The Mega Man Blog

Posted 27.09.2008 0 2566

Now Playing: Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
Now Listening to: Fleetwood Mac
Now Watching: Supernatural

With the release of Mega Man 9 (and my subsequent purchase of it), I decided this would be a good time to go through the Mega Man games from my favorite to least favorite. Also, I just like doing these types of lists (and will probably do a few more in the future).

1. Mega Man 3 - It seems most people prefer MM2, but MM3 is my personal fave. It introduced Rush, Proto Man, and the slide, has the best music (IMO), and had the incredibly hard Doc Robot levels after the bosses but before Wily. Also, this was the first game in which Wily wasn't considered the bad guy right away.

2. Mega Man 5 - Shoot me, I love Beat. I also liked the bro vs. bro set-up (at the time the "Wily isn't the enemy" thing had not yet gotten old). Probably influenced by nostalgia as MM3 and MM5 are the two I owned "back in the day."

3. Mega Man 2 - Do I need to explain this one? E-tanks, Items 1-3, and the memorable dragon battle in the first stage of Wily's castle (and the first to have Wily's castle). Easily has the second best music behind MM3.

4. Mega Man 9 - I love this new retro movement. It was almost like a drug trip playing a new MM game that is actually an NES game. I still wish this game had the slide and Mega Buster, but that is a tiny complaint. Mind-numbingly hard, but not in a frustrating way.

5. Mega Man 4 - The first game to give us another Dr. to go up against. Was somewhat surprising when Wily popped out after beating Dr. Cossack. Also gave us the Mega Buster.

6. Mega Man - Would have ranked higher, but I'm still holding a grudge against the Rock Monster. Easily the hardest MM game for me to beat (but gave me the greatest feeling of accomplishment once I did). My kingdom for an E-tank!!!

7. Mega Man 6 - Could have been much better. The Rush adapters were a great idea, but this game reeks of being rushed. Terrible robot masters...Yamato Man???

8. Mega Man 7 - Didn't like the updated look, how much bigger MM was on the screen, or most of the boss fights. Bass & Treble were a nice touch though. I still hope they are DLC for Mega Man 9.

9. Mega Man 8 - Clown Man...really? I didn't really care for anything about this game. I just can't find any redeeming qualities at all. The one thing that cements this one in last place forever is the excruciating voice acting. Before this game came out, did anyone else imagine MM talking like a 10 year old girl...didn't think so.

And that is that. Feel free to reply with your own lists or complaints about mine. Also, I apologize if there is a spot for this in the forums, but I don't think doing it as a blog is hurting anyone (if anyone did actually feel physical pain as a result of this blog...that is just sad)

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Finishing what I started

Posted 31.08.2008 4 2737

Now Playing: Ratchet & Clank
Now Listening to: Dirty Vegas: One
Now Watching: N/A

I have a problem. I'm finding that I'm more interested in just owning games than I am actually playing and finishing them.

Example: Two and a half years ago, I received for Christmas Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance and Return to Castle Wolfenstein, both for the PS2. I also got a few gift cards to GameStop (people know me so well), so I bought Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (GCN) and Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PS2). In my defense, I mainly wanted MGS 3 because it had emulated copies of the two original Metal Gears for the MSX system. Keep in mind that I had never played a MGS game before, yet I suddenly had all three of them (sub Twin Snakes for the PS MGS). Now, two and a half years later, I have not completed any of these games, including either of the original MSX games. I also haven't finished the Wolfenstein game.

This is just a small example. I bought Final Fantasy XII a few months ago ($15 used for the special edition, how could I pass that up) and have yet to take the disc out of the case. I'm terrible about doing this. If I'm not completely passionate about a game (Castlevania, Metroid, Zelda, etc...), it is almost like I just want to buy the game just to buy it. I also have all the Legacy of Kain games (except Blood Omen 2). Have I finished any of them you ask? Hell no! I haven't even played some of them, and I've had them for some time.

