Messages

126

TalkBack / RE:REVIEWS: Geometry Wars: Galaxies

« on: December 11, 2007, 07:10:38 AM »

I have them both, the DS version is so much easier to the point where it frustrates me sometimes when I get home to play it on Wii because everything comes at you much faster in more numbers with far more effects going on without the DS version's slowdown.  It's madness, with some planets on DS my scores exceed 30 million and as of right now I am actually ranked 14th on one of the stages in Galaxies.  On the Wii, I can't even get close to that.   I've noticed that's 30 million about as high as I've seen some of the scores in the top 10 on console whereas on DS the scores have legitimately exceeded 100 million.  I also noticed on a few stages that the gold, silver, bronze requirements on DS are more leinent than they are on Wii as well.  Funny thing is, no matter what version I can't play Retro Evolved worth crap.

127

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Super Mario Galaxy

« on: December 11, 2007, 05:23:01 AM »

"In fact, the only missions in Galaxy I didn't enjoy were the few that involved EXPLORING for coins."

So I'm not the only one...

If I want exploration and discovery that's what Zelda and Metroid are more known for and far better at doing.  The reason I hated Sunshine was because it took Mario 64 to the extreme with the amount of walking around and searching you had to do.  It felt too close to Zelda and nowhere close to being enough Mario.  Galaxy isn't 100% perfect, but damn if it isn't the closest to being a Mario game.  They brought the game closer to where it came from and IMO it blows Sunshine and 64 out of the water.  

 

128

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Guitar Hero 3 DLC making it's way to the Wii...

« on: December 11, 2007, 05:07:30 AM »

Well if you're throwing down that kind of money for the system with the game and all they tout is HD generation gaming, anything less than that IMO would be a ripoff.  Noone bought a 360 or PS3 to see black bars, that's what I would expect from the Wii to increase performance not those two.

129

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Can international versions of DS play each other?

« on: December 02, 2007, 01:44:46 PM »

They can, I have an import Japanese DS Lite that plays just fine with the American units.  There's virtually no difference other than the default language they start in out of the box.

130

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Galaxy back down to #2, Ocarina taking back the crown.

« on: November 26, 2007, 04:22:04 PM »

I did finish TP and WW.  They felt better to me, being that it was on a system that can actually handle what was thrown at it.  (let's be honest, OoT was too much for the N64.  90% of the time the game ran sub 20 which didn't help the already sluggish feel of the game)  However, they still weren't quite it.  TP too often felt like it was dragging on just so the producers can say that the game is 40 hours long on the first playthrough. (I almost left this on the shelves at Wii launch because of this)  WW's big problem wasn't the cut dungeons or the shorter time to play through it.  It's the fact that you NEVER had to worry about dying.  Even against Gannon, that fight was over before it begun.  I also only beat both games once.  WW was never booted up again except to see how it looks in progressive scan and TP was played until a couple other games came in.  Personally, I hope the next console Zelda gets radically changed up because after TP and WW I'm not sure I'd be interested in OoT 4.0.

Oh and one more thing.  Mario Galaxy >>>>>>>>>>> OoT.  It's not perfect, and it is overhyped just like 99% of what you hear the industry raving on and on about, but it corrected a lot of what I didn't like about SMS (hated this too, and not because it was hard) while bringing some of the essence of the pre SM64 days.  Now I did like SM64, but it'll never hold a candle to anything YI down.  SMG is probably the closest thing to them though, and for that I do have to commend them.

131

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Galaxy back down to #2, Ocarina taking back the crown.

« on: November 26, 2007, 10:21:21 AM »

My view, I never beat OoT because I hated the way the game flowed and played (I've gotten more looks from other gamers for this statement than enough).  IMO it was a huge step backwards from LttP, and as many times as I've come back to play the game to try to finish it I just can't get into it.  Same for Metal Gear Solid, except that I actually beat it the first time never went through it again.  Even if the ending was different, I felt like I've experienced pretty much everything that it offered as a game.  That and I didn't feel like sitting through the soap opera again.  It's also why despite the upgrade, I didn't even bother with Twin Snakes, or any Metal Gear afterwards for that matter.

132

TalkBack / RE:Study: 46% of Retailers Sell M-Rated Games to Minors

« on: November 25, 2007, 06:01:33 AM »

They may not be there to watch the kids, but I can guarantee you that the store or outlet most certainly does have a policy concerning the sale of movies and games in regards to their ratings.  If you have employees that don't follow those procedures, then they darn well are part of the problem.

