NA for me simply due to the framing. The zoomed-in image has far more impact. The Euro cover has far less feeling due to the composition. The island in the background does very little as well.
"Why do you want to go back to a type of game where you're more limited or more restricted in the types of things or ways you can play?" But I do understand that desire that we have for nostalgia, and so I can also understand it from that aspect."
With all due respect, bigger and more open is not necessarily better. What you gain in freedom in open-world, you end up losing in structure and focus. I value that structure and focus far more than freedom in that context. The old Zelda formula was an exercise in good game design. In fact, it was one of the series of games where game design was figured out. It was supposed to be fun and feel grand while still being somewhat small and easy to manage. That isn't to say there isn't good game design for a large open-world 3D game, but it's very different. But that old game design made a lot of sense to people within the context of a video game. If it didn't, then Zelda wouldn't have been such a great success. In a larger sense, it's a puzzle to solve. Modern Zelda has a different feel. My point is simply that it's understandable that some would prefer that older experience, and it's not necessarily nostalgia, but an appreciation for a different approach to game design. I prefer older games not because I'm after a nostalgic feeling, but because I genuinely prefer the approach to game design of the time. Nintendo made their decision to take Zelda in a different direction, and that's understandable. As such, there was always going to be some push back from those who liked the older games more. It's a shame they don't seem to want to make both types like they did back when the GBA was current. Without hardware limitations, it seems they don't want to pursue that.
The announcement and teaser was a nice surprise. Shinobi is what appealed to me most from the batch. I enjoyed Crazy Taxi back in the day, but it didn't have staying power for me, though I'd consider a new one after seeing how it turns out. I didn't see enough of Golden Axe or Streets of Rage to feel excited and I'm not sure about the visual styles, but I'll see how things turn out. I do like that they are at least trying to revive Golden Axe again and possibly right the past wrongs there.
A single-player Phantasy Star 5 might be nice, though I'm concerned it won't have the magic the fourth game had for me. They could do a Fighters Megamix 2. More Panzer Dragoon would be nice, though that also leads to my other point that it would be nice to have modern releases of older games. It would be cool to have all the Panzer Dragoon games, in one form or another, on modern platforms especially PC. Same thing for Golden Axe: Revenge of Death Adder. And I'd love to see Daytona 2/Sega Racing Classic 2 get a standalone release.
Both are terrible. Japan's cover is boring and I don't like the art style. The US one is a different, infuriating kind of terrible. The drawing itself is nice. The composition is awful with the game logo and developer logo taking all the breathing room. I have consistently pointed out that the design of US N64 boxes are among the worst. This shows why. The red logo strip is always bad, and this is one of the worst ones as it cuts off the main character, regardless of it being translucent. The stupid corner peel also interferes with the art and was always a bad idea that never should have been approved. It's so amateurish. The standard US box layout just ruins the whole thing. I voted for Japan without hesitation.
@MasterGraveheart The QTEsin Resident Evil 4 left me feeling the same. When the game, and QTEs were new, it seemed like an interesting idea. And the early QTEs were okay enough at first. But, as is often the case, it all went downhill very quickly. The QTEs got so tiresome. Of course, the pinnacle was an entire QTE boss fight that's one of the most maddening parts of the game. I don't even know why I bothered to finish the game, though that was a lesson I had to learn to hard way a couple of times on the Gamecube. I once tried to replay RE4 and then realized only the first half of the game was any fun for me. And even that has diminished as I grew tired of QTEs.
The NA one is super boring in its composition. The EU one is slightly more interesting in the pose, but having Batman on a wire looks silly. And he looks more plastic like. After thinking about it, the boring NA cover is slightly better executed to me for what it is and the villains in the background is a decent touch and a enough to make it my pick, ever so slightly.
The Nintendo black boxes are iconic, but iconic does not make it better. I'm glad the black boxes ran their course and were phased out after they served their purpose. The Japanese cover is okay. Mario looks like a creep, and like he's the bad guy. The "Bonus" one doesn't belong on this informal poll that's just for fun and not binding. Also, I voted for "Bonus" so I'm part of the problem and I'm okay with that.
Always amusing when consecutive comments end up having such different opinions. As I write this at least, the above commenter seems to love both covers. I think neither cover is good from the standpoint of art design for a cover. The US/JP art itself is fine. The concept and composition are not interesting. Full profile layouts tend to be the most boring layouts, and this is something I noticed even when I did my own drawing. The Euro cover is similarly bland. So this comes down to a simple matter of taste for me. I choose the Euro cover simply due to the animal in the animal costume. It's easily the most interesting thing about any of this.
While it's not my favorite style of box art, these are well done. Both of them are pretty good. I had to think about this one for a bit. I was leaning toward NA/JP at first, but switched my vote to Europe. The NA/JP one is very busy. While that's often a negative, I think it works well and perhaps depicts the feeling of the game in some way(I am not familiar with this series.) Europe is also a bit chaotic, but less so. It's probably framed in a way better suited to be a game cover in terms of the overall composition.
@Ristar24 Yeah, I heard from a few people how good Double Dragon Advance was. I finally had a chance to try it a couple of years ago and it was really good and compares well against many of the best beat-em-up games. I'm so glad it's been made available this way.
I'm not fond of modern filmmaking in general these days, so I'm not optimistic, but I'm also not the target audience. It being live action is no surprise. I think animation(which I prefer, especially older anime) just has limits in terms of how they can market it, especially in certain regions. All the big 3D animated hits seem to be zany comedies. I do find it odd that some people insist on Link being silent in a film. That would be extremely limiting in a narrative. Even more if they pull it off and then want a sequel. It's not workable. Link is not a character in the games. He is an avatar for the player. Besides, at least in the older games, the other characters talk to link like he can and does reply, even if the player doesn't see or hear those replies. While that is a strength of the games, it's also a weakness in that it doesn't really allow any deeper storytelling. It just seems like a weird thing to insist be incorporated into a film.
It's literally election day here, though it's an off off-year election in my area. How funny to turn 18 on election day. Anyway, thank you, NintendoLife. I have enjoyed the site for more than half its run, I believe.
North America gets my vote. The Euro/Japan cover is fine, but the concept of the ring of Kirbys doesn't do much for me, even if it is not bad. It's a bit bland. The NA one is well executed. And this is a case where the cover being more dynamic ends up being the better way to go in my view.
It looks better in motion, I'll give it that. And it says "work in progress" during the video, so it will likely change some, but the graphics do look off. I think it looks too clean and crisp. The backgrounds especially look too clean and bright. It doesn't give off the right horror vibe. The shading on the characters is very simple and there isn't much light and shadow which is a signature of horror stuff. It reminds me of when other old games got the HD treatment. It's harder to maintain the aesthetic. But I will say that it doesn't look bad in terms of the animation and they seem to be trying to stick close to the source material, so that's good. I'll try to keep an eye on how this progresses.
