2951
Movies & TV / Re: Rate the last movie you've seen
« on: January 01, 2010, 07:00:50 PM »
It's Complicated
Better than I thought it would be, let's put it that way.
Better than I thought it would be, let's put it that way.
Show Posts
This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.
2952
Nintendo Gaming / Re: Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles
« on: December 31, 2009, 07:27:41 PM »
Alexia blows, because those tentacles almost require two players to take down.
2953
General Chat / Re: NWR New Years Resolutions for 2010
« on: December 31, 2009, 01:13:58 AM »
Gain weight. I want to get to 180 pounds and STAY THERE.
Also, get a new, better job to replace the one I was just laid off from.
Also, get a new, better job to replace the one I was just laid off from.
2954
TalkBack / REVIEWS: Stunt Cars
« on: December 30, 2009, 06:48:43 AM »
Arcade racers werent as fun as you remember.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewArt.cfm?artid=20663
Stunt Cars is an arcade racing game for WiiWare from Icon Games. Playing it takes me back to the arcade days spent in front of San Francisco Rush and Cruisin USA. A certain nostalgic part of me likes that feelingall I need now is a physical wheel and accelerator and brake pedalsbut the critic in me, the gamer whos watched games evolve for more than twenty years now, realizes that arcade racing games can be frustrating. So for all its gooey nostalgia, Stunt Cars is well behind the times and ends up falling well short of greatness for it.Lots of solo and multiplayer options Plenty of control scheme options
Cons:
Very basic controls hurt the gameplay Vanilla presentation Inconsistent sense of speed
Graphics: 5.0
Stunt Cars looks like a generic arcade racer that lacks personality
Sound: 5.0
Catchy tunes, but there arent many of them, and individual samples cycle quickly
Control: 6.0
Stunt Cars offers various control schemes, including Wii Wheel and Wii Remote option, but only one does a decent job.
Gameplay: 8.0
Theres actually a lot of meat on these bones, but in order to get the best experience, you need more than one person playing. Solo play is frustrating, but multiplayer is pretty fun.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewArt.cfm?artid=20663
Stunt Cars is an arcade racing game for WiiWare from Icon Games. Playing it takes me back to the arcade days spent in front of San Francisco Rush and Cruisin USA. A certain nostalgic part of me likes that feelingall I need now is a physical wheel and accelerator and brake pedalsbut the critic in me, the gamer whos watched games evolve for more than twenty years now, realizes that arcade racing games can be frustrating. So for all its gooey nostalgia, Stunt Cars is well behind the times and ends up falling well short of greatness for it.
The biggest problem is that the games sense of speed is never consistent. This is due mainly to how the game indicates speed. Without a MPH indicator (which Stunt Cars could really use), the only reference as to your speed is watching the road texture fly by. There will be times where it seems like youre suddenly going a whole lot faster than you were a second agovery suddenlyand its not clear why you suddenly sped up. This causes the player to panic, which leads to braking or overcorrecting, inevitably leading you to fly off the games raised racetrack. Your car will be hauled back onto the road, but by the time you get there, the competition has left you in the dust, and its very difficult to catch back up to a lead position.
Stunt Cars also suffers from very basic controls that get in the way of an enjoyable racing experience. Your only options are brake, boost, and accelerate. Complex skills such as power-sliding and drifting are not present. Negotiating turns becomes a tedious, very carefully-wrought affair. Meanwhile, CPU-controlled cars negotiate turns without a noticeable drop in speed, so while youre finding your line, theyre zipping past you. The game can be played with either the Wii Remote or with the Nunchuk attached. If you have one, you can plug the Remote into the Wii Wheel and use motion steering. The Wii Remote by itself doesnt provide the best turning sensitivity given the small D-pad. The Wii Wheels biggest problem is consistency. Your best option is the Nunchuk for steering, which isnt ideal, but gives the most peace of mind.
The single-player options are pretty standard: time trial, single race, and tournament. Each tournament cup consists of four races, and completing them unlocks new car types. The game is certainly more fun with more people, offering robust local split screen games, including a point-based tournament mode. Since everybody has to worry about the awkward controls, however, it feels like multiplayer games are on firmer ground than solo play, since everyone is struggling with the turning and speed, not just you.
The graphics are alright. Aside from the texture hiccups, there are some sporadic framerate problems. The cars look pretty nice, but most seem like palate swaps of each other. Some half-hearted particle effects occur when two cars hit each other. Backgrounds are colorful but feel generic. The sound suffers equally: there are a handful of catchy tunes, but they cycle far too quickly.
I suppose the final verdict is that Stunt Cars is fun if you have a room full of people who want to play a racing game thats not called Mario Kart. Its single-player flaws are crippling and ensure that Stunt Cars remains a strictly multiplayer experience.
