Cinematic Masterpiece

That thing was better than two of the Mad Max Movies. Good to get that off my chest. Moving on here are my top five Mario Spinoffs.

5) Mario Party

Remember when this was fresh and different?

When Mario Party first debuted it was a fun way to get together with your friends and play together.  That is how I prefer to remember it, as a delightful way to spend an afternoon. Unfortunately this series has descended into the depths of cash in crud. But in the glory days this game was all the rage. Who knows, maybe someday it will return to its former self, but for now the best we can do is remember.

4) Dr. Mario

If we throw enough pills at you the pain goes away!

Quick perception test for you. I want you to clear your mind and just say the first thing that pops into your head aloud.  Not yet.  When I ask the question.  Aren’t you embarrassed now.  Are you ready? Here goes….Doctor. Probably sick people and waiting rooms floating through your brain right now. Maybe needles. Giant soul sucking bloody needles.  Nintendo said bump that.  In fact the minds over at Nintendo decided that Doctors were missing something, and that something was a mustache. Dr. Mario shares absolutely nothing with real doctors and that is scientifically proven to be why Dr. Mario is so awesome. That and his blatant disregard for most “laws” about medical practice. He was like “House” before “House”.

3) Paper Mario

When Paper Mario first appeared people were more skeptical than excited. Until they played it. Combining role playing elements with a strikingly gorgeous art style it blew people away. Original and fresh it stands out as one of the most amazing uses of the Mario brand. Sometimes when you try something different it ends up amazing.  Sometimes it ends up like Bruce Springsteen recording a rap album.  Actually what am I talking about, that would be spectacular.

2) Super Smash Brothers

First rule of fight club; Costumes are mandatory

Super Smash Brothers is one of those crazy idea’s that for no explicable reason works. Kind of like the McMuffin.

We laugh in the face of logic

I mean you take all these adorable characters from Nintendo games and throw them together to beat them to a pulp and yet it is the one of the most surprisingly deep and addictive fighters there is. Night after night you can play with your friends, finding new ways to smash them off the screen. With awesome interactive levels, cool items, and crazy characters it never seems to get old. Unless someone is using Meta Knight. That bastard.

1) Mario Kart

None of these people have a license.

Could there really be another number one? Mario Kart is one of those games everyone seems to enjoy. Each iteration just brings more fun to the table. No one can deny the allure of racing your friends in your own living room. Even Grandma can get in on the action. Of course she will probably continuously get turned into the bullet and she might try and use the Wii mote as a actual remote and complaining that the “radio” is too brightly colored but hey, at least she is there.

The original Galaxy was a great game and Galaxy 2 is shaping up to be an excellent sequel. Though the oft-ignored Luigi is nowhere to be seen in the new trailer, as is standard in the 3D Mario games, another familiar green character is making a comeback. That’s right. Yoshi is back in action, aiding Mario as usual, a feature that was missing in the original Mario Galaxy. There’s just something awesome about riding around on that little green dinosaur. Now let’s just hope Galaxy 2 ramps up the difficulty, given how disappointingly easy the original was.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 launches on May 23^rd for the Wii. Let’s hope it doesn’t disappoint.

[via GameTrailers]

Well Exu-u-use me Ebay

Ebay is full of ridiculous things for collectors to buy. Video Game collectors are no stranger to the site, with rare games going for ridiculous sums of money. But rare cereal? Well someone thought this twenty one year old sealed cereal was worth some dough. The aforementioned cereal happens to be from when Nintendo briefly tested out the breakfast waters. It is actually two types of cereal, one being Mario and the other being Zelda. Some lucky (?) person was willing too lay down two hundred and seven dollars for it. Thats a pretty pricey breakfast. Would you pay that much to stare at your child hood memories? Let us know!

[via Ebay]

]]> http://pixelatedgeek.com/2010/02/nintendo-cereal-now-with-extra-cobwebs/feed/ 0 http://pixelatedgeek.com/2010/02/top-5-sidekicks-in-gaming/ http://pixelatedgeek.com/2010/02/top-5-sidekicks-in-gaming/#comments Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:00:19 +0000 Rett http://pixelatedgeek.com/?p=17978

Batman has Robin, Sherlock had Watson, the Lone Ranger had Tonto, even Van Wilder had Taj. The point is we all need somebody to lean on. Or blame. So here are my top five sidekicks in gaming in this week’s “The List”.