@gamerswereamistake It did have a Japanese release, but it used the same art as the NA cover. There are a bunch of European releases for other platforms that have the same cover you like with better framing with regards to the various borders. So if that's the kind of thing someone would want on a shelf, all the other versions are better choices.
My opinion is that the European cover is bad. Very bad. It's a terrible concept. It has awful framing. It's lazy(which is a synonym for classy, it seems). And to specifically address something mentioned here, that it looks "handsome" on a shelf, that notion is harmed by the gigantic border.
@Ryu_Niiyama It's a very good controller and I saw some lag testing and it's very low. I can't vouch for it on the Switch, however. Unless something has changed recently, Switch compatibility for that controller is unofficial and last I saw required a bit of a workaround. I believe it required an extra purchase of some other receiver. I just wanted to point that out before you or anyone else spend money on without knowing what's involved.
Neo Drift Out is quite a surprise. I didn't think that would see a re-release. I wonder if they removed or modified the car makes and logos. It's a fantastic little arcade game. I've had a blast every time I've gotten to play it.
I voted for Lost Levels which is known for its difficulty. It's definitely hard, and consistent in that regard, though it was more playable than I imagined based on its reputation. Mario Sunshine just annoyed me with its overall design and the way the camera behaved. I wasn't having any fun, so I just stopped playing it. It sounds like its harder moments later in the game would have just made me angry.
This whole topic of difficulty is interesting because there are a number of ways to make a game challenging. Plus, 2D and 3D game design is very different. For some time, I could not decide whether I thought Super Mario 3 or Super Mario World was the best Mario game. Both have things going for them. I finally started to clearly favor SMB3 because the baseline difficulty was a bit higher(but not too high) to a level I found was more engaging, and was more consistent throughout the game and in how it ramped up. In SMW, most of the game feels a bit easy to me now, with just some of the secret exits and the secret levels providing sudden difficulty spikes. While that is a way to add challenge, as well as making it optional, I think it took away a little bit from the main stages. I still think it's an excellent game, but I do prefer SMB3 specifically due to the approach Nintendo took with its level design.
@artax33 Mario 1 and Lost Levels don't play quite right on All Stars due to a mistake in programming in regards to breaking bricks. There's a hack that fixes it. It doesn't make them unplayable, but they do feel different because of it.
But the main reason for this reply is those bubbles are tough to dodge. I find it more manageable to get to the right side before he shoots the bubbles so that I'm moving left when trying to dodge them since they're also going to the left and that makes it a bit easier to position the characters where there's an opening.
@bigpale No. I have seen others say the same. While I don't have a problem with the graphical updates for SMB3 and SMB2(USA) in All Stars, I really didn't like the graphical changes for SMB1 and Lost Levels. There are hacks that change the backgrounds graphics in those two so they look more consistent with the original, though in an updated style as opposed to all-new graphics they went with. And there are hacks that fix the block-breaking behavior which is way off in those two.
"(hearing him say "woohoo, just what I needed!" whenever he picks up an item never gets old)"
A lot of people would disagree on that one. I thought the voices got old after hearing it for a second time. I said it back when it was new and I'll say it again, there should have been an option to simply disable the new voices.
I just played through the NES version of SMB3 last week. I last compared the versions a year or two ago. I have thoughts. The GBA version is largely good. The audio is simultaneously better and worse than the SNES version. The zoomed-in view due to the fixed resolution of the GBA screen and the colors to compensate for the GBA's dark screen hurt this version. Also, the voice clips are annoying to many.
The SNES version is well done, though the updated graphics take away from the theme of the game being a stage play as there is a loss of consistency with that. The audio is a bit weak and muffled as is common on the SNES. Being able to save was a huge upgrade, though that is less of a factor now.
The lack of saving of the original NES hurts it in this comparison, though that's why the warp whistles exist which is how I originally beat the game, though I played most of the levels eventually as a kid. Modern save states mitigate that issue. While the SNES version looks great, I like the general aesthetic of the NES game as well. But it's the sound that I really love in the NES version. Every time I played the SNES game, I felt compelled to play the NES game too, and I realized it was because of the sound. The NES music and sound effects are just much punchier(I've seen others describe it the same way). The jump sound effect specifically is just so much better to me on the NES. Overall, I think the NES version as a whole is just the best package, especially now that saving is not an issue.
@AndyMcDonald In a strange coincidence, that's very similar to how I got the original DMG Game Boy. It was left behind at a restaurant that my grandfather ran and it was never claimed. It's how I've got an original Game Boy but have never owned Tetris, as Super Mario Land was in the slot.
It doesn't happen often, especially when there are three main choices, but I like them all. Japan's lags behind the others for me, though. The concept is the weakest one just shaping random things in the game into an egg. Some elements of that egg are reused too. The Euro and NA covers are both really strong. First, I love the art for the title itself(Japan's too). The Euro cover has a strong pose for the main Wario with interesting and detailed background art. Everything is well executed. NA is also extremely well executed. The art is strong and it succeeds in how dynamic it was intended to be. Some would say it's not as fitting for a cover image, but I think it works in this instance. So I voted for NA, though Europe's cover is very good and a close second for me.
I voted " Pffidunno shrugs ". It was kind of its own thing, but also not. I remember when it came out, it seemed like it was just a modest upgrade. It certainly wasn't the leap you'd expect from a next-generation device. That would come with the GBA. I wasn't into the Game Boy platform by the late 1990s. I was playing Neo Geo Pocket when the GBC came out and was very happy with that. But I remember the GBC made the Game Boy scene more interesting as I liked to read reviews to see what developers were doing as there were a number of examples of clever uses of the hardware. I've always had an appreciation for when developers found interesting uses for limited hardware or somehow managed something that was unexpected.
@Turbo857 I think the reason for the 4K resolution is to get clean integer scaling and better CRT filters. Also, as 4K TVs are more common, it also alleviates the need for the TV to do any of the upscaling itself.
My least favorite is the Euro cover. It has a good layout and concept, but it lacks something in execution for me. The art within the clock looks faded and cloudy, while the added reflection of the watch glass further takes away from the art. Basically, I think the artist went overboard with the clock design, and took it too literally in depicting it as a physical clock.
So that leaves NA and Japan. I voted for Japan due to the smaller border at the bottom which I think ends up working out better overall.
"We not overly keen on the logo itself, mind" Same here! Also, the tag line on the side "...order from chaos". And the giant border. Also, the key art with the pyramids and the lightning. Basically the nonsense minimalism for this cover. I'm not keen on basically all of it, but aside from everything, it's great.
The western cover is okay. While basic in concept, the Japanese cover works much better due to the cookie jar and more cookies overall. It also has much better placement of its logos compared to the western cover where all the logos and things get in the way.
