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[Zach finds one of his Holy Grails in Topeka, Kansas.]

276

TalkBack / Of Nerds and Men: Miniaturization

« on: January 08, 2015, 06:11:49 PM »

Zach finds one of his Holy Grails in Topeka, Kansas.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/39331/of-nerds-and-men-miniaturization

My wife and I traditionally vacation in Hawaii over Christmas. Hawaii is a place that is the opposite of my cold home in Alaska during December. They don’t have seasons in Hawaii, it’s really just either slightly warmer or slightly cooler depending on the tilt of the Earth during any given time of the year, but the island chain’s close proximity to the Equator ensures that even the coldest days are significantly warmer than Anchorage’s warmest (seriously, it didn't get above 80 last year). So you'll usually find us spending Christmas on a beach under a palm tree where snow is something that happens in "It’s a Wonderful Life." It’s a bit like when WALL-E powers up his solar battery in the morning, but with Vitamin D, a substance Alaskans are sorely lacking.

But we didn’t go this year. Anybody with grandparents knows the adage “this might be their last Christmas,” so the Midwestern instinct towards large, but unwelcome, family gatherings is triggered and guilt eventually forces your hand to click on “Topeka” instead of “Kauai” when booking your Christmas vacation. Kansas is where my wife is from, and with a few notable exceptions, that’s where her entire extended family remained. Christmas in Kansas is not a vacation, but instead a series of increasingly-exhausting familial obligations.

But there were some free days, and on one of them my father-in-law chauffeured me around to Topeka’s impressive used-game scene. The city is filled with an impressive number of quality local used game businesses. Indeed, the one GameStop I saw in our travels was a lonely-looking square brick building with an empty parking lot. And it was in one of these little shops that I made a wonderful discovery: I found an affordable Game Boy Micro.

For those of you who don’t remember it, the Game Boy Micro is the last iteration of the Game Boy Advance, and the last handheld to be emblazoned the Game Boy brand. It was released in September of 2005 in an attempt to keep the Game Boy alive in case Nintendo’s new DS system failed. It fits comfortably on the palm of your hand and includes a removable faceplate. You could buy alternate faceplates (in 2005) to customize your tiny handheld. Unfortunately, the wholesale renovation of the Micro’s architecture meant that it couldn’t play original Game Boy or Game Boy Color games, use the standard Game Boy Advance Wireless Adaptor, the e-Reader, GameCube link cables, or the Game Boy Printer or Camera. This was strictly a Game Boy Advance machine, which is fine. I have an SP for the rest of that crap.

The screen is ridiculously small, just two inches across, and backlit. The screen technology was a step up from the standard Game Boy Advance SP screen, and would be integrated into later runs of GBA SP systems. For reasons that remain unclear, Nintendo priced the Micro at $99, or roughly $20 more than the concurrent GBA SP. With less functionality and no real or imagined advantages, the Micro was doomed to fail and it absolutely did. Some stores didn’t even carry it; I don’t remember ever seeing it for sale here in Alaska. It quickly faded into obscurity, going the way of the Virtual Boy. I’ve always regretted missing out on the Micro because it’s such an oddity. Until now.

There were two Micros for sale, actually. The one I bought and the one I wish I’d bought (hindsight being 20/20). I bought the “Flame” version; however the store also had a limited edition Japanese Famicom version--it was $90, which I deemed too expensive for my wife to be okay with. She said later that she didn’t really have an issue with that, but when I went back to the store the next day I had found that they were closed until the new year. I may have my mother-in-law run back there and pick it up, and then I’ll have TWO Micros. I could use one of them for a contest or something. UPDATE: My mother-in-law IS running back there to snatch it up.

Anyway, let’s talk about the unit itself. Picture time!

Playing Metroid together, as Arceus intended.

Not much wider!

It's so tiny!

Here is the Micro with a GBA SP for scale. The Micro is violating Cope’s Rule in every conceivable way. The face buttons are not as flattened as they are on the SP, and the Start/Select buttons have been reduced to tiny bars that barely click.

Small but bold.

The L & R buttons are not very comfortable.

The top of the unit shows off the flattened L and R buttons and the HDMI-like power cord plug. It does not use the same plug as the GBA SP, which is unfortunate but probably necessary.

The power switch is kind of ugly.

Here’s the bottom, which is where game carts slide in. You’ve also got the headphone jack (standard this time) and the power switch.

I'll have to look up how to adjust the brightness.

The unit’s side has a volume/brightness toggle. Not sure how the brightness setting is changed, but Wikipedia says it controls both. There’s also a spot for a lanyard attachment because reasons.

Must be cold in here.

Dust gets in between the faceplate and the chassis.

Note how prominent the buttons are, as opposed to the SP's flattened buttons.

Here’s what it looks like without the faceplate. There are some spots of dirt that I’m in the process of cleaning very carefully.The screen is smaller than it is on the GBA or GBA SP, but is more evenly lit than either (until its screen tech started showing up in late-era SPs).

The faceplate snaps into some notches at either side of the Micro's chassis. It's held securely, but there are itty-bitty spaces.

So how does the thing play? Frankly, it’s not very comfortable. The shoulder buttons are the biggest concern. Without a resounding click you have to have faith that you’re actually pushing something. For games that use these buttons intensively (like Aria of Sorrow or Zero Mission), there’s no question that the SP is superior. The face buttons, too, are a little too raised and aren’t as responsive as the shallower, more secured face buttons of the SP. The tiny screen is downright TINY. While pixel clarity is, by some miracle, uncompromised, it’s just plain itty-bitty. While the screen is less than an inch smaller than the SP (2.0 inches vs. 2.9), the difference is immediately noticeable.

It's like a mini-HDMI cable.

And it's not much bigger than its own power supply!

There’s also the inescapable fact that this "fun-size" handheld is not made for adults with grown-ass hands. Everything is too close together. My fingers are too fat, but there’s no keypad I can mash to obtain a special dialing wand. In short, there is absolutely no reason this thing should exist in a world where the GBA SP also exists. I’m not even sure who the audience was. Parents who were worried their kids would snap the SP in half? Adults with baby hands? Xbox 360 owners drawn by the allure of faceplates? People whose pockets were too small to hold the GBA SP’s demanding 3.3 x 3.23 x 0.96 inch size?

Like the Virtual Boy, I consider the Game Boy Micro something of a historical curiosity that I will almost never play. But hey, if any of you have Micro faceplates just lying around, I can put them to good use!

RIDICULOUS SIZE COMPARISONS!

Micro next to a PSP-3000.

Micro next to an enormous 3DS XL.

I call this piece "Squares."

The Vita's screen is actually a little larger than the entire GBA Micro.

Power Girl approves.

[Swing low, sweet commando.]

