunari The F-Zero series wasn't a flop- just nowhere near as big a cash cow as Mario Kart.
I have to wonder, too, how a new F-Zero would be received today, after 20+ years of people gushing about how good GX was- and as many years of the series protagonist bringing his infamous "Falcone Pawnch!" in Smash Bros. Elements of the series have gained a lot of exposure in those two decades, though it remains to be seen if it would boost sales today.
Valid point around the graphics, though. GX was reportedly made on a fairly modest budget, but AV worked magic with that game, not to mention that topping those graphics in a Switch game now would cost more.
While there are many of us who crave a new F-Zero, some of us are a bit skeptical as to whether Nintendo could do the series justice now. Bringing the Ryu ga Gotoku team back would probably be the best bet, but this is all wishful thinking.
Never did play this one (yet, anyway), but there's a charm to the early CG stuff (along with the design sensibilities that tend to accompany it).
If it's anything like an action-less Resident Evil 1, distilled down to puzzles and cheese (which is how I imagine The 7th Guest), then it could be a good time.
@JJtheTexan Square Enix, apparently. Daikatana is still available on stores such as GOG (for $1 at the moment!) and Steam, and SE is listed as the publisher.
Probably not much need for a remaster, then, and a remake or reboot would be a seriously risky move (even if the likes of Bubsy, Shaq-Fu, and Ikki have made this a bit of a trend lately). But SE should make the GBC version properly available, for sure! Just put the unedited ROM up on Steam for $5. I'd buy it.
@-wc- First place was a tie between Dinosaur Planet and Vexx. The latter is a platformer in the style of Super Mario 64, and its tumultuous development mirrored that of DP/Star Fox Adventures: half of the environments, several game mechanics, and most of the story were removed, and what was left was awkwardly pieced together with a whole "bad guy blew apart the planet" backstory.
Of course, DP's ROM was released a couple of years ago, so that leaves Vexx as the remaining Holy Grail of prototypes- in my estimation, anyway!
Conker would probably take third place after those two. It's just so different from what we got, and parts of it look like a bizarro alternate universe version of BFD, where Conker doesn't touch alcohol, and no one swears or throws poo at him.
After that, maybe Kameo for GameCube, followed by Zelda 64? There's probably something I'm missing, but I can kick myself over it later.
@Sciqueen Conker's Bad Fur Day is strange and unforgettable, whereas Twelve Tales seems like a very generic game that could have easily gotten lost in the avalanche of late-'90s 3D platformers.
That said, not all of BFD is nearly as funny as it thinks it is, and the gameplay is oddly clunky for a game from 2001 (about a nimble forest critter, at that!).
I feel like the original vision might have been more fun as a game, but wouldn't have made nearly the same impact.
@N-MCMXCIX That would be really cool to see, but how far in development was Conker? Star Fox 2 was almost finished already, so that's a different matter.
Even if it's not practical to try to finish Twelve Tales, I'd still love to see the ROM released in some form. Rare Replay could include it and some other protos (like Dream!) as unlockable content, and put up a disclaimer stating that it's not a finished product.
It's kind of ironic: much of the infamously slow SNES's reputation is not because it was actually slow, but because it had to be underclocked to properly handle the cheap cartridges. Run it at stock speed, and things don't look so bad!
@blackknight77 The PC version is, as usual, basically an HD remaster already! Same goes for the Xbox 360 version, if you have an Xbox Series console to play it on.
Just replayed it recently, and it still looks great, aside from some rough shadowing on characters (which is noticeable maybe 1% of the time, if even that).
@-wc- Little Big Adventure is pretty clunky, to the point that someone used to modern standards would be just as well off playing the original Tomb Raider or something. So there is potential to make it more accessible.
But will this remake do so without losing the soul of the originals? So far, this is looking like quite a departure. Time will tell...
@-wc- I don't know- Twinsen himself looks like a pretty faithful interpretation of the original model, without looking too awkward (no small feat!), and that dune buggy shot looks like this style has potential.
On the other hand, it bothers me that HD = flatter and more cartoonish, in so many cases. Admittedly, I've barely played the original LBA/Twinsen games, but the fine-grained textures and oddly shiny lighting of LBA2 really appealed to me, and those are lost in the remake.
@-wc- I feel like a lot of mid/late PS2 games already started to look a fair bit more drab (albeit more detailed!), while some of the early PS360 games again leaned into that pre-rendered CG look for a time. (See Rare's work, especially in 2005.) And then Gears of War happened, and we know the rest. But anyway...