While I think Mario World is excellent and right up there with SMB3, so much better than mediocre, I also don't get on well with a lot of the titles many people often put forth as among the best on the SNES. I do like the SNES, but a lot of what I like to play are deeper cuts. But as for Mario World and Zelda:LttP vs. their Gameboy counterparts, issues with the SNES games could come down to pacing, action, and music. I always thought Zelda on the SNES was slow to really get started, and SMW also picks up steam a little slowly. The GB titles might also be a bit more action oriented, though I'd have to play them again to compare. But also, for all the capabilities of the SNES and its sound chip, sometimes the limitations left the music lacking in some way. I know that SNES games that go for an orchestral feel usually don't do much for me. I've played other major SNES games where the music was putting me to sleep. While simpler, the chip-generated sound on the Game Boy is often punchier, compared to the sample quality for the SNES in some cases. One of the reasons I prefer to play Super Mario 3 on NES over the SNES remake, which is good, is because of the punchy NES sound over the questionable samples of the SNES game.
The NA cover's art feels cramped with the main Kirby being larger and having the sword which takes up more space. It shoves all the other Kirby guys over and almost fully blocks view of the mirror. Add the game logo and the box is just totally crushed. The Euro artwork has a bit of space for everything that makes it more visually coherent and enhances the box art. Easy win for the Euro box for me.
I'm lucky in that I've never really been prone to fear of missing out(FOMO). Don't worry, as I'm not bragging. I have other problems. I'm not saying I'm immune to hype, but the pull is not strong and I never really feel compelled to jump on things day one. I will share some general observations on gaming and game design. First of all, sometimes people are just not in the right place mentally for a game, even one that is otherwise their thing, at a particular time. Sometimes, a break from certain games, or gaming is all that's needed. I've encountered games I didn't like at first or just thought were okay that ended up becoming favorites of mine later upon a second or third go with them. I think with big, 3D, exploration and open-world games, it's a bit worse. There's so many hours involved, so much exploring, so many things to do that once I've had my fill, I've had my fill for quite a while. So when a sequel comes out that is largely the same thing, but bigger, it's not necessarily what I'm looking for, the novelty factor isn't there, or I haven't had enough time to miss it. Bigger games require more time for me to want to play again, And I'll admit, I'm less into exploration and narrative in games than others.
@DemonKow I kind of like the idea of this game paired with some Iron Maiden, but I might be a bit biased as well. Though I didn't get into them until a lot later. Sadly, I had to skip their show last year because I got sick at the worst time. But I have seen them many times since Bruce rejoined and they definitely still got it. I've gotten a handful of lapsed fans of the band from back in the day to go see them again and they've always agreed.
I love the idea they had with the presentation of this to look like an '80s cartoon and they really nailed that. While the reviews are mixed on Steam too, there's at least a chance for it to be enjoyable on other platforms for those who absolutely must play this.
On Switch, I think it is wise to wait for reviews before committing to a buy due to performance, especially now as the Switch is quite old. But even on PC with capable hardware that is an issue because games are often unfinished, unoptimized, and buggy regardless of the platform. A shame to see this is running so poorly. I just started looking at reviews yesterday, so I knew what to expect here.
As for the core game, I like the concept and presentation. They really nailed the '80s visuals, but the roguelike nature and some other things probably mean it's not for me. It does sound like the other versions run well, so it might we a worthwhile game for those that are interested.
Edit: On how '80s cartoons hold up, it's really a mixed bag. Some of my old favorites as a kid don't hold up well in my opinion. Others, including some I didn't know existed at the time, such as Galaxy Rangers, I think hold up rather well. But I do love old animation, and I am fond of old Japanese anime from the '80s which I think holds up very well.
I see what some people mean on a lack of animation in some spots. As resolution has gone up, the need for more animation frames has gone up too. I remember thinking that even with the HD remaster of Street Fighter 2. But back to this,. I do really like the environment visuals here, and I also think they did a good job giving the visuals a nice, black, inky look like pre-digital comic books.
I like the concept behind the Japanese one, but being clever does not make it a good game cover. However, I would suggest it would fit very well as the back of the box. Remove the game title logo from it, and you have space for screenshots, which tended to be very small on Japanese boxes anyway.
The western cover is just way better as a game cover. It's well laid out and well drawn. It depicts the game in some way as well and succeeds in that.
As I was reading the section on The Simpsons, I thought it would be funny if they made Maggie a playable character. Then I looked at the image included here, and she's actually the only one there in a fighting pose of sorts. It looks like she's in a karate stance. I get why it's mentioned, but Simpsons doesn't excite me as I fell off of that one a long time ago. But I do like the old arcade game and the template is there.
When you say the "Shredder's Revenge treatment" if that specifically means a beat-em-up game, then I would say that Ghostbusters and Transformers would be tougher to do in that style due to the nature of the properties. They would be better suited to a different kind of action game.
Both He-Man and Thundercats I think would work well as a Golden Axe-style beat-em-up(AKA hack-and-slash). That style might be the best way to adapt those, much like how it was always a great fit for TMNT. I voted for Thundercats in this poll. When I was a kid, my favorite properties were probably Thundercats, He-Man, and Voltron. Leaving Voltron out since it's not mentioned in this article, looking back, I find the prospect of a Thundercats game more interesting of the two. It's really quite a shame Thundercats never got a great game.
I don't like either cover. I think they're both rather poor. Both have messy composition due to trying to make it look like a scene from gameplay which also keeps things from being dynamic. Both have elements just placed anywhere. The NA cover is worse because it's zoomed out to feature giant Mario, but having him on the edge of the frame is not good. It draws the eye to the extreme left and up towards his face. That's why I say its composition is worse. So I voted for the Japan & Europe cover for being less bad.
I disagree about the composition of the western cover. The moon is not drawing the eye down. It draws the eye up. I'm not really into the use of space there or the way the characters are posed. It is not badly done, but doesn't make for a great cover, in my opinion.
The worst aspect of the Japanese cover to me is just that it's the typical "throw a bunch of characters on there" kind of deal that we've seen before. Still, we've seen it before because it works. The quality of the character art is very good with lots of detail and shading.
I voted for Japan for what I consider to be better composition and use of space, for the purposes of a cover, and higher quality character art, as opposed to the attempt at visual punch featuring the moon so prominently on the western cover.
I do see what people are saying regarding the gameplay footage. The rest of the trailer had its issues as the animation certainly wasn't up to my standards. But, in regards to the game itself, the basic graphics look good enough. When looking at attack animations, what I saw were weak key frames. For example, when Duke was kicking, it had no energy. It just looked like he was lifting his leg and not kicking. Key frames are the most important animation frames, so for a kick, it would be as dynamic as possible, perhaps exaggerated, to give it some energy, and makes it believable that there's impact to it.
I'd also like to see proper combos. I do have to agree with others that a beat-em-up might not fit G.I. Joe as much as it would other franchises, but I'm willing to see how this goes. I can see this being very early footage, which would explain some of the issues here.