277

TalkBack / Bionic Commando: Elite Forces (3DS VC) Review Mini

« on: January 08, 2015, 03:19:00 PM »

Swing low, sweet commando.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewmini/39349/bionic-commando-elite-forces-3ds-vc-review-mini

Bionic Commando Elite Forces is one of those Game Boy Color games that swung largely under the radar. It’s got a pedigree: Elite Forces was the first game developed by Nintendo Software Technologies, and it was published by Nintendo—not Capcom, who owned the license. It’s a sequel to the futuristic Game  Boy version of Bionic Commando (which is also on 3DS Virtual Console). Super Joe is kidnapped, and it’s up to two unnamed bionic soldiers to rescue him and take down the game’s villain, Arturus, who is trying to activate a long-dormant warship called the Albatross.

Elite Forces isn’t particularly pretty, with oddly drawn backgrounds and simplistic character sprites. However, the animation is wonderful and the music is some of the best on the GBC. There are even bizarre, but understandable, voice samples on the world map. You choose the male or female commando at the beginning of the game and start swinging through jungles, caverns, cities, and enemy bases. One of the great joys of this game is how each level demands intimate familiarity with the physics and limits of the grapple arm. With every stage you beat, a new piece of equipment is gleaned, giving you a constant feeling of progression. Brief sniper and top-down shooter segments break up the side-scrolling action, too.

The game is difficult, but not overly so. Some of the bosses (one in particular) are cheap and I recommend using Restore Points if you become frustrated. The toughest parts of the game involve swinging between very small blocks with an endless pit beneath you, but when you make it through a section like that with perfect timing? Oh, it feels good.

Elite Forces is certainly the best Bionic Commando game (I like it more than the recent Rearmed series) and I’m thrilled it’s on the 3DS Virtual Console. If you missed out on it, I highly recommend you check it out.

[Worth it...but only if you don't have a 3DS.]

278

TalkBack / Shantae and the Pirate's Curse Review (Wii U)

« on: January 08, 2015, 03:14:00 PM »

Worth it...but only if you don't have a 3DS.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/39348/shantae-and-the-pirates-curse-review-wii-u

Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse was one of my favorite games of 2014. It’s the game I always knew WayForward could make, and I was thrilled with the time and effort them committed to the project. Check out my review of the 3DS version for an overall breakdown of the game. For this review, I’m just going to talk about what’s different about the recently released Wii U version. Unfortunately, it lacks many of the bells and whistles that make the game so appealing in the first place.

The first thing you’ll notice is that the game’s default volume is way too loud—you’ll want to turn your TV’s volume down significantly. This problem plagued Mighty Switch Force HD as well. Unlike Mighty Switch Force HD but like its sequel, Pirate’s Curse is a straight 3DS port—the sprites and backgrounds have not been redrawn. Oddly, however, the item art on the sub-screen does look more impressive by comparison to their 3DS counterparts.

I just don’t think Pirate’s Curse blows up to a 51-inch screen all that attractively. It looks much smoother on the 3DS’ screen, though subtleties of the character animations are more obvious on the big screen. Overall, it just looks too pixelated, and the loss of the 3D effect is a bigger pain than I initially thought it would be. HD character portraits are nice, but their 3DS counterparts win out with their different “layers” (this was especially apparent on Risky Boots). The multi-layered environments, too, lose some appeal with the loss of 3D. The game just plain looked better on the 3DS—or even the 2DS, given the pixel-scaling problem.

The bottom line is that the Wii U version doesn’t make up for any lost features with its own unique features. Off-TV Play is nice, and the bounding box fits the GamePad, but at that point, you may as well just play it on the 3DS. Now, for gamers who have NO experience with the 3DS version, the Wii U version plays fine and its deficiencies won’t bother you, but it’s difficult to recommend if you already have the 3DS game—which is the definitive version by far. But if you have a choice—go with the portable version.For this review, I’m just going to talk about what’s different about the recently released Wii U version. Unfortunately, it lacks many of the bells and whistles that make the game so appealing in the first place.

*If anyone can offer a solution, that'd be great--it doesn't affect VC games.

UPDATE: I fixed the scaling issue. I just had to go into the Wii U Settings and shrink the bounding box a bit. Worked perfectly!

[I'm playing Mario Kart 8 again.]

279

TalkBack / Mario Kart 8 DLC Pack 1 Review

« on: December 01, 2014, 01:38:35 PM »

I'm playing Mario Kart 8 again.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/39135/mario-kart-8-dlc-pack-1-review

That opening statement, in itself, speaks to the draw of this new content. After it came out initially, back in May, I played enough Mario Kart 8 to realize that I still didn’t like single-player at the higher CC tiers, and while I did enjoy online multiplayer, the lack of voice chat during games meant it wasn’t all that different from playing against the computer. I got my fill of Mario Kart 8, and put it down.

Then the DLC announcements came. Mercedes-Benz cars come down the pipe, and we heard of a Season Pass that would add 16 news courses courses and significantly bulk up the character roster. I’m not really sure why anymore, but I bought the Season Pass. I was rewarded with multicolored Yoshis and Shy Guys.

But the first actual DLC track pack came through recently, and I’ve had a good amount of time to adjust to it. It’s really spectacular, but it doesn’t really change my overall feelings about the game.

Let’s talk about the new characters and karts first. Tanooki Mario, Cat Peach, and Link are the new characters. I find it disappointing that, rather than find other Mario characters to stuff in these games, we’re getting alternate versions of existing characters—Pink Metal Peach wasn’t bad enough? Get Toadette back in there, or Paratroopa or King Boo. You should run the Mario Kart character well dry before going to suit-versions of those characters. Link is the real star of the show, though. It’s the Skyward Sword version of the character, and he hoists his Master Sword to the sky when pulling off tricks. He fits in surprisingly well.

The new vehicles are more exciting—the Blue Falcon from F-Zero, the B-Dasher from Mario Kart DS, and the Master Cycle, which looks a little bit like a horse. The Master Cycle gets two custom parts, as well: Triforce Tires and the Hylian Kite glider. As usual, all these parts can be mixed and matched with existing karts and parts.

But the real action is in the two new cups: Egg Cup and Triforce Cup.

The Egg Cup comprises three brand-new tracks and one retro classic, and they are among the game’s more impressive. Yoshi Circuit, a Double Dash holdover, is a twisty, colorful course with one or two shortcuts that will put your drifting skills to the test. Of all the tracks, it’s the one that feels the least inspired, but it’s fun. Excitebike Arena is an interesting throwback in that it’s a 3D representation of the NES Excitebike track, so you’ll be avoiding patches of mud and taking a LOT of jumps off ramps. Despite being randomly generated (!!), the ramps are well-placed, encouraging you to chain multiple jumps together for an essentially continuous boost. Dragon Driftway is a crazy loop-de-loop of a course that is easily my favorite of the four new tracks. Mute City, which is from F-Zero, is straight-up insane. You’ll spend the whole time in hover mode, which is fitting, and the winding, speed-boost-heavy track is insanely fun. The music, of course, is also amazing.

