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3DS Region locked

2011-02-10T09:56:00.001-08:00

So apparently you won't be able to play Japanese 3DS games on a American 3DS system. Nintendo has decide to make the devices region locked. This is the first time a gameboy has been region locked. If you want to to play a Japanese game on your ds you can. Nintendo claims to be doing this for the benefit of the players but it's clear it's a move to prevent the importation of games from a region where do to currency or the local economy can be sold cheaper. it's a move to protect retailers. I just hope someone comes out with a sd import device so I can play region locked games. Plenty of games like love plus which I mentioned in an earlier post will likely never be released outside of Japan.

Neo Geo Color Pocket

2011-02-07T17:37:00.001-08:00

Since I have been posting a lot about the 3DS I figured I would spend some time discussing another portable system while I wait for the 3DS. The Neo Geo Color Pocket had a pretty short consumer life span. It was competing with the game boy color. In my opinion the NGCP was superior in just about every way to the GBC but it was poorly marketed. The NGCP had horoscope/calendar program built in, a crisp color display, and was well designed. The back if the NGCP was easy to grip and it had joystick that duped in the middle making it easy to use. The amount of games that were released for the system was small but all the titles were solid. I will be doing reviews for the three best games from my NGCP collection shortly. Below is a picture of my NGCP, my three favorite games, an the back of the unit. Sorry the photos are all upside down. My iPhone is being moody.

So Ronery....

2011-02-06T16:42:00.000-08:00

I am working on a few new reviews that will be up next week. For now though I just wanted to share this trailer I came across. I predicted there would be dating sims for the 3DS and apparently there will be one available for the Japanese launch of the 3DS. Check it out. My Japanese isn't so great but aparently the imaginary girl in the video thanks it's really nice that you can look at her from any angle you'd like using the gyro sensor built in to the 3DS. Real women are over rated.

A little ashamed to admit this but kind of want.

Mission Accomplished !

2011-02-05T13:03:00.000-08:00

So I went to the local GameStop which I dread because they are always swamped and under staffed and I reserved the 3DS. It's coming out March 27 and I will be there before the store opens because I am that awesome. (What's up with Nintendo releasing stuff on Sundays?) I mostly cover retro and obscure games on this blog. I actually think the 3DS will spawn tons of obscure titles. Most of which I might have to import but oh well. With a 3D display, microphone, touch screen, face camera, 3D camera and the ability to communicate with other 3DS even when in sleep mode the likely hood for strange games is good. I think there will definably be some dating sims/hentai games, although we probably won't see them outside of Japan. There were already a few Japanese DS titles. Also any simulation/rpg games are likely to offer some alter reality options like actually seeing things from the real world imported in to the game and becoming part of the experience. There are already Iphone games that use gps and the camera to let you find and zap monsters/aliens. I expect lots of obscure/unique titles and I look forward to it. Imagine a Katamari game where you are rolling stuff up in 3D and then suddenly you realized you just roll up a picture frame on a desk with your photo in it. My genitals are tingling with delight. I haven't been this excited for a new console since I bought my Dreamcast way back in the day.::FLASHBACK:: Built in modem and a memory card with a screen......This system will be around for years! ::END FLASH BACK:: It's the same kind of feeling except I really think that the gadgets on the 3DS will be used by the developers for some awesome intuitive game features. I will post an unboxing video and I will do a review of some of the launch titles when it comes out so be sure to check back in March. Until then I have a few titles I will be reviewing so be sure to check back soon.