Neither cover strikes me as good. The western cover has weak composition, lots of empty space, and the guy and the bike look very static for what's supposed to be a dynamic shot. And, as I always like to point out, it has the stupid red border and corner peel that help make N64 covers consistently among the worst for me.
The Japanese cover isn't amazing either, but it is a better use of space and the biker has "Excite Bike" brand tires, which is a nice touch.
Westerns fell out of favor on TV and in movies partly because of over saturation. And I think kids who grew up later, after Star Wars had such a big impact, ended up seeing westerns as old fashioned, not only because of the setting being in the 1800s, but also because the shows and movies tended to be from the '50s, '60s, and '70s. But sci fi and westerns have a lot in common in terms of the human storytelling they allow, because they don't have to adhere to as many rules as something like a police procedural. I had no interest in westerns for my early youth. In the '80s, my heroes were wrestlers, comic book superheroes, GI Joe, Transformers, Voltron, He-Man etc. But when I was 10 or so, I was exposed to a western by chance, and while the setting didn't draw me in, once I saw a bit, I was very interested. I think that's the sticking point. The setting itself isn't exactly appealing on its own for people who grew up after the western boom. I wouldn't be surprised if samurai shows in Japan are viewed in a similar way.
Japan's is a bit busy, sure. On the flip side, the NA cover is a bit sparse. Mega Man looks good, front and center in a dynamic pose. NA Mega Man covers sure came a long way at this point. But there's so much nearly empty space. Putting tiny enemies around the background randomly doesn't really lift up the composition. It's not bad. The Japanese one continues the design of jumbling up all the characters like a collage, and it's not a clean design, but I always thought it worked. Plus, the art style for Japanese Rock Man art just can't be beat. I prefer the Japanese cover, as usual.
@Daniel36 "But I will say I am a big outlier anyways. I love the animé look, but I hate the forms of storytelling found within."
I think I understand what you mean there. Anime has a lot of tropes that work against it. There's plenty of stuff I don't like. What I have found that works better for me is to just be really picky compared to in the past when choices were limited. One way that I do that is by focusing on old stuff, mostly 80s and 90s, which is more to my taste and tends to have better storytelling than later stuff, though that's not always the case. But I've found far more enjoyment doing that and there's still no shortage of stuff for me to watch.
@Serpenterror There's a SNES game called Dragon View that is considered the sequel to Drakkhen. It's called Super Drakkhen in Japan. Other than the overworld looking similar, it's different in a lot of ways, so I'm not sure if it's what you're after if you want more of what the first game offered, but it's the sequel you were wondering about.
I've been pretty good with remembering most of the games I want to remember. The games that stump me are old DOS games from the 80s. And I'm not even sure they were commercial releases or some kind of early homebrew. I have the issue more with trying to remember old toys, though some of those may have been knock-off toys as well, which makes it even tougher. I had some old robot toys that I now wonder if they were from some old anime shows.
I have gotten enjoyment over the years on this site by helping others remember games from their youth on the forum. Others here are very good at that as well. It's almost like a fun puzzle to solve. People have the most vague memories, and I try to figure out the best way to use that limited info for a decent Google search. I've had some pretty good results in figuring things out for people with very limited, sometimes incorrect, details and with the game sometimes being really obscure.
I'm a bit surprised to hear so many people really like the Japanese cover. I saw that thing and just thought it was a mess. I'm not especially fond of either cover here, really. But Japan is too messy for me, so I picked the western cover.
Though Zelda's gold cover may have won the three-way battle, the two Japanese designs were so similar with the same key art that it's clear they split the vote and that a clear majority preferred the overall Japanese design, which makes me happy, or a feeling somewhat resembling that.
Edit: The US cover uses the same art as the Euro cover, but it has the typical US N64 cover nonsense like the red border strip and the corner peel. All that makes it much worse and I'd pick the Japanese version over it.
@Daniel36 The number of episodes is a fair point, though there's no telling if the storytelling for the adaptation will be up to par. But I wish you well if you're interested in seeing this.
I just know that the track record of live-action adaptations of anime is not good, whether that's the quality of the product, or it just fails to find an audience, partly because anime fans don't necessarily want to see live-action versions. We're not even a year removed from the high-profile failure of Netflix's own Cowboy Bebop. Given how long big productions take, I'm not sure there's been enough time for the producers to have learned from that disaster.
Oh, a live-action adaptation of an anime show on Netflix. What could go wrong? The idea of doing live-action adaptations of animation, especially Japanese properties, has always struck me as an odd notion, and it seems to have actually picked up steam more recently. Part of the appeal of animation is that it's not live action, and things that work in one don't work in the other. I know why they do it. It's an existing property so much of the creative work is already done, there's an existing audience for these properties in theory(not so much in practice much of the time), and live action is considered serious in the west while animation is viewed as for children, regardless of the subject matter. Still, I find it all unappealing. Good luck to them, I guess.
With that said, Gamecube was a really fun system and was the last home console I owned when it was current. Metroid Prime is the game that convinced me to get the system, and it was a fantastic experience. Wind Waker was also a top experience for me on the system. If this guy genuinely wants to go back to the Gamecube and it's not just a PR statement, I can see it because that's the generation when 3D games really started to be refined and turned into new and amazing experiences compared to what came before. And the cel shading of Wind Waker has aged very well.
Comments 1,944
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Trace Memory
NA for me simply due to the framing. The zoomed-in image has far more impact. The Euro cover has far less feeling due to the composition. The island in the background does very little as well.
Re: Zelda Producer Responds To Fans Who Want A More "Traditional Linear" Adventure
"Why do you want to go back to a type of game where you're more limited or more restricted in the types of things or ways you can play?" But I do understand that desire that we have for nostalgia, and so I can also understand it from that aspect."
With all due respect, bigger and more open is not necessarily better. What you gain in freedom in open-world, you end up losing in structure and focus. I value that structure and focus far more than freedom in that context. The old Zelda formula was an exercise in good game design. In fact, it was one of the series of games where game design was figured out. It was supposed to be fun and feel grand while still being somewhat small and easy to manage. That isn't to say there isn't good game design for a large open-world 3D game, but it's very different. But that old game design made a lot of sense to people within the context of a video game. If it didn't, then Zelda wouldn't have been such a great success. In a larger sense, it's a puzzle to solve. Modern Zelda has a different feel. My point is simply that it's understandable that some would prefer that older experience, and it's not necessarily nostalgia, but an appreciation for a different approach to game design. I prefer older games not because I'm after a nostalgic feeling, but because I genuinely prefer the approach to game design of the time. Nintendo made their decision to take Zelda in a different direction, and that's understandable. As such, there was always going to be some push back from those who liked the older games more. It's a shame they don't seem to want to make both types like they did back when the GBA was current. Without hardware limitations, it seems they don't want to pursue that.