The Triforce Cup is an odd mix of classic and brand-new courses. Wario’s Gold Mine makes a return from Mario Kart Wii, and it’s just as fun this time around. Rainbow Road is a remake of the SNES original, right down to the Thwomps, whose smash attacks cause the raceway to ripple (you can trick off the waves). The 90-degree corners can be harrowing, but if you can find your line, this is a great track. Ice Ice Outpost is a unique course with two occasionally-intersecting paths, neither of which is clearly superior to the other. Finally, the Hyrule Circuit provides a fairly easy but entertaining ride around and through Hyrule Castle. Watch out for the Deku Baba plants!

These are all great courses—my least favorite is the Yoshi Circuit, but only because every other new course makes it feel so vanilla by comparison. I said this back when Mario Kart 8’s hover-mode was first announced, and I still feel this way: F-Zero is dead, but Mario Kart is absorbing its core components. This theory is further validated with the inclusion of the Blue Falcon kart and the Mute City course. There are certainly plenty of differences between Mario Kart 8 and, say, F-Zero GX, but I’d rather have this than no F-Zero at all. The character selection is weak, and they’ve got to know that. Tanooki Mario and Cat Peach are basically shout-outs to Super Mario 3D World. I could give you a good long list of characters from previous Mario Kart games that could’ve been included instead. Link is great, though; he seems really happy to be here.

[I'm not nearly as good at Tetris as I thought.]

280

TalkBack / Tetris Ultimate Review

« on: November 24, 2014, 01:26:42 PM »

I'm not nearly as good at Tetris as I thought.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/39093/tetris-ultimate-review

Tetris seems to switch hands every few years. In 2011, Hudson Soft developed Tetris Axis, a game I liked well enough, and before that, Nintendo published the wonderful but short-lived Tetris DS. Tetris Ultimate is an Ubisoft product, and its focus is on competitive online Tetris. Did you know Tetris could be competitive? Not only can it be competitive, but people who are NOT me are incredibly good at it! Previously, I’d been under the impression that my Tetris skills were pretty good, but now I’m convinced I’m the worst Tetris player ever.

Tetris Ultimate features plenty of offline single-player modes that provide a twist on classic Tetris gameplay. Along with the standard Endless Mode, you can try and get to Level 15 (in which blocks basically appear directly on the top of the stack), clear 40 lines in the shortest amount of time, get the highest score you can in 3 minutes, and take part in some interesting battle modes which I’ll talk about in a minute. There are brutal but unique Challenge modes that unlock the more you play, too. The first two alone are virtually impossible: fixed-position Tetris, where you can’t rotate the blocks, and Invisible Tetris, which is exactly what it sounds like. These modes are not fun, but they do offer interesting, masochistic challenges for the extremely skilled Tetris player.

But it’s the online play that’s going to draw you in the most. Depending on the mode, you can play with up to seven other people and even set up communities, like in Mario Kart 7. Connecting is very simple—you get online and join a random game type. Unfortunately, for all of the multiplayer I played, 90% of it took place in normal Battle mode. Nobody was playing in other modes, and I quickly learned that I suck at online Battle mode. It’s a little like Puzzle League: clearing lines and getting combos sends junk blocks to your opponent’s screen. Turns out, everybody  is better than me at competitive Tetris.

Thankfully, as long as you’re connected to Wi-Fi, you will have constant access to a Friends List leaderboard, which gives you both something to strive for in the single-player modes and also something to cry about once you realize that your friends are much better than you at Tetris. It even gives you a “next score to beat” notification, like Geometry Wars 2 did. It’s satisfying and not as soul-crushing as competitive online Tetris.

The graphics are, you know, Tetris-appropriate. I’m happy that the Tetraminos are made up of individual blocks and aren’t solid shapes as they were in Tetris Worlds from 2002. They look a little bit like the NES “bubble blocks,” which I appreciate. The music is not fantastic—bizarre techno-remixes of classic Tetris themes. The music in the Game Boy game is better than this.

If Tetris is your thing, this is a great package, and the online component—especially the leaderboards—are welcome and robust. I just wish people were playing more game types than  Battle mode. While it doesn't offer the zany game types or interesting visuals of Tetris DS, this is a better offering than Tetris Axis by far.

[A lovely translation of the physical card game, warts and all.]

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TalkBack / Pokemon Trading Card Game (3DS VC) Review Mini

« on: November 24, 2014, 01:17:58 PM »

A lovely translation of the physical card game, warts and all.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewmini/39092/pokemon-trading-card-game-3ds-vc-review-mini

Shortly after Pokémon Red & Blue launched in the United States, Wizards of the Coast started publishing the trading card game, which might best be described as Magic: The Gathering but less complicated. I fell head over heels in love with it—booster packs were my crack, and I spent every spare dime I had at the comic shop on them. I was even a member of the local Pokémon League, and I won two badges in the brief time that group existed. At some point, we got a virtual version of the TCG on the Game Boy Color, and it actually came with a promotional Meowth card that I still own and treasure. But the game itself is wonderful, and very faithful to the original card game.

The metagame is structured similarly to the core Pokémon games: you are an up-and-coming card game player out to win the “Legendary Cards” from the master players, but to do so, you must win badges from gym leaders throughout your home island. Each gym focuses on different Pokémon types, of course, and your challenge is to take a starter deck and modify it over time to fit whatever scenario you’re being faced with. Instead of winning money from battles, you’ll win booster packs so you can slowly accrue an impressive collection of cards. When you win a given badge, you’ll gain access to several pre-made decks—assuming you have the right cards to build them.

Building up your collection becomes the game’s biggest grind, but opening booster packs is always a thrill. There are some unique Game Boy-only cards in this virtual card game, and they slot into the rest of the cards in a natural way (quite a few leverage the ability to randomize outcomes). None of your opponents have terribly well-constructed decks, and I was able to blow through seven of the eight Gyms by continually modifying my “Squirtle & Friends” starter deck. But it will take you a long time before you can have even TWO complete, competent decks. Boosters are experience in this game.

The game isn’t necessarily for everybody—I’d say that people with a fondness for the original TCG will get the most out of the game. For others, it may have quite a difficulty curve. My one real complaint—the same now as it was back in 2000—is that the coin flips are pre-determined, so Restore Points won’t save you from an unfavorable outcome. The only way to remedy is bad coin flip is to load your Restore Point, use a coin flip action that you don’t mind losing, and hope the next coin-flip action is a success.I heartily recommend the Pokémon TCG video game. It’s a faithful adaptation of the real card game and has charm for days.

[This week, we discuss the best music from fighting games and answer your listener mail!]

282

Podcast Discussion / Episode 158: KIller Cut

« on: November 23, 2014, 04:05:30 AM »

This week, we discuss the best music from fighting games and answer your listener mail!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/connectivity/39085/episode-158-killer-cut

Hello and welcome to this week's Connectivity! So happy you could take a break from Smashing and Pokémoning to join us. We have two segments for you this week.

Kicking the show off, Zach and Scott talk about the best music from fighting games. Featuring music from Killer Instinct, Street Fighter II, Marvel VS Capcom, Soul Calibur 2, and more, this segment illustrates that there's more to fighting games than frame counts and button combos.