While I do agree with the idea that parents do have to watch out for their children, it's also a fact that there's a million more things that a kid can get into these days.  Just because someone feels like or actually are allowed to sell an M rated game to some kid sure doesn't as heck doesn't mean that they should.  You can't let parents off the hook, but you certainly can't let idiots like that who should know better off either.  Everybody likes to throw the blame at one thing when in all the essence everybody in the scenario has screwed up in some form and none want to admit to it.    

133

TalkBack / RE:EDITORIALS: Top Five Hits & Misses of Wii's First Year

« on: November 23, 2007, 05:47:22 AM »

Online gaming is not gonna change because it's still arguably working in their favor.  And Metroid Prime was never a huge deal to most people.  Even with "hardcore" advertising those games still never beat out titles like Mario Kart, SMS, or even Nintendogs.  Metroid is a niche, the game itself is great, but it is not cool, or IN to play it and truth be told it never really has been.  Even with Super Metroid it's more the "hardcore" loop talking about it nowadays than anyone else.

134

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Medal of Honor Heroes 2 (now MEGAPOSTSIZED)

« on: November 21, 2007, 01:17:57 PM »

It's 32 online, and I have it.  If you're itching for a Wii online FPS get it.

135

TalkBack / RE:REVIEWS: Wii Zapper

« on: November 20, 2007, 08:48:43 AM »

I've played MoHH2 with it.  I tried it out online and aside from a couple of control changes it's actually pretty good once you get a feel for it. I think the aiming gets a decent boost, but while throwing grenades is exactly the same, the execution of it with the periphereal in hand just doesn't feel as correct. On the other hand, using gun sight seems to feel a lot more realistic. I almost never used it beforehand with the exception of the Gewehr Rifle.  Speaking of which, some may like the analog stick zoom better of the Zapper controls like I do, others might prefer the twist of the remote nunchuk method.  Reloading is flick the gun like arcade mode instead of up on the pad.  I think the only real killer for some people that I can see is how you have to reach for the dpad to switch weapons, if you're willing to take a chance with this control scheme, it's gonna take some getting used to.


In arcade mode, the feel of it made a lot of sense to me and IMO the aiming is better than it is with Links Crossbow Training. (now granted, I did play this first before LCT) even if like with the Online/Campaign mode some parts feel slightly nerfed while other feel enhanced.  I feel like overall the controls are a bit more streamlined as well, though I do miss the feeling of winding the crank to fire off at the anti-air turrets in the 3rd stage.  Winding is with the control stick and firing is with the trigger as opposed to winding with the nunchuck and firing by yanking the remote back toward you at a 90 degree angle.  Either way you play it though, one thing that I have found is that depending on how far back you play it might be a good idea to move back a little farther to compensate for the extra distance the remote is away from your body if you usually play with your arm resting on something next to you.

136

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Medal of Honor Heroes 2 (now MEGAPOSTSIZED)

« on: November 19, 2007, 03:50:28 PM »

So, who's played this with the Zapper yet?  I tried it out online and aside from a couple of control changes it's actually pretty decent once you get a feel for it.  I think the aiming gets a decent boost, but while throwing grenades is exactly the same, the execution of it with the periphereal in hand just doesn't feel as correct.  On the other hand, using gun sight seems to feel a lot more realistic.  I almost never used it beforehand with the exception of the Gewehr Rifle.  

137

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Medal of Honor Heroes 2 (now MEGAPOSTSIZED)

« on: November 14, 2007, 04:54:20 PM »

I managed to come in second on a couple of free for alls but yeah, the competition is fierce already.  Even though I hear it's bad, I still want to try this with the Zapper.

138

General Gaming / RE:Assassin's Cwiid? SNUH UH

« on: November 13, 2007, 04:34:33 PM »

I'm afraid that would make too much sense, even moreso if it ended up being a better game than the "this is the game that will define next-generation" next gen versions.  That would be shooting their favorite platforms in the foot.

139

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Miyamoto tells me to wait five years...

« on: November 05, 2007, 12:04:36 PM »

I'm gonna put the DS first year this way, past Wario Ware Touched, that system practically had not much of anything until fall when Nintendogs and Castlevania, and especially Mario Kart launched.  That system got loaded with third party showelware to the extreme with the exception of a couple of games.  At least on the Wii front I've been playing it all year long with something new going into it each month (shame on you if you missed Godfather, especially if you didn't play it the first time).  I sure as hell can't say that for the DS.

