I was in Boston for the past week, so I was unable to update my blog. However, I did manage to play/complete the original Crash Bandicoot game for PSX (I played the PSN version), so that review should be up relatively soon. The PS2 retrospective should be up within a couple of days.
Monthly Archives: January 2009
Before writing my retrospective on the PS2 (which I’m eagerly waiting to write), I wanted to write a little post on The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Master Quest, the differences between it and the original and whether it’s worth buying if you don’t already own the game at this point. But before we get into that, let’s take a look at the game’s origins, shall we?
History
Master Quest, originally referred to as Ura Zelda, was meant to be an expansion disc for the original Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time N64 game using the aborted, Japan-only Nintendo 64DD (disc drive). The game was meant to change the dungeon layouts and add more difficulty to the puzzle solving elements of the game. Due to the failure of the 64DD in Japan, the project was ultimately scrapped. However, due to popular demand among hardcore Zelda fans, Nintendo decided to release Ura Zelda on the Nintendo GameCube, renaming it The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Master Quest. In North America, Master Quest could be obtained by pre-ordering a copy of The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker. The disc included the original version of OoT as well as the expansion.
Key Differences
In Master Quest, the story and hub world remain unchanged. However, all the dungeons have a new layout, different weapon locations and more (and different) enemies. It should be noted that in the Master Quest version, the self-censorship first seen in the gray cartridges of the original OoT (cutting out the Fire Temple Muslim chants and changing the color of Ganondorf’s blood) are still intact. As it stands, there is no official way to play Master Quest uncensored.
They’re different in more ways than just the boxart
Is it Worth it?
Despite the fact that Master Quest currently costs around $20-30 on eBay, people who are either looking for a challenging rendition of the legendary OoT or people who are big Zelda fans (chances are that those people already own Master Quest already, though I’ve seen several posts on message boards where someone is on the fence about purchasing the game) will adore it. Let’s face it: the days of hard Zelda games are long gone. My (at the time) six year-old cousin completed Wind Waker. I doubt any six year-old could complete Master Quest. It’s not a game for babies or people who cling on to current hand-holding mechanics such as regenerating health and hint arrows. The dungeon design in Master Quest provide challenging puzzles that will make even the most veteran Zelda fans stumble at times. The enemy placements are intelligently inserted into each room of the dungeons, offering more than just “more enemies = harder game”. Warning: You will die, and you will probably die more than you’d think.
Not to digress from the actual content of the game too much, but I’m really thankful that Nintendo of America decided to release Master Quest. Considering the fact that they refuse to release Earthbound Zero in some capacity (no, I’m not one of those fans, though I respect Earthbound fans for their loyalty) despite being fully translated. In an age where NoA won’t even release games available in Europe (therefore in English) such as Disaster Day of Crisis, I’m really glad that they decided to release Master Quest while their batting average was still relatively high. I won’t turn this into a rant against NoA (too late I suppose), so I will end this by saying that playing OoT is an incredible experience in its own right (I will talk about this game in great detail during my N64 retrospective, don’t worry), and Master Quest is a great “hard mode” of sorts for people who have mastered the original game.
Now let us take a look at Microsoft’s first attempt at a true home gaming console, the Xbox.
Brief History
In response to the growing video game market, Microsoft unveiled the Xbox at CES in 2001, later released that same year on November 15 in North America. Although Microsoft had dabbled in the video game hardware market in the past (the MSX console-computer hybrid and the Windows CE compatible Dreamcast), the Xbox was the first pure home console released by Microsoft. It’s premiere launch title, Halo: Combat Evolved, would be the console’s most popular game until its sequel, Halo 2.
Similarly to the Playstation 2, the Xbox used DVDs for games. However, a remote would have to be purchased to use the console as a DVD player. A significant component of the Xbox was its built-in 8GB hard drive, making it the first home console to feature an internal hard drive. Game saves and music could be stored on the hard drive.
The Xbox launched with the following titles in North America, listed alphabetically:
Air Force Delta Storm
Arctic Thunder
Cel Damage
Dead Or Alive 3
Fuzion Frenzy
Halo: Combat Evolved
Mad Dash Racing
NFL Fever 2002
Oddworld: Munch’s Odyssee
Project Gotham Racing
Early Games
The Xbox started off strong with a staunch line-up of launch titles in Dead or Alive 3, Fuzion Frenzy, Oddworld Munch’s Odyssee, Project Gotham Racing and most notably, Halo: Combat Evolved. Instantly considered a killer-app by critics for its advancements in the first-person shooter genre, Halo quickly became the reason to own an Xbox. It was one of the few Xbox games to support a LAN feature, in which four Xbox consoles could be connected via link cable, giving each player his or her own TV monitor. It set a standard to which all future FPS games had to follow. The game would eventually sell over 6 million units worldwide, only bested by its sequel in terms of sales. Another notable launch title, Dead or Alive 3, was the product of series creator Tomonobu Itagaki (of Ninja Gaiden fame), a huge proponent of the Xbox platform. The game would eventually sell over one million copies worldwide. One criticism the Xbox had during its launch was the fact that it launched with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2x, a remake of the first two games in the Tony Hawk series instead of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 which was already released on the PS2 and would launch with the Nintendo GameCube. THPS3 eventually released on the Xbox during the following year.