Re: Sega Plans To Revive Even "More" Legacy Franchises
The announcement and teaser was a nice surprise. Shinobi is what appealed to me most from the batch. I enjoyed Crazy Taxi back in the day, but it didn't have staying power for me, though I'd consider a new one after seeing how it turns out. I didn't see enough of Golden Axe or Streets of Rage to feel excited and I'm not sure about the visual styles, but I'll see how things turn out. I do like that they are at least trying to revive Golden Axe again and possibly right the past wrongs there.
A single-player Phantasy Star 5 might be nice, though I'm concerned it won't have the magic the fourth game had for me. They could do a Fighters Megamix 2. More Panzer Dragoon would be nice, though that also leads to my other point that it would be nice to have modern releases of older games. It would be cool to have all the Panzer Dragoon games, in one form or another, on modern platforms especially PC. Same thing for Golden Axe: Revenge of Death Adder. And I'd love to see Daytona 2/Sega Racing Classic 2 get a standalone release.
Also, more Virtual On, please!!!
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Harvest Moon 64
Both are terrible. Japan's cover is boring and I don't like the art style. The US one is a different, infuriating kind of terrible. The drawing itself is nice. The composition is awful with the game logo and developer logo taking all the breathing room. I have consistently pointed out that the design of US N64 boxes are among the worst. This shows why. The red logo strip is always bad, and this is one of the worst ones as it cuts off the main character, regardless of it being translucent. The stupid corner peel also interferes with the art and was always a bad idea that never should have been approved. It's so amateurish. The standard US box layout just ruins the whole thing. I voted for Japan without hesitation.
Re: Talking Point: What Are The Worst Parts Of Your Favourite Games?
@MasterGraveheart The QTEsin Resident Evil 4 left me feeling the same. When the game, and QTEs were new, it seemed like an interesting idea. And the early QTEs were okay enough at first. But, as is often the case, it all went downhill very quickly. The QTEs got so tiresome. Of course, the pinnacle was an entire QTE boss fight that's one of the most maddening parts of the game. I don't even know why I bothered to finish the game, though that was a lesson I had to learn to hard way a couple of times on the Gamecube. I once tried to replay RE4 and then realized only the first half of the game was any fun for me. And even that has diminished as I grew tired of QTEs.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Batman: Vengeance (GBA)
The NA one is super boring in its composition. The EU one is slightly more interesting in the pose, but having Batman on a wire looks silly. And he looks more plastic like. After thinking about it, the boring NA cover is slightly better executed to me for what it is and the villains in the background is a decent touch and a enough to make it my pick, ever so slightly.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Donkey Kong
The Nintendo black boxes are iconic, but iconic does not make it better. I'm glad the black boxes ran their course and were phased out after they served their purpose. The Japanese cover is okay. Mario looks like a creep, and like he's the bad guy. The "Bonus" one doesn't belong on this informal poll that's just for fun and not binding. Also, I voted for "Bonus" so I'm part of the problem and I'm okay with that.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Contact
Always amusing when consecutive comments end up having such different opinions. As I write this at least, the above commenter seems to love both covers. I think neither cover is good from the standpoint of art design for a cover. The US/JP art itself is fine. The concept and composition are not interesting. Full profile layouts tend to be the most boring layouts, and this is something I noticed even when I did my own drawing. The Euro cover is similarly bland. So this comes down to a simple matter of taste for me. I choose the Euro cover simply due to the animal in the animal costume. It's easily the most interesting thing about any of this.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Hey! Pikmin
While it's not my favorite style of box art, these are well done. Both of them are pretty good. I had to think about this one for a bit. I was leaning toward NA/JP at first, but switched my vote to Europe. The NA/JP one is very busy. While that's often a negative, I think it works well and perhaps depicts the feeling of the game in some way(I am not familiar with this series.) Europe is also a bit chaotic, but less so. It's probably framed in a way better suited to be a game cover in terms of the overall composition.
Re: Nintendo Download: 9th November (North America)
@Ristar24 Yeah, I heard from a few people how good Double Dragon Advance was. I finally had a chance to try it a couple of years ago and it was really good and compares well against many of the best beat-em-up games. I'm so glad it's been made available this way.
Re: Reaction: What's Your Gut Feeling On The Zelda Movie News?
I'm not fond of modern filmmaking in general these days, so I'm not optimistic, but I'm also not the target audience. It being live action is no surprise. I think animation(which I prefer, especially older anime) just has limits in terms of how they can market it, especially in certain regions. All the big 3D animated hits seem to be zany comedies. I do find it odd that some people insist on Link being silent in a film. That would be extremely limiting in a narrative. Even more if they pull it off and then want a sequel. It's not workable. Link is not a character in the games. He is an avatar for the player. Besides, at least in the older games, the other characters talk to link like he can and does reply, even if the player doesn't see or hear those replies. While that is a strength of the games, it's also a weakness in that it doesn't really allow any deeper storytelling. It just seems like a weird thing to insist be incorporated into a film.
Re: Site News: Nintendo Life Turns 18 Today
It's literally election day here, though it's an off off-year election in my area. How funny to turn 18 on election day. Anyway, thank you, NintendoLife. I have enjoyed the site for more than half its run, I believe.
Re: Review: Little Goody Two Shoes - Cute, Compelling Horror With Some Frustrations
Unskippable text can be a major pain. When it has to be repeated in relation to a difficult boss fight, it can make some games insufferable.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Kirby Mass Attack
North America gets my vote. The Euro/Japan cover is fine, but the concept of the ring of Kirbys doesn't do much for me, even if it is not bad. It's a bit bland. The NA one is well executed. And this is a case where the cover being more dynamic ends up being the better way to go in my view.
Re: Classic Horror Beat 'Em Up 'Night Slashers' Is Coming Back To Life In An All-New Remake
It looks better in motion, I'll give it that. And it says "work in progress" during the video, so it will likely change some, but the graphics do look off. I think it looks too clean and crisp. The backgrounds especially look too clean and bright. It doesn't give off the right horror vibe. The shading on the characters is very simple and there isn't much light and shadow which is a signature of horror stuff. It reminds me of when other old games got the HD treatment. It's harder to maintain the aesthetic. But I will say that it doesn't look bad in terms of the animation and they seem to be trying to stick close to the source material, so that's good. I'll try to keep an eye on how this progresses.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: The Lion King
@gamerswereamistake It did have a Japanese release, but it used the same art as the NA cover. There are a bunch of European releases for other platforms that have the same cover you like with better framing with regards to the various borders. So if that's the kind of thing someone would want on a shelf, all the other versions are better choices.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: The Lion King
My opinion is that the European cover is bad. Very bad. It's a terrible concept. It has awful framing. It's lazy(which is a synonym for classy, it seems). And to specifically address something mentioned here, that it looks "handsome" on a shelf, that notion is harmed by the gigantic border.
Re: Review: VISCO Collection - A Well-Presented Neo Geo Arcade Set With Online Play
@Ryu_Niiyama It's a very good controller and I saw some lag testing and it's very low. I can't vouch for it on the Switch, however. Unless something has changed recently, Switch compatibility for that controller is unofficial and last I saw required a bit of a workaround. I believe it required an extra purchase of some other receiver. I just wanted to point that out before you or anyone else spend money on without knowing what's involved.
