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Before we start RetroActive, there are a number of items to address in New Business. We've been playing Super Punch-Out, Ganbare Goemon 2, and a lot more Henry Hatsworth. James is reviewing Six Flags Fun Park, but incredibly, that poor game is not the primary target of his anger -- he reserves the deepest hatred for a special rant against the box art for Boom Blox Bash Party. In happier developments, Greg notes that Majora's Mask is headed to Virtual Console around the world, which leads us into a brief but blissful conversation about that classic Zelda game.
Secret of Mana is a legendary but flawed game, which makes it all the more appropriate for a RetroActive feature. We discuss the pros and cons of the game, from its memorable soundtrack to the (unfortunately) memorable A.I. characters. Is this an RPG or adventure game, or something else entirely? The ambiguity is both fascinating and frustrating for the RFN crew and the listeners too. If you've just started playing Secret of Mana or want to leave your feedback on the game, please do so in the RetroActive forum thread!
Wrapping up the episode is this week's mailbag, which includes actual fan mail, console standards (progressive scan, anyone?), licensed arcade games, and how the SD Card Menu is going to break your Wii.
Credits:
This podcast was edited by Greg Leahy.
Music for this episode of Radio Free Nintendo is used with permission from Jason Ricci & New Blood. You can purchase their new album, Rocket Number 9, directly from the record label, or download it from iTunes, or call your local record store and ask for it!
I tried to like Secret of Mana when I downloaded it several months back (I never got a chance to play it on the SNES), but honestly I thought the game was pretty...boring, and it all comes down to the lame "charge...hit...run away...charge...hit...run away" combat. I admire the novelty of having multiplayer in the game, but unfortunately I could never convince my best friend to actually play it with me because the combat didn't look fun to him either. Still, it's great to have such an important game on the VC. I just wish we started getting the more interesting Action RPGs like Illusion of Gaia and Terranigma.
One thing I have heard about flash memory is that the computers that use it as a primary storage device use an algorithm to minimize the number of writes to each portion of the memory.
I really have to disagee with the opinion a few of you have that Majora's Mask is a better game than Ocarina of Time. Majora's Mask is the only Zelda game I hate. I think there is a reason it is the worst selling 3D Zelda game (and coming out so late in the N64's lifespan is not it).
The actual gameplay of Majora's Mask wasn't that bad, I just hated the time thing. Like you said, it felt really small and it was probably because of the time issue.
Nintendo cheaping out? There are many complaints that can be leveraged against Nintendo but they don't cheap out in regards to the quality of the materials used to build their systems which is why they've always been so extremely reliable. So I wouldn't assume they used cheaper flash memory unless SLC wasn't that common back then.
Also I have one thing to say about Wormhead. YOU ARE WRONG AND SHOULD NEVER BE ON THE PODCAST AGAIN!
No need to get crazy. I mean, Nintendo has cut corners in the past, it wouldn't be unusual if they went with MLC rather than SLC. Although, I believe at the time, SLC was more common, so it may be in the system. Though I really don't know.
QuoteNo need to get crazy. I mean, Nintendo has cut corners in the past, it wouldn't be unusual if they went with MLC rather than SLC. Although, I believe at the time, SLC was more common, so it may be in the system. Though I really don't know.
Do you have any examples of this cutting corners when it comes to hardware design and the parts used? Nintendo from my experience IS the most reliable when it comes to putting together durable and long lasting hardware. Now perhaps the parts aren't cutting edge from a polygon pushing aspect, but the quality of the parts used is some of the best in the industry. It is odd no one knows what kind of flash memory they used.
I don't understand the complaints about the time aspect being too restricting, myself.The problem for me is that you can't save the game anywhere, any time. It can take up to two straight hours to complete a dungeon, and you have to complete it all in one run because everything resets when you go back in time. It gets tedious because you end up doing the same things over and over each three-day period.
Do you have any examples of this cutting corners when it comes to hardware design and the parts used?The Nintendo 64 analogue stick. It wears out through normal use, and Nintendo never improved the design or offered replacements. If they had used aluminum parts instead of plastic, this problem wouldn't exist.
I don't understand the complaints about the time aspect being too restricting, myself.The problem for me is that you can't save the game anywhere, any time. It can take up to two straight hours to complete a dungeon, and you have to complete it all in one run because everything resets when you go back in time. It gets tedious because you end up doing the same things over and over each three-day period.Do you have any examples of this cutting corners when it comes to hardware design and the parts used?The Nintendo 64 analogue stick. It wears out through normal use, and Nintendo never improved the design or offered replacements. If they had used aluminum parts instead of plastic, this problem wouldn't exist.