Am I alone with this problem??? What is it about certain games that makes me want to buy them, but then just kind of forget them?

I'm getting somewhat better in this regard. I have consciously started playing games through, and not allowing myself to play another one until I'm finished. Don't get me wrong, I always enjoy the games (I just sold FF VII on Ebay because it bored me after about three hours of play...I'm a FF VI kind of guy). For instance, in the last month or so I've played through and finished Castlevania: Lament of Innocence, Y's: The Ark of Napishtim, Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy, Mega Man X5, X6, X7, & X8, and Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles.

That's a lot of games, but I've amassed quite a few over the years and still have many to go. Does anyone else find themselves doing this? Kind of just buying games on an impulse and then not really playing them very much? Feel free to comment.

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Nintendo's Mistake

Posted 30.07.2008 5 2589

Now Playing: Final Fantasy VII
Now Listening to: Snow Patrol -- Eyes Open
Now Watching: MonsterQuest

The year was 1995. Nintendo would unveil their third home console in the form of the Nintendo 64 (N64). Nintendo's NES and Super NES had dominated the video game market (with the NES perhaps saving the entire industry), so there was little reason to believe that the N64 wouldn't do the same. Sega was doing there best to help Nintendo out by making incredibly stupid moves and Sony was the new kid on the block.

Fast forward. While the N64 was hardly a failure, selling over 32 million units (to date), it finished a distant second to Sony's Playstation (over 100 million units to date). What went wrong? For one, Nintendo hadn't exactly cultivated third party relationships with their restrictions from the NES and early Super NES days. Secondly, they stuck with the tried and true cartridge format. This cost them big time. The Final Fantasy series, long a Nintendo staple, went to the PS and its CD format, which allowed larger games. A little game called Metal Gear Solid (you may have heard of this one) also called the PS home, despite the fact that Hideo Kojima reportedly wanted to stay with Nintendo (given Twin Snakes for the GC and Snake in Brawl, I think this is probably very true, but I can't verify it), but couldn't, due to limited storage on the cartridges.

While both of these contributed to Nintendo's down turn, perhaps the biggest mistake Nintendo made was they expected to dominate. Nintendo had dominated the market for some time. They did receive a strong challenge from the Sega Genesis, and had to revamp some of their positions (blood in Mortal Kombat, allowing the Game Genie to be published for the NES and Super NES). Still, Nintendo had to feel that what they chose to do would be how it would be done. They stuck with cartridges and expected great third party support, but many exclusives went to the PS due to memory restraints. Don't misunderstand me, the N64 has some fantastic games (thank you Rare), but can't boast the library of classics the PS can. I think this was Nintendo's big mistake, they didn't realize the market could evolve without them.

So, why is this relevant now? I fear that Nintendo is making the same mistake again. The Wii is tearing the competition a new one thanks in large part to expansion of the market. As excited as I am to see Nintendo on top again, I am worried. Nintendo's rhetoric is that they are pushing the casual market while still supporting the hardcore gamers. Sorry, but Animal Crossing Wii and a title screen that says Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars doesn't cut it. Nintendo seem to believe that the hardcore gamers will simply wait by until they see fit to throw us a bone. Just as they assumed that the cartridge format would be more popular than Sony's CD format for the PS.

The question is, will the hardcore sit back and wait. I'm not so sure. The constant focus on the casual gamer is getting a bit much, which is saying a lot for a confessed Nintendo fanboy. Also, if Nintendo isn't willing to focus on the hardcore gamer for the Wii, why should other developers believe they should? Hopefully, I'm wrong about this, but I fear Nintendo are in the process of generating a fierce backlash, and they should do something to curb it before it hits them head on.

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Thoughts on E3

Posted 14.07.2008 1 2583

Now Playing: Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chroncles & Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
Now Listening to: Steve Smith: This Town
Now Watching: N/A

Well, this is my first blog on Cubed3. I have a history of having unread blogs and I doubt this one will be any different. Mainly, I just want to put my thoughts in print in case any of my guesses turn out right (I like gloating).

