Topic: Radio Free Nintendo: Episode 193

[Jonnyboy117]

Every Metroid must die. Except that cute one.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/podcastArt.cfm?artid=23047

 Episode 193: Jabberwocky Jellyfish Genocide!    

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RFN is up to no good, starting with a brisk but full New Business. Jon is back to give us the run-down on Monster Hunter Tri, which he says is much better than the demo would have you believe. Jonny sings the praises of Picross 3D, Greg explores the puzzle/strategy/RPG genre with Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes, and James laments that ATV Quad Kings isn't bad enough.    

The remainder of the show is all about Metroid II: Return of Samus, the latest game you selected for our RetroActive feature. Ardent fan Zach Miller (of the NWR Newscast) joins us to cover every exhaustive detail of this handheld curio. The game has its defenders (Jonny) and detractors (James), as well as plenty of fans stuck in the middle (Greg and Jon), and all are represented on our five-member panel. Remember, the discussion lives on in the dedicated Metroid II RetroActive forum thread! This segment was so much fun that we ran out of time for Listener Mail, but we'll catch up next week, so keep sending those great questions.    

We're always looking for great Listener Mail to read and discuss on the show, so please send your questions or comments! (We really love seeing your praise and feedback regarding the show itself; however, in the interest of time, we may edit your letter to be read on the podcast.)      Credits:    

This podcast was edited by Greg Leahy.    

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.com, or iTunes, or call your local record store and ask for it!    

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

The closing music used in this episode of Radio Free Nintendo, "The Tunnel" composed and arranged by Grant Henry (aka Stemage) for MetroidMetal.com, is also included under fair use protection.  

[Crimm]

I like how Jon is "in the middle."  He didn't seem overly enthused about the title either.

[Tween20]

Listening to the podcast right now--just wanted to say that I think that Jonny has given up on M&M:CofH too soon.  I played PQ (actually, ironically, based on Jonny's recommendation way back when) and it has been my go-to-game when I don't have anything new on the DS.  I also love M&M and find it to be an overall different experience that has echoes of PQ, but is, on the whole, much more fresh and intellectual.  I am nearing the end and am already looking forward to starting it again.  If only there were some way to demo... <sigh>  Don't bypass M&M for fear that it will be too much like PQ.

[Crimm]

Tween20 says "Puzzle Quest is for stupid people. Intellectuals play Might & Magic."

TROLLS!

[Tween20]

Do you think that if I had actually said that I could get on the box cover for the next M&M?

[KDR_11k]

Super Metroid invented the automap? Didn't Legend of Zelda have an automap in dungeons? I know that game was heavily storage constrained (but they overoptimized and ended up having enough storage for a second quest) so storage can't be a reason.

As for the spiderball, yeah, I think that could be revisited if done right. Untraversable surfaces should be rare and maybe it should allow you to jump off a surface and stick to the closest one (or the one you jumped from)? Like you come across a wall crawling enemy and you hit jump to push away from the wall while your spiderball stays connected to the surface with a spider thread and you go past the enemy while the thread pulls you back to that surface?

I believe in a TAS discussion of Metroid 2 they even talked about there being more E and missile tanks than you can carry (so you only have to collect a part of them to get the full capacity) and multiple instances of other powerups too.

A GB game you should talk about (on the subject of large sprites) is Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge (the first GB Mega Man).

The talk about the Gameboy Player gave me the idea that I could play Gargoyle's Quest on my old Super Gameboy instead of the GBASP.

[happyastoria]

I'm always amazed at the quality of this INDEPENDENT nintendo podcast puts out. It really put's most "professional" podcast to shame (IGN). I never played "Metroid 2", but it was interesting to hear about it. Great job.

[NWR_Lindy]

I thought Metroid II was decent, but almost more of a "curiosity" than anything else.  After playing Super Metroid, it's hard to go backwards and not see Metroid II for what it isn't, rather than what it is.  It's sort of an "Oh, that's where they first put that in the series" title for me.  It's still worth playing, though.

[greybrick]

My favorite quote of the episode, you ask?