Looking it up now, it seems that SoulCalibur on Xbox systems does include the art gallery, even though it drops the Mission mode. It also unlocks everything from the start, reducing the incentive to play Arcade mode as every character. The main reason most people give is the file size, but that doesn't add up: mission mode has few unique assets, whereas the gallery is full of them. Considering the way unlockables were handled, this all seems like a misguided attempt to focus in on the core gameplay for a purer fighting experience. (Didn't Guilty Gear XX do the same thing? Re-releasing the game with less content to "accent" the "core"?) I really liked Mission mode as well, and played all the way through it more than once! SC2 had the same mode, but it didn't hold my interest quite as well- largely because of the dungeons being a bit of a slog. And then SC3 onwards went in different directions, of course.
@-wc- Was I just imagining it, or were console graphics heading in that direction for a short time, before abandoning it in favour of higher object density, more complex texturing... and bloom lighting? Some of the earlier 6th (and even 7th) gen games had a lot of emphasis on crisp textures, high poly counts, and hard shadows, but this gave way to a more muted, drab look.
If Retro ever does another Donkey Kong Country, they should make it look like DKC3- except in 3D, of course.
@Muriustar It's always good to have a legitimate way for people to purchase the game, though. Right now, SC1 is only on Xbox, and that version lacks some of the Dreamcast's content (the mission mode and art gallery, as I recall).
As more companies keep their games perpetually available on long-running platforms like PC (and Xbox now), then there should be less need for studios to spend their time on (re)remastering everything every decade.
Not expecting to actually see a full collection, as great as that would be, but even a remaster of the Dreamcast original that doesn't cut any content would also be cool.
All of the blurry scenery is just a pre-rendered background (also see the windmill screenshot), so the amount of actual geometry should be well within the N64's capabilities. But the resolution and colour depth are above those of even Conker's backgrounds- which were already technical wizardry in themselves.
I've really warmed up to the N64 over the years. There's something special about exploring those early 3D environments, even in games like Quest 64 (or Aidyn Chronicles, which I'll get if I can find it for cheap... like that'll happen). Though it's all the better when the gameplay is also engaging- and some of the better games of that era, like Mario 64 and Perfect Dark, have a level of depth that newer games often lack.
@bryce951 Hey, I'm no hipster: I liked the GameCube before it was cool! (Oh, wait a minute...)
But seriously, the GameCube was an amazing system with an equally amazing library, and millions of us recognized that at the time. Just not as many millions as there were on the PS2 side of things!
This looks more like early Dreamcast to me... unless there's some kind of insane palette or tiling wizardry going on, textures of that resolution/colour depth wouldn't work on the N64.
I'd love to see this become an actual game, though, whether fitting N64 spec or not!
Powerful hardware (Imagine Nintendo selling a console that performs on par with XSX today. Unthinkable!)
Comfortable controller (the ABXY layout was brilliant, and the analogue sticks are unmatched)
An entire fleet of flagship titles (2 Zeldas, 2 Metroids, a Mario, an F-Zero, a Mario Kart, and the best Smash Bros.)
New, imaginative games and franchises (Eternal Darkness, Pikmin, Viewtiful Joe, DK Jungle Beat)
Third party support like we've never seen (Resident Evil 0/REmake/4, Tales of Symphonia, Baten Kaitos, MGS: The Twin Snakes, Rogue Squadron 2 and 3, and multiplats that were often the best version available)
I could ramble on about the GCN's library of quality exclusives, or how it punched above its weight in performance- often edging out the Xbox- but for brevity's sake, I won't. For now.
It's like Feperd looks for great games that sorely need a sequel, but aren't getting one, and then he takes it on himself to right that wrong. A few years ago, it was Sonic Adventure. Now, F-Zero! What's next, Metroid Prime? (If it is, he'll probably have it finished before MP4 comes out.)
@Bunkerneath Those ships look really fast, either way. They must be doing at least 800 knots an hour! But if all this bothers you, maybe you should go buy an RPG game instead. If you need some cash, just enter your PIN number at the nearest ATM machine.
Interesting topic, and I've enjoyed reading the stories (both the article and the comments)!
There are so, so many different games which bring back memories of either where I played them, or where I bought them, but I'll just share what might be the weirdest one: I was sharing an apartment with two other guys, and one of them had the idea to put up a giant cardboard snowman on the wall for Christmas, and to arrange some lights so that the snowman appeared to be shooting lightning from its hands. Besides the humour in it, this also cast a strong pink/purple glow over the whole living room. It was in this setting that I played Paper Mario for the first time, and so that game always brings back the image of late-night gaming under the warm glow of a snowman that shoots lightning bolts out of its hands.