3DS - You will be mine

2011-02-04T16:30:00.000-08:00

I was at first a bit skeptical. This whole 3D nonsense seems like such a gimic. Avatar came out and now everything is in 3D. So when Nintendo announced it was going to release a new DS that would feature a 3D screen I was annoyed. This wouldn't be Nintendo's first foray in to three dimensions. The last journey in to the third dimension did not go so well. I had a virtual boy. It cost me 25 dollars in quarters, which I had saved up from my allowance. I plunked down on the counter to a less than pleased Electronics Boutique employee and collected the box from a huge pile of identical boxes. For 25 dollars the virtual boy came with a game. It came with mario tennis and obviously at the small price you can assume it was on clearance and hadn't sold well .Few games actually tuck advantage of the 3d and the graphics were decent but the red laser graphics would give you splitting head aches. I used to have horrible headaches from playing. What kind of kid stops playing video games because a console suggests you take a break every half hour pfftt. I now have to wear glasses occasionally which may or may not have anything to do with the virtual boy. So what changed my mind. I saw some game play vids on Nintendo's site that show the star fox, street fighter, and a new resident evil game that look gorgeous. They also are three titles that are more for the core gamer market. Aside from Zelda games Nintendo hasn't been releasing many games that are appropriately difficult enough for the core gamer market. I will be preording my 3ds and you can expect reviews posted here on my blog shortly after I have it in my hands.

Fragile Dreams: Ruins of the Moon Review - Wii

2010-12-22T11:34:00.000-08:00

I recently picked up a copy of Fragile Dreams: Ruins of the Moon, while at gamestop during one of my hour long "what the hell do I want, I can't leave empty handed" visits. I settled for Fragile Dreams. I had picked the game up a few times and it looked appealing. I also noticed it was published by Xseed, who has published quite a few interesting titles lately.

The game takes place in japan, years after some event killed most the people on earth. In the game you take on the role of Seto. Seto is a 15 year old boy who lived with an old man in an old observatory. When the old man dies, seto leaves the observatory in search of surviviors.

The world of the game is a lonely place full of rusty fences, delapidated building, and crumbling subway stations. The game does a good job making the player feel all alone.

As far as Gameplay, Seto will have to fight on ghosts, demons, robots and other spooky things. Seto can equip a melee weapon or a long range weapon. Long range weapons should be used only when the occasional calls for it because when you are holding a long randed weapon Seto can't carry a flashlight. Thats right, Seto finds himself wandering in the dark most of the game. Pointing the wii mote at the screen will allow you to move the flash light. Enemies sneak up on you in the dark and some can only be seen when you point the flash light at them. Some enemies are weakened by light giving you the challenge of keeping the light on them as you position Seto to attack. You also use the light to find things. You will notice fireflies circling around items of interest and also a swirling green circle will mark things you can pick up. Besides food and weapons you will find mystery items. You can only determine what these items are when resting by a fire. Sometimes the mystery item is a normal item, sometimes it's a valuable mineral/gem stone or a item with a memory attached. If it's an item with a memory attached a short story or bit of dialogue will come up which represents one of the last experiences of someone who has died. The controls work well for the game. The only beef I really have with gameplay is that the map in the menu screen does not show you where you are located. you have to study it and your surroundings to figure out where you are. Enemies respawn and in some areas it's easy to get lost. I kept having to back track through underground passages fighting the same enemies. Enemies seem to linger in specific areas. Many times it makes more sense just to run past them. Your resources are limited and all weapons eventually brake. You do from time to time run in to a strange merchant when you stop to rest by a fire. Make sure you always carry a back up weapon. So basicly you search through the world looking for survivors and occasionally travel with a companion.

The graphics are pretty top notch for the wii. The characters look very Shonen anime-ish. The world is small but the for the most part small touches and details make the environments seem non repetitive.

As far as Sound. The music is great. Especially the opening and closing song. Sound effects are great too and they stuff gets louder the closer you are to it. Sounds come through the wii mote when you point the flash light at things. This helps you find enemies and can be super spooky sometimes. The voice work for the principle characters is good. However some of the speeches that accompanies the Memories you find are not so great. I don't blame the actors so much as there is so much speech and this is a low budget title. Overall thought the sound and voice work do a great job enhancing the atmosphere

So to go over the Pluses and Minuses

Good: Great Game Concept, Original Control and Gameplay Mechanics, Haunting Game World, Some Great Plot Twists, A little replay value if you don't find all the Memories the first time through,Excellent sound effects and music, Main Characters are voiced well

Bad: Easy to get lost, Kind of short (my first play though was around 16 hours), Some enemies can only be defeated in a very particular fashion, enemies respawn immediately after leaving an area, ending was ok but not satisfying and I feel like a sequel is needed to tie off a few loose ends that are pointed out in the closing monologue

The weird: What good does being friendly to stray cats do and how do I feed them the cat food I keep finding, how come some of the enemies look so bizzare...jelly fish what?