Re: Review: VISCO Collection - A Well-Presented Neo Geo Arcade Set With Online Play
Neo Drift Out is quite a surprise. I didn't think that would see a re-release. I wonder if they removed or modified the car makes and logos. It's a fantastic little arcade game. I've had a blast every time I've gotten to play it.
Re: Talking Point: What's The Most Difficult Mainline Mario Game?
I voted for Lost Levels which is known for its difficulty. It's definitely hard, and consistent in that regard, though it was more playable than I imagined based on its reputation. Mario Sunshine just annoyed me with its overall design and the way the camera behaved. I wasn't having any fun, so I just stopped playing it. It sounds like its harder moments later in the game would have just made me angry.
This whole topic of difficulty is interesting because there are a number of ways to make a game challenging. Plus, 2D and 3D game design is very different. For some time, I could not decide whether I thought Super Mario 3 or Super Mario World was the best Mario game. Both have things going for them. I finally started to clearly favor SMB3 because the baseline difficulty was a bit higher(but not too high) to a level I found was more engaging, and was more consistent throughout the game and in how it ramped up. In SMW, most of the game feels a bit easy to me now, with just some of the secret exits and the secret levels providing sudden difficulty spikes. While that is a way to add challenge, as well as making it optional, I think it took away a little bit from the main stages. I still think it's an excellent game, but I do prefer SMB3 specifically due to the approach Nintendo took with its level design.
Re: Talking Point: Which Version Of Super Mario Bros. 3 Do You Prefer?
@artax33 Mario 1 and Lost Levels don't play quite right on All Stars due to a mistake in programming in regards to breaking bricks. There's a hack that fixes it. It doesn't make them unplayable, but they do feel different because of it.
But the main reason for this reply is those bubbles are tough to dodge. I find it more manageable to get to the right side before he shoots the bubbles so that I'm moving left when trying to dodge them since they're also going to the left and that makes it a bit easier to position the characters where there's an opening.
Re: Talking Point: Which Version Of Super Mario Bros. 3 Do You Prefer?
@bigpale No. I have seen others say the same. While I don't have a problem with the graphical updates for SMB3 and SMB2(USA) in All Stars, I really didn't like the graphical changes for SMB1 and Lost Levels. There are hacks that change the backgrounds graphics in those two so they look more consistent with the original, though in an updated style as opposed to all-new graphics they went with. And there are hacks that fix the block-breaking behavior which is way off in those two.
Re: Talking Point: Which Version Of Super Mario Bros. 3 Do You Prefer?
"(hearing him say "woohoo, just what I needed!" whenever he picks up an item never gets old)"
A lot of people would disagree on that one. I thought the voices got old after hearing it for a second time. I said it back when it was new and I'll say it again, there should have been an option to simply disable the new voices.
I just played through the NES version of SMB3 last week. I last compared the versions a year or two ago. I have thoughts. The GBA version is largely good. The audio is simultaneously better and worse than the SNES version. The zoomed-in view due to the fixed resolution of the GBA screen and the colors to compensate for the GBA's dark screen hurt this version. Also, the voice clips are annoying to many.
The SNES version is well done, though the updated graphics take away from the theme of the game being a stage play as there is a loss of consistency with that. The audio is a bit weak and muffled as is common on the SNES. Being able to save was a huge upgrade, though that is less of a factor now.
The lack of saving of the original NES hurts it in this comparison, though that's why the warp whistles exist which is how I originally beat the game, though I played most of the levels eventually as a kid. Modern save states mitigate that issue. While the SNES version looks great, I like the general aesthetic of the NES game as well. But it's the sound that I really love in the NES version. Every time I played the SNES game, I felt compelled to play the NES game too, and I realized it was because of the sound. The NES music and sound effects are just much punchier(I've seen others describe it the same way). The jump sound effect specifically is just so much better to me on the NES. Overall, I think the NES version as a whole is just the best package, especially now that saving is not an issue.
Re: Feature: Game Boy Color - A Quarter Century Of Colour Nintendo Handhelds
@AndyMcDonald In a strange coincidence, that's very similar to how I got the original DMG Game Boy. It was left behind at a restaurant that my grandfather ran and it was never claimed. It's how I've got an original Game Boy but have never owned Tetris, as Super Mario Land was in the slot.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl: Wario Land: Shake It!
It doesn't happen often, especially when there are three main choices, but I like them all. Japan's lags behind the others for me, though. The concept is the weakest one just shaping random things in the game into an egg. Some elements of that egg are reused too. The Euro and NA covers are both really strong. First, I love the art for the title itself(Japan's too). The Euro cover has a strong pose for the main Wario with interesting and detailed background art. Everything is well executed. NA is also extremely well executed. The art is strong and it succeeds in how dynamic it was intended to be. Some would say it's not as fitting for a cover image, but I think it works in this instance. So I voted for NA, though Europe's cover is very good and a close second for me.
Re: Feature: Game Boy Color - A Quarter Century Of Colour Nintendo Handhelds
I voted " Pffidunno shrugs ". It was kind of its own thing, but also not. I remember when it came out, it seemed like it was just a modest upgrade. It certainly wasn't the leap you'd expect from a next-generation device. That would come with the GBA. I wasn't into the Game Boy platform by the late 1990s. I was playing Neo Geo Pocket when the GBC came out and was very happy with that. But I remember the GBC made the Game Boy scene more interesting as I liked to read reviews to see what developers were doing as there were a number of examples of clever uses of the hardware. I've always had an appreciation for when developers found interesting uses for limited hardware or somehow managed something that was unexpected.
Re: Analogue's CEO Reckons Not Even Nintendo Could Beat Its New 'N64'
@Turbo857 I think the reason for the 4K resolution is to get clean integer scaling and better CRT filters. Also, as 4K TVs are more common, it also alleviates the need for the TV to do any of the upscaling itself.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl: Professor Layton And The Unwound Future
My least favorite is the Euro cover. It has a good layout and concept, but it lacks something in execution for me. The art within the clock looks faded and cloudy, while the added reflection of the watch glass further takes away from the art. Basically, I think the artist went overboard with the clock design, and took it too literally in depicting it as a physical clock.
So that leaves NA and Japan. I voted for Japan due to the smaller border at the bottom which I think ends up working out better overall.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Actraiser
"We not overly keen on the logo itself, mind" Same here! Also, the tag line on the side "...order from chaos". And the giant border. Also, the key art with the pyramids and the lightning. Basically the nonsense minimalism for this cover. I'm not keen on basically all of it, but aside from everything, it's great.
Japan for me by a mile.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Yoshi's Cookie
The western cover is okay. While basic in concept, the Japanese cover works much better due to the cookie jar and more cookies overall. It also has much better placement of its logos compared to the western cover where all the logos and things get in the way.
