Topic: RFN RetroActive Game Nominations

[oohhboy]

I second Resident Evil 4. But I would like to nominate Infinite Space. It's a game that really flew under a lot of radars. It might be a bit recent, still last gen, but availability should still be pretty high.

Not body is going to play Cho Aniki. Cho Aniki plays you. You should be temp-banned for trolling. 

[Sarail]

Nominating CUSTOM ROBO. i really think this is an extremely underrating/overseen game.

I agree with this fella. Custom Robo or bust. Really fun multiplayer -- especially with four players. Can get very intense.

[broodwars]

Eh, I really wouldn't enjoy a Retroactive devoted to RE4.  I've said it before, but to me RetroActive is a feature that should be used to highlight the overlooked gems of the past and RE4 is certainly NOT that in any way, shape, or form.  I just don't see what new discussion could come of a RetroActive on it that hasn't already been covered by countless sources over the better part of the last decade.

Now, I haven't played Infinite Space and I'm not going to since I don't own a DS, but that is the kind of game that belongs here (though I don't know if it would win given the growing vocal outcry against Strategy games constantly winning the polls).

I don't know if many people still own these games, but I'd like to nominate the second Lost Kingdoms GameCube game.  It's a curious little action-RPG from back when the GameCube didn't have some of its better entries in the genre, and I don't know how many folks actually played it.  Plus, with GameStop ceasing trade-ins on GameCube games, it feels fitting to highlight such a unique GC title in the near future.

That is, of course, unless it would be put in the same poll as Baiten Kaitos Origin's 2nd chance, because I really want that game to win one of those polls and it would split the vote.

[TJ Spyke]

Cho Aniki was nominated before and lost, then lost again in a second chance poll (featuring previous games that had lost). Not sure it would get nominated again.

[broodwars]

Cho Aniki was nominated before and lost, then lost again in a second chance poll (featuring previous games that had lost). Not sure it would get nominated again.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that Cho Aniki can no longer be nominated, as I believe it lost its Last Chance poll.

[oohhboy]

Infinite Space isn't a strategy game, not really. It's mostly a JRPG. Instead of team members, you have Spaceships. No job system, but an officer/duty station. Ship components instead of inventory.

I have Lost Kingdoms 2 and if LK 1 is anything like it, I can't recommend it. The concept is cool, but the execution has much to be desired. The randomness of the cards and having to rely on an inadequate AI to fight for you was just a disaster.

[broodwars]

I have Lost Kingdoms 2 and if LK 1 is anything like it, I can't recommend it. The concept is cool, but the execution has much to be desired. The randomness of the cards and having to rely on an inadequate AI to fight for you was just a disaster.

Which is what makes a discussion of the game (Lost Kingdoms 2) interesting.  I personally enjoyed the title (at the time, there really weren't better options for a Role-Playing Gamer on the GameCube), but it's interesting both from the perspective of its flaws and as a look at a moment in the gaming industry when everything was moving to revolving around cards in some form or fashion.

Plus, it was one of those rare games where you could actually import your Lost Kingdoms 1 save if you had one and fight for the right to all your old cards.  It could be interesting discussion with some fun moments of James just randomly screaming about minutia that irks him.  Plus, unlike most of the RPGs that end up on the feature, it's a pretty short game at around 20 hours or so so completion's actually a pretty attainable goal.  It's also a fitting companion game as a lead-in to a Baten Kaitos Origins discussion, as both revolve around cards being a critical part of gameplay.

It's a flawed game to be sure, but hey you guys once chose frickin' Ninja Spirit as a RetroActive game once, and that was a far worse game.

[TJ Spyke]

That one was funny, I think people picked it just to hear the discussion on it. IIRC, they said it wasn't a bad game, just that there wasn't really enough to talk about on a RetroActive discussion.

[oohhboy]

When I said the concept was cool, it pretty much boiled down to "Land Sharks". Flawed is not the word I would use to describe LK2, "Regret" is the word I would use. It's the only GC game I regret buying. It's just a collection of gameplay ideas bolted together with little to no thought. I just can't recommend a bad game.

If you want an example of a flawed game, I would suggest Star Wars Rogue Squadron 3, Rebel Strike. What should have been a really solid game kneecapped by one gameplay idea. But it isn't really good for a retroactive since there just isn't that much to discuss about it.