• Zach: This is the Australopithecus of uh, Metroid Series
• John: Indeed
• Jonny: That's one of the main reasons I included it in the poll

Will Jonny's favoritism towards ancient hominids never cease?

[ShyGuy]

If I remember right, Metroid 1 on the NES used the MMC1 chipset on the cartridge and Multi-directional scrolling didn't get easier until the MMC3 chipset (Super Mario 2 and 3)

[Plugabugz]

I really need to stop listening to your podcasts when i'm on the road. Someone says something that i want to respond to, i get home and have long since forgotten.

[noname2200]

I really need to stop listening to your podcasts when i'm on the road. Someone says something that i want to respond to, i get home and have long since forgotten.

Ditto and likewise. Ah well, I'm sure it'll come to me sometime this weekend, by which point the topic is moot.

[greybrick]

I really need to stop listening to your podcasts when i'm on the road. Someone says something that i want to respond to, i get home and have long since forgotten.

Ditto and likewise. Ah well, I'm sure it'll come to me sometime this weekend, by which point the topic is moot.

I listen to it in the train and have gotten some understandably concerned looks when I have burst out laughing.

What song was at the end of the episode? I loved it!

[latterdayrasta]

I completely agree.  This is Chris from Chicago, the guy who gave M&M a shout out.  Don't pass it over, Jonny!  You can find it for $15 these days, and it is well worth that price.  This game is my new Tetris.  I have played through it 4 times now, and I just discovered some new strategies on my fourth playthrough.  If anyone is on the fence about this one, take the plunge!
 

Listening to the podcast right now--just wanted to say that I think that Jonny has given up on M&M:CofH too soon.  I played PQ (actually, ironically, based on Jonny's recommendation way back when) and it has been my go-to-game when I don't have anything new on the DS.  I also love M&M and find it to be an overall different experience that has echoes of PQ, but is, on the whole, much more fresh and intellectual.  I am nearing the end and am already looking forward to starting it again.  If only there were some way to demo... <sigh>  Don't bypass M&M for fear that it will be too much like PQ.

[Yoshidious]

What song was at the end of the episode? I loved it!

It's a metal remix of one of the themes from Metroid II, available at http://www.metroidmetal.com/songs/the-tunnel/
(from the episode article): the closing music used in this episode of Radio Free Nintendo, "The Tunnel" composed and arranged by Grant Henry (aka Stemage) for MetroidMetal.com, is also included under fair use protection.

[Crimm]

You're not quite right in the head if you found a site called MetroidMetal.com

[Yoshidious]

You're not quite right in the head if you found a site called MetroidMetal.com

This from a man who becomes aroused while listening to Ace Combat soundtracks--something about stones and glass houses comes to mind, James.

[NWR_Neal]

Metroid Metal played at PAX East.

[TJ Spyke]

I have finally caught up my backlog of RFN (I had like 15 episodes un-listened to) and am currently listening to this one.

I am sorta interested in Picross 3D and would like a nice puzzle game for when I just want to relax.

[Crimm]

Not aroused, excited. There is a difference.

Picross 3D sounds like it's about as relaxing as cocane. About as addictive too.

[greybrick]

You're not quite right in the head if you found a site called MetroidMetal.com

I am a big metal fan, and also a metroid fan. This made my week!

Oh, and the Torvus Bog Theme is killer.
 
My favorite so far, though, is the Prime 3 theme

[Jonnyboy117]

Correction: You can reassign the buttons for mark/chisel in the Picross 3D settings. However, I still haven't found any touch-only mode.

[Kytim89]

How would all of you react to having the handheld Metroid games on a portable virtual console service? I would love to have Zero Mission and Fusion on the go inside of my DSi/3DS?

[KDR_11k]

I'd like to play Metroid 2 but then again I'd probably prefer a modernized remake with an automap and more varied Metroid fights.

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

I'd like to play Metroid 2 but then again I'd probably prefer a modernized remake with an automap and more varied Metroid fights.

Hear hear! If a re-imagining of Metroid II were to add both of those things, I'd be more than happy to play it. Not necessarily even an automap - a full map of the areas you've visited shown on a pause menu would do.