So, what will happen at E3? We pretty much know that Microsoft will announce motion control on their system. I may be wrong on this, but I doubt it. I have to say, if this is the case and it is implemented well in numerous FPS's, if I buy another system in addition to my Wii, it well could be an Xbox 360. I love the experience the Wii Remote brought to MP3, and the Xbox 360 is like FPS heaven. On a side note, I seriously doubt this will have a major impact on the Wii's sales in the long run.

I don't know what Sony has in store. Maybe...Riiiiidddgee Raaaacer 2 (or 3, or whatever). Seriously, the PS3 has some good games on the way, and I'll suffer serious system envy if Team Ico unveils a sequel to Shadow of the Colossus. I don't generally keep up with much Sony or Microsoft news (which is why I have nothing further to say on Sony), so on to Nintendo.

Games that will almost definately appear (that haven't yet been officially acknowledged):

Animal Crossing Wii
Kid Icarus

Games that might appear:

Punch-out Wii
F-Zero Wii
New Super Mario Brothers 2 (DS)
Pikmin 3
Disaster: Day of Crisis

Now, for some good old speculation. I feel certain that there will be a new IP on hand from Nintendo. I only wonder if it will be more WiiFit or more Metroid Prime (casual versus hardcore). I love my Wii, but MP3 is the last hardcore type game I bought for it...that is quite a span. Sure, I have WiiFit and Mario Kart Wii, and I've been playing a lot of RE: UC lately, so my Wii is staying busy, but I want some hardcore love. That is probably the reason I'm so easily sold on The Conduit, it represents something I currently can't get on the Wii. Some good FPS alien ass-kicking action.

Also, will there be a new peripheral on hand? I doubt this, as the balance board, while unveiled last year, only recently got into our hot little hands. I would say it is more likely that we will get a sneak peak at a new handheld, due in late 2009, or mid-2010. The DS is great, but its life-cycle is about up (based on past systems/handhelds). Nintendo will want to make sure people know something new is on the way, especially if Sony actually unveils the PSP 2 at their conference.

I'm also going on record as saying there will be no new Zelda preview. Zelda is a premium title, and I don't think they would want to oversaturate the market this early. I feel next year is more likely for a new Zelda preview (or later this year at another gaming conference). Nope, when I think of a premium franchise that may be receiving a new game, my mind turns to Metroid. I'm fully expecting the announcement of a new 2-D Metroid for the DS. The Prime trilogy is wrapped up. Retro is working on something else (no ideas on what), so I think that rules out another 3-D outing right now. I think Nintendo will pick up where Metroid Fusion left off. I just wonder, with Metroids seemingly wiped out, if the franchise should still be called Metroid...??? (I realize that MP3 is newer than Zelda: TP, but I consider the 3-D and 2-D outings to be separate from one another, thus no saturation for Metroid if they announce a 2-D game, or so goes my reasoning.)

My last prediction concerns Capcoms surprising spin on a next-gen favorite (I believe that is what they said) for the Wii. I given this a lot of thought, and I believe that Resident Evil 5 will be announced for the Wii. Think about it. RE 4 Wii and RE: UC both sold over a million copies (especially impressive for the 3rd iteration of RE 4). Capcom are $$$ whores. RE is a next-gen favorite and boy, would I be surprised if this actually happened. It all fits. Seriously, this is probably just wishful thinking, but I think it makes all the sense in the world to port it to the Wii. If it can be done with other games (Marvel: UA, multiple Disney/Pixar games), surely Capcom can do it with RE 5. If it isn't this, I expect some exclusive Resident Evil game to hit the Wii. RE is all I can think of, especially since they used the "next-gen favorite" line. Oh well, I guess we'll see.

Edit - Wow, with the exception of the Zelda trailer, could I have been more off???

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