If you are looking for a story driven game with rpg elements I reccomend this game. It's also one of the few wii titles that caters to core gamers instead of casual gamers

Mario Bros Movie Trailer - GTA Style

2010-12-15T10:18:00.000-08:00

It's ah me Mario. I loled so hard

Left 4 Dead NES De-make Review

2010-11-14T14:00:00.000-08:00

As promised here's my review of the NES style De-make of Left For Dead.

Graphics: Retro and Crisp. The game runs nicely without the need for an emulater. Many elements from the the 360 game are recognizeable. Overall a nice job of capturing the essense of the the original was done.

Sound. The music is catchy and taken from the original title screen

Game Play: Difficulty is pretty high. Certainly games used to be imposibly hard but one of the game mechanics makes it damn near impossible to escape a zombie if you miss the first shot. The zombies get faster the closer they get to you. Once they are are on top of you shaking them off is difficult

Hey but dont take my word for it. Try it for your self. You can go to Eric's site and try it for your self

8-bit Left 4 Dead

2010-10-28T06:56:00.000-07:00

This is a de-make of left for dead. It's creator , Eric Ruth, seems to have done a pretty awesome job capturing the game's essense in the 8 bit format. He's completely redone all 5 missions of the game. Check out this video and expect a review soon.

Rom file is availble on File Planet

Feelings of Loss and Nostalgia

2010-10-26T15:05:00.000-07:00

So lately on my latest journey back to my home town, where I have a storage unit, conveniently located a thousand miles or so from where I currently reside I managed to retrieve my Nintendo Entertainment System or as most of lovingly refer to it the NES. It sat in my closet for a while as I have been working a load of hours at work trying to free my self from my consumer debt so I can move on with my life. Hopefully go and get some training to finally make more than 26 grand a year( My current high score if you will) Well anyways, I finally found myself with a couple days off and the misses was at work so I hooked up the gray box plugged it in and hit the switch. Nothing. I fear It might be broken. I don't have a screw driver that fits the screw holes but plan to see if I can't salvage my first love. She is so dear to me.

1985-2010 Rest In Peace Sweet Princess

Not to be defeated in my quest for 8-bit nostalgia I rummaged further through my closet and pulled out my Super Joy 3. It's a NES Clone that looks a lot like an N64 controller. The guy who made and sold these supposedly got sued because of copyright infringement, for the software bundled with it. I was lucky enough to find one of these at a flea market years later after you couldnt find them in toy stores or at mall kiosks.

I played a bit but it was hard to play for too long. It runs well enough but the buttons are stiff and cheap feeling. As I turned it off though and but it away I noticed something kind of awesome. The back of the controller which has a slot to place a cartridge. I looked at it and realized that I could easily play Japanese NES (Famicom) games without the use of an adapter. The Famicom game catidges are shorter and have fewer pins. I am pretty sure I could play famicom games so I think I am going to try to scrounge up some obscure import games I have never played.

I will post an update in the future about import nes games and also post an update about my attempts to resurrect my NES. Until then Game On!

Happy Birthday Super Mario Bros. !!!!

2010-10-19T07:04:00.000-07:00

Nintendo recently marked the 25th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. Click here to check out nintendo's website for the SMB anniversary. (I have this feeling one day I will tell my future children I am older than Mario and they will be like.....wow you're old.)

