The Retrospective 12.29.06: The Retrospective Goes Wii! (Pt. 2)
Posted by Sean McCabe on 12.29.2006
Come one, come all to see the Retrospective, where we celebrate the best heroes from Japan, the best consoles from Japan, and the best games from Japan... take that Joshua Richey.
Okay, first I should say to everyone that I hope they had a nice Christmas. Christmas doesn't mean a whole lot to me besides an excuse to have a meal with the whole family, but even that can be fun. And hey, I got to play all my "presents" long before now. In fact I just beat Twilight Princess on Christmas Day. Man that game was awesome, It should be walking away with the 411 Game of the Year Award if such a thing known as Justice exists…
Also, apologies for the lateness of this column. I blame Theo, and Theo blames it on Christmas. So Santa Clause it the real scoundrel in all of this. However, this thing will be a real monster, the longest column I have wrote so far.
Well, last week my "Column Sweeping" section got pretty mixed responses from the staff, though Joshua Richey, Bless him, didn't take it too hard. Still, I'll do away with it in favour of less formal ribbing. But in the case of Xbox a Gogo, I really think I've found my new foil. I don't think any writer on this site gives me better material, both to laugh at and play off of. The PS3 drinking game was awesome, now if I weren't, as it seems cool to say these days, straight edge, and if I weren't European, and if I were dumb enough to buy a PS3, then that would be how I'd drown my sorrows.
So, in this week's Xbox a Gogo, Josh, perhaps in direct reply to my comments last week about Microsoft never doing that well in Asia, asks, "why should we care, what did Asia ever give us?" A good question, and I'm sure we all have different answers, some obvious, some less obvious. For me, the obvious is their influence on videogames. But the less obvious is my favourite super hero characters. Batman and Spiderman are both pretty cool, but the fact is there's a Japanese superhero, if you can call him that, so awesome that Spawn ripped off just about every aspect of him, even right down to having a shit live action adaptation, a pretty good animated adaptation and an awesome comic book series (just not quite to the same level of awesome though), and some questionable videogames, and still manages to be less cool. I am talking about, of course, Devilman. Although Devilman is something of a cheesy, camp name, and the original 70s series was cheesy and camp to go with it, Devilman was always intended to be an extremely serious character, and considering what he is, a human possessed by Amon, a Marquis in the classical rendition of Hell, a demon with a head shaped like a raven's wings and who controls the element of fire. Yes, Yuri from Shadow Hearts, he also is possessed by the power of Amon, just another reason why those games are so awesome. Amon symbolises conflict and reconcilement, and that in many ways is what Devilman is about. Conflict and reconcilement are cool and all, but mix style, violence, nudity and gore all in there and you have a true masterpiece.
Devilman is my favourite hero, but my favourite heroine (not counting the female version of Devilman) is also not only from the same place but the same creator as Devilman. A character so wacky and out there that she could be interpreted as anything from a magical girl of the old school Magical Witch Sally tradition to a sex kitten of the "insert modern hentai title here" tradition. Awesome, no? I am talking of course, about Cutie Honey . She is awesome in that she does everything from trash talk her enemies to flirting with them, but in the end, things always come down to dramatic beatdowns that you'd expect from the creator of as violent a character as Devilman. But there is a series or two about her, that makes her rather suitable for a young female audience. So, be it magical girl or violent tomboy, Honey is one of the most dynamic and versatile heroines in the realm of comic books. But the thing I like about her most of all, is that even in these cynical apathetic times, she's a character who can still sincerely proclaim that she fights for the values of love and justice, and you can still believe her. And just to add to her critical credibility, the man who has spearheaded her new millennium resurgence is none other than Hideaki Anno. Hear that, Eva/FLCL fanboys?
Okay, all this may seem out of place in this column but it does have a point. The Entertainment industry, of which Videogames is very much a part of owes a lot to the continent of Asia, not just Japan but all of it, and here at The Retrospective, we pay our dues and give respect to those who deserve it, and so to celebrate that fact, I want to see some feedback relating to this, answering the question, "What has Asia done for you?" Of course, I'd like it relatively limited to games and gamer culture, which can definitely include most forms of entertainment, especially the sub-cultural kind. I am not doing this to get at the Xbox a Gogo column at all; I want that to be clear. The statement made in it just made me think a lot about different cultures, and how they interconnect with each other. Because of the theme of this column, I thought it would be an interesting question to put out there. I want all the staff to think about it to… and if I get enough material, I may just have my first feature to contribute right here.