After that, Alex and Addison answer your listener mail. You can tall Smash Bros. fever is in there air, as the boys spend most of the segment talking about Nintendo's brawler and amiibo support.

You can send us more listener mail or your submission for best Smash Bros. music by clicking here. And if you have a moment, please rate and review the show on iTunes. We'll see you next week!

283

Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 157: The Stupid Hammer Ruined It

« on: November 19, 2014, 01:42:12 PM »

@ClexYoshi: That's basically what I'm saying--the holdover items (Claw & Tornado) have no purpose in this game after you get the Wind Crest. And if memory serves, you only need Tornado to get the Wind Crest. And why don't your fire abilities stack? Why do I have to equip the Buster attack? At least let me switch equipment with L or R!

Also, the wolf boss on the ice mountain level? WAAAAAAY too much HP. Good lord.

@Guillaume, I think we're approaching this from different viewpoints. When I was thirteen, I agree, I had all the time in the world to figure this stuff out. There are plenty of games that were obscure as hell that I powered through because I had the time and the energy to do it. But I'm 32 now. I don't want to have to work at it to enjoy something. If I'm getting frustrated by a game, I can look at the Internet or Miiverse, sure, and I'm glad you can because otherwise I would've given up on Demon's Crest pretty quickly.

The point is, I have a lot of games I could be playing that I immediately enjoy. That don't require any level of "figuring out." I have no desire to put a bunch of work into a game in order to begin enjoying it. It should be enjoyable from the word "go." The whole time I was playing Demon's Crest, I kept thinking "I just switch over to Bayonetta."

[Did you like the Game Boy game? Then you'll like its sequel.]

284

TalkBack / Gargoyle's Quest II: The Demon Darkness (Wii U VC) Review Mini

« on: November 18, 2014, 04:51:56 PM »

Did you like the Game Boy game? Then you'll like its sequel.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewmini/39063/gargoyles-quest-ii-the-demon-darkness-wii-u-vc-review-mini

The original Gargoyle’s Quest, a Game Boy offshoot of the Ghosts & Goblins series, is an interesting beast. Your character, Firebrand, wanders around a very RPG-like overworld map filled with towns, NPCs, and items. Random encounters, however, as well as individual “levels,” warp you into side-scrolling action/platformer areas where Firebrand uses his powers of flight, fire-breathing, and wall-clinging. Throughout the adventure, Firebrand upgrades his flight time, attack power, and HP. It’s a very strange little hybrid, but it’s solid and fun. Gargoyle’s Quest 2 is an NES sequel that’s basically the same game, but in color. If you liked the original, you’ll like this sequel just as much (if not more).

This time, Firebrand is off to defend the Ghoul Realm from yet another magical overlord. He does this in the exact same way: traveling around a large RPG-like overworld map, visiting towns, talking to NPCs, and upgrading his armor and abilities for side-scrolling action/platformer stages. There are no random encounters this time, however.

The game isn’t overly-difficult. It’s pretty much on-par with its Game Boy predecessor, largely because of the same issue: the screen doesn’t show enough of the level, so you’re constantly dropping down blind paths and falling on spikes or getting hit by respawning enemies. Firebrand’s powers are also largely lifted from the original, and the late-game stages make use of all of them in satisfying ways. Some of the bosses are cheap in that “random NES attack pattern” way, but none of them are downright frustrating—Restore Points will alleviate some anxiety here.

It all looks good, with big sprites and colorful, surprisingly intricate levels. The overworld stuff could’ve used more work (don't be afraid to talk to people more than once). The music is usually pretty forgettable, but there are some catchy tracks here and there.

I like the Gargoyle’s Quest games, possibly more than Demon’s Crest, crazy as that might be. They’re charming and experimental, with rock-solid platforming and really interesting level design. If you've never played the Game Boy game, you may as well just pick up this NES game—it’s largely the same, but in color.

285

Movies & TV / Re: New Movies/TV Shows we should keep an eye out for!

« on: November 16, 2014, 07:46:21 PM »

Has anyone been following season 3 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?  The series has taken an interesting turn for the first 5 episodes.  Focusing on the Turtles away from New York and healing Leonardo back.  They have basically spent 5 episodes so far showing that the battle for New York last season had real consequences.  The relationships and change in dynamic is great, and Ralph is growing and becoming a leader himself.  I am sure this will set up to another Ralph verse Leo battle in the future. 

The other thing is they have been playing with pop culture references particularly horror movies and the show has this strange blend of dark humor with children's show action.  There really isn't anything quite like it on television, and it is fun to see the creators taking their time with the story. 

I am sure we will soon be moving back to New York.  I am going to guess 2 more episodes, but as of right now, I have enjoyed this break. 

Replacing Jason Biggs with Seth Green made my stomach turn. Seth Green isn't capable of sounding like anybody other than Seth Green. He doesn't even try. But the Northampton episodes have been interesting, but kind of hit or miss. The episode with Bigfoot just made me want to cry, it was so terrible, but the April's mom episode was great.

[Takes a little time, sometimes, to get your wings back in the air.]

286

TalkBack / Demon's Crest (Wii U VC) Review Mini

« on: November 14, 2014, 01:40:00 PM »

Takes a little time, sometimes, to get your wings back in the air.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewmini/39036/demons-crest-wii-u-vc-review-mini

Demon’s Crest is one of those mythical SNES games that had low print runs, so very few people had the chance to play it back in 1994. I recall a blurb from an old Nintendo Power claiming that it actually generated “negative sales,” meaning that more people returned the game than actually bought it. Given how strict Nintendo has been about Western localization and walling off religious symbolism, it’s a miracle that Demon’s Crest was ever brought over here to begin with. Over time its legend has grown, and Capcom finally put it on Wii U Virtual Console for everyone to enjoy, or, at the very least, try to enjoy.

Demon’s Crest is a strange hybrid of Mega Man X and Gargoyle’s Quest. You play as Firebrand, a demon who’s tasked with stopping archenemy Phalanx from taking over the Demon Realm. Much like in previous Gargoyle’s Quest games, Firebrand explores a large overworld map (this time in stunning Mode 7), traveling to distinct levels in hopes of taking down bosses as well as finding items and movement upgrades. The difference here is that there are fewer levels, but each level has at least one branching path. Additionally, through great effort, Firebrand can find Demon Crests, which transform him and give him new abilities. The Earth Demon, for instance, can smash certain objects but cannot fly, while the Hawk Demon has impressive flight abilities but can’t grip walls. You can also go into shops to play a “Whack-a-Mole” variant and buy potions and damage-dealing spells.

You’ll also find minor upgrades to Firebrand’s default arsenal. For instance, you can acquire fireballs that break certain walls or miniature tornados that double as temporary platforms. While some of these items are useless or redundant, Health Upgrades are always welcome. You’ll also find vials for carrying potions and spell scrolls for… spells. Finally, you’ll find the occasional Talisman that gives you permanent stat boosts; however, you can only equip one at a time.

