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Episode 248: Perfect Agent Greganna

by James Jones, Greg Leahy, Jon Lindemann, and Jonathan Metts - June 26, 2011, 1:24 pm EDT
Total comments: 19

It's finally time to discuss Perfect Dark's campaign mode, and that means a dramatic reading is in order.

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We start this episode without Jon, but don't worry, he comes in a bit later! Greg and James tag up on the newly released Ocarina of Time 3D, discussing the graphical upgrades, the freshness factor, and their thoughts on the value proposition of this remake. James also revisits Luigi's Mansion in his own manic way. Jonny finally gets around to Ridge Racer 3D, plus the deceptively awesome Donkey Kong '94 from 3DS Virtual Console.

After a quick break, Jon jumps into the action with a very special duet with Greg. That opens the door on our RetroActive conclusion. That's right, we finally wrap up Perfect Dark with a good, long analysis of the campaign, its problems, and its surprising influence on later games. Thanks to everyone who participated! We'll be back next week with your Listener Mail before launching into the big 250!

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 (CD) (MP3), 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 Rare, and is included under fair use protection.

Talkback

Killer_Man_JaroTom Malina, Associate Editor (Europe)June 27, 2011

I had no idea that Donkey Kong on the Game Boy was like this. You've convinced me to buy it. If it really is a precursor to Mario vs DK, it'll be interesting to draw the comparison because I just picked up the latest in the DS series, Mini-Land Mayhem.

adadadJune 27, 2011

Ha ha, that was a great rendition of PD's voice acting. Like Greg's friend I wasn't really sure Carrington was supposed to be Scottish at first, but now I think it's actually probably supposed to be a direct impression of Sean Connery. That's not an excuse for its awfulness though!

PlugabugzJune 27, 2011

Jonny, the song you was talking about with the Nintendo 64 reference is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PTDv_szmL0

Fiendlord_TimmayJune 27, 2011

Luigi's Mansion is so underrated. I still don't understand all the hate it gets.

The game IS pretty short, though. I was able to finish it in one sitting with all the boos in about 4 hours, similar to James.

A good way to get more out of the game is to try to get the A rank mansion at the end. Finding money ghosts, golden mice, hidden treasure rooms, watering plants, etc. are things that you could have completely missed on a regular run. Some people might think it's a chore to try to interact with practically everything in the mansion, but I saw it more as an opportunity for exploration. Just take it slow and easy and it becomes much more enjoyable.

Also, for people who like an extra challenge, you get different frames for the portrait ghosts in E. Gadd's lab depending on how well you do while catching them. For regular portrait ghosts, you have to drain all their health in a single try. For bosses, you have to beat them without losing any health (or at least finish the battle with full health). It's a lot harder than it sounds! The reward may seem kind of superfluous, but really the challenge should be its own reward.

CericJune 27, 2011

I always wanted to pick up Luigi Mansion.  Seen it a lot but like Pikmin it just never happened.

Hey, Where is the Perfect Dark Script Links?

I like a link to that Doom Comic referenced.  I couldn't find it on the Interwebz.

KDR_11kJune 27, 2011

DK '94 had the moves detailed in the manual, back then games didn't teach you that stuff ingame. If you wait a little on the title screen you'll see a demonstration of all the moves Mario has. BTW, the handstand jump goes 4 blocks high if you jump immediately as you touch the ground (both when going into the handstand and when landing from the jump out of the handstand), if you don't jump immediately you'll only go 3 high from the handstand.

CericJune 27, 2011

I'm Sorry Dr.Metts
This is in loo of trying to make a custom one for the episode.

Oh and Cars 2 is Perfect Dark.

ShyGuyJune 28, 2011

Crimm never gets a person on the phone when calling Nintendo. Sounds like Nintendo has caller ID.

They'll send him a box of shoes next.

CericJune 28, 2011

You know just have UncleBob call them.  By know he probably knows some of them personally.

oohhboyHong Hang Ho, Staff AlumnusJune 30, 2011

Say what you want about the voice acting, at least Joanna is British unlike PD0's American teenager, nor did the story line get M. Night'ed like PD0. Seriously, compare PD and PD0, PD is way better. Especially Carrington, watch this till actual gameplay.

On the other hand, a great opening to the retroactive. Had me giggling especially since it had me fooled until he said "Hurry". Half of each of Jo's lines were a pretty close match when it came to general cadence while Carrington's lines were a complete wash of repressed giggling before entering WTF territory. It might have been better if he had done a Sean Connery although that wasn't the objective of the exercise.

It was a great retroactive, but was not long enough to cover such a large game.

Luigi Mansion is a little underrated, but it's length screamed "Tech Demo" considering I blew through it on launch day in Japan in Japanese after I went to bed from the morning launch. I then blew through it on Game  trying to figure out whats new only to find the only thing different is a stronger vacuum that makes a laughably easy game even easier.

ShyGuyJune 30, 2011

Greg doing an impression of Joanna Dark was the worst he has ever sounded.

Chocobo_RiderJune 30, 2011

Just wanted to chime in and say: another thoroughly enjoyable episode!

Sadly, I've never played the DK game in question, nor Perfect Dark even though we own the N64 game!
... I'll get around to it eventually.  Sounds fun! I looooove me some stealth!

Oh, and even  having never heard the game's voice acting, that bit with the impressions was hilarious =P

SundoulosJune 30, 2011

I really want to play that DK game;  I'm slowly but surely saving my way towards a 3DS purchase.

roykoopa64July 02, 2011

I loved the Perfect Dark re-enactments!  ;D

Man, it makes me want to play the game again (if I only had the time)!

motangJuly 03, 2011

Ah it would be so cool if Nintendo bought the Perfect Dark license from MS, and gave that to Retro to make a new game. Because we all know Rare is just a empty shell making kanict games nowadays.

alegoicoeJuly 04, 2011

Great podcast, the perfect dark stuff was pretty accurate, but i didnt hear you guys mentioned the amazing sound track and how it adds to the intensity of the game.

TJ SpykeJuly 05, 2011

I had had no interest in Perfect Dark before (wasn't into FPS's during the N64 era, and it was outdated by the time I got into them with TimeSplitters 2), but after the discussions on it on the podcasts, I am seriously thinking of buying the Xbox Live Arcade version. I hate when a FPS doesn't include bots, it should be mandatory for any game that is multiplayer since not all of us will have a situation where we can play with others (or with FPS, some way we can practice the mode so we don't get slaughtered by the insane people who play it 8 hours a day every day online).

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