@Kiwi_Unlimited I just replayed Castlevania 64 a few months ago, and still enjoyed it. It obviously has its flaws, but I'd definitely like to see some more games that take after it, with the greater emphasis on 3D platforming and exploration.
There are already so many 2D Metroidvanias out there that I could easily spend a full year just catching up on the good ones, and 3D combat/action games in the vein of Devil May Cry or old-school God of War aren't exactly scarce either. But the more open 3D designs haven't gotten as much attention lately.
Very cool addition, and fitting for a game best known for its meme-spawning dialogue! It's a little disappointing that most of the English was cleaned up here, but on the other hand, introducing CATS's infamous line with "translation error" on the screens, and then following it up with "What are you saying?" was a brilliant touch.
I've heard some complaints about traditional JRPGs getting stale lately, or having too much "anime BS", but it still seems like a stretch to consider the term "JRPG" an insult.
I think the real question is whether something is an RPG at all: what do RPGs have to do with role playing, anyway? The connection is obvious in a lot of older and/or western RPGs, where you create and develop a character, make lots of decisions, etc. But a Final Fantasy game from the '90s? It's a linear, story-driven tactics game with RPG trappings. And when you swap out the battle system for DMC-style action, while dialling down the RPG elements further?
Not saying we need to reclassify Final Fantasy or other RPGs all of a sudden! Genre labels like "RPG" mean something, and most people understand what they mean. I just think it's interesting how definitions drift over time.
I had never heard of Mabel Addis until now, but it's fascinating to see some of her work now, and to think just how long ago it was that gaming pioneers like her came up with certain designs and concepts. In general, gaming in the '60s is a mysterious subject that I don't know or hear much about.
So this is technically the original box art! That changes things. It would be inexcusable if, like so many other games, the Japanese box art already existed, but was thrown out in favour of something supposedly more appealing to western audiences.
TIL that Eveline Novakovic composed some of the original DKC's best* tracks! I knew about DKC3 (and Griffey's Winning Run) already, but not that she'd worked on the first DKC as well. Nor about Kameo's sound design.
And I agree, definitely an underappreciated composer- which is all too common among Rare musicians not named Grant or Dave.
@Serpenterror Iguana actually stayed around for several years (under the name Acclaim Studios Austin) after Retro Studios was founded. While Retro was working on Metroid Prime, Iguana released Turok 3 (2000), Turok Evolution (2002), and Vexx (2003), as well as several sports titles. But yeah, Retro was largely made up of former Iguana staff, like you said, and more ex-Iguana guys moved over to Retro and worked on the Prime series when Acclaim went bankrupt.
It's interesting to follow a game's DNA, and see the expertise and influences that the various members of the team brought to the table!
@sdelfin Yeah, this stuff was too common, especially in the past. First examples I can think of are Mega Man Anniversary Collection on GameCube (button mapping is backwards) and Ufouria on the Wii(U) Virtual Console (music plays at the wrong speed, and sounds horribly out-of-tune).
You paid them for the game already, so what's it to them if you source a copy elsewhere to actually play it?
PS: Honourable mention to Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Collection, on Steam. Its emulation has some issues (despite some neat features, like mods and region-switching), but the ROMs are included in a folder for easy access. So you can buy the games there, but play them in another emulator. 100% legal by any standard!
Comments 383
Re: God Of War Creator David Jaffe Enlists AI To "Fix" Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
I find BotW attractive (technical issues aside), but does anyone else wish the in-game graphics were as vibrant as the box art? The colours and contrast are kind of muted in-game, whereas the box has a lot more punch. Not sure if TotK makes any changes here.
Re: Random: Street Fighter 6 Seemingly Confirms Final Fight's Metro City Is In Canada
Mistake, retcon, or simply shoving the icon up north to make room for the other NYC-based level (which I assume is what that nearby purple dot stands for)?
The icon for Metro City isn't even placed on Toronto- rather, some tiny northern town that no one's heard of, like New Liskeard (400km straight north of Toronto).
To be fair, I've only been up there once, and it wasn't in 199X, so maybe there was a giant, crumbling metropolis that got bulldozed in the new millennium?
