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It's a strange state of affairs that Nintendo are the only company that can re-create Nintendo games.
Possibly the worlds worst opening statement but it is true, whilst playing classic gems such as Hitman 2 and err Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg it suddenly hit me (although it didn't hurt), as to why Mario Sunshine and Zelda ARE as good as their predecessors. (Just for those that spend the entire post complaing... "in my opinion" are as good as their predecssors).
Let me tell you about my game collection, yep brag brag I have 53 Gamecube games (*cough* loser *cough*) but you see 50 of them are what I like to call PLAIN games... titles that are good... have nice graphics... some have clever gameplay... some wonderfully simple gameplay... and some are crap because they don't adhere to any of those. But the top 3.... The Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United of my collection are 1: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker 2: Super Mario Sunshine and 3: Mario Kart: Double Dash.
Yes this is a matter of opinion but in some dire attempt to express my point I'm going to justafy my decision. Let me guess, one of your first questions is where be Metroid Prime? And if it isn't one of your first questions then pretend it is for the sake of my argument. Metroid Prime is number 4, it is number 4 because it does have a "special feel" to it... but this is a special feel I can describe... this is fantastic because of amazing graphics, clever new gameplay ideas, brilliant handelling... wonderful engine.... it is number 4 on my list because it does EVERYTHING right and I'm not going to claim otherwise.
Hitman 2 is another game that does one hell of a lot of things right... a really good saving system and some damn smart AI... even my new pet game Billy Hatcher (which I'm enjoying now) does many many things right. But none of these 3 games or the 47 others come even close to Nintendo's main 3 titles (they are the main 3 because they all come in different coloured boxes... thusly they are more important).
Does Mario Kart have better graphics than Metroid? Not a chance. Does Mario Sunshine have a larger variety in gameplay than Billy Hatcher? Nope not really... what about Zelda, does that do everything as well as Hitman 2... no indeed it does not.
The reason why Wind Waker is better than all of the games is because of the "FEEL" an indescribable sixth sense which Nintendo only acchieve by spending such a damn long time on a game. Metroid Prime didn't get this luxery design time, neither did Wario World or the 100 other Nintendo games.... This is the Nintendo magic... that difference which is so difficult to describe. Graphics? Who needs them, Music? Whatever! Addictive gameplay from start to finish? Not 100% needed... nope Zelda rules because Zelda feels like Zelda.... Mario Kart rules because it feels like Mario Kart... Sunshine rules because it feels like Mario.
Now complaints about all these games came into play when Nintendo released them. Zelda had dull parts and felt shorter... Mario Sunshine did nothing really over Mario 64 and Mario Kart: Double Dash was just Mario Kart with some new ideas that only work as well as the gamer. But there will be no platformer from Sonic team, Ubi-Soft or any other developer that can beat Sunshine in this generation... only Mario himself can do that... because he has that Nintendo love... feel and passion throughout.
Yes Wind Waker may of done some new things that didn't always work as well as it could have done, a few ideas that didn't always pull off too well (the new control system and flying methods were great but the sailing was a tad dissapointing) but it had that same magic or feel that existed in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask that made that irrelevent... this "feel" makes any minor flaw totally insignificant... Mario Kart: Double Dash for me is the best in the series because I love the 2-character system but for those that don't you have to admit it STILL has the Mario Kart charm. Sunshine may of lacked variety, depth and contained too much collecting... but it still felt like a Mario game and had that same magic Mario feel and so therefore is still a classic.
There is Nintendo magic, a little sprinkle in every game that Nintendo make... but it is only the big titles that have the full blown magic effect... maybe it is because Miyamoto is more in control of these titles, I don't Know. I can't even describe what this extra bit is... but this is why Nintendo haven't lost it... this is why Nintendo are still the worlds greatest developer... because despite some (relativly minor) design faults in a few of their latest games... they still contain the Nintendo magic. And only when they lose that can Nintendo ever truly "lose it".
Here's to Dringo's multiple, obessive and seemingly pointless posts
Dringo - Fanboy till the end.
Possibly the worlds worst opening statement but it is true, whilst playing classic gems such as Hitman 2 and err Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg it suddenly hit me (although it didn't hurt), as to why Mario Sunshine and Zelda ARE as good as their predecessors. (Just for those that spend the entire post complaing... "in my opinion" are as good as their predecssors).
Let me tell you about my game collection, yep brag brag I have 53 Gamecube games (*cough* loser *cough*) but you see 50 of them are what I like to call PLAIN games... titles that are good... have nice graphics... some have clever gameplay... some wonderfully simple gameplay... and some are crap because they don't adhere to any of those. But the top 3.... The Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United of my collection are 1: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker 2: Super Mario Sunshine and 3: Mario Kart: Double Dash.