5) The dog in Fable 2 Man's best friend.....or nightmare. It's a game of choices Fable 2 is a huge open world game full of choices for our hero, or villain, to make. And weren’t those choices more fun with your trusty dog there? I was a huge fan of the helpful canine, he could sniff out treasure for crying out loud. That’s the most money you’ll make off of a dog that doesn’t have the ability to talk. He made the world seem a little less lonely. A worthy and useful companion for the adventure. Plus he helped out with picking up the ladies.

I’m not sure how many of our readers are into audio production, but I’m hoping that demographic will grow as I try to post more audio-tech related posts.  That being said, I’ll start off with something nice and easy, that should be entertaining for everybody.

I’m really excited to share a resource that I found a while back that offers free VST instruments and effects to use with almost any audio production program.  Tweakbench is a donation-based site where Aaron Rutledge (just one guy!) creates and distributes original audio plugins.  Among these plugins are two virtual instruments that I absolutely love, and have actually been able to work into a few of my projects: Peach and Toad.  Peach (as in Princess Peach) is loaded with different tones from NES games, and loaded into your keyboard it will inspire you for hours to rewrite all your songs to sound more like the Legend of Zelda theme song.  Toad (as in… Toad) is basically the same thing as Peach, but instead of tones, it uses tons of random sounds from NES games to make up percussion and drums.  All of the plugins have demo MP3s  for your listening pleasure, and even if you’re not into audio production, you’ll still probably get a kick out of hearing the demos.

If you want to hear what these plugins can do when put to good use, click here to listen to a remix I did for a friend’s band using exclusively Nintendo sounds from Peach and Toad.

]]> http://pixelatedgeek.com/2010/01/get-that-sweet-8-bit-tone/feed/ 0 http://pixelatedgeek.com/2010/01/pokewalker/ http://pixelatedgeek.com/2010/01/pokewalker/#comments Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:30:32 +0000 Andrew Plein http://pixelatedgeek.com/?p=17158

Do you remember the ancient Pocket Pikachu or perhaps the Pokémon Pikachu 2. Well if not they were essentially Pedometers that would reward you with Watts based on how far you walked. You would then use the Watts to feed your Pikachu. The concept was pretty neat actually and was a great time waster through High School.

Well with the March 14th release of Pokémon HeartGold and Pokémon SoulSilver the game will include a Pokéwalker. The Pokéwalker is an updated version of the previous released Pedometers. Instead of only having a Pikachu you can actually transfer any one Pokémon from any of the 2 games. Much like previous Pokémon Pedometers the more you walk the more Watts you get. The Watts are used within the Pokéwalker to encounter and catch wild Pokémon or search for hidden items, and can be transferred into Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions to unlock new routes. The Pokémon in the Pokéwalker will gain experience points as the player walks, and can even go up one level when they are transferred back into the game. Players also can wirelessly connect two Pokéwalkers to trade items.

Looks like I’ll be picking up another Pokémon Game. I wonder how my old Pocket Pikachu and Pokémon Pikachu 2 are?? It’s been about 5 years sense I last fed them…… do the batteries last that long??

Gameplay:

Compared to today, a game like Super Mario World is very simplistic when it comes to gameplay. Despite the SNES controller’s six-button layout, only three buttons were really useful. The B button was the standard jump button, the A button was the spin jump, which came in useful when dispatching some of the more powerful enemies, and the X and Y buttons did the same thing…allowing Mario to run faster, shoot fireballs, and swallow enemies while riding Yoshi.

While Super Mario World didn’t have the variety of items and power-ups that Super Mario Bros. 3, such as the Tanooki Suit, the hammer suit, and so on, there was only one that was really necessary anyway. While you still had your standard Mushroom, Fire Flower, and Starman power ups from previous game, SMW introduced the Cape Feather, which bestowed onto Mario a cape for which to fly. While it served a similar function to SMB 3’s Super Leaf, allowing Mario to fly and use a spin attack, the Cape Feather gave Mario 2 new powers; the ground smash attack that creates a shockwave that incapacitates nearby enemies and a parachute maneuver, which, if utilized properly, can be used to float indefinitely.