The actual gameplay of Majora's Mask wasn't that bad, I just hated the time thing. Like you said, it felt really small and it was probably because of the time issue.
I think the game was designed to do the best they could in a small development time frame. The 3 day time limit was more of a necessity then an option when designing it. For what they did in such a short amount of time was impressive and I can't take that away from them even if it isn't one of my favorites.
My controllers never broke on the N64 and I had a lot of Goldeneye, Mario Kart, Perfect Dark and Smash Brothers parties. They were constantly used and still work fine.I don't have problems with mine either, especially ever since I started applying ceramic grease to them to ensure that they never wear out. Though I'd be willing to bet that even though your analogue sticks still function fine, they are a little loose and not as tight or responsive as when they were new.
I don't have problems with mine either, especially ever since I started applying ceramic grease to them to ensure that they never wear out. Though I'd be willing to bet that even though your analogue sticks still function fine, they are a little loose and not as tight or responsive as when they were new.
QuoteI don't have problems with mine either, especially ever since I started applying ceramic grease to them to ensure that they never wear out. Though I'd be willing to bet that even though your analogue sticks still function fine, they are a little loose and not as tight or responsive as when they were new.
That was certainly the case. I remember Mario Party being the worst in that regard and I believe Paper Mario had some of those aspects too. I used to dread playing some games in fear of the number it would do on the joystick.
Maybe Majora's Mask sold less than Ocarina of Time because it required the Expansion Pak, which was not included with the game (as it was with DK64).
I had sores on the palms of my hands from the controller turning games. I remember Nintendo had to issue warnings telling people to not do it that way but I never stopped doing it that way because it was fastest.Nintendo even offered special gloves to people who owned Mario Party for that very reason. It's funny how they were willing to offer something obscure like that but never an analogue stick fix/replacement.
I have a question. How do I get in touch with you guys to be part of the listener mail?.
I have a question. How do I get in touch with you guys to be part of the listener mail? I think you guys should talk about the 20th aniversary of the Gameboy.I think you should talk about it on April 21st.
I have a question. How do I get in touch with you guys to be part of the listener mail? I think you guys should talk about the 20th aniversary of the Gameboy.I think you should talk about it on April 21st.
April 18th is the 15th anniversary of Super Metroid, and we'll be doing a special episode to (roughly) coincide with that. Unfortunately, this doesn't leave a timely opportunity to do an episode focusing on the Game Boy anniversary on the 21st, but given Gunpei Yokoi's connection to both Metroid and the Game Boy (and of course Metroid's portable legacy starting with Metroid II) I'm sure the Game Boy's 20th will come up.
Majora's Mask is the first video game I ever pre-ordered.
I didn't have an N64 when OOT came out. I got mine in late 1999.
Just because you didn't own a Nintendo 64 doesn't mean you couldn't have pre-ordered Ocarina of Time. You could stare at its marvelous gold finish until you receive the system to play it on.
I have a question. How do I get in touch with you guys to be part of the listener mail? I think you guys should talk about the 20th aniversary of the Gameboy.I think you should talk about it on April 21st.
A GB retrospective would be cool, particularly a discussion of why it fared so much better than the other contemporary handhelds (battery life, anyone?).Tetris.
I have a question. How do I get in touch with you guys to be part of the listener mail? I think you guys should talk about the 20th aniversary of the Gameboy.I think you should talk about it on April 21st.
Hey Maxi, I'm glad you're taking an interest. We mention the email address on the show quite often, but I avoid posting it on the site in an effort to mitigate spam. However, an alternate method is to use the contact form on the website (try sending an email to anyone) and use the drop-down list to select RFN or the Mailbag -- either one will go to us. I'm not sure if it says so on the mailbag page now, but we have taken over all mailbag questions since that feature isn't currently active on the website.
As Greg said, we already have plans for the podcast closest to April 20th, but it makes sense to at least mention the Game Boy's anniversary on the Super Metroid show. I can't say much about it personally, as I never owned a handheld system until GB Color, but hopefully the other guys have a little more history with the system.
.Sometimes I like them sometimes I don't.J
I do consider these guys to be my friends, even though I've never met James or Greg in person. But I will get to hang out with James at E3 this year.
Jonny and Greg are definitely friends of mine. As for James, I'm not sure if he actually has "friends". He just has some people that he doesn't hate as much as others. It's all good though.
It's funny, I thought you would have liked the new box art better than the last one but here is enough hate to create a whole new rant. You guys should really make 'The Rant' a permanent and more frequent feature of the 'cast.