The battle lines of the internet are amazing. I used to get really angry when I would read posts or comments about how the Wii is only for kids and casual gamers and how hardcore gamers have to play certain types of games. Even though the two aren't mutually exclusive, there is a line between graphics that push the boundaries between life and game and graphics that push the given hardware to it's limits while maintaining the stylized aesthetic of the game world. Even though the two aren't opposed to each other, people like to pit games with bright flashy colors against games with more neutral palettes. Games like Super Mario Galaxy 2 facing off against Resistance 3... sounds pretty silly when I put it like that, but it is silly.
I own an Xbox 360 and Wii. In less than a year I intend on owning a Wii U. I play every genre of game imaginable; From Need for Speed to Marvel vs Capcom, Terraria to NBA Jam, Super Mario Galaxy 2 to Halo, Final Fantasy to Boom Blox, I play them all. Not all regularly, but they all make their way into my lineup of games. I've mentioned my lineup before. I like to have a little something for everyone. It makes me a better gamer and makes my house more hospitable to non gamers. It allows me to trick people into doing what I want to do, whether it be watch everyone play Dance Central(though I'm pretty good myself), work as a team in a 4 player co-op like Castle Crashers or New Super Mario Bros Wii, or pwn everyone in a pick up and play competitive game like Driift Mania(yeah, with 2 i's), Geometry Wars, or Tetris Party.
By any definition I can not be denied entrance to the "hardcore" camp of gamers, but at the same time I embrace the lighter, "casual" fare that existed just fine before Wii, but now has a place to call home. Sometimes I don't want to put that perfectly thrown grenade in the throat of another player; sometimes I don't want to grind to level 50 so that I can finally unlock that awesome piece of armor; sometimes I don't want to play a nerve racking round of Pac-Man Championship Edition DX; sometimes I just want to kick back and let my friends into my World of Goo or wrap myself up in Kirby's Epic Yarn. I'm not any less of a gamer because of my varied. I'm just a little be Casual and a little bit Hardcore.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Castle Crashers: an RPG For Everyone
I've become quite well known in my groups of friends for finding games that everyone likes. I actually go out of my way to find local mulitplayer games that my gamer friends and non-gamer friends alike can enjoy. I've often resorted to the Wii for these games. Things like World of Goo, New Super Mario Bros, Tetris Party, Dr. Mario, Boom Blox, Mario Kart, Geometry Wars, and NBA Jam. I search out the games that fit that transcend that metaphysical barrier between the "casual" and "hardcore"(I try to not use those terms, but it fits). One particular XBox 360 game seems to have taken the cake.
I've had Castle Crashers for a couple of years at this point, but I stumbled upon a sub-group of my friends that likes RPG's, so this was just perfect. I decided I could easily use one of my stronger characters and act as a buffer to keep them alive as they work through the game and we could have a good amount of fun. 2 weeks later I have a total of 12 people playing Castle Crashers at various times. It seems that I've found the perfect game. My wife plays, my friends' wives play, a Final Fantasy Veteran plays, a FPS fanatic plays, a PC gamer, a nanny, a photographer, everyone it seems will play this game and love it.
Well it got old being the strongest character while all these different groups are playing through the beginning levels. Then I realized the true genius of the simplicity of the leveling mechanic of Castle Crashers: it can be played so many different ways with so many different characters who all have different magics and characteristics. While at the same time, it is a simple 4 player brawler with a great sense of humor. I just want to keep playing... I want to level up every available character just for the heck of it. I now have 3 characters who are my main investment characters and they were all leveled up differently, one with all magic, one with all speed and one perfectly balanced between all stats.
It was just quite refreshing to rediscover this little gem. Thanks Behemoth, couldn't have done it without you...
I've had Castle Crashers for a couple of years at this point, but I stumbled upon a sub-group of my friends that likes RPG's, so this was just perfect. I decided I could easily use one of my stronger characters and act as a buffer to keep them alive as they work through the game and we could have a good amount of fun. 2 weeks later I have a total of 12 people playing Castle Crashers at various times. It seems that I've found the perfect game. My wife plays, my friends' wives play, a Final Fantasy Veteran plays, a FPS fanatic plays, a PC gamer, a nanny, a photographer, everyone it seems will play this game and love it.