Pros:
Cons:
Graphics: 5.0
Stunt Cars looks like a generic arcade racer that lacks personality
Sound: 5.0
Catchy tunes, but there arent many of them, and individual samples cycle quickly
Control: 6.0
Stunt Cars offers various control schemes, including Wii Wheel and Wii Remote option, but only one does a decent job.
Gameplay: 8.0
Theres actually a lot of meat on these bones, but in order to get the best experience, you need more than one person playing. Solo play is frustrating, but multiplayer is pretty fun.
Lastability: 7.0
Again, theres a lot to do in this game. Unlocking new cars is the highlight of any racing game, and there are plenty here. Its just a shame that you have to win single-player tournaments to unlock those cars.
Final: 6.0
Id be wrong to call the game a flop, as there are good ideas here and some fun to be had. However, unless you have a dedicated group of gaming buddies, I cant recommend Stunt Cars to the lonesome gamer.
2955
Movies & TV / Re: Rate the last movie you've seen
« on: December 30, 2009, 01:59:52 PM »
Hehehe...no better version of Sherlock than "The Great Mouse Detective." FACT.
2956
Movies & TV / Re: Rate the last movie you've seen
« on: December 29, 2009, 02:42:58 PM »
I think my wife has Four Christmases in the Netflix...list. I'll watch it ONLY for Kristin Chenoweth, for whom I have a secret crush. She's adorable and funny, and has a habit of wearing incredibly low-cut tops.
2957
TalkBack / Re: Cave Story to Finally See Release in 2010
« on: December 29, 2009, 02:27:14 PM »
I'm amazed its taken this long. I look forward to the game since it's a Metroid-esque sidescroller. Maybe it'll pop up right after I get my fill of Castlevania Rebirth! :-)
2958
General Gaming / Re: "Green" Game Cases...
« on: December 29, 2009, 02:24:45 PM »
Totally unrelated rants:
I love it when people bring the word "socialist" into a conversation. The connotation invokes Cold War paranoia by its very definition. In fact, socialism is alive and well and basically operates just fine in western Europe. Britain does not equal the Soviet Union. The term ("socialist") is just so outdated now that's it's almost a self parody.
I love it when people bring the word "socialist" into a conversation. The connotation invokes Cold War paranoia by its very definition. In fact, socialism is alive and well and basically operates just fine in western Europe. Britain does not equal the Soviet Union. The term ("socialist") is just so outdated now that's it's almost a self parody.
2959
Podcast Discussion / Re: Radio Free Nintendo: Episode 176
« on: December 29, 2009, 02:09:16 PM »
Good discussion, guys. A couple points of interest:
1) ZOMG Greg finally has somebody to talk about Sin & Punishment 2 with!!! Hilarity ensues.
2) My biggest technical problem with the Wii is actually pretty minor, but glaring: no anti-aliasing solutions. Many games look noticably worse because of this, whereas if you implemented anti-aliasing, it would look worlds better. Examples: Extraction, RE: Darkside Chronicles, RE4, HotD Overkill...
3) Wind Waker and Metroid Prime are the latest Nintendo games that made my jaw drop. Galaxy did not. It was imaginative, sure, but not mind-blowing. I have high hopes for the next Zelda, as I feel it could be another technical breakthrough for Nintendo games.
1) ZOMG Greg finally has somebody to talk about Sin & Punishment 2 with!!! Hilarity ensues.
2) My biggest technical problem with the Wii is actually pretty minor, but glaring: no anti-aliasing solutions. Many games look noticably worse because of this, whereas if you implemented anti-aliasing, it would look worlds better. Examples: Extraction, RE: Darkside Chronicles, RE4, HotD Overkill...
3) Wind Waker and Metroid Prime are the latest Nintendo games that made my jaw drop. Galaxy did not. It was imaginative, sure, but not mind-blowing. I have high hopes for the next Zelda, as I feel it could be another technical breakthrough for Nintendo games.
2960
TalkBack / Re: This Week in Nintendo Downloads
« on: December 28, 2009, 05:45:47 PM »
Bah. Every Castlevania game since 1998 has been a Symphony remix. Ecclesia is the only game that has somewhat broken from tradition (and then, at the end of the game, realigned with it fully). The old games are great, and I miss them dearly.
This is coming from a guy who could beat Castlevania III ten years ago but is currently STUCK on the goddamn ghost ship level. Oh, I can get past the Medusa and the Mummies, but then the Cyclops comes out and I'm at like critical health and he's all like WHAM and I die.
This is coming from a guy who could beat Castlevania III ten years ago but is currently STUCK on the goddamn ghost ship level. Oh, I can get past the Medusa and the Mummies, but then the Cyclops comes out and I'm at like critical health and he's all like WHAM and I die.
