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Episode 336: We Didn't Take the Rocks

by James Jones, Jon Lindemann, Jonathan Metts, and Guillaume Veillette - May 5, 2013, 9:14 pm EDT
Total comments: 14

Turns out, there is plenty left to say about Mega Man 3.

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We have a big episode for you this week, with several notable games (and a notable non-game) in New Biz, plus a mega-sized RetroActive!

Graphical User Interface (GUI) is up first with his first foray into the roguelike genre, Sega's Shiren the Wanderer for Nintendo DS. It's a solid example of this controversial game type, but our Northerly Neighbor doesn't stop there -- he also checks out the 3DS demo of that new Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, which is basically the same as Shiren but with 4x the amount of text/cuteness. Jonny finally gets around to completing his #1 game of 2012, The Last Story. Does it hold up all the way through the end? Oh yeah, baby! James didn't have as much gaming time this week, but he did check out the Wii U Panorama View. Though we all have to question the economics of this thing, everyone agrees that the technology is pretty cool. Latecomer Lindy spends his turn on a true classic, Kirby's Dream Land for G-to-the-B. Heading back around, Guillaume tries Ketzal's Corridors on the eShop, and Jonny wraps up his defense of Assassin's Creed III after finally finishing the campaign.

RetroActive has long been a fruitful feature on the show, but compelling dozens of people to play and discuss Mega Man 3 has to be one of our finest accomplishments yet. We take a close and objective look at this classic NES game, now readily available at both the Wii Shop Channel and 3DS eShop. Forum quotes cover all the required topics, from level design to cheapness, and we even cover the long-maligned Top Spin. It's a fun, enthusiastic conversation with plenty of strong opinions, making for another great RetroActive segment. Thanks again to all of you who voted, played, and discussed with us.

There's so much going on these days, we plan to have an extra big Listener Mail section next week. Do help us out with a provocative question, won't you?

This podcast was edited by James Jones and Jonny Metts.

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 (CD) (MP3), or iTunes, or call your local record store and ask for it!

This episode also features music from Megaman 3 - which is property of Capcom.

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

Talkback

Mega Man 3: A novel by ClexYoshi

AnGerMay 06, 2013

I never played one of the original MegaMan games, only X and ZX. I need to get this game after listening to this. ASAP.

azekeMay 06, 2013

Roguelikes.

I won't stop pimping Desktop Dungeons until i get a reaction.

Afraid of roguelikes that take too much time? DD is played in 10-20 minutes sessions.

Afraid of roguelikes take everything from you after permadeath? Dying in DD is not a big deal, and even if you do you get keep gold from the dungeon.

Please play Desktop Dungeons.

Wii U Panorama.

I had two pals coming over to me yesterday. I showed them free trailer and it was a genuine "wow!" moment for both of them. It had their mind racing what else you can do with this tech, like you know placing camera on a battlefield or something. Neat gimmick.

I also downloaded Rio Carnival tour, it was seven minutes long and by the end it kinda got old. Even almost naked dancing ladies get boring, especially in that bad video quality. So no, 15 minute long tours wouldn't make it better.

Interesting how video is actually heavily doctored even if you don't realize it at first. In Rio Carnival video, spectators' and guards' faces are blurred and other videos from what i understand have few CG inserts too.

I've still yet to play ACIII even if i bought it on Wii U day one, but naval battle descriptions sound similar to naval battles they had in Empire: Total War, only with one ship (?).

RarityGamerMay 06, 2013

Hope you guys do talk about the news. I know by the time you do it's old, by I like hearing you and other people's opinion on current events.

Quote from: AnGer

I never played one of the original MegaMan games, only X and ZX. I need to get this game after listening to this. ASAP.

Hmm... I've had a few friends who love X, Zero, and ZX stuff that can't go back to classic series because the Classic series kinda has this very plodding pace to it. on one hand, the enemy attack patterns aren't as off the wall and bonkers as they can be in some of those spinoff games, but you don't have nearly as many options for avoiding stuff.

