Topic: Radio Free Nintendo: Episode 195

[Jonnyboy117]

James lets it all go in his impressions of Super Mario Galaxy 2. Also, we've got TYP!
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/podcastArt.cfm?artid=23119

 Episode 195: Galaxative    

 Download in AAC Format        Subscribe to AAC Feed    

Download in MP3 Format        Subscribe to MP3 Feed    

Subscribe via iTunes (Please rate and review, too!)    

Hey, there's this Mario game coming out. You may have heard about it. With prodding from the rest of us, James manages to say very little about it for over twenty minutes. (In other words, there are no "spoilers".) Jon's out this week, but our friend Michael Cole, otherwise known as M.C. TYP, reports on his experience as a Final Fantasy neophyte playing through the unlucky one. He drops some knowledge on Def Jam Rap Star. That's still TYP, not Jon. Jon is out this week. What a shame!    

Both Greg and Jonny have a lot to say about 3D Dot Game Heroes, the PS3-exclusive Zelda tribute that every Nintendo fan should play. Jonny has also been percolating thoughts on Heavy Rain (though he completed the game after recording, so listen for an update next week before you take his recommendation to heart).    

Your spectacularly astute emails lead us to analyze the Galaxy 2 hype train, the meaning of "gimmicks" in games and hardware, and the prospects and appropriateness for voice acting in the new Zelda. Please keep sending more of these awesome questions and ideas!    

We're always looking for great Listener Mail to read and discuss on the show, so please send your questions or comments! (We really love seeing your praise and feedback regarding the show itself; however, in the interest of time, we may edit your letter to be read on the podcast.)      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 newest album, Done with the Devil, directly from the record label, Amazon.com, or iTunes, or call your local record store and ask for it!    

Additional music for this episode of Radio Free Nintendo is copyrighted to Nintendo, and is included under fair use protection.  

[adadad]

What has the sudden heatwave in the UK done to Greg that has made this episode come out earlier than usual?

[happyastoria]

I'm 12 minutes in and James is pissing me off. Why is he doing the review? It's pretty obvious he's not hyped for this game like the rest of the world is. Go play more RPG'S.

[broodwars]

I'm 12 minutes in and James is pissing me off. Why is he doing the review? It's pretty obvious he's not hyped for this game like the rest of the world is. Go play more RPG'S.

So unless you're frothing at the mouth for a game and are obviously a total fanboy, you shouldn't be reviewing a game?  Yeah, that makes sense.  Look, you obviously are going to buy the game no matter what anyone else says, so why do you care about reviews?

And he gave the game a 9.5 anyway, so why are you so hot and bothered?

[ShyGuy]

Have to watch the Lost finale before I listen to this.

[Kytim89]

If the next Zelda game for the wii finally has voice actors here are some of my ideas for who should be the voice actor for Link:
 
Cam Clarke: The voice Kaneda in the 1989 dub of Akira and Leonardo in the 1987 TMNT show along with Liquid Snake of MGS fame to just name a few.
 
Ian James Corlett: The voice actor for Megaman in his animated show, the voice for Bob in Reboot and Goku in the ocean dub of DBZ.
 
James Arnold Taylor: The voice actor for Wooldor Sockbat from Drawn together and Tidus from FF 10.
 
Possibly a voice actor by the name of Rino Ramano who did the voice work for Spider-man in Spider-man: Unlimited tv series.
 

[Jonnyboy117]

You are out of your mind to recommend Cam Clarke or the Tidus guy for ANYTHING. I am so tired of crappy anime voice-acting, especially when it spills over to my video games.

[Kytim89]

You are out of your mind to recommend Cam Clarke or the Tidus guy for ANYTHING. I am so tired of crappy anime voice-acting, especially when it spills over to my video games.

What about the other guys? With a good voice acting coach these guys could do a good job of voicing Link. These guys are just a suggestion. I really liked Cam Clarke's performance as Liquid Snake and the Tidus guy would be perfect for a younger Link, or the Windwaker Link. Who would you recommend?

[Jonnyboy117]

I would recommend hiring someone from Pixar or Disney to be the voice director, and let them do the casting. Even with good actors (probably no-names), the quality will be inconsistent and tonally wrong without someone properly managing the recording sessions and being creatively integrated with the game's development.

[Kytim89]

I would recommend hiring someone from Pixar or Disney to be the voice director, and let them do the casting. Even with good actors (probably no-names), the quality will be inconsistent and tonally wrong without someone properly managing the recording sessions and being creatively integrated with the game's development.

Let us assume that the next wii Zelda will have voice acting, would it have as much impact as FF10 when it was revealed that it would have voice acting after so many installments without it? I just see Nintendo as the odd man out if they do not implement some form voice overs for the future titles because of all the major franchises having voice acting. 

[noname2200]

I'm glad to hear everything said about Galaxy 2: it sounds like it will address most of my issues with the original.  But the talk about Mario saturation was spot-on, especially since that same E3 featured Mario & Luigi 3 AND March of the Minis.  Different genres, sure, but it still felt like too much.