Yes this is a matter of opinion but in some dire attempt to express my point I'm going to justafy my decision. Let me guess, one of your first questions is where be Metroid Prime? And if it isn't one of your first questions then pretend it is for the sake of my argument. Metroid Prime is number 4, it is number 4 because it does have a "special feel" to it... but this is a special feel I can describe... this is fantastic because of amazing graphics, clever new gameplay ideas, brilliant handelling... wonderful engine.... it is number 4 on my list because it does EVERYTHING right and I'm not going to claim otherwise.
Hitman 2 is another game that does one hell of a lot of things right... a really good saving system and some damn smart AI... even my new pet game Billy Hatcher (which I'm enjoying now) does many many things right. But none of these 3 games or the 47 others come even close to Nintendo's main 3 titles (they are the main 3 because they all come in different coloured boxes... thusly they are more important).
Does Mario Kart have better graphics than Metroid? Not a chance. Does Mario Sunshine have a larger variety in gameplay than Billy Hatcher? Nope not really... what about Zelda, does that do everything as well as Hitman 2... no indeed it does not.
The reason why Wind Waker is better than all of the games is because of the "FEEL" an indescribable sixth sense which Nintendo only acchieve by spending such a damn long time on a game. Metroid Prime didn't get this luxery design time, neither did Wario World or the 100 other Nintendo games.... This is the Nintendo magic... that difference which is so difficult to describe. Graphics? Who needs them, Music? Whatever! Addictive gameplay from start to finish? Not 100% needed... nope Zelda rules because Zelda feels like Zelda.... Mario Kart rules because it feels like Mario Kart... Sunshine rules because it feels like Mario.
Now complaints about all these games came into play when Nintendo released them. Zelda had dull parts and felt shorter... Mario Sunshine did nothing really over Mario 64 and Mario Kart: Double Dash was just Mario Kart with some new ideas that only work as well as the gamer. But there will be no platformer from Sonic team, Ubi-Soft or any other developer that can beat Sunshine in this generation... only Mario himself can do that... because he has that Nintendo love... feel and passion throughout.
Yes Wind Waker may of done some new things that didn't always work as well as it could have done, a few ideas that didn't always pull off too well (the new control system and flying methods were great but the sailing was a tad dissapointing) but it had that same magic or feel that existed in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask that made that irrelevent... this "feel" makes any minor flaw totally insignificant... Mario Kart: Double Dash for me is the best in the series because I love the 2-character system but for those that don't you have to admit it STILL has the Mario Kart charm. Sunshine may of lacked variety, depth and contained too much collecting... but it still felt like a Mario game and had that same magic Mario feel and so therefore is still a classic.
There is Nintendo magic, a little sprinkle in every game that Nintendo make... but it is only the big titles that have the full blown magic effect... maybe it is because Miyamoto is more in control of these titles, I don't Know. I can't even describe what this extra bit is... but this is why Nintendo haven't lost it... this is why Nintendo are still the worlds greatest developer... because despite some (relativly minor) design faults in a few of their latest games... they still contain the Nintendo magic. And only when they lose that can Nintendo ever truly "lose it".
Here's to Dringo's multiple, obessive and seemingly pointless posts
Dringo - Fanboy till the end.
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compare each track to the 1 its most similar too in Mario kart 64,
see what i mean?
see what i mean?
Explain?
Actually I'm off for the weekend so I doubt I'll be able to hear the reply...
But the tracks in MK:DD ranged from fine to fantastic.
Actually I'm off for the weekend so I doubt I'll be able to hear the reply...
But the tracks in MK:DD ranged from fine to fantastic.
yeah, its only the top 3-ish now because Nintendo give games to be made to other studios, e.g sega, silicon knights and Capcom.
I feel that the tracks in Mario kart:DD had little magic compared to the other games, the red shells felt wrong aswell.
I feel that the tracks in Mario kart:DD had little magic compared to the other games, the red shells felt wrong aswell.
I mock him not.
Cute is cool.
"Cool" is cliché.
Cute is cool.
"Cool" is cliché.
But of course Miyamoto did design the characters in F Zero...
Don't mock Miyamoto-san.
Don't mock Miyamoto-san.
The closest I've played to the perfect platformer/shooter was Jet Force Gemini, and that was slightly dogged down by sluggeish control (fairly good by standards at the time but a better one is still awaited...).
Super Metroid had it all.
Samus had the moves - she was rolling long before Sonic got onto the screen (although Sonic had been and gone by the time Metroid 3 rolled into town) and Super Metroid had Samus wall kicking a good 2 years before Mario would try it. Zebes had the environment, underwater sections, lava sections, claustraphobic caves and huge gawping caverns. The weapons were all there, rockets, grapple beam, even a primitive version of the scan was there.