It should be noted that Sega, after its collapse following the failure of the Dreamcast, was a huge supporter of the Xbox. The first piece of evidence was with the release of Jet Set Radio Future in February of 2002, the followup to the critically acclaimed Dreamcast game Jet Grind Radio. Despite its cult following, the game was a complete failure in terms of sales. 2002 also saw the first installment of Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell, a game based around stealth. It would eventually become one of the Xbox’s best selling titles, trailing only the Halo games. Another notable Sega published title was a port of the Dreamcast game Shenmue II, released later that year. Previously unreleased in North America, the Xbox version was the only way of playing the game without importing. Many copies were bundled with a bonus DVD video which explained the story from the first game to people unfamiliar with the series. The game was an enormous failure and saw an early price-cut. Shortly afterwards, Panzer Dragoon Orta, the next installment in the Panzer Dragoon series, released in January of 2003. However, unlike the previous Panzer Dragoon games on the Sega Saturn, PDO was developed by Smilebit, the developers behind Jet Set Radio Future. Much like Sega’s previous Xbox efforts, PDO was another major sales flop, despite its critical acclaim.
Not all was doom and gloom for the Xbox in 2003, though. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, developed by the RPG specialist Bioware, was released in June to much critical acclaim and would go on to sell over a million copies. Hardly any significant titles were released for the rest of the year. However, 2004 was Xbox’s peak year with AAA releases such as Peter Molyneux’s RPG Fable, Tecmo’s Ninja Gaiden, and more significantly, Halo 2. The record-breaking launch of Halo 2 was unprecedented, with over 2 million copies being sold on the first day alone.
Controller issues
One of the main criticisms of the Xbox was its massive controller. Its bulky design along with poor button placement forced Microsoft to create a new, smaller controller model for the Japanese launch. The Japanese controller would eventually become the standard controller of the Xbox worldwide, referred to as the Controller S.
Original Xbox “Duke” controller
Microsoft Acquires Rareware
On September of 2002, Microsoft bought 51% of Rareware’s shares. Nintendo then proceeded to sell their 49% to Microsoft. Ultimately, this meant that Rareware, known for their support of the Nintendo 64 with blockbuster titles such as Banjo-Kazooie, Goldeneye, Perfect Dark and Donkey Kong 64 would exclusively develop for Microsoft consoles, though Nintendo would still keep the rights to Donkey Kong and Star Fox. However, the Rare acquisition did not pay off for the Xbox, with a half-hearted Rare game Grabbed by the Ghoulies and a remake of the N64 game Conker’s Bad Fur Day, with added censorship.
Xbox Live
Perhaps the Xbox’s biggest strength, Microsoft’s Xbox Live online gaming subscription-based service launched in November of 2002. Though it was not an overnight success, more and more games started to support the Xbox Live online service. Not only was the service ideal for online gaming, it was also a bridge for acquiring downloadable content and having voice chat support. One of the main criticisms to the service was the fact that users had to pay $50 a year to use the service, unlike the Playstation 2.
Legacy and My Own Thoughts
The Xbox would finish in second place in its generation in terms of worldwide sales, with roughly 24 million units sold worldwide. Though it wasn’t the first console to support an integrated online service, it made huge strides in the online department, eventually making it a standard to include an online component in as many games as possible. The successes of Halo and Halo 2 cannot be overlooked. Much like N64’s Goldeneye, Halo redefined what a console FPS could be, and is the benchmark for pre-release hype. Additionally, the fact that the Xbox had a built-in hard drive is the reason all current-gen consoles have some form of internal memory. Admittedly, I believe that, software-wise, the Xbox is a pretty forgettable console. I’ve never witnessed a major console being embodied by one game (two if you count Halo 2). Frankly, other than the Halo games, Sega’s efforts and Ninja Gaiden Black, I can’t think of many other compelling Xbox exclusives that are still fun to play by current standards. Let’s not forget the abomination known as the Xbox Duke Controller, the worst controller for a major console in history. The redesign was a bit better, but had an equally odd button layout (why was the start button on the side of the controller rather than the center?). Overall, I would consider the Xbox my least favorite console of the sixth generation by far.
