411 Games Fact or Fiction 03.02.10: Final Fantasy 13, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Metroid: Other M

Posted by Mark Salmela on 03.02.2010

Are you excited for Super Mario Galaxy 2? Will Final Fantasy 13 on the PlayStation 3 outsell FF13 on Xbox 360? Was it smart for Nintendo to license Metroid to Team Ninja? Does the Nintendo DSi XL cost too much? 411's Todd Vote and Armando Rodriguez debate these topics and more in the latest edition of 411 Games Fact or Fiction!



Welcome back Guidos and Guidettes to another edition of Fact or Fiction Games: Jersey Shore Edition! I'm your host Mark "The Blowout" Salmela and I've got the two toughest, fist-pumping, muscle-T wearing, face-punching guidos of the 411 staff Todd Vote and Armando Rodriguez. We're not taking any shit this week as we answer the most culturally relevant questions mankind has to offer. And if you don't like it you can blow it out your ass. Watch out, we're comin' in hot!



1.) Final Fantasy 13 will sell more copies in North America on the PlayStation 3 than the Xbox 360.



Todd Vote - Fiction: If you had said Japan, then I would have whole heartedly agreed. Regardless of which version will be superior, the fact remains that Microsoft has a larger install base than Sony does in the Western World. For that reason only, I think we could see it sell better on the Xbox 360. This is the whole reason that Square Enix went multi-platform I'm betting.

Armando Rodriguez - Fact: Wow, I could be proven wrong really easy, but I went with my gut. I debated this question over and over, but I have a gut feeling that people still see FF as a Sony franchise and pretty much everyone who has a PS3 (or has the intention of getting one) will buy FF13 for the PS3. I am sure it will sell a ton of copies on the 360 as well, but if we are talking about people who own both systems, I am sure they will pick it up for the PS3. Why? The PS3 version will be only one disc....how many discs is the 360 version? I am likely wrong on this one, but like I said, I have that feeling.....

Score: 0 for 1 - I'll say FF13 on 360 outsells FF13 on PS3 in North America by 100,000 units in March, give or take 10,000. Meaning yes, I think it'll be a virtual tie since I expect both platforms to sell over a million in March. I do think FF13 will be one of those games that over time does sell more on PS3 then 360, but I think 360 will win the first couple of months.



2.) (So far) Handing off the Metroid franchise to a 3rd party developer in Team Ninja has been a smart move for Nintendo.



Todd Vote - Fact: I must admit, The Other M is looking pretty good. Provided they can nail the game play, things should be fine.

Armando Rodriguez - Fact: The Other M is looking all kinds of awesome. This is not the first time Nintendo allows a 3rd party developer to take one of their franchises for a spin and the last time they were successful. For those that don't remember, the Zelda: Oracle of the Ages and Oracle of the Seasons games were made by Capcom. They were really good too.

Score: 1 for 2 - Yeah, all of those GREAT third party Zelda games. You know, like the Wand of Gamelon, Faces of Evil, and Zelda's Adventure. But in all seriousness I do like the idea and execution SO FAR of Metroid: Other M.



3.) $190 is a ridiculous price for the Nintendo DSi XL. That's $10 less than a Wii!



Todd Vote - Fact: The best part is you are paying all that money for the exact same system, with a slightly larger screen and stylus. So it's the DSi people with fat hands have been waiting for. Get yours today!! This is at least as bad of an idea as the iPad. I knew that this latest announcement would be DSi version 4000, but I didn't think they would do something as minor as this to get people to buy yet another handheld. But hey, who can blame Nintendo? I'd keep pumping them out as long as people keep paying for them too.

Armando Rodriguez - Fact: Honestly, I wanted to type the word "Fact" 500 times for emphasis. I mean, we are getting a large DS....that's it. Like Todd said, this joins the iPad in the "horrible idea" category. With $190 you could get a DSi with a killer game or a DS Lite with TWO awesome games. Plus, I am sure most of the DS games won't look particularly awesome when stretched to the dimensions of the new screen.

Score: 2 for 3 -






4.) You cannot be more pumped for Super Mario Galaxy 2, especially since it launches May 23rd.



Armando Rodriguez - Fiction: Well, I don't own a Wii anymore, so why would I be pumped for a game I will likely not play until a few years from now when the Wii is $50? I admit the first game was all kinds of awesome and the sequel should be great as well, but I have said it before and I will say it again: the biggest mistake I have ever made was buying a Wii at launch. I played Zelda and then the system just collected dust for a year until I said "F it" and sold it. Now there are quite a few interesting games and if I had the money I would probably get the system.