My biggest knock against this game is that it’s one of the more obtuse Capcom platformers. There’s a lot to take in here, and the game doesn’t explain itself at all. Sure, the digital manual helps, but not as much as you’d hope. You’ll be backtracking as much as you did in Mega Man X3, but, unfortunately, Demon’s Crest doesn’t feature the speed and “holy crap I’m powerful” edge that the X games do. Firebrand is fairly plodding, and it takes a really long time before you start feeling truly empowered. You’ll also be taking frequent trips to the pause screen to equip/upequip different things because, apparently, cycling through powers with the L/R buttons would just make too much sense. You only have access to three levels at first (I’m not counting the intro stage), and more eventually open up, but I can’t figure out what the triggers are. As I said, Demon’s Crest is silent on this point.

That said, the game’s visuals are stunning, with big, detailed sprites and gothic backgrounds that wouldn’t look out of place in a Castlevania game. The soundtrack isn’t as catchy or energetic as the X games, but Demon’s Crest is going for a different tone. While I can’t say I’m a huge fan, the music is interesting nonetheless. The bosses, by the way, are generally awesome and can be incredibly challenging, though sometimes to the point of frustration if you’re not using the right weapon for the job. As such, I recommend liberal use of Restore Points.

Demon’s Crest didn’t really live up to the hype for me, as it took a lot of patience and research before I started enjoying myself. Maybe I’m just getting cranky in my old age, but I don’t want to have to work to enjoy something. While Mega Man X is a blast right out of the gate, Demon’s Crest is a much slower burn, but worth the trouble once it clicks.

[Let the bodies hit the floor.]

287

TalkBack / The Swapper Review

« on: November 13, 2014, 01:25:00 PM »

Let the bodies hit the floor.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/39029/the-swapper-review

The Swapper is an interesting physics-based puzzle game whose gameplay might best be described as a morbid take on the Double Cherry from Super Mario 3D World. You duplicate yourself to solve puzzles, gather items, and move through an abandoned space station; it isn’t terribly nuanced. When you jump, your clones jump. When you move left or right, your clones move left or right. The unsettling depth comes from the ability to transport—or “swap”—direct control between your clones so that their inevitable death is not YOUR death. It is strongly implied that you are swapping your mind or perhaps your soul between manufactured bodies.

The story is mostly uneventful. You seemingly are an astronaut transported to an abandoned space station, and your goal (I assume) is to leave and, while you’re doing that, figure out what happened. Along the way, you’ll encounter the rare NPC and a bunch of talking space rocks. The plot did not get into Moon or Oblivion territory like I assumed it would, and seems to focus more on the talking rocks. This was disappointing to me, as the moral and ethical ramifications of creating largely disposable clone bodies are far more interesting to me, and while those issues are raised, they aren’t really explored.You’ll spend most of your time exploring the space station until you can’t activate some piece of equipment without X number of power orbs, requiring you to run around finding puzzle rooms with orbs sitting in very inconvenient places. Of course, you must use your clones to get an orb. The trick is that you must be controlling the clone that collects it for the pickup to “count.” Various obstacles complicate things—colored lights that inhibit cloning, swapping, or both, and gravity wells that act like conveyor belts. I was impressed by how hands-off the game is; after telling you about cloning, swapping, and pushing/pulling objects, you’re basically left to your own devices and you have to figure out how to get around from there.

This approach leads to a lot of “eureka” moments. One particularly effective example involved a vertical shaft and an offset area where the orb sat. How do I get to that orb? And once I do, how do you get back up that long, vertical shaft? That was another eureka moment with disturbing consequences. I find the game is enjoyed best in small doses. It gets very easy to start overthinking a particularly vexing puzzle, and coming back to it the next day, with fresh eyes, often leads to success. The game has also been out for awhile on other platforms, so if you’re ever completely stuck, there are FAQs to help you out (or you could hit up Miiverse).Incredibly, much of the game is photo-realistic, as it was created in the same way one would craft a stop-motion animated film.

Unfortunately, the dark lighting and small characters make this detail difficult to appreciate. Unlike Skullmonkeys or Primal Rage, the game does not wear its Claymation roots on its sleeve. The sound design is unique and unsettling. Aside from the creepy atmosphere of the space station itself, the horrific impact noise of your clone’s corpses after a lengthy drop is always uncomfortable. I do have a few complaints: the game’s map is displayed on the Wii U GamePad, but I didn’t find it particularly helpful aside from gauging my own distance from whatever my goal was. I wish you could zoom in; there were many times were I didn’t notice a moveable object because everything is so damn small. Your character’s running and jumping animations look half-baked, and I was constantly irritated by the fact that he (or she) walks forward or backward, and will only turn around when you use the right stick to look somewhere else. I was reminded of The Fall, another space game I recently reviewed. There were times I wished the camera would zoom OUT in that game. Here, I wish it would zoom IN.

But the core gameplay—puzzle-solving with clones—is distinctly enjoyable. In a way, it reminded me of the Clank puzzles in Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time, but on a 2D plane. If that kind of puzzle-solving is up your ally, I’d give The Swapper a try.

[I hope you like SHMUPs!]

288

TalkBack / Ballpoint Universe: Infinite Review

« on: November 02, 2014, 01:26:36 PM »

I hope you like SHMUPs!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/38903/ballpoint-universe-infinite-review

On the surface, Ballpoint Universe is a masterstroke in creativity. Everything has been hand-drawn, from the environments to the characters and their animations. This game is beautiful in a mind-bending way, with an aesthetic that could be described as intricate doodles in your notepad come to life. Unfortunately, the game wastes most of that creativity on tedious shoot ‘em up gameplay that gets old and frustrating very quickly.

You play as a bird-like doodle who springs to life one day and is immediately recruited into a war between creative doodles and the abstract “Logicians,” who I can only imagine want things to be proper, dammit, and don’t appreciate the levels of abstraction that even they themselves exhibit. Bird-boy runs around a 2D, horizontal world with minor platforming elements but no combat. His only purpose seems to be talking to other doodles, finding Golden Sketches (this game’s one collectable) and being sent traverseing the shooting segments, which are the bulk of gameplay.

Every other creature you interact with pulls you out of an otherwise whimsical experience and thrusts you into a confusing and frustrating shooting mission. Before taking off, you must customize your paper ship’s loadout, which is a confusing process with no instructions (the game doesn’t even have a digital manual). Essentially, you equip two weapons, a special attack, and a body type. New parts in each category can be purchased or upgraded with Ink. You’ll need a lot of Ink to progress. There is some strategy in that guns tend to be weak, but spears and blades are auto-activating melee weapons that are incredibly powerful but require you to get up close and personal with enemies.

Then it’s off to the races, in which you go through a short horizontal shooting segment populated by doodles that shoot at you with an often multi-segmented boss at the end. Kill enough enemies and you can activate your ship’s special attack, but if you die, your hit counter resets, which is kind of irritating. The game’s aesthetic is the biggest barrier here—enemy shots are red, and if you’re stuck with a background that’s in the red spectrum, you’re kind of screwed. Some areas are heavy on object avoidance, but the exact bounds of your ship’s hitbox are not at all clear.