Also there is a great disussion between Iwata and two people who were working for Nintendo when SMB was first released

Here's an excerpt

"

*Iwata

When Miyamoto-san created the prototype character for Mario in Donkey Kong, he called him Mr. Video. It appears he wanted to put that character in all the games he made, but with Super Mario Bros., he really did establish someone worthy of the name Mr. Video.

*Uemura

That's right. I think that's amazing.

*Imanishi

Before Mr. Video, he was called Ossan (middle-aged guy).

*Iwata

Right, right. Ossan! (laughs) At first he was Ossan and Jumpman. He wasn't called Mario until sometime later. "

So We could have had Super Video Bros or Middle-aged Guy Bros?....ok maybe not the last one

" *Iwata

That is a direct manifestation of Yamauchi-san's idea that in entertainment, people's popularity centers around just one thing. Nothing could come of having Mario and Zelda compete with each other in the character business.

*Imanishi

But that's how popular Mario was. One of the things that struck me when I first heard about Super Mario Bros. was how few pixels he was made out of. It would have been impossible to show his hair, so they had to make him wear a hat. In order to hide his mouth, they gave him a big nose and mustache. And made his clothes overalls.

*Iwata

The entire design is based on function, like making it easy to tell which direction he is facing."

That's so true and I never even thought of it. It always seemed natural for an italian plumber to wear overalls and have a mustashe.

I'll leave you with this video. It's a montage of the some of the memorable glitches/bugs from the classic nes game. Enjoy the nostalgia

Star Control 2 (3DO)

2010-07-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

Does anyone even remember the 3DO. It was second home console to use the cdrom format. It didn't have a lot of stand out titles but there were a handful of trully memorable games. If you missed out, you can still play arguably one of the best games released for the system. Star Control II is a rpg-esque game with space shooter elements. You are captain of a strange alien vessel. The object of the game is to create an alliance with alien races and free the earth and other enslaved worlds from the evil Ur-Quan. You have to gather minerals from planets, upgrade your starship, buy escort fighter starships, explore the galaxy, make friends, and battle foes. There is also a VS mode available from the main menu. The game is fun and addicting all be it impossibly hard. Truth be told, I have never beat it. As I said before though you get to test your metal against the Ur-Quan. Some rather talented fans, with the permission of the original creaters, have created a version for PC, MAC and LINUX based on the 3do version. For copy right reasons they couldn't call it Star Control, it was retitled the Ur-Quan Masters. Click here to go to their site and download one of the awesomest free game on the net.

Lunar - Silver Star Harmony (PSP)

2010-07-22T16:45:00.000-07:00

After a long hiatus ( replacing a stolen laptop ) I am able to post my first review in some time. Sorry for the wait folks. Lunar Silver Star Harmony is a remake of a popular PS1 game. I mentioned it in previous post. Its a menu driven battle RPG. The new version boasts improved graphics, music, and a more fleshed out plot( new cutscenes, story details, and the beggining of the game where you control the four heros in one of the greatest battles) Most noticeable of the changes is the graphics. The games graphics are crisp and colorful. After playing through it I can reccomend it to any hardcore Lunar fans and anyone looking for a solid rpg for the psp. My only complaints are that some of the new voice acting is cheesey and I found there wasnt enought newness to keep me hooked and I found playing it at times to be tedious as I have beat the PS1 version severl times.Something neat that is worth mentioning is that the XSEED decided to create a limited edition version with collector cards of the games herriones and a sound track. The whole package was very reminicent of what working designs frequently did. (often in the regular edition in games published by Working Designs ) I had to have it. The cards are larger than normal collector cards which means it will be hard to find something other than a frame to display them in. The soundtrack is cool and contains some fresh versions of some of the best game music ever. However I really dont care for the new rendition of Wings which contains a more literal translation of the Japanese lyrics. The same basic message was told with the original english lyrics from the ps1 version and the song was more catchy. And yes I used to sing a long every time I booted up the PS1 Version when it played after the title screen.... (You shut your whore mouth! It was a moving ballad ) Want to listen to the new version, go to the official site and it should start playing This is kind of a skimpy review but honestly this is a remake of a memorable game and I think for the most part they did a solid job. I give it an 8 out of 10.