A great combination of exploration and action.
When I dismissed Metroid Prime for being first person, that was because I'd put too much emphasis on the platforming. It turned out that there were more than enough other elements to make a cracking game, and that some primitive platforming could be done in first person anyway, but if they were to make a second game... it could have it all.
Samus is sexier and cooler than Lara Croft or Snake.
It would be Nintendo's first character that could appeal to the "older demographic" or action fans (surprise, surprise, this is the one Nintendo character Miyamoto DIDN'T design! :-D).
You only have to play with her on Smash Brothers to see how well she moves.
The rolling, spinning, wall jumping, cool weapons...
Such a top image is wasted on an FPS.
Super Metroid had it all.
Samus had the moves - she was rolling long before Sonic got onto the screen (although Sonic had been and gone by the time Metroid 3 rolled into town) and Super Metroid had Samus wall kicking a good 2 years before Mario would try it. Zebes had the environment, underwater sections, lava sections, claustraphobic caves and huge gawping caverns. The weapons were all there, rockets, grapple beam, even a primitive version of the scan was there.
A great combination of exploration and action.
When I dismissed Metroid Prime for being first person, that was because I'd put too much emphasis on the platforming. It turned out that there were more than enough other elements to make a cracking game, and that some primitive platforming could be done in first person anyway, but if they were to make a second game... it could have it all.
Samus is sexier and cooler than Lara Croft or Snake.
It would be Nintendo's first character that could appeal to the "older demographic" or action fans (surprise, surprise, this is the one Nintendo character Miyamoto DIDN'T design! :-D).
You only have to play with her on Smash Brothers to see how well she moves.
The rolling, spinning, wall jumping, cool weapons...
Such a top image is wasted on an FPS.
Upon hearing Strafio (whatever) say that I actually really crave a 3D action platformer like the ones we got in the ol' 2D games...
Damn I want one.
But not Metroid, Prime is too good, maybe a new game entirely.
Damn I want one.
But not Metroid, Prime is too good, maybe a new game entirely.
Saying it would've been just another TPS/Platformer is like saying Metroid Prime was just another FPS.
Besides, there's hundreds of great FPS and I've yet to see someone do a decent action platformer.
Hack, the market was so depserate for one that masses clung onto a series of Tombraider...
There's no reason why it couldn't have had everything that made Prime great, only an extra dimension in the platforming as well.
I mean, Samus it characterised by her rolling and somersaulting...
Besides, there's hundreds of great FPS and I've yet to see someone do a decent action platformer.
Hack, the market was so depserate for one that masses clung onto a series of Tombraider...
There's no reason why it couldn't have had everything that made Prime great, only an extra dimension in the platforming as well.
I mean, Samus it characterised by her rolling and somersaulting...
That's what I was trying to say...
I was also trying to say an adventure/platformer can work well in first person...
And seeing Samus more often does not in anyway make a good game no matter how cool the character.
I was also trying to say an adventure/platformer can work well in first person...
And seeing Samus more often does not in anyway make a good game no matter how cool the character.
Surely the Metroid Prime we know and love today much better than just another TPS/Platformer, no?
There's not much you can do with such a genre nowadays, so Retro went for a complete redesign and worked like a treat. For me, Metroid has always been about atmosphere, obviously great gameplay too, but it's an essential aspect of Metroid. Jumping around doing backkicks and the like wouldn't work and the feeling wouldn't be retained. Look at Metroid Fusion, that was brilliant, partly thanks to it's unique set-up; your GBA would get sweaty everytime the SA-X even so much as knocked on the door, it was all about atmosphere.
I couldn't help but feel that if Nintendo did opt for a third person viewpoint, we'd all be sitting at out PC's with a bitter taste in our mouths; we've seen it all before, but Retro found a new route for the Metroid series and it worked. I don't how anyone can complain about a seemingly flawless game.
There's not much you can do with such a genre nowadays, so Retro went for a complete redesign and worked like a treat. For me, Metroid has always been about atmosphere, obviously great gameplay too, but it's an essential aspect of Metroid. Jumping around doing backkicks and the like wouldn't work and the feeling wouldn't be retained. Look at Metroid Fusion, that was brilliant, partly thanks to it's unique set-up; your GBA would get sweaty everytime the SA-X even so much as knocked on the door, it was all about atmosphere.
I couldn't help but feel that if Nintendo did opt for a third person viewpoint, we'd all be sitting at out PC's with a bitter taste in our mouths; we've seen it all before, but Retro found a new route for the Metroid series and it worked. I don't how anyone can complain about a seemingly flawless game.
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