The Introspective
One thing I have been kinda lax on lately is gaming news, so this week I'll try to make up for that. Here are several stories that interest me, with comments. Forgive me if I don't cite any sources; that's the kind of thing new reports do though, not columns. We just whine and complain and spread rumours and gossip in between.
1. Virtua Fighter 5 defects to the Xbox 360
The funny thing about this statement is my reactions to it go like this – "Virtua Fighter 5" causes me to yawn, "defects to" causes me to go "ooh…" and "Xbox 360" causes me to laugh my ass off at Sony. I might not really care for VF, but really the more this kind of stuff happens, the better for gamers and the worse for Sony.
2. Halo 3: Brute not playable
So, that's the one solitary interesting rumour about Halo 3 laid to rest. So once again, your all getting to play as just Master "I need a personality transplant, stat!" Chief. I'm sure some of you will like that.
4. MGS4 rumours shot down
Konami were quick to deny rumours that they were eying the 360 for a quick MGS4 port to shore up their about-to-be haemorrhaging finances when the PS3 version gets less than spectacular sales. Guess what. Capcom did the same over RE4, look what happened there. And this really is the only remaining thing the PS3 has going for it.
5. Reggie assures Wii players a steady line up for 2007
Well, to be honest, there is a distinct lack of really quality games for the Wii in 2007. However, since the Xbox 360 suffered from that this year, and the PS3 will almost assuredly suffer it to (watch all it's big name games be pushed back to 2008) then they do get an extra continue to2008. But then it will be put up or shut up time for Nintendo, but I think they'll be ready. It'll be one hell of a dogfight though, between the three of them. And surely the real winners in the end will be gamers, right?
Okay, and for the next thing, I see people using all these cool logos and pictures in their columns. I want in on that. My photoshop skills are about as non-existent as the Xbox 360's market penetration in Asia though, so if anybody would be really kind to make me some, one for The Retrospective heading, one for the Introspective heading, one for the VG Babe of the Week, and I will be their best friend for life. Well, you know, for a month or something then I'll forget all about it.
Apart from playing a lot of Zelda and bathing in it's goodness, my gaming has been fairly non-eventful this week, so without further ado…
VG Babe of the Week: Samus Aran
Considering how important she was to the SNES movement, I thought it would suit to have her this week. And I couldn't post a picture of Midna in her true form, as people would be pissed at the spoilers. Maybe in a few weeks time.
The Breakdown
I needed something catchier than just simply "Onto Business or whatever", so I thought why not name the main section after one of my favourite, and most criminally underrated games of all time? Works for me anyway.
Anyway, we finished last week by examining the success of the original Game Boy, i.e. it conquered the world. And still rules it with an iron fist, as we will talk about down below. But first, after some competition, some legitimate competition in the Sega Genesis came to the fore and started giving the NES a hard time, through a clever, not to mention highly politicised ad campaign, Nintendo had to reply, and this was their answer.
Super Nintendo Entertainment System/Super Famicom
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Release: 1990
Notes: As can be seen, the American SNES was designed quite differently from other territories. First launched with Super Mario World, F-Zero and Pilotwings.
The SNES, or Super Famicom would be often cited as the most critically lauded games console of all time, and was also released during the most tumultuous war in videogaming history. Sega and Nintendo would constantly try to outdo one another, and whilst the Super Famicom succeeded in capture the most market share in Japan almost right away, it took years for it to do so in the American market and never did so in the PAL territories, proving if nothing else that Sega were able competitors.
Although the console was notable for hosting many of the finest efforts from companies such as Squaresoft, Capcom, Konami and Koei, Nintendo themselves probably released the most important and successful titles on the system, such as Super Mario World, Super Metroid and Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, which were hailed as masterpieces and proof that nobody could make games quite like Nintendo.