Aladdin - SNES

2010-03-17T09:13:00.000-07:00

Nearly every Disney game Capcom made was a solid game and Aladin for the super Nintendo is no exception. It's a platformer where you utilize apples to stun enemies and then jump on them. The game follows the movie except for a few stages. There is a genesis Aladdin game that is quite different.

Graphically the game is pretty good. The music is solid, but a bit repetitive. Also aside from a carpet ride level where if you touch the wall or ceilings of the cave of wonders you die, the game is not very challenging. Still it's a fun game. Sometimes it's nice to plop down and play a game that is only somewhat challenging so you can recover emotionally/mentally from the other game you were just playing that destroyed you.

There are two kinds of gems, green and red. Red gems are hard to get and if you get all of them you get to see alternative end credits as a reward. For example in the screen shot below you have to time your jump just right to jump off the bad guy's flying sword at just the right moment to get the red gem.

Also in each level there is a chest that contains a golden scarab. When you jump on the chest it will open and the scarab will fly out. If you catch the scarab you will get a chance to win something

My favorite stage is the carpet ride bonus level. Sadly as I played this I realized that I still knew all the word to "A whole New World".

I give this game an 8 out of 10. It's not a hard cart to find
either if you feel like tracking a copy down.

Platform: Super Nintendo
Developer/Publisher: Capcom
Category: Platformer

The Adventures of Batman and Robin - SNES

2010-03-16T16:49:00.000-07:00

When Arkum Asylum came out and everyone was like "oh my god it's super hero game that doesn't suck that's amazing" I figured they must of forgot this gym from the super Nintendo. It's one of the best beat'em up's for the snes. The graphics and sound are top notch for the snes. Also the graphics perfectly capture the gothic art deco style of the Animated series for which it was inspired.

The game is divided up in to chapters, where you face off against one of batman's classic foes. If you get a game over the villain from that chapter harasses you with banter worthy of any comic book.

Aside from using hand to hand combat batman has an arsenal of gadgets. You can return to the bat cave and change what weapons you're carrying if you want to change out the gadgets in your utility belt. You also get to use batman's signature grappling hook. The combat stays fresh by introducing new kinds of enemies fairly regularly and each boss fight requires a different strategy.

Also the environments differ greatly from chapter to chapter.

The last chapter, appropriately call "The Gauntlet" has you facing off against all of the villains back to back.

My only complaints is that the parts when you drive the batmobile are frustrating and the game isn't two players. You can also only play as Batman which makes the title seem kind of strange. Overall though it's a fun game that really showcases what the snes is capable of.

Platform: Super Nintendo
Developer/Publisher: Konami
Category: Action (Beat'em up)

Robin Hood - Prince of Theives (NES)

2010-03-16T11:09:00.001-07:00

Maybe I will get some flack for this, but robin hood is actually an interesting game. I'd probably give it a 7.5 out 10. I know it's a licensed game, but licensed games from the past weren't actually all bad.
The game follows the plot of the movie for the most part but also adds in lots of details. I played this game as a kid and came close to beating it but didn't. That because there is no save feature and the game is relatively long. I imagine it could easily take a full day of playing non stop to beat it. Which is a good thing and a bad thing.

One of the most interesting things about the game is that there are several "mini games".

Fencing

"Mini" Battle

Horse Back Riding

As I mentioned the game is ungodly long and you have only 3 continues and no saves. But if you're bored and need to waste some time, it certainly will kill several hours. On the plus side the game has a lot of variety for an NES title.

Platform: Nintendo
Category: Adventure RPG
Publisher/Developer: Virgin Game

New Ghostbusters 2- NES (Europe and Japan)

2010-03-16T10:03:00.000-07:00

Sadly due to licensing issues this game was never released in the states. Activision had the rights to Ghostbusters games in North America and thus we got a game with lots of Ecto 1 driving levels where you had to make those impossible jumps.