Well it got old being the strongest character while all these different groups are playing through the beginning levels. Then I realized the true genius of the simplicity of the leveling mechanic of Castle Crashers: it can be played so many different ways with so many different characters who all have different magics and characteristics. While at the same time, it is a simple 4 player brawler with a great sense of humor. I just want to keep playing... I want to level up every available character just for the heck of it. I now have 3 characters who are my main investment characters and they were all leveled up differently, one with all magic, one with all speed and one perfectly balanced between all stats.
It was just quite refreshing to rediscover this little gem. Thanks Behemoth, couldn't have done it without you...
Fighting Games: A Legacy
My first fighting game was Street Fighter II on Game Boy. Needless to say, some of the nuances of the genre were lost on a 5 year old, but even then, the importance of not letting your opponent hit back was more than clear. Juggling, ranged attacks, spacial awareness, memorization, adaptation, improvisational combos would all come to pass as I grew in age and wisdom.
Following Street Fighter II, I actually didn't really get into a fighting game again until Super Smash Bros. While it isn't a typical fighting game, the keys were there. While it didn't use the same skill set at Street Fighter, it still embodies all that makes fighting games great on a competitive level. Followed up by Melee and Brawl, I couldn't help but love the style of this fighting game.
After Melee, I was dragged into a new gaming scene: Tekken 5. The Jump into 3D was a fair shock. Now I can avoid those pesky ranged attacks by a simple side step! At the end of the day, however I was never as drawn into the 3D fighting as I was the 2D. There are probably several reasons, the main one being simply preference. I have nothing against the gameplay at all. The combos were just as satisfying and the combat just as smooth, I just prefer the 2D.
Since Tekken 5, fighting games disappeared from my typical lineup. I like to have a solid rotation of multiple genres in my gaming. I think it is good to have a lengthy RPG to be working through, one or two local multiplayer games for parties and game nights, one or two online multiplayer games for when I don't have anyone around, and then a platformer. Now fighters can fall into both of the multiplayer styles, but for whatever reason, I had games in those voids but no fighting games.
Well all that to say, I've returned to form with fighting games. Marvel vs. Capcom 3 currently resides in my Xbox 360. I love it. All the twitch of Street Fighter II, 2D visuals, and enough depth that I'll never run out of things to learn(unless I go on a binge, let's hope I don't do that again...) I can't keep up online, but I enjoy the single player arcade and I have a couple friends who love to play. It's good to be back.
Following Street Fighter II, I actually didn't really get into a fighting game again until Super Smash Bros. While it isn't a typical fighting game, the keys were there. While it didn't use the same skill set at Street Fighter, it still embodies all that makes fighting games great on a competitive level. Followed up by Melee and Brawl, I couldn't help but love the style of this fighting game.
After Melee, I was dragged into a new gaming scene: Tekken 5. The Jump into 3D was a fair shock. Now I can avoid those pesky ranged attacks by a simple side step! At the end of the day, however I was never as drawn into the 3D fighting as I was the 2D. There are probably several reasons, the main one being simply preference. I have nothing against the gameplay at all. The combos were just as satisfying and the combat just as smooth, I just prefer the 2D.
Since Tekken 5, fighting games disappeared from my typical lineup. I like to have a solid rotation of multiple genres in my gaming. I think it is good to have a lengthy RPG to be working through, one or two local multiplayer games for parties and game nights, one or two online multiplayer games for when I don't have anyone around, and then a platformer. Now fighters can fall into both of the multiplayer styles, but for whatever reason, I had games in those voids but no fighting games.
Well all that to say, I've returned to form with fighting games. Marvel vs. Capcom 3 currently resides in my Xbox 360. I love it. All the twitch of Street Fighter II, 2D visuals, and enough depth that I'll never run out of things to learn(unless I go on a binge, let's hope I don't do that again...) I can't keep up online, but I enjoy the single player arcade and I have a couple friends who love to play. It's good to be back.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
My Family and the Games We Play
Having played video games since I was three(literally) and being a part of a family that has often played games(Trivial Pursuit, Taboo, Spades, Chess, Rummy, Catch Phrase, Volleyball, Football, Softball, Basketball, Cranium, Hand and Foot, Dominoes, Risk, Clue, Scrabble, and Monopoly were just some of the standby's throughout my life) I have very high respect for games and what they have to offer. Maybe it has just been ingrained in me since my first game of Othello; maybe playing the magic recorder in The Legend of Zelda just stuck with me. I don't know, all I know is that games of all size and style and difficulty have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.