Theo: What impact did the SNES have on the gaming community? That's like asking what effect the Suffragettes had on women's rights. It had an immeasurable impact. Proof? 49 million sold worldwide. The SNES' biggest achievement was its dominance of the PAL territory and parts of Asia, where the NES had been less than well received. And why exactly was the SNES a success, you ask? Just take a look at the following games to clearly see why.
Notable Releases:
-The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past.
The pinnacle of the series, besides Ocarina of Time; I could spend days debating which of the two is the better game. Still, there's no denying that this is a fantastic addition to the series, and was the game that helped to mould all future Zelda games, introducing multi-levelled dungeons, the trusty hookshot, Cuccos, and the Master Sword; all Zelda staples these days. Plus, the bad guy (Agahnim) totally kicks ass. I mean, sure, Ganondorf is evil and all that, but all he really does is sit there in his black cape and snarl a lot. Well, Agahnim actually KILLS PEOPLE! One day, I want to see Agahnim resurrected, you hear me Nintendo? OK, I'm getting side-tracked here. This also happens to be one of the largest Zelda games, as there's a TON of stuff to do in the Light World, and THEN you get transported to the Dark World, and you find out you're only half way through the game! LttP has contributed more to the series than any other Zelda release, and is still considered to be one of the greatest games of all time. It's easy to see why.
-Super Mario Kart.
I still remember the Christmas I woke up to find this in my stocking. *Gets misty eyed* Good times. Anyway, of course this is important, as the success of this game led to the production of sequels MK64, Super Circuit, Double Dash and MKDS, all of which are magnificent racers. But this release is significant for far more than just that; Super Mario Kart was the first Mario sports title. So thanks to this, we saw Mario Tennis, Mario Golf, Mario Strikers…and Mario Superstar Baseball *Raises an eyebrow*. Anyway, it had a big impact on the way Mario was used in future titles, as he became a ‘jack of all trades'. He must have gone to a pretty good plumbing school if he also learned how to drive a kart and become one of the best all-around sports players the world has ever seen. But that's neither here nor there. I'm sure you all know how the Mario Kart series works, so I won't insult your intelligence there. The only major difference between this and later games is that the original contains the Feather, which was dropped for later releases, and quite understandably so. You have no idea how frustrating it was to shoot off a red shell with a sick grin spread across your face, screaming "EAT THAT, BITCHES!" only for your opponent to jump over it!
-Super Mario World. The best 2D Mario game in existence. Super Mario Bros 3? Bah, get out of my sight. SMW was fantastic from start to finish, and that's a big feat considering that it contained 72 levels tucked away inside the little gray cart. I also hold SMW dear to my heart due to the introduction of a little character known as Yoshi. C'mon, you gotta love the lil green fella! Gameplay was simple, yet oh so addictive, making it a joy to fully 100% complete. And this was the first game of its kind to actually reward players for fully completing it. Another trend introduced by Super Mario World was the ability to revisit levels to find hidden secrets, which was used in SMW to give players a chance to search for one of the 96 exits, that potentially led to the Star Zone and Special Zone. The game wasn't as revolutionary as something like Mario 64, but by this stage, Nintendo had cracked 2D platforming, and were able to use their expertise to create a truly polished gaming experience.
-Super Metroid.
Widely regarded as the best Metroid game in existence, and that is saying something when you consider the greatness of the Prime games. Aside from being a highly critically-acclaimed adventure, this was the biggest SNES release to date upon its release in 1994…literally; it was released on a 24 megabit cartridge, as it was so huge. Super Metroid follows the same story progression as the Prime games (albeit in 2D), where you advance to new areas by obtaining power-ups and handy tools. Presentation is extremely slick, with incredible attention to detail; there is a statue in the game that changes colour to represent how many bosses you have defeated. A completely pointless detail, as it serves no real purpose, but something that really added to the package as a whole in terms of presentation.
By the way, this game will be released on the Virtual Console sometime in early 2007. Start saving those Wii Points now!
-Chrono Trigger
This is deemed by some as the greatest RPG of all time. And who am I to argue with them? Easily in the upper-echelon of graphically superior SNES games, this is an absolute treat on the eyes, and is a joy to listen to, thanks to the brilliant orchestral numbers littered throughout the game. The gameplay is simple enough to pick up and play instantly without having too steep a learning curve, but has just enough depth that requires you to put in a fair few hours to get the most out of it…which is exactly what hardcore RPG fanatics crave.