[Kytim89]

Steven Blum, the guy who voiced Jack in Madworld, would be a good choice for Ganon. I listened to his voice work in the Dante's Inferno DVD movie he seems like he could pull it off and make Ganon sound as sinister as possible.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhI4Ho9qEnw

[Halbred]

Great episode. I'm psyched for Galaxy 2 now, as if I wasn't before. I also really want to try 3D Dot Heroes.

[KDR_11k]

The 3DDGH discussion brought up the main flaw of modern Zelda: It needs a fucking overworld! Yet Aonuma seems to think a mode of transportation is necessary for Zelda and will force some **** in there that kills the overworld. I actually stopped playing Spirit Tracks fairly early (I'm usually crazy about games like that) because of the combination of gimmick usage (I play it on the commute, I'm not going to scream into the microphone and the wind blowing item gets triggered constantly by environmental noise) and the train. The fucking train was designed specifically to slow the player down because Aonuma felt players just ran from dungeon to dungeon too quickly. Hey dimwit, maybe you should look at WHY players rush to the next dungeon, not just throw a roadblock in the way.

Now I pretty much forgot what else I wanted to comment on...

[Crimm]

Noted. Back to reviewing games nobody but me cares about. Enjoy Bored Business!

To be clear, when a game is as similar as Galaxy 2 is to Galaxy, and you don't want to delve into specifics of levels, it is actually surprisingly hard to talk about. You spend a lot of energy thinking of points that are "safe."

And I wasn't just concerned for spoiling it for the listeners, three other people in that pod had not played it either. A friend of mine who is a HUGE Galaxy fiend asked me all kinds of questions last week. In the end I told him that I'm not going to say anything, but he's welcome to come play it for himself.

It's not that Galaxy 2 is a particularly spoilable game, but it's hard to know what somebody wants to find out on their own vs what they want you to tell them. Often they don't know exactly where the line is, so the safest approach is to reign in what you say.

[NWR_insanolord]

I understand the complexity of that situation, but I would think that should make the conversation about the game more brief instead of making it much longer than most New Business discussions.

[Crimm]

Nope, it was about normal length, prior to Greg cutting them.

[greybrick]

Noted. Back to reviewing games nobody but me cares about. Enjoy Bored Business!

**** I love DS RPGs. Right now I am playing Infinite Space, I just finished Devil Survivor. The kind of stuff you have been stuck reviewing as of late is right up my alley- and I only bought Infinite Space due to your review. Keep it up!

In reality, games that nobody else is playing or cares about don't really make a good new business.

Also, everyone with an iPhone/iPod Touch should get Phoenix Wright on that instead of the WiiWare version.

[Crimm]

Or just get a used copy of the DS versions...

I'm glad I talked someone into the wholly ill-advised purchase of Infinite Rage.

[KDR_11k]

I don't think Zelda Wii will be in 2D, you need the camera to be aligned with the character's front (first or third person) to properly use motion plus since the player is facing the TV while using it.

As for voice acting, The Escapist brought up the idea that voice acting prevents you from using your own character name or at least leads to awkward "never name the player" writing.

[TheYoungerPlumber]

I don't think Zelda Wii will be in 2D, you need the camera to be aligned with the character's front (first or third person) to properly use motion plus since the player is facing the TV while using it.

How do you figure? Since when did greater precision for motion controls require you to have the same perspective as the character? My right can be Link's forward, even in a 3D Zelda game.

[Crimm]

Conversationally, you can go much of a day without saying a name, but still talking to people. The problem with that is when you meet someone what is the first thing they want to know?

"Hi, I'm -------." Either they explicitly ask for your name or are content with the implicit question.

So if Link ONLY met people on his journey he already knew everything would be great.

The Legend of Zelda: Quest to the Corner Market

[noname2200]

Conversationally, you can go much of a day without saying a name, but still talking to people. The problem with that is when you meet someone what is the first thing they want to know?

"Hi, I'm -------." Either they explicitly ask for your name or are content with the implicit question.

So if Link ONLY met people on his journey he already knew everything would be great.

The Legend of Zelda: Quest to the Corner Market

Better yet, do what Fallout 2 mostly did and refer to the character by a generic title.  "Hi, glad to meet you, I'm the Chosen One!" 

[Kytim89]

A few weeks ago my motion plus broke an I had to ship it into Nintendo. Now they recieved it but I have to wait ten days before they can ship it back to me. This means that I will not be able to enjoy Red Steel 2 until my motion plus is fixed.

[greybrick]

Or just get a used copy of the DS versions...

I'm glad I talked someone into the wholly ill-advised purchase of Infinite Rage.

Infinite Rage? I enjoy games like Etrian Odyssey, Shiren, and the mainline SMT games. I doubt this will push me over the edge.

Also, getting a used copy of the DS version will probably run you more than $4.99 (In fact, it will run you $14.99 used at your friendly neighborhood hell-hole)