Re: The Making Of: Chandragupta: Warrior Prince - The Indian 'Prince Of Persia' Published By Sony
@Sketcz I haven't read Wolf's book. It doesn't seem to be available now, at least at the link given in this article, but it does sound interesting.
I looked up The Adventures of Nyangi after you mentioned it, and yeah... it does look pretty rough. However, this is from 2007 (quite early, as far as indies go- especially 3D indies!), and the dev reportedly coded it himself from scratch, so that's still an accomplishment, I'd say!
Re: The Making Of: Chandragupta: Warrior Prince - The Indian 'Prince Of Persia' Published By Sony
There's tons of potential out there, for sure. Africa comes to mind, both for being so huge (containing more countries than Europe, plus 3x the population and 3x the landmass!), and for how little about its various countries and cultures most of us know.
Unfortunately, it's an uphill battle for smaller game dev scenes outside of the usual countries to make it on a worldwide level, and of course, a lot of writers and game designers from other countries end up making European- or American-inspired works anyway, as the article touched on.
And if a western studio tried their hand at it, they'd need to do a heck of a lot of research first- and then it would still cause controversy, even if they did it right.
But who knows, especially with indie devs around the world finding new opportunities these days? I wouldn't have guessed that one of the best beat-'em-ups of all time would come from two guys in Uruguay, for example!
Re: Forest Of Illusion's Closure Shows How Precarious Video Game Preservation Is
@Utena-mobile Exactly!
No one took movie preservation seriously in its early days, but now we see the movies themselves and their pre-release materials as historically and culturally significant, after it's too late.
But apparently, we don't learn, because history repeats itself- source code, prototypes, and even some finished games are still being lost, even after we've been lamenting the loss of silent movies or The Wizard of Oz's Jitterbug scene (i.e., lost beta content!) for decades now.
For centuries, if not millennia, there has been simultaneously an appreciation for "culture" (old stuff) alongside an apathy or even disdain for "pop culture" (basically anything current), even though it's just a matter of time until what's new becomes historical...
Re: Forest Of Illusion's Closure Shows How Precarious Video Game Preservation Is
Good article, and a big topic that definitely warrants discussion!
But why keep insisting that the closure definitely had nothing to do with pressure from Nintendo? FoI's official statement leaves a lot of room for interpretation ("a few reasons" could mean a lot of things!), and togemet2's less-official comments strongly imply there was something heavy and legal-related going on. I'm not seeing anything to rule out involvement by the dreaded "Nintendo Ninjas".
Unless there was another statement made later, which I'm not aware of!
Re: Guide: Best Wonder Boy Games, Ranked By You
@Damo Yeah, they're on the Anniversary Collection from 2023, but not the smaller collection from 2022. (I'll edit my previous comment for clarity.)
For anyone who's not a total completionist, your best bet is arguably to pick up the Sega Vintage series Wonder Boy collection on Xbox (around $10 at full price!), grab Monster Lair by itself on Steam ($1), and then get the remake of Dragon's Trap ($20). That covers all of the games from Anniversary except the original Wonder Boy.
Re: Guide: Best Wonder Boy Games, Ranked By You
@Pally356 Is that boss even possible to beat on 3 hearts? With the way Shion gets thrown around by everything (including a conveyor belt that moves as quickly as he can run), I would've thought it's impossible to avoid taking damage.
Heh, I bet the prince makes it clear that he's dying in the Japanese version. His English text is so hilariously casual that it must be censorship.
Re: Guide: Best Wonder Boy Games, Ranked By You
Just to clarify: the original version of MWIV was delisted on Wii, but it's still available in the Wonder Boy collections on all modern platforms.
On that topic, all of the games in this list are available one way or another, but it's an awkward patchwork unless you buy the Anniversary collection that released this year:
The previous Wonder Boy collection (from 2022) on PS4 and Switch lacks Monster Lair and Dragon's Trap, but it does have the original Wonder Boy, whereas the even older (and cheaper!) Sega Vintage one on Xbox systems doesn't have any of those three. Monster Lair wasn't in any actual Wonder Boy compilations prior to this year's Anniversary Collection, but can be purchased through "Sega Mega Drive and Genesis Classics".
Re: Poll: What's The Best Wonder Boy Game?
@Mgalens Yeah, I could see the pyramid being a slog the second or third time around.
But I found the final boss in Monster World (North American version, specifically!) to be so bad that it soured my impression of the game in general.
Haven't played Dragon's Trap, so hopefully "that part" isn't like MW.