Sean: Alright, enough. Chrono Trigger is not the greatest RPG of all time. I only played Chrono Trigger a few months ago after years of being told it's the greatest RPG ever, and guess what? It was very under whelming. A classic case of hype killing the possible impact of a game. We Europeans were denied it for so long, I really can't bring myself to care about it. So switch out Chrono Trigger for the far more deserving and fun Secret of Mana for me.
Nintendo 64
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Release: 1996
Notes: Referred to as Project Reality, then as the Ultra 64, before finally receiving the Nintendo branding shortly before it's release.
Disclaimer – If there is one thing that will have me acting like the Angry Nintendo Nerd of Screw Attack fame, it is nostalgically writing about the N64. Things will be said here that I wouldn't say by fear of hate mail ordinarily. Time to take a deep breath and enter the realm of my fanboydom.
Alright, writing about this console is something of a sad experience for me. Although this console is by far one of the greatest, most under-appreciated ever created (the Dreamcast before the Dreamcast was built), it will always be stuck with the stigma of being the console that Nintendo "dropped the ball" with. It is a shame, because this console was actually quite successful, very profitable and it's success can be attributed to one thing and one thing only, a games library of unequalled qual…
RPG fanboy – "But it doesn't have any RPGs, it suxxors!"
Quiet you. I like RPGs like anybody else, but their absence did nothing to harm the system's library. It was worth it alone to see somebody tell Squaresoft to fuck off like the overrated pieces of shit they are. Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask made the fact pretty easy to ignore anyway, what with them being the greatest games ever made, and Hybrid Heaven plus a superb port of Shadowman also did much to alleviate things. It was, really still is, the console to have the most success with that genre known as the FPS. Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, Turok, solid ports of Duke Nukem 3D, Quake and Quake 2…
Halo fanboy – "What, no Halo? It sucks."
You shut up. Halo was a step down the ladder of FPS evolution from Perfect Dark and Turok 3. Maybe if those guys at Bungie hired some of Rare's leaving talent, then Halo might not have been so crap. Anyway, as you can see, the N64 pretty much has the worst issues when it comes to fanboy hate. Now, what about the lack of fighting games? I'm a well documented fanboy of those, so how does it measure up there? Fighters Destiny, a near perfect arcade port of the best MK game, Smash Bros and Mace: the Dark Age. Not too bad there at all. It had F-Zero X, Pilot Wings, 1080 and Wave Race keeping the racing and stunt fans happy, and it has some of the best platformers ever released…
Sony fanboy – "What, no Crash or Spyro? Then how the fuck did it have good platforme.."
He trails off because I just fired a crossbow bolt through his gullet. Anyway, I could go on, but I think I'll let Theo take it from here. I'll just finish with the fact that if you don't like the N64, you're a problem and I have no issues being your solution, so sleep softly and with the lights on.
Theo: The Nintendo 64 was unable to capture the same interest that the SNES had garnered in the previous generation, for no discernable reason. Perhaps some saw the cartridge format as being old technology compared to the discs used by the Playstation. Certainly, cartridges could not hold FMV movie sequences, most likely turning off people who were wowed by the graphics they saw in movies for Final Fantasy VII (which, coincidentally, was originally going to be a Nintendo 64 title). It was also more costly and more difficult to develop for the N64, hence the lack of third party support over the console's lifespan. However, this did not by any stretch of the imagination mean that the N64 was a failure. Game releases may have been few and far between, but they made up for this by their quality. First-party titles were consistently of a very high standard, and thanks to second-party developers such as Rare, the N64 managed to secure second place in the console war, with 32.93 million consoles sold worldwide. Foolish people like Andrew Mellick may have wanted to play with their fancy CD-format Playstations, but for those of us who stuck by Nintendo, we were rewarded with some of gaming's finest achievements.
