Messages

101

Podcast Discussion / Re: RetroActive #22: MotoHeroz (WiiWare)

« on: April 25, 2012, 09:09:25 AM »

@Greg_H, I must have joined after you last checked. I mistakenly assumed the Gregory scores I saw on the leader board belonged to Yoshidious.


Alas, you're doing a great job ranking on the boards! I raced one of your ghosts and noticed you were using a buggy I hadn't unlocked yet, so I still need to acquire more coins to see what other options are available. It's just like you said:

I enjoy the online challenges but I've noticed that it's basically impossible to compete for the top times unless you've unlocked the best vehicle for each particular challenge.

-Eric

102

Podcast Discussion / Re: RetroActive #22: MotoHeroz (WiiWare)

« on: April 24, 2012, 10:46:47 PM »

Arrggg! So I got past the floating planet/ world and returned to the home planet, and now I'm stuck on this one stage called Bug Rally, where you're getting chased by a giant bug. Of course, the margin for error is slim to none. After making hundreds of attempts (a slight exaggeration but probably not far from the truth), I give up. I use my first 'skip level.'

Then I get to The Big Finish Line and I decree 'no more!' when it gets to the point when I'm no longer having much fun. The story mode has gotten to the point where it's really soured my initial positive impressions of the game.

Anyway, I had more fun doing the online challenges and seeing Guillaume, Greg, and Jonny on the NWR league. Greg has a pretty awesome lead right now! Unfortunately, the selection of tracks right now is a bit pathetic. There are two unlimited play tracks and two one-shot tracks. Of course I screwed up one of the one-shot tracks. Ahhh….

From what I’m reading it sounds like this game is more accessible than Trials. But it’s still not accessible enough. MotoHeroz would be well suited to either a difficulty setting or more tiers of rewards. I think I’d get a lot more out of the game if it was easier to move on to the next stage; maybe you just get a bronze medal, or no medal at all.

That's a great idea and would have made the game more enjoyable if there were bronze, silver, and gold corresponding to easy, normal, and hard. Well, I suppose there is something like that in place already considering there's silver and gold, except that the bar is set so high even for the silver medal.


-Eric

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Podcast Discussion / Re: RetroActive #22: MotoHeroz (WiiWare)

« on: April 24, 2012, 12:46:01 AM »

I made it past the ice world in Story Adventure and just competed 'Catch Up,' which was tricky because you have to go into a cannon at the end of the stage at just the right moment to get blasted out automatically just as the goal post is moving by. If you're off by just a little, time to restart the stage! Obviously I had to try this one a bunch of times.

I'm really liking everything about the game so far, especially the fun and interesting track layouts, leading to some exciting loop de loops and nice jumps off ramps. I also enjoy the different missions where you're doing other stuff besides 'reach the goal in time', including levels where you have to carry a rag-like figure in a basket on the top of your buggy, or using hover power ups to fly through vertical shafts to avoid the rising fatal liquid. There's even races where four cars play at once, which of course is standard fare for multiplayer mode.

My main gripe so far is how very unforgiving the game objectives can be! Knowing when to slow down just slightly so you'll land perfectly on the little curved slope in order to have space to accelerate up the next big hill, tilting your buggy at just the right angle, and being perfectly set up for the next terrain is absolutely crucial yet very difficult to pull off consistently. At least, I've been struggling quite a bit, and some of my victories I truly believe were due to pure luck. But I've refused to skip any stages (so far)!

Oh, and I guess the default medal for clearing each stage is a silver medal, then you can replay the stage to go for the gold? I haven't attempted a gold medal run yet. I also haven't been seeking out the ancestor stuff (two blue orbs) hidden in each chapter. At least with these, it seems you don't actually have to win on the same attempt you get the orbs in order to keep them. But I think it's a different story for the coins? Speaking of coins, so far all I've been purchasing are new buggies, which you can't use in Story Adventure.

