Topic: RFN RetroActive Game Nominations

[Mop it up]

It made it so you had to complete a dungeon all in one run, which was pretty annoying. I never bothered with collecting all of the fairies because of that. The game got pretty repetitive with all of the mundane tasks you had to do each time you started the three-day cycle.

[Stratos]

I was just wondering when the next RA Poll was going up. Are we waiting until the new year for that?

[Jonnyboy117]

Yes, the "Second Chance" poll will start around the end of the year and beginning of the next one, with the discussion to take place in January. However, there may be a nod to RetroActive on the show before then.

[Stratos]

Something like a 'best of RA' segment on your year-end episode?

[Stratos]

Anyword on what we will launch our first RA of the new year, Jonny?

[Jonnyboy117]

I announced the poll lineup on the upcoming episode, so I better get that set up in the forums before Sunday. ;-)

[vudu]

In light of the fact that Jon and Greg have never played Sands of Time I must insist that the game is given a shot in the next GCN Retroactive poll.

[Jonnyboy117]

Not a bad idea, vudu. I don't know if we'll have any GameCube games in the near future -- we've already done three of them, and then tend to be a little more expensive and less convenient than some other options. Still, I'm sure we'll get back to the system eventually, and Sands of Time would be a perfect candidate.

Actually, this would be a good time to ask everyone for ideas on how to proceed with RetroActive. We've done a series of platform-specific polls now. We may eventually do that again with N64, Master System, etc. if and when it makes sense, but I want to take a different direction for now. My first thought is having genre-based polls (RPGs excluded for the time being). So we could put together 2D platformers, shoot-em-ups, maybe racing games... what do you think makes sense? Where should we start, and what games would you nominate in a particular genre?

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

Actually, this would be a good time to ask everyone for ideas on how to proceed with RetroActive. We've done a series of platform-specific polls now. We may eventually do that again with N64, Master System, etc. if and when it makes sense, but I want to take a different direction for now. My first thought is having genre-based polls (RPGs excluded for the time being). So we could put together 2D platformers, shoot-em-ups, maybe racing games... what do you think makes sense? Where should we start, and what games would you nominate in a particular genre.

Genre-themed polls could work. Of course, it depends on if we can only nominate games available on the Virtual Console or if we can nominate anything.

I hope Mega Man 5 comes out soon on the VC - maybe in the wake of Mega Man 10's release on WiiWare. MM5 is my favourite of the original six NES titles, so I will put that forward for a 2D platformer poll. With any luck, most people already own it in some form.

[Stratos]

Personally I was hoping for more system polls before starting genre/theme polls. I want to see an N64 poll.

[BeautifulShy]

I'm with Stratos. I would like to see a N64 retroactive. Hey who knows maybe Majora's Mask wins the Game of the Decade and we could play through it.

As far as Vudu's suggestion I think that is a good idea. Prince of Persia:The Forgoten Sands is coming out in May for the Wii. It takes place after the sands of time but before Warrior within. So this could be a good opportunity to play Sands of Time. I don't have any of the Gamecube POP games so I could try to search for them.

[Stratos]

Sands of Time is so worth owning, Maxi. Amazing title.

[TheYoungerPlumber]

True, a GB/GBC or GBA/DS poll is still needed, imo.

[Mop it up]

The only problem with a Nintendo 64 poll is that there are few games available on the Virtual Console, and the ones which are, they are ones which almost everyone has already played and discussed countless times. The game I would want to nominate (Superman 64) isn't on the Virtual Console so I doubt it would have a chance.

[Jonnyboy117]

As I've said before, VC availability isn't required, but it helps a lot. That is even more the case for systems that are not easily available or backwards compatible. GameCube is easy, since we can all play those games on Wii. GBA and even GBC are fairly easy as well (provided the games aren't super-rare). N64 has exactly the problem that Mop described: the few games that are conveniently available have been talked to death already.

[Jonnyboy117]

My thinking is that our next poll should be for handheld games. We may lump them all together, or do a GB/GBC poll and later a GBA poll. DS could be in the mix too. With physical media, availability and cost are key factors to selecting the nominees. Therefore, it would be helpful to include links with pricing/ordering info with your suggestions. For instance, if the game can be had at most Gamestops for $5-10, include a link to the Gamestop web page for it. Or if there are tons of cheap copies on eBay, that could work too.

Schedule-wise, I'd like to have the next poll running during PAX so we can mention it to the live audience. We'll have to allow extra time between the poll and discussion so that everyone can find copies of the game. There's no way to do another RetroActive before PAX, as we'll be too busy planning for the big show.

[vudu]

In light of the fact that Jon and Greg have never played Sands of Time I must insist that the game is given a shot in the next GCN Retroactive poll.

I can't remember who it was offhand, but at least one member of the Newscast crew hasn't played Sands of Time either.  The game is no longer eligible for a poll--it's now an official Retroactive game.  You just need to pick a time.  You need to force these people to play the game.  No ifs, ands or buts. 

[Halbred]

*sheepishly raises hand*

[Sundoulos]

Not a bad idea, vudu. I don't know if we'll have any GameCube games in the near future -- we've already done three of them, and then tend to be a little more expensive and less convenient than some other options. Still, I'm sure we'll get back to the system eventually, and Sands of Time would be a perfect candidate.

It's a shame.  I have noticed that a lot of Gamecube 3rd party titles, such as Sands of Time or Beyond Good & Evil, are more expensive than their counterparts on the PS2 and Xbox. 

Edit:  Assuming that RFN is going with a handheld system poll, all this Metroid talk lately kind of makes me want to nominate Metroid Fusion, since I've never played it.  Zero Mission is still my favorite GBA game.  Used to have a copy of Metroid 2, but I either lost it or sold it off long ago when my original-recipe Gameboy bit the dust.  I kind of regret it now.

[Stratos]

I just had a thought, maybe we should have a 'Game of Decade' RetroActive and vote for one of the final nominees to play through.

[Jonnyboy117]

I've had enough of playing games that everyone has already played before. Fusion is borderline in that regard.

[Sundoulos]

I've had enough of playing games that everyone has already played before. Fusion is borderline in that regard.

Fair enough.  I skipped the GBA years almost entirely, until I bought a DS Fat.  So most of it is new to me, with some notable exceptions.  I had avoided playing Fusion because I had been under the impression that it wasn't that popular.

[Stratos]

I played it for a bit and it felt like Metroid to me. I never finished it.

I'd rather play Metroid 2 since I have that sitting here waiting for when it is finally voted for RetroActive.

[yoshi1001]

I'd like to see a cross-platform retroactive on Street Fighter II. Each person could play one or two versions of the game, then compare and contrast the various versions of the game. If I recall correctly, the versions available on VC are:

1. SFII (SNES)
2. Special Championship Edition (Genesis)
3. Championship Edititon (TG-16)
4. Turbo (SNES)
5. Super (SNES)

[broodwars]

With Ogre Battle 64 hitting the VC today (supposedly), let me be the first to officially nominate it for RetroActive.