Todd Vote - Fact: I can't be more pumped, and I can't be less pumped. I don't own a Wii, and as fun as all Mario games tend to be, I don't find myself getting excited for them like I did when I was a kid, well aside from New Super Mario Wii. The fact is I don't own a Wii yet, and there are two other games on my radar that I NEED TO HAVE before I can think about getting a Wii. My lack of excitement is in no way indicative of how I feel about Mario, as I stated in last week's Top 5 *cheap plug*, I enjoy Mario and his games are always among the best offerings on Nintendo, but I just don't get the same excitement from the anticipation that I used to get.

Score: 2 for 4 - Platformers are my favorite genre. Mark loved Sonic as a child, but during my teenage/early adult years Sonic and I went our separate ways. You know, when he let Shadow have his own game. But now Mark loves Mario platformers. Thus, The Salms is excited for Super Mario Galaxy 2.



5.) Sega announced this week that they cut certain content from the US release of Yakuza 3, citing time constraints. You hate it when developers cut content from games, regardless of the reason.



Armando Rodriguez - Fact: We have already waited a long time for Yakuza 3, I am sure we could wait a few more months if it means getting all the content our Oriental friends have. It's not like there is a lack of great games to play this year. I hate companies who cut content as this leads me to believe we will see it released as DLC for $10 in the future as companies continue to try and take our money any way they can.

Todd Vote - Fiction: Not regardless of the reason, I hate when EA cuts content just so they can charge us for it as DLC later down the line, but when it comes to cutting content, I don't really care. If the company didn't tell us they had to cut something, would we ever know about it? Probably not, so why stress about it?

Score: 2 for 5 - So let me get this straight, cutting content was due to time constraints? Heaven forbid we delay Yakuza 3 a couple more months to keep all of the original content in the game. No, that wouldn't work, because then Yakuza wouldn't have to compete with God of War 3 and Final Fantasy 13.



6.) The next Mortal Kombat game will return to its roots and be bloody, gory, and violent. It will not have a Teen rating and it will not be a "versus" game.



Armando Rodriguez - Fact: If they want to resurrect the MK brand and sell a lot of copies they need to go back to the drawing board and see what made MK awesome in the first place. The bloody, gory fatalities, the M rating of course and the fact that the game (outside of the boss characters) was very balanced. Yeah, some characters were better than others, but the difference wasn't as drastic as say, Street Fighter or Marvel vs Capcom.

Todd Vote - Fact: Let me first state that I had no problem with the VS. game you speak of. I thought it was fairly well done, had a unique way of the story playing out and a fairly interesting story bringing the two universes together. That being said, it just wasn't MK without the over the top gore and violence that we have come to expect as a series staple. At this point I'd be happy if they announced that MK was going back to the look and feel of the first 3 games. It's workin for Sonic, it could easily work for Shinnok and the gang.

Score: 3 for 6 - Shinnok? SHINNOK? Why must you name one of the lamest characters as an example? Oh and MK vs DC sold 2 million copies Armando, it was a financial success. But never-the-less the game blew chunks and I crave for digitized graphics and 100% 2D gameplay, not 2.5D or 3D.



Bonus Question #1: You would make an honest woman out of Melina.



Mark Salmela - Fact: To me Melina has always been a woman just looking for love. Her sole purpose for being is to kill Kitana because Shao Kahn said so. Shao Kahn is just abusing Melina, and I'm just the man to fix that. I love long walks on the beach and candle lit dinners. I may be hesitant to kiss her, but I have plenty of way to express my love to her if you know what I mean.

Armando Rodriguez - Fact: As long as I can put a paper bag on her and her mouth stays as far away from my Johnny as it possibly can. I mean, tons of Baraka-like razor sharp teeth would probably turn me into shredded meat.

Todd Vote - Fact: I say that with the precursor that she has a better chance of turning me into a straight up woman with them teeth. Can you say peel the banana? The girl just needs some love. It's like Mary Kate & Ashley, Kitana is the one everyone loves, and Milena is the drugged out, less attractive yet somehow hotter one. Show her some love and she would return in kind I'm sure.





Bonus Question #2: You don't understand the popularity of Snookie. Situation is where it's at.



Armando Rodriguez - Fiction: Those things are awesome! I mean, sitting down typing on a PC while still warm? That rocks. Of course, I don't understand people who order half a dozen of them on different colors. One is enough!

