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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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There were few proper surprises.
The best one was when that dragon flamed Gannondorf, and there was one of two other tricks that made me smile, but the rest was all deja vu.
Both OOT and MM managed to surprise me.
I suppose OOT used a lot of Zelda clichés but I suppose 3D put a HUGE spin on them for most, and I'd not played Zelda before.
Majora's Mask was amazing, combining the best of OOT and Shenmue.
I was initially slightly disappointed at how it wasn't as big as Orcarina, but what little was there ended up meaning so much more to you than Orcarina's static, non-changing environments.
Besides, it was only a spin-off, the next REAL Zelda game would be for the next generation system... which would have the best of both worlds... so I thought.
Yeah, I have grown out of games to some extent, the fact that Nintendo have sliced their devellopment time to a fraction of what it used to be shows.
The technological base tends to be flawless, and then the game around it get's half hashed.
I've noticed it in nearly every Nintendo Gamecube game I've played.
The best one was when that dragon flamed Gannondorf, and there was one of two other tricks that made me smile, but the rest was all deja vu.
Both OOT and MM managed to surprise me.
I suppose OOT used a lot of Zelda clichés but I suppose 3D put a HUGE spin on them for most, and I'd not played Zelda before.
Majora's Mask was amazing, combining the best of OOT and Shenmue.
I was initially slightly disappointed at how it wasn't as big as Orcarina, but what little was there ended up meaning so much more to you than Orcarina's static, non-changing environments.
Besides, it was only a spin-off, the next REAL Zelda game would be for the next generation system... which would have the best of both worlds... so I thought.
Yeah, I have grown out of games to some extent, the fact that Nintendo have sliced their devellopment time to a fraction of what it used to be shows.
The technological base tends to be flawless, and then the game around it get's half hashed.
I've noticed it in nearly every Nintendo Gamecube game I've played.
Please tell me you are joking?
I just presume you've grown out of Nintendo then...
Zelda had few surprised to throw at us? Return of the Zoras and Kokiri... the fantastic phantom ganon fight, the amazing battle in Hyrule?
The use of Zelda to defeat Gannondorf?
The game was amazing from start to finish, as was Sunshine as is Double Dash!!
If you think you should have got F Zero or Worms then it just proves you either need to play the games again and re-discover them or... you've simply changed in the way you think and act to such an extent...
There is no way you can say that and actually mean it unless you've grown out of Nintendo.
I just presume you've grown out of Nintendo then...
Zelda had few surprised to throw at us? Return of the Zoras and Kokiri... the fantastic phantom ganon fight, the amazing battle in Hyrule?
The use of Zelda to defeat Gannondorf?
The game was amazing from start to finish, as was Sunshine as is Double Dash!!
If you think you should have got F Zero or Worms then it just proves you either need to play the games again and re-discover them or... you've simply changed in the way you think and act to such an extent...
There is no way you can say that and actually mean it unless you've grown out of Nintendo.
Dringo, it's nothing to do with iconography or things being changed.
I loved both Sunshine and Zelda for the couple of hours or so.
The thing is, after half way, they stopped intorducing surprises and just petered out...
From there, there was a few secrets to find, but the main game was finished. Fair enough you can't expect every game to be an epic but it was a bit disappointing to find Zelda and Mario, Nintendo's traditionally epic franchises as lightweights.
As to Mario Kart, I just found it same old same old.
Better in some ways and not as good in others.
I did feel like I'd wasted £30 though.
But that's my fault for buying the game when it was mainly down to the hype behind it.
Should've gone for Worms or F-Zero instead.
And Mav, I WAS right because I said that it was only my opinion so :-P :-P :-P!!!!
I loved both Sunshine and Zelda for the couple of hours or so.
The thing is, after half way, they stopped intorducing surprises and just petered out...
From there, there was a few secrets to find, but the main game was finished. Fair enough you can't expect every game to be an epic but it was a bit disappointing to find Zelda and Mario, Nintendo's traditionally epic franchises as lightweights.
As to Mario Kart, I just found it same old same old.
Better in some ways and not as good in others.
I did feel like I'd wasted £30 though.
But that's my fault for buying the game when it was mainly down to the hype behind it.
Should've gone for Worms or F-Zero instead.
And Mav, I WAS right because I said that it was only my opinion so :-P :-P :-P!!!!
Maverick42 wrote:
>
> But actually, I've found that EVERY critic that I've read has said
> it's not as good as Super Mario Kart.
Bar NGC, The Guardian, The Times, FHM, Kerrang, Me, Rickoss, the BBC...
I only know of IGN and GAMES TM that think differently.
>
> But actually, I've found that EVERY critic that I've read has said
> it's not as good as Super Mario Kart.
Bar NGC, The Guardian, The Times, FHM, Kerrang, Me, Rickoss, the BBC...
I only know of IGN and GAMES TM that think differently.
CGJ wrote:
> For some reason, when I got Double Dash, I thought it wasn't as good
> as Crash Team Racing on the PSone.
CTR's battle arena design is certainly much better.
> For some reason, when I got Double Dash, I thought it wasn't as good
> as Crash Team Racing on the PSone.
CTR's battle arena design is certainly much better.
Dringo wrote:
> The majority find the latest MK:DD fantastic, you get the odd one or
> two who don't like it like Maverick and Stafio but most critics,
> gamers etc... agree the new Mario Kart is the defining moment in the
> series.
I'd still give it about 8/10. A very good game.
But actually, I've found that EVERY critic that I've read has said it's not as good as Super Mario Kart.
> The majority find the latest MK:DD fantastic, you get the odd one or
> two who don't like it like Maverick and Stafio but most critics,
> gamers etc... agree the new Mario Kart is the defining moment in the
> series.
I'd still give it about 8/10. A very good game.
But actually, I've found that EVERY critic that I've read has said it's not as good as Super Mario Kart.
Strafio wrote:
> By the by Mavio, if we're so wrong, then how about you tell us what's
> right! :-P
Neither of you are incorrect either.
Personally, I agree with you. But when two people are arguing solely about opinion, and when it's two people like you two (i.e. strongly opinionated people), then it's never going to be resolved.
> By the by Mavio, if we're so wrong, then how about you tell us what's
> right! :-P
Neither of you are incorrect either.
Personally, I agree with you. But when two people are arguing solely about opinion, and when it's two people like you two (i.e. strongly opinionated people), then it's never going to be resolved.
The single player was enough for me, sweet game. Shame I couldn't settle into F Zero in the end as it seemed like a decent title.
Double Dash has short term appeal - I wanted a mass of unlockables, unlockables as far as the eye could see, and much more multiplayer options...
How wrong was I.
Don't get me wrong, i thought the game was awwesome, easliy part oif the Gamecube Elite, but it wasn't the hardcore, time trial beating fun I thought it's be.
Super Circuit was better for time trials...
How wrong was I.
Don't get me wrong, i thought the game was awwesome, easliy part oif the Gamecube Elite, but it wasn't the hardcore, time trial beating fun I thought it's be.
Super Circuit was better for time trials...
For some reason, when I got Double Dash, I thought it wasn't as good as Crash Team Racing on the PSone.
How wrong I was.
How wrong I was.
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