As charming as the aesthetic is initially, the buzz wears off once you realize that the platforming segments are really just filler—a way to get from shooting mission to shooting mission. And the design of the overworld somehow manages to be confusing, despite the fact that it’s entirely horizontal (there’s a lot of moving to and from different planes). The aesthetic doesn’t work well in the shooting missions either, as the gross details disappear at any distance. The music is either terrible or dull, and some of the sound effects make me want to stab my eardrums—like bird-boy’s jumping sound, which you hear a lot.

Ballpoint Universe: Infinite is certainly interesting, but it’s also extremely repetitious and kind of boring. The platforming falls flat, and even fans of the genre will find it hard to like the frustrating shoot ‘em up segments

[If you only play one Castlevania game, make it this one.]

289

TalkBack / Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (Wii U VC) Review

« on: November 02, 2014, 01:22:45 PM »

If you only play one Castlevania game, make it this one.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewmini/38902/castlevania-aria-of-sorrow-wii-u-vc-review

Replaying these Game Boy Advance Castlevania games has been instructive. Circle of the Moon came in 2001 as a system launch game. It had its share of hardware-specific problems, but overall it’s a strong entry in the series. Harmony of Dissonance, which launched in 2002, marked series veteran Koji Igarashi’s return, but I feel the game is flawed in many respects. It’s amazing, really, to think that he perfected the formula a year later with Aria of Sorrow. This is, bar none, the best Castlevania game on the GBA and arguably the best Symphony-era Castlevania game ever made.

The first movement forward is the storyline: the game takes place in 2035, following Dracula’s final destruction (no, really) by the Belmonts in 1999. Soma Cruz and his friend Mina visit a shrine during a solar eclipse and are transported to a mysterious castle. Soma shows an unexpected ability to absorb the powers of the castle’s monsters, and during his exploration, meets a colorful cast of characters who believe that Dracula will soon be reincarnated. The story is genuinely interesting, and without giving too much away, I’m happy to say that you never actually fight Dracula.

The other big change is to the magic system. There are no subweapons—Soma is constantly absorbing new powers from his foes, and they are divided into three broad categories: weapons, summons, and buffs. You’ll constantly be experimenting with the new powers you find. Soma also finds traditional move set-increasing souls, like a double jump and a backdash. You’ll also find armor, accessories, and tons of interesting weapons to play with. Soul collection becomes a major emphasis in the game, as every enemy’s soul has a different drop rate. On the GBA, players could actually connect their systems and exchange souls like Pokémon, but of course this ability isn’t present here. The level design is improved from Harmony of Dissonance. There’s just one enormous castle divided into distinct areas. As in Circle of the Moon, there are many breakable walls, but they are unfortunately not differentiated—I recommend looking at an online map, as much of the most overpowered equipment is hidden in secret rooms. However, because Aria’s castle is not painfully duplicated as in Harmony, the game is quite a bit shorter. To make up for this, Aria is much tougher than Harmony. While I rarely felt outright under-leveled, having the right loadout often meant the difference between life and death.

It may take some work to get the game’s true ending, which culminates in an epic, abstract final boss. Despite the relative brevity of the main game, finding all the souls will take some doing (and you ARE rewarded for it). There’s an unlockable Hard mode, in which at least one exclusive weapon is found, and a great version of Boss Rush that encourages speed running with exclusive weapons and armor as time-based rewards. You can also play through the game as Julius Belmont, but since his weapons and abilities are set from the beginning, his progression is quicker and it’s not quite as satisfying.

To me, this is the best Symphony-era Castlevania game, and definitely one that everybody should experience.

290

TalkBack / Re: Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (Wii U VC) Review Mini

« on: October 26, 2014, 08:20:31 PM »

Did not know about those controller shortcuts--thanks.

As I've continued to press through the game, my disdain for it has increased. The level design is extremely poor--it's impossible to know whether you're in Castle A or Castle B without consulting the map, and your progress is blocked at every turn not by things that require a new move (like a double jump or slide), but by arbitrary locked doors. Where are the keys? I'm consulting FAQs over here. When you get Maxim's ring, you shouldn't have to equip it to get through the locked door. That **** should just unlock because it's in your inventory.

Things like that, and all the locked doors (or doors you need to open with a switch) really piss me off.

291

Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 155: Cheesecake Angle

« on: October 26, 2014, 08:17:37 PM »

Also, I'd like to day that Kotaku is FINALLY talking about Gamergate because the actions of Gamergate have gotten Intel, Mercedes, BMW, and several other partners to pull their Advertising partnerships with Gawker Media.


The reason the Mysogynist angle of it has 'overshadowed' the folks who have given money to charities like the Fine Young Capitalists, Unicef, and various Anti-bullying charities is because the controlled end of the information (The Press) are the ones under fireand always bring it back to the idiots who doxx and threaten. all the while, you have tweets like http://puu.sh/cr0uO/8b3841a3d0.png From one Earnest W. Adams http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_W._Adams that seem incredibly threatening to any Indie Dev who wants to make any pro-Gamergate buzz. There's dirty laundry on both sides of this. Ugliness lies on both ends of the line when discussing Gamergate.

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Jenn Frank re-emerge to continue to support anti-gamergate stuff after being scorned off the interwebz?

We all said it in the segment, and I'll say it again: people with legitimate concerns about ethical games journalism need to start a new hashtag and distance themselves from "GameGate," which has become toxic and, yes, overpowered by harassment. I don't understand the constant calls from people to get the media to rescue that hashtag. It's not worth saving. Just develop a new hashtag! It's not difficult!

[Learn the ins and outs of digital painting with Pokémon!]

292

TalkBack / Pokémon Art Academy Review

« on: October 23, 2014, 03:43:49 AM »

Learn the ins and outs of digital painting with Pokémon!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/38804/pokemon-art-academy-review

Before I had a brain abscess that nearly killed me a few years ago, I wouldn’t go anywhere without a sketchpad. While I came away from that medical crisis fine physiologically speaking, the abscess destroyed my desire to draw. I made cursory attempts to get back into the swing of things with a Wacom tablet and art books, but it just hasn’t stuck. Lately, I’ve felt like I really should make a serious attempt to revitalize my artistic spirit, so when Pokémon Art Academy crossed my path, I reasoned that if anything was going to get me back in the habit, it was Pikachu.

Pokémon Art Academy does two things, and it does them very well: it teaches you the basics of drawing—things like sketching, shading, inking, coloring, and working with different types of media—and also teaches you how to do all this on a digital canvas. The game’s plot is also near and dear to my heart: you’re enrolled in the Pokémon Art Academy in order to learn how to draw Pokémon and eventually illustrate Pokémon Trading Card Game cards. When I was much younger, I used to print out and illustrate my own Pokémon cards. So, in a way, Pokémon Art Academy is a dream come true.