Re: Mailbox: Missing Zelda Ports, Nerd Rage, 16-Bit Blowback - Nintendo Life Letters
While I think Mario World is excellent and right up there with SMB3, so much better than mediocre, I also don't get on well with a lot of the titles many people often put forth as among the best on the SNES. I do like the SNES, but a lot of what I like to play are deeper cuts. But as for Mario World and Zelda:LttP vs. their Gameboy counterparts, issues with the SNES games could come down to pacing, action, and music. I always thought Zelda on the SNES was slow to really get started, and SMW also picks up steam a little slowly. The GB titles might also be a bit more action oriented, though I'd have to play them again to compare. But also, for all the capabilities of the SNES and its sound chip, sometimes the limitations left the music lacking in some way. I know that SNES games that go for an orchestral feel usually don't do much for me. I've played other major SNES games where the music was putting me to sleep. While simpler, the chip-generated sound on the Game Boy is often punchier, compared to the sample quality for the SNES in some cases. One of the reasons I prefer to play Super Mario 3 on NES over the SNES remake, which is good, is because of the punchy NES sound over the questionable samples of the SNES game.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Kirby & The Amazing Mirror
The NA cover's art feels cramped with the main Kirby being larger and having the sword which takes up more space. It shoves all the other Kirby guys over and almost fully blocks view of the mirror. Add the game logo and the box is just totally crushed. The Euro artwork has a bit of space for everything that makes it more visually coherent and enhances the box art. Easy win for the Euro box for me.
Re: Soapbox: FOMO Nearly Ruined Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom For Me
I'm lucky in that I've never really been prone to fear of missing out(FOMO). Don't worry, as I'm not bragging. I have other problems. I'm not saying I'm immune to hype, but the pull is not strong and I never really feel compelled to jump on things day one. I will share some general observations on gaming and game design. First of all, sometimes people are just not in the right place mentally for a game, even one that is otherwise their thing, at a particular time. Sometimes, a break from certain games, or gaming is all that's needed. I've encountered games I didn't like at first or just thought were okay that ended up becoming favorites of mine later upon a second or third go with them. I think with big, 3D, exploration and open-world games, it's a bit worse. There's so many hours involved, so much exploring, so many things to do that once I've had my fill, I've had my fill for quite a while. So when a sequel comes out that is largely the same thing, but bigger, it's not necessarily what I'm looking for, the novelty factor isn't there, or I haven't had enough time to miss it. Bigger games require more time for me to want to play again, And I'll admit, I'm less into exploration and narrative in games than others.
Re: Review: MythForce - A Decent Roguelite Buried By An Absolutely Dire Switch Port
@DemonKow I kind of like the idea of this game paired with some Iron Maiden, but I might be a bit biased as well. Though I didn't get into them until a lot later. Sadly, I had to skip their show last year because I got sick at the worst time. But I have seen them many times since Bruce rejoined and they definitely still got it. I've gotten a handful of lapsed fans of the band from back in the day to go see them again and they've always agreed.
I love the idea they had with the presentation of this to look like an '80s cartoon and they really nailed that. While the reviews are mixed on Steam too, there's at least a chance for it to be enjoyable on other platforms for those who absolutely must play this.
Re: Review: MythForce - A Decent Roguelite Buried By An Absolutely Dire Switch Port
On Switch, I think it is wise to wait for reviews before committing to a buy due to performance, especially now as the Switch is quite old. But even on PC with capable hardware that is an issue because games are often unfinished, unoptimized, and buggy regardless of the platform. A shame to see this is running so poorly. I just started looking at reviews yesterday, so I knew what to expect here.
As for the core game, I like the concept and presentation. They really nailed the '80s visuals, but the roguelike nature and some other things probably mean it's not for me. It does sound like the other versions run well, so it might we a worthwhile game for those that are interested.
Edit: On how '80s cartoons hold up, it's really a mixed bag. Some of my old favorites as a kid don't hold up well in my opinion. Others, including some I didn't know existed at the time, such as Galaxy Rangers, I think hold up rather well. But I do love old animation, and I am fond of old Japanese anime from the '80s which I think holds up very well.
Re: Forgive Me Father Is A Lovecraftian FPS With Comic Book Visuals Coming To Switch Next Week
I see what some people mean on a lack of animation in some spots. As resolution has gone up, the need for more animation frames has gone up too. I remember thinking that even with the HD remaster of Street Fighter 2. But back to this,. I do really like the environment visuals here, and I also think they did a good job giving the visuals a nice, black, inky look like pre-digital comic books.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Mario Vs. Donkey Kong
I like the concept behind the Japanese one, but being clever does not make it a good game cover. However, I would suggest it would fit very well as the back of the box. Remove the game title logo from it, and you have space for screenshots, which tended to be very small on Japanese boxes anyway.
The western cover is just way better as a game cover. It's well laid out and well drawn. It depicts the game in some way as well and succeeds in that.
Re: Talking Point: Which Classic Cartoons Deserve The Shredder's Revenge Treatment?
As I was reading the section on The Simpsons, I thought it would be funny if they made Maggie a playable character. Then I looked at the image included here, and she's actually the only one there in a fighting pose of sorts. It looks like she's in a karate stance. I get why it's mentioned, but Simpsons doesn't excite me as I fell off of that one a long time ago. But I do like the old arcade game and the template is there.
When you say the "Shredder's Revenge treatment" if that specifically means a beat-em-up game, then I would say that Ghostbusters and Transformers would be tougher to do in that style due to the nature of the properties. They would be better suited to a different kind of action game.
Both He-Man and Thundercats I think would work well as a Golden Axe-style beat-em-up(AKA hack-and-slash). That style might be the best way to adapt those, much like how it was always a great fit for TMNT. I voted for Thundercats in this poll. When I was a kid, my favorite properties were probably Thundercats, He-Man, and Voltron. Leaving Voltron out since it's not mentioned in this article, looking back, I find the prospect of a Thundercats game more interesting of the two. It's really quite a shame Thundercats never got a great game.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: New Super Mario Bros.
I don't like either cover. I think they're both rather poor. Both have messy composition due to trying to make it look like a scene from gameplay which also keeps things from being dynamic. Both have elements just placed anywhere. The NA cover is worse because it's zoomed out to feature giant Mario, but having him on the edge of the frame is not good. It draws the eye to the extreme left and up towards his face. That's why I say its composition is worse. So I voted for the Japan & Europe cover for being less bad.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Sea Of Stars
I disagree about the composition of the western cover. The moon is not drawing the eye down. It draws the eye up. I'm not really into the use of space there or the way the characters are posed. It is not badly done, but doesn't make for a great cover, in my opinion.
The worst aspect of the Japanese cover to me is just that it's the typical "throw a bunch of characters on there" kind of deal that we've seen before. Still, we've seen it before because it works. The quality of the character art is very good with lots of detail and shading.