Re: Random: Fan Discovers Hidden Function For Ocarina Of Time's "Useless" Ice Arrows
My memory is a bit fuzzy- is there anything preventing players from getting the ice arrows before entering the Water Temple at all? I remember using the Hookshot to cross the desert early- there's a spot where you can just barely latch onto one of the flagpoles and pull yourself across the quicksand.
Or am I misremembering, and it's only the Longshot that can do that trick?
Re: The Making Of: Soleil / Crusader Of Centy, Sega's Answer To Zelda
@Diogmites Bets on how long it'll take before the next "Shining Rogue" article shows up?
I can't wait to find out that Wolf Team's Tales of Phantasia started as Shining Tales, or that Camelot's Mario Golf started as Shining Golf!
Re: Random: The Holy Bible Was Almost Ported To Game Boy Advance
There was also an original Game Boy version of the Bible text, but I'm pretty sure that one actually saw a release in its time. This GBA version looks like it would have been a lot more readable, though, thanks to the smaller text with smoothing.
Re: Bruxólico Is A Gorgeous New Platformer For The ZX Spectrum
@-wc- Judging by the different shades and textures there, it looks like there is a lot of blending (using dithered patterns, of course).
The extremely saturated R/G/B shades that the Spectrum uses probably wouldn't blend as well, and wouldn't they also be really garish by comparison?
Re: I'm Just Joking When I Tell Valve To Make Portal 3, Says Series Co-Writer
So basically: "We're technically allowed to work on whatever projects we want, but we're all deathly afraid of rocking the boat."
Re: Random: So, How Tall Is Metroid's Samus Aran?
The source that claims Samus is only 190cm with the suit is derived straight from the original Japanese manual for Metroid II, if I recall correctly. Between that and the less-specific reference in the American promo image, I'd say the former seems more likely to be "canon".
Still, Samus is pretty tall, regardless (nice try, Team Ninja).
Not that it really matters, but does she even wear heels inside the suit? That seems silly, not to mention those are a new addition. More likely that the Power (or Varia, Phazon, etc.) Suit's boots add 1-2 inches, and the Zero Suit effectively adds nothing to Samus's height when she's in the Power Suit.
Re: Random: So, How Tall Is Metroid's Samus Aran?
@Guru_Larry Haha, glad I'm not the only one who was bothered by that!
However, images like the one above reveal that her shoulders don't really extend outside the torso section- she has to lift her arms out towards the sides a bit, even when the suit's arms are down, and the shoulder pieces are always basically empty.
Re: F-Zero Gets Another Spiritual Successor In The Shape Of XF - eXtreme Formula
@Tobunari The F-Zero series wasn't a flop- just nowhere near as big a cash cow as Mario Kart.
I have to wonder, too, how a new F-Zero would be received today, after 20+ years of people gushing about how good GX was- and as many years of the series protagonist bringing his infamous "Falcone Pawnch!" in Smash Bros. Elements of the series have gained a lot of exposure in those two decades, though it remains to be seen if it would boost sales today.
Valid point around the graphics, though. GX was reportedly made on a fairly modest budget, but AV worked magic with that game, not to mention that topping those graphics in a Switch game now would cost more.
While there are many of us who crave a new F-Zero, some of us are a bit skeptical as to whether Nintendo could do the series justice now. Bringing the Ryu ga Gotoku team back would probably be the best bet, but this is all wishful thinking.
Re: Anniversary: The 7th Guest, The Game That Sold The World CD-ROM Gaming, Turns 30 Today
Never did play this one (yet, anyway), but there's a charm to the early CG stuff (along with the design sensibilities that tend to accompany it).
If it's anything like an action-less Resident Evil 1, distilled down to puzzles and cheese (which is how I imagine The 7th Guest), then it could be a good time.
Re: The Making Of: John Romero's Daikatana, The Game Boy Color Zelda Clone That Outscored Its Big Brother
@JJtheTexan Square Enix, apparently. Daikatana is still available on stores such as GOG (for $1 at the moment!) and Steam, and SE is listed as the publisher.
Probably not much need for a remaster, then, and a remake or reboot would be a seriously risky move (even if the likes of Bubsy, Shaq-Fu, and Ikki have made this a bit of a trend lately). But SE should make the GBC version properly available, for sure! Just put the unedited ROM up on Steam for $5. I'd buy it.