I really need to check out Online Events! I had hoped to complete Story Adventure but I will try online, since this RFN event is coming to an end soon, I'm sad to say.

There's some funny dialogue in the game as well, not what I was expecting! such as:
Spider O'Rally: Now everything I touch will shrivel and die!
Gene McQuick: That must make going to bathroom difficult

Eww...

But now that I bought it and I'm playing it, this is making me think of one very fun but shallow game from my teens:  Motorcross Maniacs!

I remember that game! I always wanted to check it on my Game Boy back in the day but sadly never did. I do see the similarities to Motoheroz though!

104

TalkBack / Re: PAX East 2012

« on: April 23, 2012, 03:33:53 PM »

why can't i find the video of the RFN panel?

It's on the page for RFN podcast episode "RFN Panel Edition Tridux: Live at PAX East2012."

105

Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 107: True Form

« on: April 22, 2012, 11:51:46 PM »

Good episode!

Great to hear Greg talked about his beloved game #1 Super Ghouls n Ghosts. I still haven't played it, I somehow missed it back in the SNES days, but I need to try it out, as frustrating it may be!

I love Game #2 and easily identified the music. Kid Icarus Uprising has become my most played 3DS game with over 30 hours in, and there's still so much I have left to do. The music is amazing, and I'm glad it was picked.

I never played game #3, 4, and 5, so I could not identify those. Great discussions nonetheless, especially regarding game #4, Parodius. What a fascinating game we never got to play in America!

106

Podcast Discussion / Re: RetroActive #22: MotoHeroz (WiiWare)

« on: April 22, 2012, 09:58:14 PM »

I haven't had a lot of time to play yet, but I did download this game and played for an hour so far. It's fun! I wasn't sure what to expect at first.

This game is a lot of fun. Some of the music tracks are really great and have a retro game sound to them. The backgrounds are lush and look great. The details are just enough without being too distracting. Little particle effects like grass kicking up under your tires are cool. Just playing through the story mode, the game starts throwing fun changes in the environment, like when the sky darkens and rain begins to fall.

The changes in environment force you play to adjust your play dynamically: logs falling and paths changing, for example.

I like how easy it is to restart by just pressing the minus button rather than choosing it form the options menu.

The physics feel great and play a big role in how you maneuver your buggy. But lots of times, getting your buggy to behave exactly as you expect it to is really challenging. Sometimes you repeat a track over and over again, wondering... What did I do wrong? Why did I lose speed on that uphill? So many tiny intricacies in the way your buggy handles can be frustrating. But the levels are so short and so easy to restart that the higher difficulty becomes more acceptable, I suppose.

My wife and I tried out Party Rally (local multiplayer) and had a great time. Interaction between the cars makes the races unpredictable (as do the items and the shifting goal posts. These were surprising!).

Wow, it's frustrating trying to figure out how to use the parachute when playing Paratrooper and Spiderwood in Story mode. I finally finished those two levels but I still don't have a good method for falling down the shaft and opening the parachute correctly so I can swing over to safety.


Hope to get some more time into it soon!

107

TalkBack / Re: Sakurai Talks Kid Icarus: Uprising Development and Controls

« on: April 19, 2012, 04:17:28 PM »

You can also count me in supporting his comments that the controls work extremely well. Sure, there was quite a learning curve, but practice makes perfect, and I love the accuracy I've been able to pull off without relying on auto-aim.

It's great to hear Sakurai's comments!

108

Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 287: Demolition Sherpa

« on: April 17, 2012, 07:44:07 PM »

The 3DO experience was hilarious! And the saced beast has made his presence known, I couldn't help but laugh at Jon.


All the PAX stuff was great to listen to.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 106: Super Cheesy

« on: April 14, 2012, 12:19:29 PM »

I only got 2 out of 5 this time. I missed game # 2, 4, and 5, even though I own them!


I was seriously surprised by the music in game #2, Resident Evil 2. It was the first RE game I had played. I still have my N64 version; at the time I got it, I was blown away! That game left a huge impression on me.