On top of that, I've always played games with people. It didn't matter if a video game was meant for just one person; Di(sister) and I have played through, together, several Mario's, several Zelda's, and a handful of other video games. To this day, I search far and wide for games that Rachel and I, and the rest of the family can play together. I've recently added Settlers of Catan, Polarity, Acquire, Tetris, Dr. Mario, and several others to our repertoire. All I'm saying is that we play games... as a group, as a family. Grandpa has gone to great lengths over the years to satisfy our needs for games(a basketball hoop and a small golf course that he built come to mind)
I realize that games have very little value on the surface. At some point, I have to remind myself that a game is simply the completion of objectives( or "playing") given a set of confinements(or "rules"). However, more important to the game, over rules, strategy or skill, are the players. I'm going to use three games as examples: Volleyball, Dominoes, and Crainium.
Volleyball is a skill based strategy sport. The rules offer a fair amount of variation depending on the size group playing and their skill level. Very rarely do the rules interfere with play. More often than not, especially in our circles, we make and mend the rules as the situation arises. Ultimately, the rules are simply a vehicle for determining points in this game. While the strategy is mildly simple, "hit the ball where no one is", there are many ways to go about doing that. The weight of a simple tap can be far greater than a huge spike in the right hands(or off the right hands, however you want to say it). The strategy is also changed depending on the players. This is one game where different skill levels affect how one plays. The greatest player must play to the skill level of their teammates. While some may view this as a negative, I think it allows for a great variation in the style and competitive level of play. It provides balance to the game and allows players of all skills to compete. Not all of us can be Trent "The Fairy" Vickers(cousin), the rest of us have to resort to trash talk and poor gamesmanship, like Kenny(uncle). However, because of the flexible rules and strategies of volleyball, these two very different players can play together in an equally competitive environment. Volleyball is a situation where the players determine rules and strategy and, therefore, makes a great group game allowing for many players of many skills.
There are many variations of Dominoes, however I'm going to pick out our typical "scoring style" dominoes to compare and contrast. Dominoes is a luck fueled skill game. The rules of Dominoes are incredibly simple. 1) Lead with highest double, 2) play matching tiles, 3) you can't play off of all sides of a double but the first. 4) Make multiples of 5 to score. That is pretty much it. However, where Volleyball has flexible rules that appeal to all skill sets, Scoring Dominoes has the rigid set of simple rules to ensure that all can play. The variations of this style of dominoes are fairly limited. The two strategies are mostly determined by luck of the draw. If you have the ability to score, you typically will, however if you can't, you then lean on blocking others so that you can go out before them. Obviously there are a couple variations determined by situation and the tiles played, but these are the basic outlines of how the game is played. The skill level of the players truly has little to do with the outcome, it is a result of luck and the players choices. The skill involved is a management of tiles assuring yourself of having plays balanced against scoring as often as possible. Dominoes is a situation where a simple, rigid rule set allows players of all skill levels to play and to play with anyone, though victory will usually go to the highest skilled players.
Crainium is a rules based personality game. This game best exemplifies the importance of people in games. The rules of Cranium are long and specific. They are based on situations and actually create several sub-games within the larger game. While the rules are too numerous to mention here, the idea is that each turn is turned into a mini game where one team competes against itself in a challenge to earn a roll of the die. Strategy is relegated to attempting to choose the challenges at which your team is more adept when you can, however, more often than not, it is determined by luck. This game emphasizes the same traits found in games like Catch Phrase, Taboo, Charades, or Guesstures. You have to know how to manipulate language, actions, and sounds to achieve the goals. Coming with this manipulation is the ability to relate to your team members. Often, a team of people who don't know each other well, will perform below a team of close friends. This is what makes this game people centric. It isn't that the game looses its fun when you play with people you don't know; the benefit is what you learn playing with new people. However, in competitive play(which our family tends to lean on) it is advantageous to have a good base of knowledge about your teammates and how they communicate.
I take the time to look at these three games not because I'm bored, but because I'm a geek and these are the things I think about. I love the ideas surrounding how and why people do things. Anthropology, psychology, meta-game, relationships are all things that fascinate me. I love pondering why I enjoy the things I enjoy vs. why others enjoy the things they enjoy. The whole idea here, is that the people make the games. Playing games with people is great because it brings people together that might not normally spend as much time together. Apparently games and families share traits. Only in family and games would you find a farmer, a county commissioner, a video game geek, a soldier, a soccer star, a Fairy, an Ice Flyer marketing manager, three teachers, an organist, a softball player, a diva, a server, a woodworker, and a professional camel rider throwing bones on a table eating frozen peanut butter pie and pound cake... simultaneously. It's a beautiful thing...