In this game you get to pick two Ghostbusters. You play as one and the other follows behind you and you can make him through out a trap when you have a ghost trapped in your proton stream. Sometimes you have to stay still while the other Ghostbuster gets in postion to through the trap and there are usually several ghosts moving around. So there is some strategy involved. Once you clear an area an arrow tell you where to next. Once you've busted all the ghosts in a level you move on to bust the boss ghosts. The game sends you to different locations from the movie.

The graphics are simple but good. The music is great. I didn't seem to ever hear the main theme except for the opening themes but the music is catchy and I even recognized a few songs from the soundtrack which was cool. The game play is simple to pick up but challenging enough that you'll at least use one continue

If you can track down this game you'd need to alter your nes by disabling the lock out chip or if you happen to live in europe or japan. Or you can play the rom. (copyright laws say you should own the cart)

Platform: Nintendo
Publisher/Developer: HAL Laboratory
Category: Arcade/action

BATTLE OF OLYMPUS - NES

2010-03-16T08:35:00.000-07:00

Battle of Olympus is an adventure rpg style game similar to Legend of Zelda 2. I actually think it's better. The graphics are pretty top notch for the NES and the music is pretty catchy (although a bit repetitive at times. The game is challenging and there are a variety of locations (cities, woods, caves etc)Not very many people have heard of it but it's certainly worth trying

The game takes places in a place based off off greek mythology

The premise of the game is that your love has been kidnapped and you have to go to the gods for help. Along the way you have to fight monsters right out of greek mythology like Medusa.

I only have two complaints about the game. First off it has a password system where you have to write down a ridiculously long password. "Damn it, is that an "0" or and "O"." Secondly some enemies and obstacles require a certain weapon or item. For instance the little Care Bear looking guy in the picture below is going to shoot me and there is nothing I can do about it until I see Athena and get a shield.

Platform: Nintendo
Category: Adventure RPG

LEGEND - SNES

2010-03-15T12:23:00.000-07:00

Legend was quite possibly one of the best "hack and slash" games for the SNES. It hard impressive graphics and sound. It was fun to play , especially if you had a friend over since it was two players.

One of my favorite parts in the game is a bonus "break out of jail level". You don't have to play it to beat the game, but if you get caught by an enemy with a net who only appears once you go to in to a dungeon level and have to fight your way out.

Very few people have heard of this game and I felt pretty lucky when I found a used copy at a blockbuster when they were getting rid of all their SNES way back.
Here's a video of the first level

Platform:Super Nintendo
Publisher/Developer: Seika Corp.
Release Date: April 1994
Category: Hack and Slash

Lunar: Silver Story Harmony

2010-03-15T11:27:00.000-07:00

Why is a blog about older games talking about a new release?

That's because Lunar: Silver Story Harmony is actually a remake of a much loved rpg from the PS1. It's also made appearances on other consoles in several versions(mostly only available in japan) . It was released here in the US as Lunar: Silver Story -Complete in May of 1999. It was originally made by Game Arts in Japan and the use Version was Translated and published by Working Designs.

The game was a classic RPG . It had menu driven battle, an inventory system, side quests, interesting NPC's and a great story line. I played it from beginning to end multiple times.

The new version has improved graphics , new cut scenes, additional music, and new story elements.Below is a trailer for the new version.

So pick up a copy and check it out. It was released recently. In addition to the regular addition there's a collector's addition that comes with a few goodies including the game soundtrack.

Platform: PSP
Publisher/Developer: XSEED
Category: RPG (Menu-driven Battle)

Press Start

2010-03-15T09:54:00.000-07:00

Back to Bits....

Remember back in the day when video game companies were all about the bits. If it wasn't in the name of their console (N64, 32x, Turbo graphix 16 etc) you still knew how the bits because it was point of pride and it was mentioned in every advertisement.

Thanks for reading my blog and be sure to come back soon

-Jonotron