The game itself was comprised of 7 normal worlds with about 5 levels leading up to the boss castle. On top of that, 4 special switch palaces, which unlocked special blocks, were hidden. Certain levels contained multiple exits that unlocked special paths, along with access to the hidden Star World, containing extra levels, special Yoshi’s, a direct route to Bowser’s castle, and access to the Special World. The Special World worked sort of like a challenge world, with increasingly difficult stages placed to test players. Completion of the Special World caused cosmetic changes in the game, including a new color scheme for the world map and different looking enemies, such as Koopa Troopas with Mario masks instead of shells.

With its power ups, fun level design, and interesting enemies and bosses, along with the puzzling and confusing Forest of Illusion, the gameplay itself holds up pretty well, even in this day and age.

Graphics/Visuals:

For a 16-bit game that relies on animated sprites for its graphics and character animations, the game never stops being colorful. The visuals just pop, with a nice cartoonish look that is nicer to look at than some other, more pixilated visuals of the era. Sure, Luigi is, for the most part, just a recolor of Mario (unless you’re playing the Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World bundle pack), but the game still looks bright and colorful, which flows quite nicely with the lighthearted tone of the game. In contrast, the Ghost Houses, Castles, Fortresses, and Underground cavern levels, while still colorful, have a more eerie, ominous look in their level design, which fits the style as well.

While definitely unable to compete with the complex, photorealistic visuals of today, Super Mario World still manages to shine.

Music:

While not as celebrated as the music from Super Mario Bros., SMW’s music is definitely fun. While most of the level songs are just rearranged versions of the same melody, it doesn’t get too repetitive. In addition, the world map music is quite a treat, with my personal favorite being the Forest of Illusion theme. Even a rearranged version of the Starman theme plays in the Star World, along with a version of the original Super Mario Bros. Overworld theme, which can be heard in the Special World if you wait long enough. All in all, Koji Kondo’s score for the game is great.

Overall:

Some may accuse me of wearing nostalgia goggles when it comes to Super Mario World, but I definitely have it as one of my favorite games of all time. While Super Mario 64 may have been an excellent attempt at translating a 2D series into a 3D world, Super Mario World, in my opinion, is the best Mario game of all time and one I like to revisit ever now and again. The games of today may still capture my attention, but sometimes, this game is all I need. It’s no secret I’m not the biggest fan of Nintendo these days. But that doesn’t mean I can’t admit when they’ve made a great game.

I have heard or people asking prostitutes or escorts to wear Stormtrooper outfits to enduldge their geek sexual fantasies. But I think a Nintendo Power Glove fantasy is going a little over the line. Makes you wonder if this guy actually uses the power glove already on hisself. How much would you guys pay for this type of fantasy to come true? I know you guys wouldn’t do this, but I’m just asking. For, you know, research purposes. To help this guy out.

Yea.

[via geekologie]

12) Xbox 360 HDD

Sony had the right idea this generation, allowing users to upgrade their consoles with bigger 2.5” SATA HDDs. However, Microsoft opted to use its own proprietary format, which may not seem like a big deal. But when you can purchase a 320 GB HDD for a PS3 on Amazon for about $70, paying $100 for a 60 GB hard drive seems like a big rip off. Way to milk it, Microsoft.

11) PS2 Multitap

The PlayStation multitap was a very good idea when it was first released, offering 4-player support during a time when the Nintendo 64 was the only system to offer 4-player support. Most PlayStation games were only for two players, but there were a good number that took advantage of the multitap’s existence. However, jump forward a few years, with Microsoft and Nintendo offering full 4-player support, Sony decided to not include 4-player support and release a PS2 version of the multitap. It was a great idea for the original PlayStation, but with all of Sony’s competitors offering 4-player support, excluding it from the standard system and offering it as an add-on, which, might I add, was incompatible with the slimline PS2s, was a bad idea.

10) Xbox 360 Wireless Adapter

During the sixth console generation, Microsoft had the edge when it came to online support, what with its built-in network adapter and Xbox Live service. But seriously Microsoft…what the hell? Sony learned from their mistakes last generation, with Microsoft taking the worst page out of their playbook. Even the Wii has Wi-Fi support. As the only console to not have Wi-Fi support, of course Microsoft would release an overpriced Wi-Fi adapter (Seriously…$100). Way to milk it, Microsoft. I’d rather run a long LAN cable through my house than pay $100 for that.

UPDATE: It seems like the Adapter has had a price drop. It’s now $79.99. Still too expensive IMO.