2961
Nintendo Gaming / Re: Official Virtual Console Mondays Thread
« on: December 28, 2009, 05:43:03 PM »
SKEET SKEET
2962
Nintendo Gaming / Re: New Super Mario Bros. Wii
« on: December 28, 2009, 05:42:36 PM »
Finally played this with four people yesterday. It's CRAZY, and much more difficult. Fun, lots of laughs, but it's like a different game!
2963
Movies & TV / Re: Rate the last TV show you've seen
« on: December 28, 2009, 02:59:04 PM »
Haven't watched it yet, but the first disk of Darkwing Duck came in the mail today. EXCITED!
2964
General Chat / Re: Giftmas - What Was Under Your Tree?
« on: December 28, 2009, 02:58:24 PM »
Kairon, seriously? Who are you talking to, sir? I effing LOVE Dinotopia and its sequels. I even played the adventure game on the PC back in the day.
Lindy, I haven't touched AC2 yet (my backlog is huge) but everybody I know who owns it says it's worlds better than the first game. However, I really enjoyed the first game, and it's not particularly long if you're not interested in collecting all the flags in each city (which I was).
Lindy, I haven't touched AC2 yet (my backlog is huge) but everybody I know who owns it says it's worlds better than the first game. However, I really enjoyed the first game, and it's not particularly long if you're not interested in collecting all the flags in each city (which I was).
2965
Podcast Discussion / Re: Radio Trivia: Podcast Edition - Episode 64
« on: December 28, 2009, 02:55:13 PM »
Great episode as always, gents.
I'm happy to say I guessed the Mario tune. It was a tie between All-Stars and SMA4:SMB3, and TYP's question gave it away. I believe that SMA4 is a port of the All-Stars version of SMB3, but I'm not positive.
I'm happy to say I guessed the Mario tune. It was a tie between All-Stars and SMA4:SMB3, and TYP's question gave it away. I believe that SMA4 is a port of the All-Stars version of SMB3, but I'm not positive.
2966
TalkBack / Re: This Week in Nintendo Downloads
« on: December 28, 2009, 02:48:54 PM »
Yay, Castlevania! Finally! I'm totally buying this today.
And with the extra 1,000 points I end up with, I may get either Smash Bros. or Majora's Mask. I HAVE Majora's Mask on my N64, but it looks really, REALLY dark on my TV. Don't know if that's fixable...
And with the extra 1,000 points I end up with, I may get either Smash Bros. or Majora's Mask. I HAVE Majora's Mask on my N64, but it looks really, REALLY dark on my TV. Don't know if that's fixable...
2967
General Chat / Re: Giftmas - What Was Under Your Tree?
« on: December 26, 2009, 10:16:28 PM »
My gaming backlog increased substantially today:
Assassin's Creed 2 (PS3)
God of War Collection (PS3)
I also got two awesome T-shirts, a 1000-piece dinosaur puzzle, a dinosaur card game, Gamera: The Brave DVD, Bones season 4, 30 Rock season 3 (SALMA!), "A Dinosaur Odyssey" by Scott Sampson, little do-dads from my wife, and Transformers 2 on Blu-Ray (did not ask for).
Assassin's Creed 2 (PS3)
God of War Collection (PS3)
I also got two awesome T-shirts, a 1000-piece dinosaur puzzle, a dinosaur card game, Gamera: The Brave DVD, Bones season 4, 30 Rock season 3 (SALMA!), "A Dinosaur Odyssey" by Scott Sampson, little do-dads from my wife, and Transformers 2 on Blu-Ray (did not ask for).
2968
Movies & TV / Re: Rate the last movie you've seen
« on: December 26, 2009, 10:14:18 PM »
Up in the Air
Great movie. George Cloony has endless appeal. Vera Farmiga ain't bad either. And the younger girl is a hoooooottie!
Great movie. George Cloony has endless appeal. Vera Farmiga ain't bad either. And the younger girl is a hoooooottie!
2969
Nintendo Gaming / Shantae GBC
« on: December 23, 2009, 05:49:30 PM »
Looooooong shot here. Neal and I are prepping a feature about Shantae, a beloved but short-lived GBC game from like 2002. Apparently nobody bought it because it's stupendously rare, typically going for $200 on eBay.
So before I resort to a ROM, I just figured I'd ask if any of you cats have Shantae. And if so, can I borrow it? I'll send it right back after I'm done with it. I just need to play through the thing.
Thanks, guys.
So before I resort to a ROM, I just figured I'd ask if any of you cats have Shantae. And if so, can I borrow it? I'll send it right back after I'm done with it. I just need to play through the thing.
Thanks, guys.
2970
General Chat / Re: Halbred's Paleo-News Thread
« on: December 23, 2009, 04:22:14 PM »
Wow, I never noticed that. Good job, fellas. It's actually "rah-PATE-oh-SORE-us," but nice pun there.