Top 10 Xbox games
1. Ninja Gaiden Black
A re-release of sorts to the 2004 game Ninja Gaiden with a few extra features. To me, NGB is the definitive 3D action game. It’s a game that isn’t for people who like hand-holding and simplified combat. Simply put, it’s a game that rewards players for learning its deep mechanics, much like a fighting game.
2. Panzer Dragoon Orta
An on-rails air combat game, similar in style to the Star Fox games (well…the early Star Fox games anyway). The game has a beautiful art style that will never age, unlike most titles on the console. The controls take some getting used to, but is ultimately rewarding once mastered.
3. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
As a guy who normally doesn’t like Western RPGs–or Star Wars, I can confirm that KOTOR is indeed awesome. Though the game does not run perfectly in terms of technical prowess, it’s easy to forgive its flaws because of how ambitious it is. Not to sound cliche, but the story in KOTOR is engaging, with a surprising twist at the end.
4. Halo: Combat Evolved
There isn’t much to say about Halo that already hasn’t been said a million times. It was one of the first console shooters with co-op play in a campaign. The controls were mapped perfectly for an otherwise flawed Xbox controller, as if the Xbox controller was built soley for this game. Graphically, it still looks good to this day.
5. Jet Set Radio Future
An underappreciated sequel to Jet Grind Radio, the game sports beautiful cel-shaded graphics, bested only by Windwaker’s art design in the sixth generation in my opinion. The gameplay is fairly similar to its predecessor, but in a good way.
6. Conker: Live and Reloaded
One of the last major releases for the Xbox, Conker: Live and Reloaded was also one of the Xbox’s best looking games. However, the game was censored even moreso than the N64 game (which is why it went from being called Conker: Live and Uncut to Conker: Live and Reloaded). However, the platforming is still fun and the dialogue is still as humorous as ever.
7. Fable
An avalanche of broken promises, Fable still delivered in some respects, despite being extremely short. It set the ground work for its Xbox 360 sequel, Fable 2.
8. Shenmue II
Though not the best port, Shenmue II on the Xbox is still very enjoyable (and the only way to play the game in North America besides importing). The attention to detail is unparalled, though the voice-work in this installment seems rather lifeless.
9. Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay
A surprisingly good game, despite being a licensed title. The game featured a nice hybrid of first-person shooter elements as well as stealth mechanics. However, a definitive remake is being released on the 360, possibly rendering this version useless. Its quality can’t be denied, though.
10. ESPN NFL 2k5
Years later, many 2k fans are clamoring for a true sequel to ESPN NFL 2k5. The game excelled in its presentation, and sports many features that current Madden NFL games still don’t have.
After hearing nothing but praise for Mr. Driller: Drill Land, the Japan-only GameCube release, I decided to import it (got a good deal on eBay). I may give some impressions on the game in the near future (or I may not, stay tuned!).
On another note, I never knew how cool the Japanese GameCube boxes are in comparison to the North American ones. I’m not sure how the PAL boxes look in comparison, but I’ll find out soon enough, because I also imported Doshin the Giant which never came to North America.
Comparison between North American and Japanese boxes
Today we’re going to look at the Nintendo GameCube with its highs, lows and everything in-between.
Brief History
Released on November 18th, 2001 in North America in black and indigo colors, the Nintendo GameCube (formerly known as the Dolphin) was the first Nintendo home console to not launch with a traditional Mario game. Instead, it launched with Luigi’s Mansion, with a brief cameo from Mario.
The GameCube launched with the following titles in North America, listed alphabetically:
All-Star Baseball 2002
Batman Vengeance
Crazy Taxi
Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2
Disney’s Tarzan Untamed
Luigi’s Mansion
Madden NFL 2002
NHL Hitz 20-02
Star Wars: Rogue Squadran 2: Rogue Leader
Super Monkey Ball*
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3
Wave Race: Blue Storm
* It should be noted that Super Monkey Ball’s console debut was on the GameCube.
Instead of using regular CDs and DVDs as its main source of media for games, the GameCube used 1.5GB, 8-cm miniDVDs as a means of fighting piracy. Ultimately, this harmed the console due to its low storage capacity compared to its competitors, the Playstation 2 and the Xbox. Natively, it did not have DVD playback, though there was a redesign released only in Japan which could play DVDs, known as the Panasonic Q.
