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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Damn you 'Super Metroid'

« on: August 31, 2010, 10:26:41 AM »

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll maybe download that later.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Damn you 'Super Metroid'

« on: August 31, 2010, 09:46:35 AM »

Yeah...I traded in my gamecube copies to get the Trilogy on the Wii.  They are superior, but I was a little disappointed that some of the beam effects from the Gamecube versions were toned down on the Wii.   That's a minor nitpick, but the fastidous side of me wishes I had kept my old cube versions of 1 & 2.

Yeah I remember hearing that aswell. I also noticed that some of the water and visor effects were toned down. Not a big deal, given the trade-off, but defintely noticable.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Damn you 'Super Metroid'

« on: August 31, 2010, 09:25:37 AM »

I was inspired to hunt for a copy of the Prime Trilogy recently... $70 is the cheapest I can find it new. I don't know if I could deal with the vanilla GC version knowing the new one was out there.

I own every concievable version of the Prime Trilogy. I have Metroid Prime 1 & 2 on gamecube, I also have Metroid Prime 3 Corruption, and I also own Trilogy (which I purchased the day it was released, just so that I could play Prime 1 & 2 with the fantastic wii controls).
 
The trilogy versions are ultimately superior, but there is something to be said for the Gamecube versions. The more deliberate pacing that the gamecube controls brought to those games is enjoyable in it's own way. Boss battles are way more fun with Wii controls though.

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Nintendo Gaming / Damn you 'Super Metroid'

« on: August 30, 2010, 01:21:30 PM »

I've just started up another game of Super Metroid (perhaps my 7th or 8th playthrough) in anticipation of 'Other M', and once again I am flabbergasted at how satisfying the game is. As with most great works of popular culture, however, it has one downside: it vastly raises your standards.
 
As any fan of 'The Wire' or 'Deadwood' will tell you, what you consider quality entertainment is extremely relative. After having been exposed to something as sophisticated as Super Metroid or the Metroid Prime Trilogy, you can become desensitised to games, which while still good, are of a lesser pedigree.
 
Fortunately the human mind is a fickle organ, and while great works will continue to burn like embers at the back of your brain, you will eventually become accustomed to a steady diet of 'moderately entertaining'. The problem I have with Super Metroid (a game which I consciously deny myself for years at a time) is that it reignites that thought at the back of my head,
 
"why aren't all games this good?"
 
It's a shame, because I was just beginning to enjoy 'Super Turrican'......Damn you 'Super Metroid'.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Metroid Other M

« on: August 28, 2010, 03:31:43 PM »

I see. I'm sorry if I sounded forceful, I was just wondering if you were going into the game with a negative view. I think that someone who has negative expectations for a game is more likely to not enjoy it, thereby fulfilling their perception. They are likely to focus on its faults instead of its high points.

You didn't come across as forceful at all. In fact i agree, going into a game with negative expectations can skew a persons perception of a game. Unfortunately, when you're invested in a series and character (as I am with Metroid), it can be quite difficult to forgo your expectations. I would hope that by accepting that there are aspects that I won't like, I'm displaying realistic expectations, and hopefully this will enable me to enjoy the game for what is, and not what it could have been.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Leave Luck To Heaven (Nintendo's drive to innovate).

« on: August 28, 2010, 03:15:06 PM »

Actually, I feel the Nintendo 64 was the last console to have the classic Nintendo philosophies before they began the slow and difficult transition into the Nintendo modern Nintendo which ultimately lead us to an even more successful Wii...but sometimes doesn't seem to capture the same grandeur of classic Nintendo.

Thanks, glad you liked it. I completely agree with your statement about the N64. I feel alot of it had to do with that fact that it was a cartridge based system. There's always been something indefinably appealing about the catridge as a medium for playing video games. I've always had a fondness for N64 in particular though, many a night playing 1080 and banjo Kazooie, makes me smile even thinking about it.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Metroid Other M

« on: August 28, 2010, 02:56:13 PM »

I've now resigned myself to the fact that this game will not be a masterpiece of game design like Super Metroid, It will not be as immersive as Metroid Prime, and neither will it have the slick and responsive controls of Prime 3: Corruption.

Given the reviews we've seen you can probably be certain of that last one, but is it fair to claim a game you have never played will not be immersive or a masterpiece of game design? Are you even going to give it a chance or will you cling to the negative aspects of it so you can continue to criticize it?