[Fatty The Hutt]

Zack and Wiki? It was largely overlooked. Not exactly "retro" tho, I suppose

[Lithium]

ok since Cho aniki (wasn't even trolling XD) is out of the question how about Pulseman? made by gamefreak and is available on the Wii VC

[Gato]

Not sure if this has already been covered but if it hasn't...

I nominate AkumajŨ Densetsu (Castlevania 3).

[Rodrigue]

Takeshi no ChŨsenjŨ is a must play. It's even on Virtual Console (in Japan of course). Or any frustratingly hard game.

If it's not restricted to Nintendo platforms then Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards and Prince of Persia are neat too. I'd really love to hear you talk about Leisure Suit Larry especially.
I don't know if it's feasible to find a "legit" copy outside of eBay, but Jordan Mechner (the man behind PoP) has a link to download the game on his personal website. There's an SNES version of it too but it's not the same and it's quite a lot longer.

All these games are really short too.

[TJ Spyke]

If it's not restricted to Nintendo platforms then Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards and Prince of Persia are neat too.

Not sure if it's official or not, but I think a game has to be playable on a Nintendo system to be eligible.

[Rodrigue]

Oh right, forgot that VC had games from other platforms than NES/SNES/N64.

Takeshi no ChŨsenjŨ is the best anyway.

[Pixelated Pixies]

There's two fantastic NES games, that I only played for the first time on Wii VC, which I would be interested to hear discussed in more detail by the RFN crew. Those games are 'Ufouria: The Saga' and 'Faxanadu'. I believe both have been discussed on the podcast before, so I'm not sure if that makes them less eligible for Retroactive nomination given it's stated purpose of focusing on games which have not recieved much attention or which might not otherwise be discussed. Still, I'd really like to hear an extended discussion on both games as they are really quite interesting in their own ways and each would now rank among my favourite NES games.
In case you haven't played these games, I really would recommend downloading them on VC. Weirdly, I would argue that both games are inspired by Nintendo titles, but both in my opinion also surpass the games they're inspired by. Ufouria for instances is very much patterned off Metroid, but it's much tighter and more focused, and in my opinion more fun than the original Metroid. Faxanadu on the other hand is in some respects quite similar to Zelda II, but again I found it much easier to get in to.

[Crimm]

DS game: Infinite Space.

FEEL MY PAIN

[Shaymin]

Doesn't the game have to be readily available?

[ejamer]

Doesn't the game have to be readily available?

Which games aren't available at minimal effort/expense?  Some of the GameCube titles I'd guess?


Nice thing about Infinite Space is that the game is cheap to import, and both DS/3DS units can play imported DS games with no problem.  I tried finding a copy in North America for anything bordering on a reasonable price for ages without luck before realizing that there is literally no barrier of entry for DS imports if you already shop online.


Personally, I'd nominate one of the Wonder Boy games that were just released - either the Wonder Boy in Monster Land arcade original or the newly-translated Monster World IV.  Both games are now available for minimal investment on multiple systems, aren't they?

[Crimm]

Where did you import it from, Europe?


I can't IMAGINE trying to play that game without understanding what its saying.


Edit: WAIT!? THAT GAME GOES FOR $75!? HOLY HELL!

[oohhboy]

Wow had a quick look first page on google. Up to $100us new. Averaging $45us Used. I am glad I got mine for 24.95GBP ~$34us. Imported from the UK to NZ since they were asking for $80NZ(70us) retail and it was late.

[Lithium]

how about Pikmin 2? it would be both timely and now easily available in all regions now that the NPC version will be coming out in north america on june 10th

[oohhboy]

It will go to the vote anyway so it won't hurt. A bit more digging on and off line is sure to find a much cheaper copy of Infinite Space than 5 seconds of google.

[Zup]

Pokemon Snap, anybody? Quick, easy to get now thanks to Virtual Console, and fairly unique as far as gameplay goes. Also rife for a sequel on WiiU.

[oohhboy]

I can't recommend it. There isn't much to it at all unless you're a serious pokefan. It's essentially my first rail shooter crossed with a pop up book. Poke it, take picture, move on. Repeat until you have a "Perfect" picture. It's far too shallow to have any real discussion other than telling each other where all the secret spots are.