Re: Rare Co-Founder Shows Conker 64, Fans Immediately Beg Him To Dump It
@-wc- First place was a tie between Dinosaur Planet and Vexx. The latter is a platformer in the style of Super Mario 64, and its tumultuous development mirrored that of DP/Star Fox Adventures: half of the environments, several game mechanics, and most of the story were removed, and what was left was awkwardly pieced together with a whole "bad guy blew apart the planet" backstory.
Of course, DP's ROM was released a couple of years ago, so that leaves Vexx as the remaining Holy Grail of prototypes- in my estimation, anyway!
Conker would probably take third place after those two. It's just so different from what we got, and parts of it look like a bizarro alternate universe version of BFD, where Conker doesn't touch alcohol, and no one swears or throws poo at him.
After that, maybe Kameo for GameCube, followed by Zelda 64? There's probably something I'm missing, but I can kick myself over it later.
Re: Rare Co-Founder Shows Conker 64, Fans Immediately Beg Him To Dump It
@Sciqueen Conker's Bad Fur Day is strange and unforgettable, whereas Twelve Tales seems like a very generic game that could have easily gotten lost in the avalanche of late-'90s 3D platformers.
That said, not all of BFD is nearly as funny as it thinks it is, and the gameplay is oddly clunky for a game from 2001 (about a nimble forest critter, at that!).
I feel like the original vision might have been more fun as a game, but wouldn't have made nearly the same impact.
Re: Rare Co-Founder Shows Conker 64, Fans Immediately Beg Him To Dump It
@N-MCMXCIX That would be really cool to see, but how far in development was Conker?
Star Fox 2 was almost finished already, so that's a different matter.
Even if it's not practical to try to finish Twelve Tales, I'd still love to see the ROM released in some form. Rare Replay could include it and some other protos (like Dream!) as unlockable content, and put up a disclaimer stating that it's not a finished product.
Re: Rare Co-Founder Shows Conker 64, Fans Immediately Beg Him To Dump It
I hope the ROM gets released, one way or another. This is in my top 5 most wanted prototypes to play- probably top 3, even.
Re: Dedicated Romhacker Converts More Than 80 SNES Games Into FastRom
It's kind of ironic: much of the infamously slow SNES's reputation is not because it was actually slow, but because it had to be underclocked to properly handle the cheap cartridges. Run it at stock speed, and things don't look so bad!
Re: EA Isn't Wiping Mirror's Edge From Digital Existence After All
@blackknight77 The PC version is, as usual, basically an HD remaster already!
Same goes for the Xbox 360 version, if you have an Xbox Series console to play it on.
Just replayed it recently, and it still looks great, aside from some rough shadowing on characters (which is noticeable maybe 1% of the time, if even that).
Re: Random: Tim Stamper Has To Lick 25-Year-Old Chocolate BAFTA Because Banjo-Kazooie Won A Twitter Tournament
Er, I think you meant to post this reply from BAFTA:
"Not sure we can endorse this 🤣"
Stamper's questioning the exclusivity of this chocolate award doesn't really prove whether BAFTA supports the licking of said award!
Re: Both 'Little Big Adventure' Titles Are Getting The Remaster Treatment
@-wc- Little Big Adventure is pretty clunky, to the point that someone used to modern standards would be just as well off playing the original Tomb Raider or something. So there is potential to make it more accessible.
But will this remake do so without losing the soul of the originals? So far, this is looking like quite a departure. Time will tell...
Re: Both 'Little Big Adventure' Titles Are Getting The Remaster Treatment
@-wc- I don't know- Twinsen himself looks like a pretty faithful interpretation of the original model, without looking too awkward (no small feat!), and that dune buggy shot looks like this style has potential.
On the other hand, it bothers me that HD = flatter and more cartoonish, in so many cases. Admittedly, I've barely played the original LBA/Twinsen games, but the fine-grained textures and oddly shiny lighting of LBA2 really appealed to me, and those are lost in the remake.
Re: A Soulcalibur Collection Might Be On The Way
@-wc- I feel like a lot of mid/late PS2 games already started to look a fair bit more drab (albeit more detailed!), while some of the early PS360 games again leaned into that pre-rendered CG look for a time. (See Rare's work, especially in 2005.) And then Gears of War happened, and we know the rest.
But anyway...
Looking it up now, it seems that SoulCalibur on Xbox systems does include the art gallery, even though it drops the Mission mode. It also unlocks everything from the start, reducing the incentive to play Arcade mode as every character. The main reason most people give is the file size, but that doesn't add up: mission mode has few unique assets, whereas the gallery is full of them. Considering the way unlockables were handled, this all seems like a misguided attempt to focus in on the core gameplay for a purer fighting experience. (Didn't Guilty Gear XX do the same thing? Re-releasing the game with less content to "accent" the "core"?)