As far as the statement is concerned, once again it seems like everybody's taking it way out of proportion as usual.  I swear, it's almost as if some of you guys are so used to being overly pessimistic to the point where when even ground shaking things happen you guys will find something wrong with it.

140

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Guitar Hero Launch Day?

« on: November 01, 2007, 06:04:51 AM »

At one point in time I was 99% on Easy charts and failing Medium, I wouldn't go saying they're outright experts.  Are you using star power and getting decent streaks at least to the point where you can get an 8x multiplier.  It's not your percentage that wins this game, it's your ending score.  I've hit 99% of the notes on songs and lost to people with 96 and 95% notes simply because of the score differential.  Learning the charts well enough to know when you can use star power to really rake in points is a key factor in winning online battles.

141

Nintendo Gaming / RE:The OFFICIAL Wii rumor thread (updated 10/29/2007)

« on: October 31, 2007, 06:52:29 PM »

Quote
No, because third parties didn't learn how to use GameCube hardware in the first place.

Exactly, remember the old "Max Payne can't run on Gamecube because it only has 24MB of RAM excuse?"  This statement was made DESPITE the fact that Max Payne was at one time going to be made for the Dreamcast and it's 16MB OF RAM and overall lesser tech!  Eidos never figured out the system either, all their ports ended up worse than the PS2 releases, typically released 6 months to a year afterwards.  Hell, they STILL haven't figured it out, look at Tomb Raider Anniversary  Looks no better than PS2 and I'm willing to bet they'll find a way to make it run worse despite the hardware running circles around it.  The only part of EA in the know is the Canada division, we all know the rest of them are in limbo (Need For Speed Carbon's framerates, MOH Vanguard sucking)  Even then, they're obviously being spread too thin for one group for the only game they got coming soon that looks to have any sort of promise is MOH2.  Spiderman 3 looks better on PS2 than on Wii (Wii ended up with point sampled textures with no filtering in parts).  Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO on the GC looked worse than both the DC and PS2 editons of the game.  Sprites were WAY off in color, where the grays were shades of green and the whites had a slight red hue to them, graphical effects straight from PS2 instead of the superior DC version, and even MORE slowdown than in the DC original.  You see the numbers and hardware specs, yet (and this goes double for the Wii) 2 plus 2 ain't equaling 4.

Now last gen I recall Harmonix being one of the only developers on the GC that actually figured out that the system had more RAM other than the main 24 and that it ALSO could be used in game to bring the total RAM count to 40MB.  They claimed the only reason that the other Karaoke Revolutions didn't make it to the GC was because of this issue.  Granted, you did have the disc space concern, but even then you had compression techniques that were around long enough for at least the second game to have been ported.  Barring disc space, there's NO WAY in the world that they couldn't have known about the total RAM and how it could be used for that long though.  People all over the internet knew this info and I'm quite sure the tech documents for the GC had this information.  The kicker is that they figured this out on their FIRST and ONLY GC game (which came out great BTW) while other developers either knew but didn't care for various reasons or threw their second or third string teams on their late ports which botched them up royally. (Ubisoft did this with ALL of the Splinter Cells on anything other than X-Box and PC, they did the same with the Wii game.) This actually brings me to another point...

... what I've realized is that if a company wants something to happen and happen extremely well on a certain platform, you better believe they're gonna find a way to make it work irregardless of the so-called "technical hurdles" in front of them.  Max Payne and Unreal Tournament on DC is one example.  Tales of Symphonia and Viewtiful Joe on PS2 is another.  Games like RE4 and Splinter Cell (in 3D) on cellphones is a third.  Some publications have actually wondered how the Wii will handle Monster Hunter's graphics considering that according to them the PS2 games were graphically intensive, which IMO has got to be some serious joke.  There's no way Capcom is gonna be stupid enough to do only PS2 level visuals on the system especially when you consider that it will be exclusive to the platform. (and if somehow they screw it up, then they're way dumber than a box of rocks)  

Two more games I can add to that previous list is Call of Duty 4 and Assasins Creed for the DS.  Why DS and not Wii, and don't even try giving me the tech or userbase excuse.

142

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Guitar Hero Launch Day?

« on: October 31, 2007, 01:19:42 PM »

Just played a little more, I think I know what they're talking about when it comes to sound issues.  Anyone else run into a problem where the music stops and the note don't scroll momentarily?  When the music does start up, every note between the part where it stopped and started again counts as a miss.  While it doesn't happen often at all (only twice) it still sort of reeks of careless development IMO.  It's no gamebreaker, but still slightly disappointing nonetheless.  