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General Chat / Re: No fans of Brawl in the Family here? Start with the 400th comic

« on: April 12, 2012, 11:25:42 AM »

Long time fan of Brawl in the Family here! Matthew's latest creation is simply astounding, and a delight for Nintendo fans everywhere. 

111

TalkBack / Re: PAX East 2012

« on: April 09, 2012, 06:10:26 PM »

Awesome photos, wish I could have been there!

112

Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 286: Jill-in-the-Box

« on: April 03, 2012, 12:31:47 AM »

I was very surprised that James didn't mention 999 'endings'

I was thinking the same thing! The endings are one of the main reasons you play 999. 

I'm surprised no one mentioned Earthbound's ending. It's weird not only for a Nintendo game, but for games in general. There's a reason why it's called the first "art game." There are literally 10-page essays done on that ending. I thought it was very effective. Anyway, good episode!

Earthbound was seriously one of the first games that popped into my mind during the discussion. One of the greatest things about the game is the freedom you are given to explore after you defeat the last boss and restore peace.

113

Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 285: We're Finished!

« on: March 27, 2012, 11:43:00 PM »

Another great discussion, enjoyed listening to it! Great to hear from Guillaume again.

I haven't played Kid Icarus Uprising much yet, but so far it's been incredibly good.

114

TalkBack / Re: Xenoblade Chronicles North American Unboxing

« on: March 21, 2012, 11:49:41 AM »

Nice! I have my order with NOA, looking forward to playing this.

115

Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 283: I Am Impact!

« on: March 14, 2012, 10:48:20 PM »

It was great to hear more about Last Story, I'm just glad it's finally coming to the U.S., however late it may be.

It was interesting to hear you guys talk about the Pokemon franchise. It makes sense what Nintendo does with each new generation. I am big fan myself but fell a little behind after finishing Pearl. I am slowly catching; I just beat LeafGreen on the GBA last night and am continuing to play Heart Gold for now so I can jump into Black before part 2 comes out.

Another good show!

116

Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 105: Directional Magnitude

« on: March 12, 2012, 11:12:22 PM »

Fun episode! Good job Guillaume, you and TYP make a great team. 

I had not played game 1, Sword of Mana, but the music sounds great.

Alright, I got game 2 right! I'm pretty sure I played Vectorman for the first time on the Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection (on PS3). The animation is really great, but I had a hard time getting the hang of the multiplier system. I didn't know you could multiply all that stuff! I was terrible at the game and would always get stuck on the first boss.

I never played game 3, and I'm glad I only experienced Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde through AVGN.

Oh man, I haven't played game 4, Sin & Punishment: Star Successor either. It's on my shelf waiting to be played. I'll get to it!

I had not played game 5, Ivy the Kiwi, but wow, the music is very soothing.

Good selection of games Guillaume!

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 282: Better Late Than Never

« on: March 06, 2012, 12:44:27 PM »

I'm glad to hear that Greg has played and kind of liked Steel Diver.  A lot of what he said about the game I completely agree with--  though I feel this may be because my tastes in games closely mirrors his.

I was also glad to hear Greg speak well of Steel Diver, and I agree with your assessment as well, leahsdad. I reviewed the game last year, and yes the controls may seem clunky to an inexperienced player, but the physics feel great considering the vehicles you're controlling. I love the challenge of just learning to navigate skillfully, it's very rewarding.

118

TalkBack / Re: Assassin's Creed III Confirmed for Wii U

« on: March 05, 2012, 03:44:44 PM »

This is great news. I've heard a lot of positive buzz about the series in general but have never played a single AC game. I'm looking forward to this game, as well as the Wii U in general: a Nintendo console that isn't trailing behind in horsepower.

119

Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 282: Better Late Than Never

« on: March 05, 2012, 02:00:34 PM »

Did James say Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions lacks online? Actually, each one of the six games has an online leaderboard. You can also view friends' scores only, which is nice.