On top of that, I've always played games with people. It didn't matter if a video game was meant for just one person; Di(sister) and I have played through, together, several Mario's, several Zelda's, and a handful of other video games. To this day, I search far and wide for games that Rachel and I, and the rest of the family can play together. I've recently added Settlers of Catan, Polarity, Acquire, Tetris, Dr. Mario, and several others to our repertoire. All I'm saying is that we play games... as a group, as a family. Grandpa has gone to great lengths over the years to satisfy our needs for games(a basketball hoop and a small golf course that he built come to mind)
I realize that games have very little value on the surface. At some point, I have to remind myself that a game is simply the completion of objectives( or "playing") given a set of confinements(or "rules"). However, more important to the game, over rules, strategy or skill, are the players. I'm going to use three games as examples: Volleyball, Dominoes, and Crainium.
Volleyball is a skill based strategy sport. The rules offer a fair amount of variation depending on the size group playing and their skill level. Very rarely do the rules interfere with play. More often than not, especially in our circles, we make and mend the rules as the situation arises. Ultimately, the rules are simply a vehicle for determining points in this game. While the strategy is mildly simple, "hit the ball where no one is", there are many ways to go about doing that. The weight of a simple tap can be far greater than a huge spike in the right hands(or off the right hands, however you want to say it). The strategy is also changed depending on the players. This is one game where different skill levels affect how one plays. The greatest player must play to the skill level of their teammates. While some may view this as a negative, I think it allows for a great variation in the style and competitive level of play. It provides balance to the game and allows players of all skills to compete. Not all of us can be Trent "The Fairy" Vickers(cousin), the rest of us have to resort to trash talk and poor gamesmanship, like Kenny(uncle). However, because of the flexible rules and strategies of volleyball, these two very different players can play together in an equally competitive environment. Volleyball is a situation where the players determine rules and strategy and, therefore, makes a great group game allowing for many players of many skills.
There are many variations of Dominoes, however I'm going to pick out our typical "scoring style" dominoes to compare and contrast. Dominoes is a luck fueled skill game. The rules of Dominoes are incredibly simple. 1) Lead with highest double, 2) play matching tiles, 3) you can't play off of all sides of a double but the first. 4) Make multiples of 5 to score. That is pretty much it. However, where Volleyball has flexible rules that appeal to all skill sets, Scoring Dominoes has the rigid set of simple rules to ensure that all can play. The variations of this style of dominoes are fairly limited. The two strategies are mostly determined by luck of the draw. If you have the ability to score, you typically will, however if you can't, you then lean on blocking others so that you can go out before them. Obviously there are a couple variations determined by situation and the tiles played, but these are the basic outlines of how the game is played. The skill level of the players truly has little to do with the outcome, it is a result of luck and the players choices. The skill involved is a management of tiles assuring yourself of having plays balanced against scoring as often as possible. Dominoes is a situation where a simple, rigid rule set allows players of all skill levels to play and to play with anyone, though victory will usually go to the highest skilled players.
Crainium is a rules based personality game. This game best exemplifies the importance of people in games. The rules of Cranium are long and specific. They are based on situations and actually create several sub-games within the larger game. While the rules are too numerous to mention here, the idea is that each turn is turned into a mini game where one team competes against itself in a challenge to earn a roll of the die. Strategy is relegated to attempting to choose the challenges at which your team is more adept when you can, however, more often than not, it is determined by luck. This game emphasizes the same traits found in games like Catch Phrase, Taboo, Charades, or Guesstures. You have to know how to manipulate language, actions, and sounds to achieve the goals. Coming with this manipulation is the ability to relate to your team members. Often, a team of people who don't know each other well, will perform below a team of close friends. This is what makes this game people centric. It isn't that the game looses its fun when you play with people you don't know; the benefit is what you learn playing with new people. However, in competitive play(which our family tends to lean on) it is advantageous to have a good base of knowledge about your teammates and how they communicate.