Pics of the croc? Eh, not really. Try this:
http://i49.tinypic.com/kdsha0.jpg
No line drawing available yet...
Pics of the croc? Eh, not really. Try this:
http://i49.tinypic.com/kdsha0.jpg
No line drawing available yet...
2971
TalkBack / Re: PREVIEWS: Trauma Team
« on: December 23, 2009, 04:17:11 PM »
The ambulence driver has enormous bewbies. I'm in.
2972
General Chat / Re: Brittany Murphy Dies
« on: December 22, 2009, 09:53:25 PM »
She was good in Sin City.
2973
Nintendo Gaming / Re: New Wii Zelda
« on: December 22, 2009, 09:52:34 PM »
I regret Twilight Princess, too.
2974
Nintendo Gaming / Re: Castlevania: Rondo of Blood freed from Japan
« on: December 22, 2009, 09:51:58 PM »
Yeaaaaah, we'll see. Earthbound was rated by the US ESRB and nothing...will EVER...come of that. Until I see Rondo on a release schedule, I'm going to pretend it doesn't exist.
2975
General Chat / Re: Halbred's Paleo-News Thread
« on: December 22, 2009, 07:25:33 PM »
Brief report on the most worthwhile stores in the new issue of JVP:
1) Long bone histeology of Stegosaurus reveals that stegosaurs reached their large size due to periods of accelerated growth. However, in general, stegosaurs grew at a slower overall rate than other similarly-sized dinosaurs. This implies a lower metabolic rate for these basal thyreophorans.
2) The postcranial skeleton of Rapetosaurus was described, finally, after its initial description in 2001. Rapetosaurus is the best-known titanosaur genus, and preserves osteoderms, which means it is a derived member of the group. The fact that an adult skeleton was found in close association with a juvenile suggests more complex parental care than in more basal members.
3) A new interpretation of Triceratops' forearm suggests that it held its forelimbs in a semi-erect posture, and the fifth finger (pinkie) was wildly divergent, almost bringing to mind iguanadontians, whereas the first finger (thumb) was rotated strongly inward, and the animal's weight was bore on the first three digits of the hand.
4) Tethyshadros, a new hadrosaurid, was discovered and found to be an endemic island dwarf. It lived in Italy, which was, during the Cretaceous, a small chain of islands. It is unique in many ways: it was far more cursorial than other hadrosaurs in its limb proportions and structure of the manus and tail. Strangely, its upper beak is serrated, and the individual serrations are fairly large. The function of this structure is unclear.
5) New bizarre crocodilian from Bolivia (South America is a hotspot for freaky crocodilians): Yacarerani. This one has extremely strange ridged "molariform" teeth and forward-pointing incisors. I can think of no modern equivalent except maybe rodents (but do any rodents have procumbent incisors?). Gomphotheres show a similar, if hypertrophied, feature in the lower incisors.
1) Long bone histeology of Stegosaurus reveals that stegosaurs reached their large size due to periods of accelerated growth. However, in general, stegosaurs grew at a slower overall rate than other similarly-sized dinosaurs. This implies a lower metabolic rate for these basal thyreophorans.
2) The postcranial skeleton of Rapetosaurus was described, finally, after its initial description in 2001. Rapetosaurus is the best-known titanosaur genus, and preserves osteoderms, which means it is a derived member of the group. The fact that an adult skeleton was found in close association with a juvenile suggests more complex parental care than in more basal members.
3) A new interpretation of Triceratops' forearm suggests that it held its forelimbs in a semi-erect posture, and the fifth finger (pinkie) was wildly divergent, almost bringing to mind iguanadontians, whereas the first finger (thumb) was rotated strongly inward, and the animal's weight was bore on the first three digits of the hand.
4) Tethyshadros, a new hadrosaurid, was discovered and found to be an endemic island dwarf. It lived in Italy, which was, during the Cretaceous, a small chain of islands. It is unique in many ways: it was far more cursorial than other hadrosaurs in its limb proportions and structure of the manus and tail. Strangely, its upper beak is serrated, and the individual serrations are fairly large. The function of this structure is unclear.
5) New bizarre crocodilian from Bolivia (South America is a hotspot for freaky crocodilians): Yacarerani. This one has extremely strange ridged "molariform" teeth and forward-pointing incisors. I can think of no modern equivalent except maybe rodents (but do any rodents have procumbent incisors?). Gomphotheres show a similar, if hypertrophied, feature in the lower incisors.
The entire contents of this Web site, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright © 1999 - 2012 NINWR, LLC. All Rights Reserved. ™ and © for all products, characters, and indicia related thereto which are contained herein are owned by the companies who market or license those products. This Web site is not endorsed, sponsored, nor otherwise affiliated with Nintendo. It has been created for the sole purpose of entertainment and knowledge. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form without consent from NINWR, LLC is prohibited.