I suppose it is slightly presumptuous of me, given that i haven't played the game yet, but i think they're fair presumptions based on the reviews thus far. I'm certainly not 'clinging' to the games negative aspects, in fact as i said in my post, i've accepted that there are aspects of the game that i will not appreciate, and that's fine. Neither am i attempting to criticise the game, i'm simply stating my impressions based on what i've read or seen thus far.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Metroid Other M

« on: August 28, 2010, 02:37:20 PM »

Having now read most of the reviews currently available, I must say, I've mellowed slightly (much like the stages of grief, it would appear i've reached the stage of acceptance). I've now resigned myself to the fact that this game will not be a masterpiece of game design like Super Metroid, It will not be as immersive as Metroid Prime, and neither will it have the slick and responsive controls of Prime 3: Corruption. I may not like the direction that this game is taking the series, but if this game manages to attract enough attention and garner enough sales for the franchise to continue and perhaps even expand, then that can only be a good thing.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Metroid Other M

« on: August 27, 2010, 01:45:56 PM »

Having just seen a couple of reviews, I am now officially worried about this game. It's recieving great scores, but everything from the controls, to the level designs (lava and snow levels? really?), to the cutscenes, seem completely contrary to what i'm looking for in a Metroid game in 2010.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Metroid Other M

« on: August 25, 2010, 08:22:34 PM »

Ah. When I said Nintendo's control scheme was more unwieldy, i meant as opposed to the natural alternative, which would be to include nunchuck support. In retrospect I can see why you might think i was referring to your statement about the classic controller scheme being unwieldy.
 
The main points from your post i wanted to bring up were "Wii remote only control scheme seems like the best way to play this game by default" & "Something about jumping with the A button and shooting with the B trigger just seems extremely odd so I don't know if I'd like the nunchuck/Wii remote combo for this game." It just so happened that there was a bit in the middle talking about the classic controller.
 
I agree, however, switching between different controllers would be very unwieldy. As i can attest, having played Monster Hunter Tri.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Metroid Other M

« on: August 25, 2010, 08:05:55 PM »

I feel that having to constantly change your grip on the controller is a more unweildy setup.

Than having to put down a controller and pick up an entirely different one? I just don't see how the classic controller and Wii remote combo could be intuitive.

I didn't mention the classic controller. I agree that would be a terrible idea.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Leave Luck To Heaven (Nintendo's drive to innovate).

« on: August 25, 2010, 06:26:48 PM »

Yeah. I really like 'Ocarina of Time', and you're right, in terms of influence its probably up there amongst the top ten, but i would certainly not deem it the best game of all time as many seem to. It was revolutionary at the time, but I personally think that a first impression should be just that, your first impression, to be followed by revisions of that impression. All things are relative, and my appreciation of that game has certainly diminished since its release.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Metroid Other M

« on: August 25, 2010, 05:24:00 PM »

The way I would see the Nunchuck control scheme working would be something similar to that used in the Prime games: C to drop bombs, Z or B as the fire button, the control stick to handle movement, and + to toggle between 3rd and 1st person views.

This would be ideal.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Metroid Other M

« on: August 25, 2010, 05:18:33 PM »

Honestly, Wii remote only control scheme seems like the best way to play this game by default even if it's still not ideal. From the videos I've seen, it looks like you play most of the game in 3rd person. Switching between the classic controller and Wii remote seems unwieldy. Something about jumping with the A button and shooting with the B trigger just seems extremely odd so I don't know if I'd like the nunchuck/Wii remote combo for this game.

I feel that having to constantly change your grip on the controller is a more unweildy setup. Using the nunchuck for movement within a 3d environment not only allows for smoother and more precise control of the character, but it also means that when you go into first person perspective, the IR camera in the Wii remote can be more easily directed at the screen.
 
While i can completely understand why they have decided to have this stripped down control method as the default control scheme, I just find it baffling that they are so reluctant to include a more modern and comfortable alternative.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Metroid Other M

« on: August 25, 2010, 04:32:51 PM »

I despise Nintendo's decision to deliberately throw aside playability in order to pander to Sakamoto's ego at the expense of people who prefer the analog stick for 3D movement.

Absolutely. It certainly whiffs of arrogance (but given that I have preordered the game despite my concerns, perhaps they have every right to be arrogant).

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Metroid Other M

« on: August 25, 2010, 04:05:50 PM »

I've just put down my preorder. With some reluctance it must be said. I still find their decision to hamper the game with what appears, to me at least, to be an unnecessarily awkward and finicky control scheme baffling. I certainly see the logic for a stripped down control scheme for nontraditional gamers or even for those who just prefer it, but to deny people the option of an alternate control scheme (ideally using the nunchuck) just seems stubborn. My fingers are so tightly crossed at this point that its cutting off the circulation.
 

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Leave Luck To Heaven (Nintendo's drive to innovate).

« on: August 25, 2010, 03:37:59 PM »

As I said previously, that would be for others to judge.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Leave Luck To Heaven (Nintendo's drive to innovate).

« on: August 25, 2010, 03:14:14 PM »

Underestimate? If you weren't aware of FFVII's cultural and industrial impact, either you were living under a rock or were born with an XBOX controller in your hands.

Having never owned an Xbox, I was most certainly not born with an xbox controller in my hand.

I think he was inferring that you must be young or not have been actively playing video games in 1997.