I take the time to look at these three games not because I'm bored, but because I'm a geek and these are the things I think about. I love the ideas surrounding how and why people do things. Anthropology, psychology, meta-game, relationships are all things that fascinate me. I love pondering why I enjoy the things I enjoy vs. why others enjoy the things they enjoy. The whole idea here, is that the people make the games. Playing games with people is great because it brings people together that might not normally spend as much time together. Apparently games and families share traits. Only in family and games would you find a farmer, a county commissioner, a video game geek, a soldier, a soccer star, a Fairy, an Ice Flyer marketing manager, three teachers, an organist, a softball player, a diva, a server, a woodworker, and a professional camel rider throwing bones on a table eating frozen peanut butter pie and pound cake... simultaneously. It's a beautiful thing...
Thursday, April 28, 2011
NBA Jam Revisited
I recently had the pleasure to play the NBA Jam on Sega Genesis and then play NBA Jam on Nintendo Wii. After putting about two hours into the original and then several play sessions into the new one, I can't help but be pleased with both. The original will always stay in my heart as one of the great competitive multiplayer games of past generations. Few moments rival dunking in you friends face, setting the net on fire. Well, few other than sinking that fade away three while they try to block with no avail since, well, you're on fire . . .
EA Sports has once again given me these simple pleasures along with a slew of new pleasures. Between the slightly tweaked gameplay, the classic look and feel of NBA Jam, and the new multiplayer suite, I'm enjoying NBA Jam on Wii far more than I should.
I'll go ahead and get this out of the way, but it is dated gameplay, cheap AI and repetitive mechanics. That doesn't stop me from enjoying it for 30-45 minutes at a time, especially with three friends next to me.
That said, give NBA Jam on any of the three consoles a try. It doesn't thrill in a Mass Effect, GTA, or even a FIFA 11 way, but it is a nice trip back to a simpler time. We love our simulations, but sometimes it is good to know that I can shove my opponent to the floor, take the ball and reduce the basket to smoke and ash.
I guess the question is if you should dust off your older system to play NBA Jam or actually drop the cash on the new one. I would argue that the new modes(particularly the free for all modes) add a whole new level to NBA Jam's multiplayer suite. Now, not only can you team up 2v2 with your friends, you can take them all on in games like 21(with put backs to reduce your opponent's score) or Domination.(make shots from places on the floor to "win" them for a time and gain points for having spots on the floor "won")
Remix Tour and Remix 2v2 Jam - These are less than impressive. I had much more fun just playing the normal Jam Season and normal 2v2. The inclusion of super powered bosses and power ups don't add much in the way of pure gameplay, they feel more gimmicky.
Another worth addition to NBA Jam is the spin move and crossover. These two additions, along with the standard steal, shove, and throwing elbows open up strategy a bit. Sometimes I don't want to pick up my dribble by throwing elbows, but it was my only option for getting a pesky defensive player off my back. Now, if they are coming in for a steal, a cross over will make them stumble(or fall depending on their stats). Then if they prefer the more aggressive shove, I have the option to spin off it and end up wide open for a drive or shot. My only complaint is that on the lower difficulties, the crossover and spin move are a bit too effective. They essentially make your teammate a flashy accessory for if you want some alley oops to mix it up. As you ramp up the difficulty, however, the moves balance out and make excellent additions to the core experience.
The best thing that NBA Jam has going for it is that it feels like the original experience without getting too tired. Multiplayer is a rush with enough variety to reach out players of different skill levels. If you have a lot of people over and want to have another multiplayer option without split screen, this is a great addition. If you just want the nostalgia, rent it and play through the single player modes.
EA Sports has once again given me these simple pleasures along with a slew of new pleasures. Between the slightly tweaked gameplay, the classic look and feel of NBA Jam, and the new multiplayer suite, I'm enjoying NBA Jam on Wii far more than I should.
I'll go ahead and get this out of the way, but it is dated gameplay, cheap AI and repetitive mechanics. That doesn't stop me from enjoying it for 30-45 minutes at a time, especially with three friends next to me.
That said, give NBA Jam on any of the three consoles a try. It doesn't thrill in a Mass Effect, GTA, or even a FIFA 11 way, but it is a nice trip back to a simpler time. We love our simulations, but sometimes it is good to know that I can shove my opponent to the floor, take the ball and reduce the basket to smoke and ash.