Early Games
In terms of support, the GameCube saw a steady release of console exclusive games since its launch in North America. Pikmin and Super Smash Bros. Melee were simultaneously released on December 3rd, 2001, less than a month after the GameCube launched. Pikmin ended up selling over a million copies, and Super Smash Bros. Melee would end as the GameCube’s top selling game along with Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. Sonic Adventure 2: Battle was released on February 12, 2002 and was the first Sonic game to ever be released on a Nintendo home console. The game would end up selling over one million units in North America alone.
Sonic featured on an issue of Nintendo Power, a surreal moment in gaming history
The console would not see another big release until August, when Super Mario Sunshine launched. As the spiritual successor to the Nintendo 64 smash-hit Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine was met with a lot of mixed reactions. Some praised Super Mario Sunshine for its new gameplay mechanic; the FLUDD. The FLUDD allowed Mario to utilize water to accomplish various missions in each world, reminiscent to the mission structure in Super Mario 64. However, others criticized its art direction and asinine story. November saw the GameCube’s main holiday title when Metroid Prime arrived. Metroid Prime was the highly anticipated next installment of the Metroid franchise, which skipped the Nintendo 64. Despite initial skepticism from Metroid enthusiasts, Metroid Prime released to unanymous praise, and was considered an instant classic. As it stands, Metroid Prime is considered one of the greatest games of all time for its streamlined gameplay and isolated atmosphere. The next blockbuster hit came out in the following year in March: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Much like Super Mario Sunshine, The Wind Waker was met with mixed reactions, though they were mostly positive. The most obvious change in The Wind Waker was its art design. Unlike the previous two Zelda games on the N64, the Windwaker featured stylized cel-shaded graphics. This, along with the fact that the game had a big emphasis on sailing, was the main source of criticism.
Connectivity
A feature that Nintendo tried to push was the connectivity between the GameCube and the Game Boy Advance. For the connectivity to work, one would have to have a GameCube, a Game Boy Advance and a link cable that would connect the two pieces of hardware. Though this was not the first utilization of connectivity between a console and a portable system (the Dreamcast did it first with the Neo Geo Pocket Color, though King of Fighters was the only game to use the feature), it was the first time that any hardware manufacturer pushed the feature to the extent that Nintendo did. Despite this, the feature never caught on in any significant way. The connectivity was used in cases such as uploading Pokemon from Ruby & Sapphire to Pokemon Colosseum and using the Game Boy Advance as a play selector in the Madden NFL games. There were a few games that used the GBA connectivity as a main component. Pac-Man Vs. was a pack-in game with Pac-Man World 2 among other Namco titles, focusing primarily on the Game Boy Advance. The player holding the Game Boy Advance would control Pac-Man, while up to three other players would control the ghosts on the television screen in hopes of catching Pac-Man. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles and The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures also utilized GBA connectivity, but were criticized due to the fact that each person had to have a GBA and a respective link cable if he or she wanted to play. Overall, the GBA-GCN connectivity laid the ground work for the succeeding generation, but was ultimately a failure for the GameCube.
Wavebird Controller
An overlooked innovation Nintendo brought to console gaming with the GameCube was the Wavebird wireless controller, created by Nintendo and released in 2002. In contrast to a standard first party GameCube controller, the Wavebird was a bit bigger and had a battery pack on the back of the controller. Rumble was taken out of the controller, due to the fact that it was seen as a battery-sink.
For the controller to work, a wireless port would have to be plugged into the GameCube controller slot. The “channel” on the controller and the controller slot, which could be changed in the form of a dial, had to match.
Game Boy Player
Released on June 24, 2003, the Game Boy Player was released as a means of playing Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance games on a television set, using the GameCube. Released only in black in North America, the hardware itself had to be placed under the GameCube using its hi speed port.
To run the Game Boy Player, software packed in with the hardware would have to be in the GameCube’s disc slot. It is compatible with most games, including the e-Reader device. Officially, it cannot connect to a Game Boy Micro. The Game Boy Player is not compatible with the Nintendo Wii.
The Capcom Five
Capcom famously promised five exclusive games for the GameCube: Killer7, Dead Phoenix, P.N.03, Viewtiful Joe and Resident Evil 4. Of those five, Dead Phoenix was cancelled and three of the four games ended up being ported to the PS2 eventually, with Viewtiful Joe and Resident Evil 4 having extra features in the PS2 versions. This hurt the GameCube in terms of mindshare and exclusivity, though Resident Evil 4 went on to sell over a million copies on the GameCube. Director Shinji Mikami even went as far as saying that he would “cut his own head off” if RE4 appeared on any other console except the GameCube (he no longer works at the company).