As James mentioned, he had almost forgotten how convenient the dart up the wall style wall jump was. the 'slide' they're talking about also doesn't let you jump during it or keep your momentum or anything like that, so think... original Mega Man X before you get the dash boots in chill Penguin's stage. only without a charge shot too. or a wall jump.

that being said, don't take this news as being bad! what happens as a result is the level design feels a lot more dense. there isn't vertical scrolling  at all, and the rooms are often set up as single room obstacle course style setups where the goal is to figure out how to get by given Mega Man's limitations or the tools that he's recieved from the Robot Masters he's defeated.

farnhamMay 06, 2013

Last Story was the best game of 2011 for me bar none (played the japanese version, bought European version too). Glad that you guys like it too.

Pixelated PixiesMay 06, 2013

I remember enjoying The Last Story very much, but I honestly don't even remember the story, lol. Xenoblade on the other hand has been seared into my brain thanks to the beautiful design of the world and the gallons of crazy at the end.

For me, the best part about The Last Story was it's combat system, which was incredible. I still feel, however, that it was only with the final boss that I was really tasked with utilising all the various mechanics and systems. Most of the time I felt like I didn't really need to approach the combat with any meaningful sense of strategy. I would love for Mistwalker to give us a spiritual sequel to The Last Story which better utilised the combat system, because it was exceptional.

Awesome episode as usual guys!

KDR_11kMay 06, 2013

Roguelikes with more persistence?

ZHP (PSP, available for the Vita on PSN) is a lot like that, while you do get reset to level 1 after each run (and lose almost all your gear on death) it does keep a lesser persistent level, it keeps the NPCs and such, it has some persistent upgrades you can put on your character, etc. Also it's made by Nippon Ichi so there's a lot of humor there.

There's also The Binding of Isaac, while it's not directly persistent it has a TON of unlocks that do mean that the game evolves as you play it more. The actual gameplay seems more based on the original Legend of Zelda and of course there are tons of references to other games.

EvilMarioMay 06, 2013

If you want a real challenge in Dreamland, Hold DOWN, B, and SELECT on the title screen and set your life bar to 1 and then play on Hard Mode. Basically this means, one hit will kill you. I tried doing a no damage run before, but I couldn't handle it. Haha.

Do_WhatMay 06, 2013

I think that Guillaume should look into ZHP Unlosing Ranger vs DarkDeath Evilman for the PSP. I think it's in the playstation store. It's the only roguelike I've even been able to really get into. It plays more like a tactics game. It's still unforgiving with the death penalty stuff, but it's weaved into the story and makes dying a lot more palatable.

Urk. I don't have a neogaf account so I'm gonna reply to nooferu here and hope he reads the comments:


No, you do not need to beat Shiren twice to unlock jars. I must have misheard James on Skype. But you do not have access to them your first time playing, and only from my third attempt on did I have access to them.

And that's kind of BS, no? The games withholds the jars the first time around, so no matter what, you're fucked.



So many people seem to want me to go on in Shiren the Wanderer... ehhhh, we'll see.

KDR_11kMay 06, 2013

I figured from listening that you were not talking about complete game finishes but just runs.

daverhodusMay 06, 2013

Chocobo's Dungeon for Wii is much more forgiving than Shiren.

Quote from: RarityGamer

Hope you guys do talk about the news. I know by the time you do it's old, by I like hearing you and other people's opinion on current events.

Gotta second RarityGamer's comment.  I loved the musings of the four of you as you tried to decipher the meaning behind the restructuring of Nintendo with Iwata as CEO, but maybe that's because I'm a corporate slave that takes an interest in business news. 

Good episode.  Some good comments we're made about how you have to take a more slow, deliberate approach when playing Megaman 3, and I think part of my issue with platformers is that I'm heavily inclined to try to run through them as quickly as possible.  Maybe i'll give it another go sometime once I feel like buying a copy on the 3DS (I'm done trying on the GC copy), and have more patience.

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