I guess the question is if you should dust off your older system to play NBA Jam or actually drop the cash on the new one. I would argue that the new modes(particularly the free for all modes) add a whole new level to NBA Jam's multiplayer suite. Now, not only can you team up 2v2 with your friends, you can take them all on in games like 21(with put backs to reduce your opponent's score) or Domination.(make shots from places on the floor to "win" them for a time and gain points for having spots on the floor "won")
Remix Tour and Remix 2v2 Jam - These are less than impressive. I had much more fun just playing the normal Jam Season and normal 2v2. The inclusion of super powered bosses and power ups don't add much in the way of pure gameplay, they feel more gimmicky.
Another worth addition to NBA Jam is the spin move and crossover. These two additions, along with the standard steal, shove, and throwing elbows open up strategy a bit. Sometimes I don't want to pick up my dribble by throwing elbows, but it was my only option for getting a pesky defensive player off my back. Now, if they are coming in for a steal, a cross over will make them stumble(or fall depending on their stats). Then if they prefer the more aggressive shove, I have the option to spin off it and end up wide open for a drive or shot. My only complaint is that on the lower difficulties, the crossover and spin move are a bit too effective. They essentially make your teammate a flashy accessory for if you want some alley oops to mix it up. As you ramp up the difficulty, however, the moves balance out and make excellent additions to the core experience.
The best thing that NBA Jam has going for it is that it feels like the original experience without getting too tired. Multiplayer is a rush with enough variety to reach out players of different skill levels. If you have a lot of people over and want to have another multiplayer option without split screen, this is a great addition. If you just want the nostalgia, rent it and play through the single player modes.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Project Cafe and what that means
A quick look over the interwebs indicates that Nintendo has made some grievous errors in code naming their new system "Project Cafe" and most are skeptical(at best) of a controller with a screen. While none of us has any business questioning the most consistent company in gaming(25 years of competitive/dominate contributions to the world of video games, really? who has that kind of track record?), I'm going to put in my two cents. . .
Cafes have become a social gathering location as of 15 years ago. Nintendo has always been the beacon of social gaming. The only current system to support more than 4 controller inputs is the Wii and they've always encouraged people playing games together.(Pokemon, Super Smash Bros., New Super Mario Bros.) Nintendo pushing their social gaming/perpetual gaming/meta gaming agenda is no surprise. They tried with Pokemon to make individuals rely on each other to complete games. They tried to introduce Wii Remotes as vehicles for gamer profiles.(but never had the connection that Xbox Live and PSN had) They've supported multiple titles(Legend of Zelda: 4 Swords Adventure, Mario Tennis) that fostered a connection between portables and consoles. They pioneered "Street Pass" for the DS and 3DS, which creates a passive social interaction between portable gamers. All this to say that Nintendo is no stranger to social gaming on the spectrum of both portables and consoles. Is it too crazy to say that "Cafe" may just be an allusion to Nintendo's precedent of supporting social gaming?
As for the touch screen controller, I'm all in. The idea of playing a game on my console, then taking a portion of it with me to, say, build up a specific member of my party in an RPG or draw up plays in any sports game sounds pretty awesome. While I've never played a Facebook game, this is a kind of social, perpetual gaming I can get behind. I'd get credit and points and experience at home and on the go. I don't have enough down time away from my house to invest in a portable, but if it all funneled into the same save data, into the same game, into the same character: I'm in.
Price will always be and issue. I found myself quite surprised at Nintendo's willingness to put the 3DS at the $250.00 price point when that's where the Wii weighed in 5 years ago. I understand it; the 3DS is no joke. There is a lot of tech in that little box and I'm sure Nintendo is taking a bit of a hit on each one sold. But with the handheld precedent set at $250, where is this "Hardcore-centric" powerhouse with 1/2 of an HD-DS for a controller going to put us? We saw what happened to Sony with the $600.00 price tag, let us hope that Nintendo doesn't overcompensate.
This is all speculation . . .
. . . but I'm still excited
Cafes have become a social gathering location as of 15 years ago. Nintendo has always been the beacon of social gaming. The only current system to support more than 4 controller inputs is the Wii and they've always encouraged people playing games together.(Pokemon, Super Smash Bros., New Super Mario Bros.) Nintendo pushing their social gaming/perpetual gaming/meta gaming agenda is no surprise. They tried with Pokemon to make individuals rely on each other to complete games. They tried to introduce Wii Remotes as vehicles for gamer profiles.(but never had the connection that Xbox Live and PSN had) They've supported multiple titles(Legend of Zelda: 4 Swords Adventure, Mario Tennis) that fostered a connection between portables and consoles. They pioneered "Street Pass" for the DS and 3DS, which creates a passive social interaction between portable gamers. All this to say that Nintendo is no stranger to social gaming on the spectrum of both portables and consoles. Is it too crazy to say that "Cafe" may just be an allusion to Nintendo's precedent of supporting social gaming?