Notable Releases:
-Super Mario 64. When discussing revolutionary games, Super Mario 64 is always going to come up first. For over a decade, gamers associated platformers as being side-scrolling affairs with the aim of getting from Point A to Point B. Mario 64 changed all of that, and completely revolutionised the 3D era. Instead of overcoming obstacles, as was the case in the 8-bit and 16-bit era Marios, this game revolved around the idea of exploration. For the first time ever, you actually got the explore the Mushroom Kingdom. But how did this impact the gaming community? For a start, the game propelled the sales of the console itself, and was the N64's first killer app, in the truest sense of the word; EVERYONE wanted to try the new Mario and experience the brand new type of gameplay offered. But on a much wider basis, Mario 64 had a huge impact on 3D games as a whole. We quickly began to see the inclusion of the free camera, which gave players a stronger sense of controlling games; no longer were views dictated- if you wanted to look at the bulge in Mario's pants, you were more than free to do so. Mario 64 was one of the first games to implement a ‘central hub' which has pretty much been used by every single mission-based game of any worth since Mario 64's arrival. Finally, Mario 64 introduced the idea of non-linearity to games, again giving players the ability to progress through a game at their own pace, going wherever they pleased, instead of being restricted to one course or path. It's scary to think what games would be like today if Super Mario 64 had never been around.
-Goldeneye. The greatest FPS of all time? Quite possibly. I've garnered some heat in the past for rating Perfect Dark ahead of this, and whilst that opinion still stands, there is no denying that this is the definitive first person shooter of its time. Not only that, it's Bond, and it's good. The World Is Not Enough, Agent Under Fire, Nightfire, Everything or Nothing, the shoddy cashing-in-on-the-name Goldeneye with Rogue Agent; all have tried and all have failed to recreate the awesomeness that was Bond's original N64 outing. The single player is very good, although Natalya is a whore, plain and simple. I have never known someone get in the way as much as she did. But you don't play Goldeneye for the single player. No, you play it for the experience known only as the DEATHMATCH! Never before did a game eat as many lunch hours as this baby did. Part of this was due to the stunning map design. Counter Strike may have de_dust, Halo may have Battle Creek , but Goldeneye has Complex, Bunker, Aztec, Facility, and of course, the legendary Temple level. And then you have the weapons. The RCP90 is a favourite among my friends, but the one that keeps you coming back for more and more is the Golden Gun and it's ability for one hit kills. You round the corner and come face to face with one of these bad boys, and its goodnight Mr Bond!
-The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
You've never played Ocarina of Time before? Hey, look over there! There's a rope you can go hang yourself with! OoT personifies everything great about video games, and still stands as a true masterpiece today. Take Twilight Princess for example; it takes a few hours of solid gameplay before you emerge onto Hyrule Field, and yes, it looks magnificent…but it doesn't match up to the very first time you step out in Hyrule Field on the N64 classic. And that's just one of the magnificent scenes of the game. How about the first transition from Young Link to Adult Link?
OoT was also very significant in the N64's life cycle, as it was released in one of those "drought periods" where releases were few and far between. However, a good dose of Link and Ganondorf was enough to bring gamers clambering back to the trusty 64-bit machine.
-Mario Kart 64. I mentioned the multiplayer of Goldeneye eating up lunch times, so it's only fair to talk about Mario Kart 64. Another brilliant addition to the series, Mario Kart 64 built upon everything from the original and brought it to glorious 3D. As such, the developers were able to be a little more extravagant, and it shows in the tremendous detail of the level design. Being 3D, we could experience slopes, hills, road bumps and jumps to get some massive air from; all of which were impossible on the SNES. We also saw the implementation of the mini-turbo, which has been carried over to all subsequent Kart games. It's hard to pick a favourite course, but Toad's Turnpike was awesome as for the first time in the series it felt ALIVE. It wasn't just 8 racers in the middle of nowhere; it was rush hour, and you were driving the WRONG WAY through traffic like Robert De Niro in Ronin.
Sean: Well, another solid list, but Mario Kart 64 left a rather bad taste in my mouth, so switch it for F-Zero X and it works. Starfox 64 was also very notable.