Legacy and my own thoughts
The GameCube ended up in third place during its generation, selling roughly 22 million units worldwide. To date, it is Nintendo’s worst selling home console of all time. Personally, I think the GameCube is the most underrated console among the masses outside of the Sega Saturn. I lined up to get a GameCube at Best Buy during launch, and never regretted my purchase. I enjoyed Luigi’s Mansion at the time as well as Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 (I didn’t have a PS2 at the time). I was really hyped for Super Smash Bros. Melee. I had screenshots of the game pasted on my door in excitement (I was a nerd even back then!). I ended up sinking over 1000 hours into SSBM. I had my first taste of the RTS genre with Pikmin, which came out on the same day. I played that a lot with my sister. Sonic Adventure 2 was the first Sonic game I ever bought (and ironically, the last good Sonic game to hit a home console!), and played it to death. I could go on and on about my experiences with every game I’ve bought, but that would take up a few pages. The Wavebird controller is still, in my opinion, the most comfortable controller to hold. The button layout itself is suspect (come on, that d-pad is microscopic!), but I feel that the Wavebird has the perfect shape and size to fit comfortably in my hands. Thanks to the Wavebird, wireless controllers are a standard in current generation consoles. Overall, I think the highs of the GameCube are higher than those of the PS2, though the PS2 had more consistently good releases.
Top 10 GameCube Games
1. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
My favorite GameCube game and possibly one of my top 10 games of all time. The stylized graphics are vibrant and the game still has some of the best cel-shaded graphics to this date. The gameplay features classic Zelda-style gameplay, however, one of my very few complaints is that the game is too easy.
2. Super Mario Sunshine
A game that did not get the respect that it deserved. Some people couldn’t look past the FLUDD, but other than that, the game was pretty much Super Mario 64 in a tropical setting. The non-FLUDD bonus stages are among the most fun pure gameplay experiences one could ever have.
3. Metroid Prime
As a guy who is not a huge fan of first-person shooters, I love this game. It offers more than just “shoot the dude in front of you” gameplay mechanics. It has a sense of exploration and platforming that other shooters simply don’t have.
4. Pikmin 2
This game could be described as an RTS For Dummies, which is perfectly fine, because I’m not a very big fan of the RTS genre. Pikmin 2 edges Pikmin 1 because it took out the 30-day cycle which was a major complaint in the first game.
5. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
A controversial game among Metal Gear fans due to its updated graphics and cutscenes. Personally, I appreciated the significantly better graphics and improved mechanics (such as being able to open doors without equipping security cards). In context to the original game, I can see why people get turned off by this game, because it conveys Snake as a superhuman. However, in context to the latter MGS games, I feel that Twin Snakes fits in better.
6. Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
The definitive Sonic Adventure 2 game. It cuts the load times and glitches that the original Dreamcast version had and adds a few features such as Chao Karate. After beating both the Hero and Dark modes, I spent TONS of hours raising my chaos in the Chao Garden.
7. Super Smash Bros. Melee*
In my opinion, the SSB franchise is the best multiplayer series of all time. Among hardcore fighting game fans, SSBM is seen as a casual-friendly brawler, but it has enough depth to have a fairly large competitive battling scene. I spent hundreds of hours getting all the trophies, and several hundred more hours battling my friends.
8. Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
A conventional survival horror game with a few twists. The Insanity Meter was a great addition, because it got into the player’s psyche. It would pretend that your saved data was corrupted among other things.
9. Resident Evil
A heavily updated remake of the original Resident Evil game. The graphics are among the best that the GameCube has to offer. Unfortunately, the tank controls remain intact.
10. Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
Developed by the same team that would eventually create Super Mario Galaxy, DKJB was a game that utilized the Donkey Konga drums in an incredibly fun platformer. Even though the game is extremely short, it demands more replay with its high score system.
* Would have been much higher if not for the release of Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
I did not list multiplatform games, which is why Twilight Princess and Resident Evil 4 aren’t present on this list.
Next time we’re going to take a look at Microsoft’s original Xbox.
Sorry for my mysterious absence, I’ve been semi-busy lately.
About my Super Mario Advance review, I’ve decided to put it off for a while in favor of creating a retrospective of each video game console generation from the NES era to the PS2 era (I don’t own any consoles prior to the NES, so I can’t cover those consoles).
The format for these retrospectives is listing a console, a little backstory about its history and the top 10 games that everyone should own if they have the respective console.
I’m going to start by covering the previous generation first, then work my way back to the NES generation. My first retrospective will cover the Nintendo GameCube, a console I feel was overlooked by the masses. It has a good amount of exclusive games that are still as fun to play as they were when they came out.
Happy New Year!