Well, that would be an incorrect assumption. As is your assertion that 'anyone who was around during the time' would have been knowledgable about video games as an industry. I myself would have been 10 when FFVII was released in Europe, and I would have had no interest in video games beyond their value as entertainment, and as such would have been pretty much oblivious to video games as an industry or business. Of course, I have become aware subsequently that Final Fantasy was a bigger deal than I perhaps appreciated at the time, but to this day, I continue to be surprised by how important this game was in people's purchasing decisions (Full disclosure - As I've stated previously, however, I have never found JRPG's appealing, and that may very well explain my apparent continued ignorance of their impact.)

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Official Virtual Console Mondays Thread

« on: August 23, 2010, 03:21:59 PM »

We've had Ufouria for a couple of weeks now in Europe, and this game is a definite recommendation. It's certainly on the short side, but the visuals have real pop, the music is catchy, and the upgrades are interesting and fun to use (One for instance is similar to the spiderball from Metroid, only 100 times more adorable). Whatever gripes you may have against the virtual console (and lets be honest, there's plenty to be had), allowing gamers to go back and play gems they may have missed like Rondo of Blood, DoReMi Fantasy, and Ufouria, has got to be it's most redeeming quality.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Releases for Wii in 2011

« on: August 23, 2010, 03:05:37 PM »

Speaking of Punch Out!!, I seem to recall someone from Next Level saying that, should they be given the opportunity to do another Punch Out!!, they would include more original (new) characters. Which would lead me to believe that it was at least on the table at some point. I would love to see another Punch Out!!' before the Wii breathes its last. The people at Next Level are a talented bunch,  I'm looking forward to seeing what they've been up to. (p.s. - a Strikers sequel would also be much appreciated).

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Nintendo Gaming / Releases for Wii in 2011

« on: August 20, 2010, 04:31:23 PM »

By the end of 2010, the Wii will have given us three mainline Mario games, two Metroid games, one Zelda game, with another on the way, a Kirby game, a Donkey Kong Country game, and installments of several other successful franchises (from Animal Crossing to Wii Sports). In 2011 should we expect the next installments for Star Fox, F-Zero, Pikmin and Pilot Wings? Should we be anticipating something entirely new? Or should we perhaps brace ourselves for the prospect that Nintendo will be diverting resources away from the Wii and towards its inevitable successor and the 3DS?

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Metroid Other M

« on: August 20, 2010, 02:46:57 PM »

It's certainly possible that a movie based on the character and events of Metroid could be done well, but I think that the quintessential Metroid experience is something that is wholly unique to gaming, that unique sense of place, the feeling of isolation, and the joy of building up a map of your surroundings through exploration, are experiences which would be difficult to retain in the transition to film.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Leave Luck To Heaven (Nintendo's drive to innovate).

« on: August 19, 2010, 05:49:38 PM »

Underestimate? If you weren't aware of FFVII's cultural and industrial impact, either you were living under a rock or were born with an XBOX controller in your hands.

Having never owned an Xbox, I was most certainly not born with an xbox controller in my hand. With regards living under a rock, that would be for others to judge. Given that I didn't really like/appreciate JRPG's before Square jumped ship (the only one I remember enjoying being Secret of Mana), I clearly didn't feel their absence as much as fans of genre probally did, and the idea that this would be a dominant factor in their purchasing decision is completely alien to me.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: "Official" Metroid Prime Trilogy discussion thread ;)

« on: August 18, 2010, 04:48:18 PM »

And while Sakamoto has stated that he wants players to feel what Samus feels, i somehow doubt that any of these CG cutscenes will make me feel as much empathy for the character as i did the first time i seen her face reflected in her visor.

QFT

Maybe not in those exact words, but he's made it clear that those are his intentions. In the latest Iwata asks for instance he made a number of references to her humanity and emotions etc:
 
Sakamoto: "This time I wanted to create an intriguing depiction of Samus’s humanity, showing that she’s not just cool, but also kind and sympathetic, and perhaps a little immature in her passion and earnestness."
 
"With the player caught up in the tension of the story and being dragged along with Samus’s emotions, the game returns to the action part. That’s the flow of the game."
 
"We empathised with her and we gradually helped to refine her. As a result, Samus is more beautiful than ever this time."

Iwata: "So it looks like more people will fall in love with Samus, does it?"
 
Sakamoto:"Yes, so... (earnestly) I think Samus is going to be a very happy girl."

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Leave Luck To Heaven (Nintendo's drive to innovate).

« on: August 18, 2010, 04:17:48 PM »

The most important development is choosing cartridge over the disc-medium.  Quite honestly, being a huge Nintendo loyalist back then was hard because that decision alone cost Nintendo the third party support that they're still trying to win back.

Definetly something worth mentioning. I intended this post to be polemical (i.e. pro-Nintendo) in the hopes of getting some rebukes, and therefore omitted that quite crucial period in Nintendo's history, but it has certainly had a huge impact.
 
BTW, is that true about FFVII being such a deciding factor? Having never been a big RPG guy, i guess i just underestimated their influence.