9) PS2 and GameCube Network Adapters

These may as be bundled into one, seeing as how they’re essentially the same thing. With the sixth console generation heating up and Microsoft offering an integrated network adapter and excellent online support, Sony and Nintendo offered their solutions…detachable Network Adapters. Unfortunately, as an add-on, support for it wasn’t really good, especially on Nintendo’s end. Sony eventually corrected the problem, incorporating an Ethernet port in the Slimline PS2s. However, online superiority was claimed by Microsoft.

8) Wii Remote

Yes…I’m listing the Wiimote. And here’s why. Additional, necessary accessories like the Wii Motion Plus and the Nunchuk. Sure, the Wii comes packaged with a Wiimote and a Nunchuk, but the Wiimote itself doesn’t come package with a Nunchuk, requiring you to spend extra money on an accessory that’s pretty much necessary. Also, the Wii Motion Plus shouldn’t even be necessary, being that all it does is make the Wiimote function the way it was originally supposed to in the first place. Nintendo should’ve spent more time refining it. It’s more of a gimmick than anything.

7) PS2 HDD

Along with the Network Adapter, Sony always planned to release a removable HDD for the PS2, evidenced by the HDD port on the back of the system. However, while the HDD was released in Japan in 2001 and actually received some support, the HDD didn’t see a US release until 2004, with the only game to really need an HDD being Final Fantasy XI. While a small handful of games also included HDD support, approximately 30, the HDD just didn’t catch on, with the Slimline PS2s no longer supporting the HDD.

6) Sega 32X Add-on

Wanting to leap forward into the 32-bit era ahead of everyone else, Sega released an add-on for the Sega Genesis to help them do just that. Known as the 32X, the new “system” plugged into the cartridge slot of the Sega Genesis, requiring its own power supply and a cable hooking it into the Genesis. The Add-on itself was priced at $159, only $40 less than the Sega Genesis cost at launch. In addition, many of the games were just enhanced ports that didn’t look all that better from that of games of the 16-bit era. Only 34 games were ever released, with 5 of them requiring the Sega CD as well. Developers, unfortunately, were more focused on Sega’s upcoming Saturn, causing the 32X to eventually fade away into obscurity.

5) Tony Hawk RIDE

I haven’t really enjoyed a Tony Hawk game past Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3. Recently, it seems that Activision was planning to revitalize the franchise with new ideas. But lets be honest…a Skateboard accessory, which just increases the necessary cost of the game is not a good idea, expecially if it’s not done right. I mean, it is innovative, but with the board being unresponsive and glitchy, the game is only gonna be more frustrating than it is fun. It’d be like the drums on Guitar Hero: World Tour being unresponsive and frustrating to play…wait. Didn’t that happen too?

4) Wii Remote Jacket

Presenting…the Wiimote Condom? Now, is this really necessary? I know that the Wiimote requires a lot of moving and shaking, but do we really need a jacket for better grip. I mean seriously…it’s like a condom for the Wiimote. The name Wii was bad enough, but do we really need a Wiimote Condom? Just think about it.

Hey kids…when you play with your Wii, don’t forget to wear a rubber! Because that’s essentially what the Wii Remote Jacket is…a rubber sleeve.

3) Power Glove

Some would call it the precursor to the Wii Remote…others would call it absolute garbage. Developed by PAX in Japan and Mattel here in the US, the Power Glove was a weak attempt at integrating motion controls, the really doing very little. Only two games were released that took advantage of the Glove’s capabilities, one of which was only ever released in Japan. Then of course came that scene in the movie “The Wizard” in which characters stand in awe as Lucas Barton demonstrates it, only for him to say, “I love the Power Glove. It’s so bad.”

2) Wii Bowling Ball

Ah yes…because we really need more useless accessories. If anything, this is just an easy way to ruin your TV. All it takes is one slip and boom! You’ve broken your TV for using such an unnecessary attachment. It’s happened before, not with the bowling ball but an unnecessary tennis racket attachment. Seriously, aside from the obvious, the button placement just sucks so it’s more useless than anything.

1) Wii Vitality Sensor

Do we really need a sensor that relays our pulse and vital signs to the Wii? I know the Wii has their Wii Sports and WiiFit series of mock-exercise games, but is this really necessary. If anything, it’s just another useless add-on that gamers won’t really need…and quickly forget about.