I really liked Mission mode as well, and played all the way through it more than once! SC2 had the same mode, but it didn't hold my interest quite as well- largely because of the dungeons being a bit of a slog. And then SC3 onwards went in different directions, of course.
Re: A Soulcalibur Collection Might Be On The Way
@-wc- Was I just imagining it, or were console graphics heading in that direction for a short time, before abandoning it in favour of higher object density, more complex texturing... and bloom lighting?
Some of the earlier 6th (and even 7th) gen games had a lot of emphasis on crisp textures, high poly counts, and hard shadows, but this gave way to a more muted, drab look.
If Retro ever does another Donkey Kong Country, they should make it look like DKC3- except in 3D, of course.
Re: A Soulcalibur Collection Might Be On The Way
@Muriustar It's always good to have a legitimate way for people to purchase the game, though. Right now, SC1 is only on Xbox, and that version lacks some of the Dreamcast's content (the mission mode and art gallery, as I recall).
As more companies keep their games perpetually available on long-running platforms like PC (and Xbox now), then there should be less need for studios to spend their time on (re)remastering everything every decade.
Re: A Soulcalibur Collection Might Be On The Way
Not expecting to actually see a full collection, as great as that would be, but even a remaster of the Dreamcast original that doesn't cut any content would also be cool.
Re: Random: Shovel Knight 64 Doesn't Exist, More's The Pity
All of the blurry scenery is just a pre-rendered background (also see the windmill screenshot), so the amount of actual geometry should be well within the N64's capabilities. But the resolution and colour depth are above those of even Conker's backgrounds- which were already technical wizardry in themselves.
I've really warmed up to the N64 over the years. There's something special about exploring those early 3D environments, even in games like Quest 64 (or Aidyn Chronicles, which I'll get if I can find it for cheap... like that'll happen).
Though it's all the better when the gameplay is also engaging- and some of the better games of that era, like Mario 64 and Perfect Dark, have a level of depth that newer games often lack.
Re: Best Nintendo Systems - Every Nintendo Console, Ranked By You
@bryce951 Hey, I'm no hipster: I liked the GameCube before it was cool!
(Oh, wait a minute...)
But seriously, the GameCube was an amazing system with an equally amazing library, and millions of us recognized that at the time. Just not as many millions as there were on the PS2 side of things!
Re: Random: Shovel Knight 64 Doesn't Exist, More's The Pity
This looks more like early Dreamcast to me... unless there's some kind of insane palette or tiling wizardry going on, textures of that resolution/colour depth wouldn't work on the N64.
I'd love to see this become an actual game, though, whether fitting N64 spec or not!
Re: Poll: What's The Best Nintendo System Of All Time?
GameCube, hands down:
I could ramble on about the GCN's library of quality exclusives, or how it punched above its weight in performance- often edging out the Xbox- but for brevity's sake, I won't. For now.
Re: F-Zero Gets Another Spiritual Successor In The Shape Of XF - eXtreme Formula
It's like Feperd looks for great games that sorely need a sequel, but aren't getting one, and then he takes it on himself to right that wrong. A few years ago, it was Sonic Adventure. Now, F-Zero!
What's next, Metroid Prime? (If it is, he'll probably have it finished before MP4 comes out.)
Re: F-Zero Gets Another Spiritual Successor In The Shape Of XF - eXtreme Formula
@Bunkerneath Those ships look really fast, either way. They must be doing at least 800 knots an hour!
But if all this bothers you, maybe you should go buy an RPG game instead.
If you need some cash, just enter your PIN number at the nearest ATM machine.
Re: Talking Point: Are Video Games Linked To Physical Places In Your Memory?
Interesting topic, and I've enjoyed reading the stories (both the article and the comments)!
There are so, so many different games which bring back memories of either where I played them, or where I bought them, but I'll just share what might be the weirdest one:
I was sharing an apartment with two other guys, and one of them had the idea to put up a giant cardboard snowman on the wall for Christmas, and to arrange some lights so that the snowman appeared to be shooting lightning from its hands. Besides the humour in it, this also cast a strong pink/purple glow over the whole living room.
It was in this setting that I played Paper Mario for the first time, and so that game always brings back the image of late-night gaming under the warm glow of a snowman that shoots lightning bolts out of its hands.