Edit:  What I was talking about earlier isn't the sound problem, the PS2 version apparently has the full Dolby ProLogic II support that MAGICALLY got screwed up in the Wii version.  (*chuckles* even though on the main channel menu the music there is completely PLII)  It's not making me want to trade it in, but if third parties are still wondering why their games supposedly don't sell as well on the Wii while churning out bug ridden and half assed ports they need to be dragged out in the street and shot!  

143

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Super Mario Galaxy

« on: October 31, 2007, 10:36:20 AM »

Those HDTV's they use at the game stores are nowhere close to being decently calibrated and are in dire need of it.  I didn't think a whole hell of a lot about Metroid Prime 3's graphics in the store despite the screens I've seen elsewhere until I got it home on my HD set and blew me away.  

144

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Guitar Hero Launch Day?

« on: October 31, 2007, 05:40:21 AM »

If the whammy bar doesn't work immediately, the quickest thing to do is to just go to the in game Wii Menu and reconnect the controller.  That always fixed it for me.  

Now at first I thought the sound was screwy until I played online and realized what they did with the rear speaker, they're reserved for player 2.  Even with that known, it would've been nice to get full surround even in single player.  Is it me, or do the characters and environments seem to miss the mark that the first 2 really nailed.  It's still good and all, but it's not Harmonix good.

145

Nintendo Gaming / RE:For WiiWare: "Pop"

« on: October 26, 2007, 03:26:21 PM »

I'm buying, sounds intriguing.

146

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Wii love friend codes

« on: October 25, 2007, 03:45:55 PM »

EA uses their own servers, that's why you don't need Friend Codes with their games.

147

TalkBack / RE:REVIEWS: Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party

« on: October 25, 2007, 03:44:03 PM »

The DDR Universe series is made by the group formally known as Konami Computer Entertainment Hawaii.  They were also responsible for the Ultramixes.  They were also responsible for their inconsistent framerates.  Konami Japan always went in one direction with the series, Hawaii went the other.  Nowhere is that more apparent than the songlists which usually are night and day different, and the upcoming Universe 2 looks to be no different.

Truth be told, this is probably my most played Wii game currently.  As a veteran player of about 4 years and going, this is probably one of the best mixes ever made, up there with Extreme 2 and the whole 4th mix era.  The stepcharts are WAY better than usual, where even licensed music was given 8 and 9 foot charts without hesitation.  A couple of remixes sound weird, but the rest of them were done a huge justice to the point where I couldn't even imagine the original version in the game (Gonna Make You Sweat, Too Little, Too Late).  The only real improvements I could see being made to the game is adding doubles and fixing the hand gestures to work a little better so they can be incorporated more into the charts than they are.  The gimmicks can stay, even if they are MUCH harder to keep up with on here then they were on DDR Mario Mix.  IMO anything less than an 8 for a numerical score review is an instant joke. (see Gamespot's review, 1up review, IGN's 4 month late review)

 

148

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Wii isn't hardcore enough

« on: October 23, 2007, 06:40:00 AM »

I still think this has nothing to do with the idea that the games won't sell as much as it does the games chances of being on the highest selling list for that platform is smaller.  The one advantage that third parties felt like they had on the PS2 and X-Box was that any company's title could be on that best selling list for that platform and that the bar for getting there is admittedly a hell of a lot easier to tackle than it is on something like the Wii where you have a first party that pulls no punches on it's releases which are almost guaranteed high sales.   That's not to say that stuff like God of War and Gran Turismo or Halo aren't competing against third party titles on other platforms either, but at the same time those titles at least in their eyes don't seem to compete in the same way something like Smash would.  Note how some are even saying how titles like Call of Duty 4 will actually benefit this holiday because Smash won't be out this year and this title is on the other platforms!  

149

General Gaming / RE:Wow, Capcom fails again.

« on: October 22, 2007, 10:40:46 AM »

Considering that the Street Fighter franchise was moved to Capcom USA from Japan it doesn't surprise me that most people aren't expecting anything from it.  The last time they were allowed to touch the franchise resulted in Street Fighter The Movie the arcade game.  Then again with Okamoto gone they probably don't even care anymore and are using this as a quick cash grab.

150

General Gaming / RE:Konami wants Sony's baby

« on: October 18, 2007, 11:17:51 AM »

That, and Nintendo's exorbitant licensing fees in comparison to Sony didn't hurt either.