It’s hard to imagine a piece of art software more custom-tailored to my specific needs, but here it is. You and a fellow student named Lily are given lessons by a mustachioed professor on everything from line-drawing and painting to paint opacity and canvas layers. There are main lessons, where the professor shows you, step-by-step, how to do something, and then two or three mini-lessons, where the main point is reinforced. I might be inclined to complain that some lessons last a little too long, but I was learning important skills for digital painting. You rise through the ranks of student from apprentice to graduate, and you’ll learn the eight core rules of drawing Pokémon.

You can also free paint on a blank canvas or try to duplicate a variety of sketchy Pokémon that display on the top screen while you’re given free reign, more or less, on the bottom. There’s a lot of freedom, and as more drawing tools “unlock” in the lessons, the wider your potential range becomes.

The biggest issues come down to hardware issues, though. Frankly, the touch screen on the 3DS is not a great canvas, and the stylus is not a great paintbrush. You have to zoom in for any measure of accuracy, and drawing long lines—like the body outline of, say, Jigglypuff—is frustrating because you have no place to comfortably rest the side of your hand, as you would with a real drawing pad or Wacom tablet. The stylus is just a piece of plastic and isn’t sensitive to pressure, so rather than manually adjusting line weight or paint thickness in the moment, you’re constantly going into the tool bar and switching your instruments. I got tired of this pretty quickly, though the game does auto-smooth your lines if you’ve got a twitchy hand, and it does a good job of segregating thick body outlines from thin, detail-oriented lines. You rarely have to transition from one to the other.

And of course the touch screen is neither large enough (even on the XL) or high definition enough to get the kind of fine detail that you’d want if you were doing this for real. Cintiq tablets are the gold standard for digital art, and they are oddly the closest comparison to this game, as you’re drawing directly on the screen in both cases. However, most Cintiq tablets are enormous and high definition. Even with the finest pencil line, zoomed all the way in, I felt like I was using crayons in Pokémon Art Academy. I also feel like your training partner, Lily, is complete idiot. I understand she’s there to make you feel better about your own outcomes, but she scrawls with all the grace and consistency of a hyperactive toddler. Yeah, my drawing is better than Lily’s, but that’s not saying much!

You can save your art to the SD card for later transfer (and printing) to a PC or post pictures on Miiverse, but I was disappointed that there was no Twitter integration. I used that feature to death in Tomodachi Life, so I was half-expecting it here. Oh well. Despite my few complaints, Pokémon Art Academy is doing exactly what I needed it to do: provide a crash course on basic art techniques and teach me the ins and outs of digital painting. Opacity was a particularly big insight for me. I may not be all the way back in the drawing saddle, but this game has certainly helped me back on the horse.

[It's the portable Symphony of the Night you always (?) wanted.]

293

TalkBack / Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (Wii U VC) Review Mini

« on: October 22, 2014, 02:38:31 PM »

It's the portable Symphony of the Night you always (?) wanted.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewmini/38803/castlevania-harmony-of-dissonance-wii-u-vc-review-mini

Harmony of Dissonance, the second of the three GBA Castlevania games, was hailed as Koji Igarashi’s return to the series. Clearly not impressed with Circle of the Moon, Igarashi brought the whole concept back to Symphony of the Night—to the point where many enemies and bosses from that game make cameos, and the game’s second half takes place in an inverted castle. Many background effects from Symphony return, and the equipment system seems lifted wholesale as well.

The problem is that, in an effort to atone for the dark color scheme of Circle, Igarashi has turned the colors up to 11 in this game—everything is bright and garish, and hero Juste Belmont is surrounded by a thick blue outline and a blue “mouse trail” wherever he goes. Plenty of enemies are multi-segmented, but the sprite rotation does not  look good. This aesthetic is off-putting, and the character sprites—larger than they were in Circle—are awkward and pixelated, even with screen-smoothing turned on. Compared to Circle of the Moon and Aria of Sorrow (the next game in the series), Harmony of Dissonance stands out like  a sore thumb. It’s an ugly game.

The music is either charmingly retro or decidedly unsophisticated. If there’s a way to say the music sounds pixelated, that’s what it sounds like. The smooth harmonies of Circle of the Moon, seemingly composed on actual instruments, have been replaced by synthesizers with an 8-bit filter. Again, by comparison to Circle and Aria, there’s just no contest.

Happily, the castle is enormous, and there’s plenty of equipment and items to find. Juste uses a combination of traditional Castlevania subweapons (now including a “punch”) plus element-based spell books to mix up the combat. There are some interesting combinations here, but unfortunately you have to go into the menu every time you want to turn on, turn off, or change spellbooks. Most of the time, I left them off for this reason. You’ve also got the usual HP/MP/Heart upgrades strewn about.

While you have plenty of combat options, the game is never difficult.  This is one of the easiest Castlevania games in recent memory—Symphony of the Night was more punishing (but not by much). The most enjoyable part of this game is the exploration, as you’re constantly finding new equipment and upgrades. This is not a bad game; it’s just  completely outdone by its adjacent entries. You’ll get some enjoyment out of it, but it’s also okay to skip Harmony of Dissonance.

294

TalkBack / Re: Shantae and the Pirate's Curse Review

« on: October 22, 2014, 08:40:15 PM »

It took me just over eight hours to get 100% item completion my first time through Pirate's Curse. Other people are reporting ten hours. By comparison, my first trip through Risky's Revenge was probably in the neighborhood of four-five hours, but that's because the map and warp points in Risky's Revenge are impractical/useless. I won't say how many dungeons are in Pirate's Curse, but you'll figure it out very quickly once you get into the story.
Also, I was able to speed-run Risky's Revenge down to 1:50. And it doesn't have an unlockable speedrun-encouraging bonus mode. Speed running in Pirate's Curse takes longer but is FAR more enjoyable.

295

General Chat / Re: Halbred's Paleo-News Thread

« on: October 22, 2014, 02:39:07 PM »

I'LL JUST LEAVE THIS HERE.
http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2014/10/22/deinocheirus-exposed-meet-the-body-behind-the-terrible-hand/
 

296

TalkBack / Re: Shantae and the Pirate's Curse Review

« on: October 22, 2014, 12:49:43 PM »

Oh, I love it. But I know that some people thought it was overdone in Risky's Revenge, so...fair warning.

[A fitting finale to the Shantae trilogy.]

297

TalkBack / Shantae and the Pirate's Curse Review

« on: October 21, 2014, 04:17:36 PM »

A fitting finale to the Shantae trilogy.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/38798/shantae-and-the-pirates-curse-review

WayForward has created some of my favorite games of the last decade. They developed the excellent A Boy & His Blob, the Mighty Switch Force games, and DuckTales: Remastered. These are talented people with real passion for their craft. I liked Shantae on the GBC and I really liked its DSiWare sequel, Risky’s Revenge. Both of those games, however, have their share of problems. The original features an inverted difficulty curve and an overzealous map. The sequel has a pared-back map, but a confusing cave system, impractical warp system, and a short length. I had high hopes for Pirate’s Curse, the wrap-up to the Shantae trilogy, but its many delays and persistent lack of a release date worried me. Well, after finishing it up on 3DS, it’s clear that the lengthy development time did wonders for Pirate’s Curse. This isn’t just the best Shantae game; it may be WayForward’s greatest achievement to date.