I voted for Japan for what I consider to be better composition and use of space, for the purposes of a cover, and higher quality character art, as opposed to the attempt at visual punch featuring the moon so prominently on the western cover.
Re: G.I. Joe Gets The Streets Of Rage Treatment In Brand New Arcade-Style Brawler
I do see what people are saying regarding the gameplay footage. The rest of the trailer had its issues as the animation certainly wasn't up to my standards. But, in regards to the game itself, the basic graphics look good enough. When looking at attack animations, what I saw were weak key frames. For example, when Duke was kicking, it had no energy. It just looked like he was lifting his leg and not kicking. Key frames are the most important animation frames, so for a kick, it would be as dynamic as possible, perhaps exaggerated, to give it some energy, and makes it believable that there's impact to it.
I'd also like to see proper combos. I do have to agree with others that a beat-em-up might not fit G.I. Joe as much as it would other franchises, but I'm willing to see how this goes. I can see this being very early footage, which would explain some of the issues here.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Excitebike 64
Neither cover strikes me as good. The western cover has weak composition, lots of empty space, and the guy and the bike look very static for what's supposed to be a dynamic shot. And, as I always like to point out, it has the stupid red border and corner peel that help make N64 covers consistently among the worst for me.
The Japanese cover isn't amazing either, but it is a better use of space and the biker has "Excite Bike" brand tires, which is a nice touch.
Re: Soapbox: Red Dead Redemption Ignited My Enduring Love Of The Old West
Westerns fell out of favor on TV and in movies partly because of over saturation. And I think kids who grew up later, after Star Wars had such a big impact, ended up seeing westerns as old fashioned, not only because of the setting being in the 1800s, but also because the shows and movies tended to be from the '50s, '60s, and '70s. But sci fi and westerns have a lot in common in terms of the human storytelling they allow, because they don't have to adhere to as many rules as something like a police procedural. I had no interest in westerns for my early youth. In the '80s, my heroes were wrestlers, comic book superheroes, GI Joe, Transformers, Voltron, He-Man etc. But when I was 10 or so, I was exposed to a western by chance, and while the setting didn't draw me in, once I saw a bit, I was very interested. I think that's the sticking point. The setting itself isn't exactly appealing on its own for people who grew up after the western boom. I wouldn't be surprised if samurai shows in Japan are viewed in a similar way.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Mega Man 7
Japan's is a bit busy, sure. On the flip side, the NA cover is a bit sparse. Mega Man looks good, front and center in a dynamic pose. NA Mega Man covers sure came a long way at this point. But there's so much nearly empty space. Putting tiny enemies around the background randomly doesn't really lift up the composition. It's not bad. The Japanese one continues the design of jumbling up all the characters like a collage, and it's not a clean design, but I always thought it worked. Plus, the art style for Japanese Rock Man art just can't be beat. I prefer the Japanese cover, as usual.
Re: Random: One Piece's Netflix Star Would "Love" To Play Zelda: Wind Waker
@Daniel36 "But I will say I am a big outlier anyways. I love the animé look, but I hate the forms of storytelling found within."
I think I understand what you mean there. Anime has a lot of tropes that work against it. There's plenty of stuff I don't like. What I have found that works better for me is to just be really picky compared to in the past when choices were limited. One way that I do that is by focusing on old stuff, mostly 80s and 90s, which is more to my taste and tends to have better storytelling than later stuff, though that's not always the case. But I've found far more enjoyment doing that and there's still no shortage of stuff for me to watch.
Re: Memory Pak: Making Contact With The "Ungoogleable" Game I Couldn't Quite Remember
@Serpenterror There's a SNES game called Dragon View that is considered the sequel to Drakkhen. It's called Super Drakkhen in Japan. Other than the overworld looking similar, it's different in a lot of ways, so I'm not sure if it's what you're after if you want more of what the first game offered, but it's the sequel you were wondering about.
Re: Memory Pak: Making Contact With The "Ungoogleable" Game I Couldn't Quite Remember
I've been pretty good with remembering most of the games I want to remember. The games that stump me are old DOS games from the 80s. And I'm not even sure they were commercial releases or some kind of early homebrew. I have the issue more with trying to remember old toys, though some of those may have been knock-off toys as well, which makes it even tougher. I had some old robot toys that I now wonder if they were from some old anime shows.
I have gotten enjoyment over the years on this site by helping others remember games from their youth on the forum. Others here are very good at that as well. It's almost like a fun puzzle to solve. People have the most vague memories, and I try to figure out the best way to use that limited info for a decent Google search. I've had some pretty good results in figuring things out for people with very limited, sometimes incorrect, details and with the game sometimes being really obscure.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Pokémon Stadium
I'm a bit surprised to hear so many people really like the Japanese cover. I saw that thing and just thought it was a mess. I'm not especially fond of either cover here, really. But Japan is too messy for me, so I picked the western cover.
Though Zelda's gold cover may have won the three-way battle, the two Japanese designs were so similar with the same key art that it's clear they split the vote and that a clear majority preferred the overall Japanese design, which makes me happy, or a feeling somewhat resembling that.
Edit: The US cover uses the same art as the Euro cover, but it has the typical US N64 cover nonsense like the red border strip and the corner peel. All that makes it much worse and I'd pick the Japanese version over it.
Re: Random: One Piece's Netflix Star Would "Love" To Play Zelda: Wind Waker
@Daniel36 The number of episodes is a fair point, though there's no telling if the storytelling for the adaptation will be up to par. But I wish you well if you're interested in seeing this.
I just know that the track record of live-action adaptations of anime is not good, whether that's the quality of the product, or it just fails to find an audience, partly because anime fans don't necessarily want to see live-action versions. We're not even a year removed from the high-profile failure of Netflix's own Cowboy Bebop. Given how long big productions take, I'm not sure there's been enough time for the producers to have learned from that disaster.
Re: Random: One Piece's Netflix Star Would "Love" To Play Zelda: Wind Waker
Oh, a live-action adaptation of an anime show on Netflix. What could go wrong? The idea of doing live-action adaptations of animation, especially Japanese properties, has always struck me as an odd notion, and it seems to have actually picked up steam more recently. Part of the appeal of animation is that it's not live action, and things that work in one don't work in the other. I know why they do it. It's an existing property so much of the creative work is already done, there's an existing audience for these properties in theory(not so much in practice much of the time), and live action is considered serious in the west while animation is viewed as for children, regardless of the subject matter. Still, I find it all unappealing. Good luck to them, I guess.
With that said, Gamecube was a really fun system and was the last home console I owned when it was current. Metroid Prime is the game that convinced me to get the system, and it was a fantastic experience. Wind Waker was also a top experience for me on the system. If this guy genuinely wants to go back to the Gamecube and it's not just a PR statement, I can see it because that's the generation when 3D games really started to be refined and turned into new and amazing experiences compared to what came before. And the cel shading of Wind Waker has aged very well.