This is Episode 64. Guess what we talk about.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newscast/27373
It's our 64th episode, which sounds like as good an excuse as any to talk about the Nintendo 64. Amazingly, we only talk about half of the best games. So I guess that means we'll be doing another one of these at some point. Also on the docket this week: Zach & Mike's thoughts on the 3DS price drop. And also, a story from Mike about a GBA he owns that was decorated by pro-surfer Kelly Slater. You can see pictures of it on the podcast if you're subscribed to the AAC feed. If not, here is a link to the ancient article about it.
This episode really made me feel like a consumer whore... Great show though, I sadly missed out on the N64, my parents got me the PS1 instead because it had a CD player. They ended up doing the same when it came to the PS2 and GameCube, though I did eventually get a GameCube about a year before the Wii came out.
My Nintendo Handhelds (http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/5200/1000045v.jpg)
Yeah, I'm getting the dreaded ! from iTunes.
I actually had a second DS Lite, but I ended up trading it in for the 3DS. I guess the main reason that I've been able to keep them all over these years is that I'm an only child and I don't really have any close relationships with my extended family, nor are any of my friends all that interested in games. The ones that are tend to play PC, PS3, or 360 and ignore handhelds all together. I also still have every console that I grew up with and I have never once lost any of my handheld or console games.This episode really made me feel like a consumer whore... Great show though, I sadly missed out on the N64, my parents got me the PS1 instead because it had a CD player. They ended up doing the same when it came to the PS2 and GameCube, though I did eventually get a GameCube about a year before the Wii came out.
My Nintendo Handhelds (http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/5200/1000045v.jpg)
I can't believe you held on to all the systems! When I get a new one I usually pass my old one down to a friend. A few years ago I bought a GBA from a friend so I can play Game Boy games and a couple of years after that another friend gave me his Game Boy.
The next time the Newscast discuss the N64 they need to discuss Rare. The N64 era was when Rare really shined because their games helped define Nintendo's console during a time when third parties had left in full. They did have a few low points, but overall Rare helped give the N64 a sense of identity. The N64 era is also when Rare peaked in terms of development quality. Since that time it has been a downward spiral for the company to present day.
The next time the Newscast discuss the N64 they need to discuss Rare. The N64 era was when Rare really shined because their games helped define Nintendo's console during a time when third parties had left in full. They did have a few low points, but overall Rare helped give the N64 a sense of identity. The N64 era is also when Rare peaked in terms of development quality. Since that time it has been a downward spiral for the company to present day.
Anticipation says you're wrong.
But seriously, Rare was very prolific in the NES days. They just had a higher profile in the N64 days since they worked more directly with Nintendo.
And I would argue that NINTENDO gave the N64 a sense of identity. Take away Mario 64, Ocarina of Time, Mario Kart 64, etc. Then take away Banjo-Kazooie, Jet Force Gemini, and DK64. GoldenEye, in my eyes (lolgetit?), is the only Rare game that helped define the system. The other games they made just kind of iterated on previously released games to varying degrees of quality. Not that they're all bad, but I don't think it gave the N64 its identity.
I remember highly anticipating the release of WWF Warzone in 1998, since I was more of a WWF fan and all of the wrestling games to that point had been WCW flavor. I didn't have an N64 yet, but my roommate did (I eventually just bought it off him) and we were both big WWF fans at that point, so we couldn't WAIT for Warzone.
The game didn't actually turn out that well, but we were blind to that. We played the crap out of it.
I really wish one of these games would find a way to revive itself, either on the VC or as a WiiWare/eShop title with NEW licensing (really the ONLY way it could ever happen).