Without getting into the plot details, Shantae must deal with the consequences of the last game: the mayor sold Scuttle Town to the Ammo Baron and Risky Boots stole Shantae’s magical powers away. There will be no belly-dancing or animal transforming in this game. When Risky Boots comes around asking for Shantae’s help to defeat an ancient evil, Shantae must do so as a pirate. The story is charming, the writing is wonderful, and the character portraits—by IntiCreates—fit the game extremely well.

Pirate's Curse features numerous improvements to the usual Shantae formula. Rather than traveling across one enormous horizontal world, Shantae travels from island to island, each of which features a Metroid-esque level design. You’ll want to visit most islands more than once after your moveset improves to collect Heart Squid (aka Pieces of Heart) and defeat specific plot-related enemies. Most stages have specific challenges, like carrying zombie friend Rottytops through an undead obstacle course, or escaping a desert palace while hiding from guards. I was constantly surprised by the unique qualities of each island. You’ll also run a number of quests for NPCs on all of the islands in order to move along in the game.

Shantae’s attacks have also broadened. She can upgrade both the speed at which she can whip her hair and the amount of damage she deals. She can also upgrade the damage-dealing potential of two of her pirate weapons as well as learn a variety of new abilities. Additionally, subweapons are a finite resource this time around, but can be purchased or dropped by enemies.

Each island also hides a dungeon, which itself contains a new item. It’s all pirate gear; the first thing you find is a flintlock pistol that can be used to attack enemies but also to hit far-away switches. Most items have a dual role in both combat and level traversal. The dungeons are shorter than they were in Risky’s Revenge, but they’re also tighter and more focused. You’ll rarely get lost because the map system in Pirate’s Curse is actually useful—it’s straight out of Super Metroid. I was disappointed by the bosses, who are all ridiculously easy, especially if you make use of the easy-to-collect power-boosting items.

Pirate’s Curse looks great, basically a better-looking version of Risky’s Revenge with more detailed environments and some cool-looking bosses. You’ll want to play with the 3D turned all the way up, too. Layering is done to great effect, and even the character art during cut scenes is somehow in 3D. It’s an interesting effect that I certainly got a kick out of.

The music, composed by WayForward’s usual composer Jake Kaufman (aka virt) is astounding. My wife, who can’t be bothered to listen to video game music, was actually dancing in the kitchen when I had the zombie island music turned up. There are brand-new tracks and excellent remixes of old themes from both Risky’s Revenge and the original Shantae. I was delighted to hear a modernized version of the dungeon theme from the GBC game in here. But let me give special kudos to the music in the “robot” dungeon. I’m not gonna lie—I got a little misty-eyed. I can only compare it to the music during the final fight with Ganon at the end of Ocarina of Time: it is perfect for the situation and conveys a certain weight that’s extremely hard to pull off.

Once you beat the game, you unlock a sort of New Game Plus mode that should give speed runners something to do. Plus, beating the game under certain conditions unlocks new title screen wallpapers. It’s fun to try and collect them all.

Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse is a must-play game. If you’ve enjoyed the previous Shantae games at all, or you just like well-designed platforming action games, this is something special.

298

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo World Report: Powered Off - Radio Free Nintendo Special

« on: October 16, 2014, 05:59:53 PM »

I'm happy to be able to inspire James during Now Playing segments! My girlie figure collection has swollen, if you will, to include something like 54 figures. I will never live down Bird & Beans or my Castlevania hate, but that's okay. Jon's wrong about Castlevania anyway. 

This was a great issue of Powered Off. I read most of it during lunch. Very insightful, and I'm proud of you guys for keeping RFN on the air and amazing every week for 400 episodes. It's always a highlight of my podcast menu. Now where's the iTunes/Android app?

299

TalkBack / Re: On Disagreement and Vilification

« on: October 15, 2014, 04:00:09 PM »

Well put, Scott.
And I totally missed Guillaume's Twitter conversation about Bayonetta 2.  I fully intend to get the game. I don't have a problem with the overt sexuality because it's such blatant lampshading--all in good fun, like Senran Kagura or, to a lesser extent, the Dead or Alive series.
But I agree that the point--vilification of those we disagree with--has got to stop.
I also think that "GamerGate" involves several different and unrelated arguments about video game culture that have been unfortunately unified by an incredibly broad, meaningless hashtag. Games journalism is one part of it, but vitriol against game criticism, and the people doing that criticism, is another.
This might be a good podcast discussion.

[Now you can actually see the game without a Worm Light.]

300

TalkBack / Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (Wii U VC) Review Mini

« on: October 14, 2014, 03:12:14 PM »

Now you can actually see the game without a Worm Light.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewmini/38742/castlevania-circle-of-the-moon-wii-u-vc-review-mini

Castlevania: Circle of the Moon was the Game Boy Advance’s most ambitious launch game. It was also virtually unplayable on the original GBA, but by no fault of its own. The game’s dark color palette and small (but detailed) sprites paired with the system’s lack of a backlight meant that, even in an ideal lighting situation, players were left straining their eyes at this otherwise beautiful game. While the GBA SP and the Game Boy Player did make the game more playable back in the day, the Wii U Virtual Console version brings it to modern day.  Circle of the Moon has the distinction of being the second post-Symphony game in the series, but did not involve series stalwart Koji Igarashi. Despite that, it is arguably better than the Igarashi-produced Harmony of Dissonance. The environments are interesting and well-rendered, and character sprites are lovingly crafted. This is a slower-moving Castlevania game than most, but the large map is very Metroidvania in design—hero Nathan Graves can travel around the castle at will, though he’ll need equipment won from boss fights to really get around.

There is a clear focus on finding HP, MP, and Heart upgrades. They are literally everywhere, though most require some degree of backtracking. Enemies drop a variety of loot, including better armor and “Duel Set-up System” cards—this game’s magic system. The cards are split into two sets, and equipping a card from each one gives Nathan a shield, elemental attack, summon, buff, etc. Half the fun of this game is finding new card combinations and figuring out their effects (there’s no shame in consulting a FAQ).

The game does not actually look great on your TV, even with pixel smoothing. It’s much more enjoyable on the GamePad with some headphones. Save states are nice, especially when you’re about to be confronted by the game’s most irritating boss (Zombie Dragons).

Overall, this is a fairly standard Metroidvania game. It’s gorgeous, but the music is understated and largely forgettable. Some areas go on too long, and the castle’s warp points are unevenly distributed. Circle of the Moon features an interesting reward system—beating the game unlocks a new game type where your stats are remixed and you have all the magic cards. Beat it under those conditions to unlock another new game type...and so on. There are five unique remixes, and the last one is purely for masochists.

I’ve always liked Circle. It’s not the best post-Symphony Castlevania by any means, but it’s definitely one that every lover of the Metroid-style design should play.