Game Boy Advance
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Release: 2001
Notes: The successor to the Game Boy, the Game Boy Advance architecture is heavily modelled on the SNES
Ah, well not content with ruling the portable airwaves, Nintendo decided to reward our loyalty with another awesome Game Boy. Now, there are some criticisms aimed at this console, ones that I can even understand. Too many SNES ports, arguably not the right SNES ports either. It really should have played host to Secret of Mana, Super Metroid, and others and not what was done, with the exception of course of Link to the Past. However, it had a lot of good original games on it, and Golden Sun came along and redefined the concept of portable RPGs. The GBA would go on to have the same success as it's predecessors, proving that it is hard for Nintendo to fail in the portable market… but not impossible, as I will talk about next week. Take it away, Theo.
Theo: This didn't revolutionise the industry like its predecessor, the original Game Boy, did, but it capitalised on it in every way. The GBA boasted much of the same hardware found in the SNES, opening up countless opportunities for remakes of the SNES' finest games. But the GBA had many classics of its own…
Notable Releases:
-The Legend of Zelda releases.
First of all, you had the GBA remake/port of Link to the Past, which was tremendous, AND gave you the added (huge) bonus of the frantic multiplayer Four Swords. But perhaps more importantly was the GBA-exclusive Minish Cap. I'm very partial to this game because it was released in PAL territories BEFORE all you guys across the pond got your hands on it. Hurray for Nintendo finally appreciating Europe! The game itself doesn't really add much to the Zelda franchise, but this is probably the most overlooked Zelda release in the entire history of the series purely because it was released on a handheld. It rocks just as much as its "big brothers," so if you've yet to play it, make it your New Year's resolution to do so!
-Metroid Fusion.
Zero Mission was the remake of the original NES game, but Fusion was completely new. And this is the only GBA game in existence that actually scares me to death. Which is strange, considering it's full of brightly coloured surroundings and garish costumes. But the fear lies from not knowing when the Samus clone will strike. One scene has you in morph ball mode, rolling along a tight tunnel, when you are suddenly made aware that your clone is standing *right* above you on the upper level, just...waiting. THAT is scary, my friends. Aside from the scares, it's classic Metroid action- what more could you ask for?
-Golden Sun.
Far and away the best GBA-exclusive RPG, Golden Sun has a gripping storyline that easily spans 30+ hours. That's a LOT of bus journeys. Most of the game's praise comes from its brilliant usage of the hardware, employing beautiful graphics, most noticeable in the battles, where explosions of light are common place due to the plethora of spells available to you. It's still your typical standard RPG affair, but it's the presentation that really wins out. This one really pushes the GBA to its limit.
-Advance Wars.
This is just THE perfect handheld game. And it's such an inspired idea; I'm surprised no one thought of it before its release in 2001. Put simply, it's a turn-based strategy war game, with a loveable artistic style that oozes character. The aim of the game? Use your army to wipe out the other army. Sounds simple, doesn't it? And that's where Advance Wars' success lies. It is simplistic and easy to use, but very challenging and hard to master. Despite being simplistic, however, there is a ton of depth to it thanks to the large array of types of units, and the variables of the terrain and objectives. Throughout the battle, you'll have to contend with infantry troops, mechanized infantry, normal tanks, medium tanks, artillery cannons, the unarmed APCs, recon trucks, battleships, cruisers, submarines, fighters, bombers…I could go on. Add to that the different modes of play (Field Training, the main Campaign mode, the War Room and a great Multiplayer) and you have a game that will zap away weeks off of your life. The sequel, Black Hole Rising, is also very much worth a look, as it builds upon the foundation laid by the first game.
-SNES and Mega Drive remakes, such as Super Mario Advance 2, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Yoshi's Island.
They were near-perfect ports, and it was just so cool to have these ground-breaking classic games in the palm of your hand. That's all that can be said really!
Sean: I don't have much to add to that, but you could do a lot worse than check out The Minish Cap as well, and the Summon Knight games.
Now finally we reach the end of this column. The reason for the length is probably because I was bored waiting for Theo and wrote a load of stuff because of that, and plus the SNES, N64 and GBA are three pretty awesome consoles. Since next week we take a look at the systems Nintendo would rather forget, it probably won't be as long as this one.
Anyway, a certain ogre on this forum called Halo 3 "underrated". Whilst in an unbiased analytical point of view I can see what he means… how do you underrate a game that is going to suck ass?
And on that final provocative note, I bid you adieu, and have a good new year.