Re: Talking Point: What Do You Want From A New Castlevania?
@Kiwi_Unlimited I just replayed Castlevania 64 a few months ago, and still enjoyed it. It obviously has its flaws, but I'd definitely like to see some more games that take after it, with the greater emphasis on 3D platforming and exploration.
There are already so many 2D Metroidvanias out there that I could easily spend a full year just catching up on the good ones, and 3D combat/action games in the vein of Devil May Cry or old-school God of War aren't exactly scarce either. But the more open 3D designs haven't gotten as much attention lately.
Re: Iconic 'All Your Base' Meme Gets Added To The Arcade Version Of Zero Wing
Very cool addition, and fitting for a game best known for its meme-spawning dialogue!
It's a little disappointing that most of the English was cleaned up here, but on the other hand, introducing CATS's infamous line with "translation error" on the screens, and then following it up with "What are you saying?" was a brilliant touch.
Re: Poll: Should Japanese-Made Role-Playing Games Still Be Called JRPGs?
I've heard some complaints about traditional JRPGs getting stale lately, or having too much "anime BS", but it still seems like a stretch to consider the term "JRPG" an insult.
I think the real question is whether something is an RPG at all: what do RPGs have to do with role playing, anyway? The connection is obvious in a lot of older and/or western RPGs, where you create and develop a character, make lots of decisions, etc. But a Final Fantasy game from the '90s? It's a linear, story-driven tactics game with RPG trappings. And when you swap out the battle system for DMC-style action, while dialling down the RPG elements further?
Not saying we need to reclassify Final Fantasy or other RPGs all of a sudden! Genre labels like "RPG" mean something, and most people understand what they mean. I just think it's interesting how definitions drift over time.
Re: The PlayStation 3 Just Got A New System Software Update
@gojiguy My PS3 hard crashes when I click the wrong options in the store.
I'm getting this update, as it can't possibly make things worse, right?
...er, right?
Re: Doom Designer John Romero and Mabel Addis To Be Recognized At GDCA 2023
I had never heard of Mabel Addis until now, but it's fascinating to see some of her work now, and to think just how long ago it was that gaming pioneers like her came up with certain designs and concepts.
In general, gaming in the '60s is a mysterious subject that I don't know or hear much about.
Re: Random: The Story Behind Ico's "Terrible" North American Box Art
So this is technically the original box art! That changes things.
It would be inexcusable if, like so many other games, the Japanese box art already existed, but was thrown out in favour of something supposedly more appealing to western audiences.
Re: The Tale of Rare’s Unsung Virtuoso And Voice Of Perfect Dark, Eveline Novakovic
TIL that Eveline Novakovic composed some of the original DKC's best* tracks! I knew about DKC3 (and Griffey's Winning Run) already, but not that she'd worked on the first DKC as well. Nor about Kameo's sound design.
And I agree, definitely an underappreciated composer- which is all too common among Rare musicians not named Grant or Dave.
*in my opinion, of course
Re: Random: Forget The Tetris Movie, These Japanese Tetris Illustrations Tell The Real Story
It's great to finally see the true story of Alexey Pajitnov coming to light!
Re: Poll: Is Metroid Prime The Best 2D To 3D Transition Of Any Game Series, Ever?
@Serpenterror Iguana actually stayed around for several years (under the name Acclaim Studios Austin) after Retro Studios was founded. While Retro was working on Metroid Prime, Iguana released Turok 3 (2000), Turok Evolution (2002), and Vexx (2003), as well as several sports titles.
But yeah, Retro was largely made up of former Iguana staff, like you said, and more ex-Iguana guys moved over to Retro and worked on the Prime series when Acclaim went bankrupt.
It's interesting to follow a game's DNA, and see the expertise and influences that the various members of the team brought to the table!
Re: Talking Point: Where Do You Stand On "Ethical Emulation"?
@sdelfin Yeah, this stuff was too common, especially in the past. First examples I can think of are Mega Man Anniversary Collection on GameCube (button mapping is backwards) and Ufouria on the Wii(U) Virtual Console (music plays at the wrong speed, and sounds horribly out-of-tune).
You paid them for the game already, so what's it to them if you source a copy elsewhere to actually play it?
PS: Honourable mention to Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Collection, on Steam. Its emulation has some issues (despite some neat features, like mods and region-switching), but the ROMs are included in a folder for easy access. So you can buy the games there, but play them in another emulator. 100% legal by any standard!