MikeP

@batmanbud2 Naw, that's fair. If you're getting what you want out of it, go for it.
I'm simply not crazy about the Expansion Pack's price, sometimes-erratic emulation, and limited selection. And the annual cost adds up. I got it when it launched, but I cut off my subscription last year. For someone who wants to look back on more N64 games whose licenses have long since expired-- and in theory, keep playing that stuff in the coming years-- the Analogue would be worth it.

I'm with everyone else clamoring for Diddy Kong Racing, but the fact that Nintendo dropped a bunch of wholly Rare-owned IPs on the service and still hasn't done DKR (which Nintendo and Rare both own pieces of) is telling. Does Miyamoto hold some kind of grudge over it? Do they not want kids looking up what Conker was in next? I have questions. Shame, too, 'cuz Diddy Kong Racing made me an N64 kid.

All that said, Banjo-Tooie was a good game-- way more compelling than DK64 in my book-- and loaded with refreshingly irreverent dialogue text. Banjo fumbling over how to tell Bottles' kids what happened to their dad, while Kazooie threatens to deliver the news much more bluntly, is a freaking hilarious scene.

(Quick addendum, btw: If the Analogue 3D ends up being a trustworthy product, I wouldn't drop another dime on the NSO Expansion Pack.)

Life sims aren't my bag, but the art direction is warm and appealing. I had to at least take a peek.

Having seen a handful of PS5 games, I kind of think the PS3 era is retro. But that's not an insult-- that's an endorsement.

My patience for games began to collapse in the PS2 era, and I mostly owned a PS3 and a 360 for the high-res arcade goodies Sega churned out (before forcing fans to quest through Yakuza to enjoy them). I don't mind a slick coat of paint and detail as long as the game is accessible, vibrant, and fast-paced.

I got chills as a kid when the Dolby logo came up on Jet Force Gemini. In hindsight, that feels ridiculous. I didn't have the surround setup to even appreciate it, and the Rareware logo was a much clearer symbol of the impression the game would leave on me (warts and all).

By the time Air Ride came out, Dolby's use in games was common enough that killing an extra second just to show off the logo really was overkill. They don't do that in movies-- why do it for a game?

Plus, F-Zero GX-- one of my favorite games I've ever played or heard-- didn't have Dolby, and I still crank that ****.

I remember thinking Super Monkey Ball was ahead of the curve when it first came out. For all of Miyamoto's bluster about making GameCube games simple enough to play with the Control Stick and the A Button, Super Monkey Ball delivered zealously on that idea in multiple gameplay modes. The main mode only used the A Button to adjust the map.

Also, when I played the blisteringly fast (if silly) Race mode, I thought, "Yeah, these guys will do just fine with F-Zero GX." 😎

Nowadays I'm much more impatient, my thumbs are less reliable, and the franchise has definitely evolved, albeit with uneven success. But that first entry will always hold a very special place in my heart.

Well, I know who David Zaslav's playing as if he picks up a controller. 😬

@DogDetective Yeah, I'm not sure why this is news o_o

I was typing a lot of words about how competition should be between publishers and game designers, and I would prefer to have one box that plays it all.

Then I caught myself when I remembered that Microsoft has already bought a buttload of publishers and game designers.

I hate the console wars, but I hate monopolies even more. What worries me is that Microsoft will make people thirsty enough to end the former that they'll ignore their attempts at the latter.

@Paraka @Poodlestargenerica Good points both. I'll admit I can't attest to the financial troubles Vanpool was going through already.
Nintendo's relationship with third — and in the past, second — party studios has often been shaky, so when a closure like this occurs my judgment is colored a bit. But there are much worse cases of that in game history, and not just with The Big N.

Shoot, now I'm getting flashbacks to Alphadream's bankruptcy. Proof that if Nintendo doesn't own you, they really won't help you.