Anyway, great discussion looking at the 3DS 1-year anniversary. I've had mine since launch (I picked up SSF IV at launch) and I've had a wonderful time ever since. I love the 3D effect, it's really nice and makes the visuals all the more impressive. I carry my 3DS with me just about everywhere I go and am not afraid to whip it out in public.

It was awesome to hear Guillaume on this episode and getting our Negative World community mentioned on one of the best Nintendo podcasts out there. I've probably been listening to RFN for a year and a half, it's always been very insightful to me as a gamer.

120

Nintendo Gaming / Re: The Nintendo Zone...

« on: February 28, 2012, 04:57:33 PM »

I keep forgetting about this feature! Well, it also doesn't help that I hardly ever go to any locations that have Nintendo Zone in the first place.

121

Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 104: K-Mark

« on: February 27, 2012, 10:26:42 AM »

Thanks for choosing my request, Game 4: Castlevania Adventure Rebirth! The funny thing is, I was thinking of the wrong game when listening to this episode. I was thinking Rondo of Blood, oops! Anyway, Adventure Rebirth has an interesting Castlevania soundtrack. It's not one of my favorite soundtracks, but it has that Genesis synth sound mixed with classic Konami goodness, so I do like it. Pedro is very correct when he talks about the Konami sound.

Game 1: Feel the Magic. Never played it. This game sounds kind of bad!

Game 2: Adventures in the Magic Kingdom. Haven't played it either. Nice NES music, though the game concept seems really weird. I wonder what I would have thought of this had I played it as a kid.

Game 3: Thunder Spirits. Never played this game or even heard of it before, but the soundtrack is kind of cool.

Game 5: Super Adventure Island. I knew I had heard this music before, but I couldn't remember the game. This was a game that really impressed my as it was one of the first third-party games I rented after I got my SNES, especially the graphics and the music quality. I love that third song very much. I was totally unfamiliar with the A.I. series at that point, but now I have at least played the first one (NES) on the Wii VC. That game is brutal. I do want to play the TurboGrafx game New Adventure Island , I heard it's one of the better games in the series.

And I really don't remember whether the large sprites in this game made it more difficult to play or not. A game like Super Mario Land 2 features large sprites but is paced slowly enough that you aren't required to make any quick reflex decisions.

Awesome choice of music for closing the episode.

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TalkBack / Re: Metal Gear: Primer

« on: February 23, 2012, 09:53:37 AM »

I haven't played a Metal Gear except for Twin Snakes, so this is much appreciated!

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 279: Fo' Slo'

« on: February 16, 2012, 09:51:17 AM »

I haven't played much of it yet, but my wife and I are loving Rhythm Heaven Fever. She really likes the two-player games actually, and we wish there were more. (It seems you only unlock a couple here and there for every large batch of 1-player games).

I'm not entirely new to the Dragon Quest series, as I did finish the NES original many years ago, but since then I haven't played anything else. I have a copy of Dragon Quest IV for DS that I desire to play soon, and I was happy to hear Jonny praise its qualities!

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TalkBack / Re: Two Tribes Details Toki Tori 2 Wii U Plans

« on: February 10, 2012, 09:54:11 AM »

I would love to see Toki Tori 2 on Wii U. The tablet would make a nice feature for the style of gameplay, for sure.

I greatly enjoyed the first one on WiiWare, except for the fact I never finished it due its crazy difficulty. Some of those levels I just couldn't figure out! I got as far as the Slimy Sewer. Loved the music overall.

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TalkBack / Re: Club Nintendo Rewards: Poster Sets

« on: January 31, 2012, 11:43:57 AM »

The posters are really amazing. I have the Zelda history posters and Mario history posters all framed (all six!) and in my house proudly displayed. I went to my local Michael's and was able to find the right frame sizes I needed without customization.

I've been wanting to get the Donkey Kong poster set as well but I don't have any space left!

https://club.nintendo.com/rewards-details/a/21004.do