As for the touch screen controller, I'm all in. The idea of playing a game on my console, then taking a portion of it with me to, say, build up a specific member of my party in an RPG or draw up plays in any sports game sounds pretty awesome. While I've never played a Facebook game, this is a kind of social, perpetual gaming I can get behind. I'd get credit and points and experience at home and on the go. I don't have enough down time away from my house to invest in a portable, but if it all funneled into the same save data, into the same game, into the same character: I'm in.
Price will always be and issue. I found myself quite surprised at Nintendo's willingness to put the 3DS at the $250.00 price point when that's where the Wii weighed in 5 years ago. I understand it; the 3DS is no joke. There is a lot of tech in that little box and I'm sure Nintendo is taking a bit of a hit on each one sold. But with the handheld precedent set at $250, where is this "Hardcore-centric" powerhouse with 1/2 of an HD-DS for a controller going to put us? We saw what happened to Sony with the $600.00 price tag, let us hope that Nintendo doesn't overcompensate.
This is all speculation . . .
. . . but I'm still excited
Monday, March 28, 2011
Life After Death: The Super Meat Boy Story
There is one feature of Super Meat Boy that separates it from its 2D Platforming Peers: the zero second respawn time after death. This singular feature turned what was a creative romp through the timeline of video games into a lightning storm of tense moments, trial and error, and murderous intent turned pure ecstasy. I draw a comparison to the Mario Bros. games of old; in the olden times, the long, long ago, death was to be feared. 1-UP's were the currency of the world. Sure you could jump above level 1-2 and just run to the end, but you miss out on about 3 extra lives from coins and shrooms. When the zero was next to the Mario face, you knew this was it. Die now and you must fight from the beginning.
This mindset of death actually punishing the players is making quite a resurgence. Games like Demon Souls may allow you any number of deaths, but they strip you of everything you hold dear in the process; even Minecraft puts a hefty price on taking too many arrows to the face. This return to the punishing styles of our 8-bit history is dramatically changing the gaming landscape.
Don't get me wrong, I love it. I love the sense of satisfaction from besting a game that forgives nothing. The beauty, however, of Super Meat Boy is that the satisfaction is different; it isn't better or worse than say, Mega Man's life counter, but it is distinct from it.
The things video games teach us are incredible. In this particular instance, death is a tool.(am I right?) In some games, death is a punishment for poor or inattentive play. In Super Meat Boy, death is only the beginning. Die once and you instantly learn what not to do next time. The learning curve is an exponential curve in Super Meat Boy. You can legitimately not die in the first chapter(difficult, but you can). However, by the time you reach "The End", you may very well die 10-25 times per level. Some levels demand much more than that.
This trial and error view of death may make the game seem easy early on, but that is only the tease before the trap. Super Meat Boy may give you infinite lives and no punishment for death, but it is still one of the hardest games I've played in the last several years.
A seemingly simple addition to a fairly simple game that makes all the difference.
This mindset of death actually punishing the players is making quite a resurgence. Games like Demon Souls may allow you any number of deaths, but they strip you of everything you hold dear in the process; even Minecraft puts a hefty price on taking too many arrows to the face. This return to the punishing styles of our 8-bit history is dramatically changing the gaming landscape.
Don't get me wrong, I love it. I love the sense of satisfaction from besting a game that forgives nothing. The beauty, however, of Super Meat Boy is that the satisfaction is different; it isn't better or worse than say, Mega Man's life counter, but it is distinct from it.
The things video games teach us are incredible. In this particular instance, death is a tool.(am I right?) In some games, death is a punishment for poor or inattentive play. In Super Meat Boy, death is only the beginning. Die once and you instantly learn what not to do next time. The learning curve is an exponential curve in Super Meat Boy. You can legitimately not die in the first chapter(difficult, but you can). However, by the time you reach "The End", you may very well die 10-25 times per level. Some levels demand much more than that.
This trial and error view of death may make the game seem easy early on, but that is only the tease before the trap. Super Meat Boy may give you infinite lives and no punishment for death, but it is still one of the hardest games I've played in the last several years.
A seemingly simple addition to a fairly simple game that makes all the difference.
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