Mark Salmela - Fact: Wait, does he actually like Snuggies? I wonder if the joke is lost on Armando. Probably not, but if it is I'm going to punch him, IN DA FACE!

Todd Vote - FIST PUMPS AND PICKLES (Editor note: I'm taking that as Fiction whether he likes it or not): Come at me bro... I'll drop you with one shot if you try to say the situation is better than Snookie. Did you see her take that shot in the mouth? She took the punch from a dude better than The Situation handled his shot from JWoww. I just hope in season two that Snookie is finally able to find her Italian Juice Head Guido. I wish Snookie would stalk my whole life at the boardwalk..






Bonus Question #3: The cyborgs (Robot Smoke, Cyrax, and Sektor) in Mortal Kombat 3/Ultimate/Trilogy where way overpowered.



Todd Vote - Fiction: Well Fiction to Smoke and Cyrax, Fact to Sektor. If being a badass makes you overpowered, then yes I suppose the former two were broken. But they were two of my favorite characters in MK3, and I used to open bottles of pwn sauce on the daily with them. Looking back I can attribute this to a lack of Scorpion, and the fact that both my ninjas had a spear like attack. Smoke's was practically identical to Scorpions, and Cyrax as we all know had the big green net of death. So if me kicking your ass with these characters makes them over powered, then I suppose it's Fact. However, anybody who knew how to play the game knew that these robo ninjas are worthless if you just push the block button. Sektor I can't vouch for, I was never able to master his moves, but blocking would totally negate the net combo's and Smokes kick ass combos.

Armando Rodriguez - Fiction: I agree with Todd. Cyrax was awesome, but not overpowered, while Smoke was too much like Scorpion. To me it was Sektor who was overpowered, because (If my memory serves me right) he had a near infinite combo with the stupid teleport punch and the missiles. Sektor is also one of the few characters I never enjoyed playing as. A lot of people complained at the time because they felt the Cyborg ninjas were more powerful than the human ninjas....well folks, they are robot ninjas! They are supposed to be more powerful!

Mark Salmela - Fiction: A year ago I would have said fact with the asterisk that I love to use them despite being cheap. But as my legion of friends and I continue to pour literally hundreds of hours into the game we've come upon the conclusion that if you practice enough about half of the characters in the game can be put into the top "god" tier. I've got friends who've somehow mastered Sindel and can destroy people both online and off with her. The same goes for someone as lame as Stryker. I think I'm going to compile the hundreds of hours of data and dozens of worn out and broken controllers and write a research paper on Mortal Kombat Trilogy someday. It's quite amazing how my opinion of certain characters have changed so much over the years. People I once considered top tier like both Sub-Zeros now fall into that smaller category of "good, but not god if mastered" tier.



Bonus Question #4: Tattoo Assassin's is better than Mortal Kombat.



Mark Salmela - Fiction: In terms of gameplay Mortal Kombat Trilogy is better, but in terms of hilarity and pure awesomeness Tattoo Assassin's is way better than any Mortal Kombat. I mean come one, in one of the over 1000 fatalities in the game you drop a cruise ship on your opponent while the screen says "eat ship and die". That's just incredible. My personal favorites are A.C. Current with his deadly nail gun and Truck Davis, because he's a pissed off Russian who drinks beer while kicking ass. Plus he can throw Molotov cocktails.



Todd Vote - Fiction with a side order of Fuck you Mark: Did that bitch really just fart some green gas in that video? I say fiction because no game in the history of man has ever been able to out awesome MK. The fact that this game looks like a list of rejects who were not able to make the cut in the MK Tournament just adds to it. You really play that shit? And what is with the zamboni that just kind of sits there and squirts blood? Wow... I think part of me died inside.

Armando Rodriguez - Fiction: I agree with Todd, but to be honest my experience with Tattoo Assassin was akin to Mark's experience with girls: 5 sloppy minutes. I remember I watched a few matches between friends and then tried my hand at the game for about 5 minutes before I moved on. I guess that I don't have the necessary experience to comment on Tattoo Assassin's quality, but the best indicator is that Mortal Kombat has produced like 10 games while Tattoo Assassin never had a sequel.



What an incredible ending. Best ending ever in a game.





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I guess we uhh… technically finished 3 for 6. But to be honest it doesn't really matter. So do you guidos agree? Disagree? Be sure to let your opinions be known below. I'll be back next week, so be sure to stay tuned to 411mania. Cya in 7.