In life, it always seems like there is never enough time to do everything we want. How we decide to spend our time results in that time not being spent on other possible activities. How does one find time for everything? How can we find the right balance between work and play?
I need more time to play games. The constant pressure to make the most efficient use of time, stay productive, yet still find time to relax, can be stressful in itself. Today, if a game requires more than 8-10 hours to complete, I often find it difficult to motivate myself to even get started. This is why I love Indie games, for though they are short, I can easily complete games like Journey, Pyre, Shovel Knight, and Ori and the Blind Forest in a few days' time and still be able to fully enjoy and appreciate them. Of course, I haven't completely abandoned games that might require 20-30 hours, or even 80-100 hour RPG behemoths, but my limited time necessitates that I play such games far less frequently than before. I'm a different type of gamer now. Maturation changes a person. So does adulthood.
This time last year, I had significantly more free time on my hands. Having just finished graduate school and working a much lighter teaching schedule, I sunk 80 hours into playing Final Fantasy XV and obtaining its platinum trophy on the PS4. This game took ten years to complete, and when it was finally released, it still wasn't finished. Where did all that time go? Better games (and just as good-looking) have been made in far less time. I waited a year post-release before I finally began playing through FFXV. Though I enjoyed it for the most part, this game has too many flaws to include "Final Fantasy" as part of its title. The story was terribly uninspired and unsophisticated (it felt like a complete waste of time), and it failed to capitalize on the genuinely interesting main characters and villain. I spent a lot of time playing FFXV, only to realize that the missing DLC chapters meant that there were gaps in the main plot. The collector's edition I purchased didn't even include the season pass. Recently, Square Enix announced that they would cancel much of the originally planned additional content.
So many years to make a game, so many hours to play through it. And yet, the game is still incomplete. Although I also bought the Royal Edition during Black Friday that includes the DLC content, I don't care enough about FFXV to return to it anytime soon.
Whenever I choose games to play, I need to consider how much time they would require to finish. It isn't enough for me to simply play a game for a few hours; I have to see it all the way through to the end before I feel comfortable moving on the the next game. I also usually like to dabble in post-game content, and if I like the game enough, I may go as far as to attain 100% completion. But because I have such an immense backlog of games I wish to play though, I need to strategically plan out which games I will set aside time to play. There have been numerous instances in which I would plan to play through certain titles before the year's end, only to put them off for the next year (and sometimes the year after that). And then of course, there are times when I change my mind about the games I want to play. Though I originally planned on finishing Bioshock and NieR: Automata this month, I ended up playing through a bunch of Castlevania games, the Gameboy Mega Man titles, Warioware Gold, and Mario Kart 7. I've also been playing through games on my NES Classic like Bubble Bobble, Gradius, and Ghosts 'n Goblins (don't play Ghosts 'n Goblins on the NES).
Last year, I finally managed to play through Resident Evil and Resident Evil 4, Half Life 1 and 2, and Mass Effect 1 and 2, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, and Mother 3, after years of telling myself that I absolutely must complete these games. Part of me still feels ashamed for putting these timeless classics off for so long. Right now, I really want to play the Resident Evil 2 remake, but Kingdom Hearts III is also coming out next week, and that game will probably take up most of my gaming time throughout February. At the same time, I still need to play Mass Effect 3 to finish the trilogy, and maybe Half Life 3 will finally be confirmed before I can go through all the other games on my bucket list.
I am a devout fan of several series, having played through every, or almost every, main title included in them. This month, I've been blazing through the remaining Castlevania games that I never got around to. Having played through every Kingdom Hearts title (and being one of the few who can actually follow the story), I'm ready to go for KH III. My long-term relationship with Final Fantasy was the only reason I was willing to play through FFXV.
But there are still so many other titles I need to get around to, and not enough time to do so anytime soon. The sheer time commitment required for games like Witcher 3 and Skyrim is the main reason I still haven't played them. Dark Souls is another series I have yet to fully immerse myself in, and though I played the first game for a couple hours, I only got a small taste of what the Dark Souls games have to offer. Hours and hours of masochism, as I'm fully aware. Again, I need to find ways to set aside time for all these games.
Then we have those amazing releases from 2017 (Resident Evil VII, NieR: Automata, Nioh, Horizon Zero Dawn, Assassin's Creed Origins, Cuphead...) and 2018 (Monster Hunter World, Red Dead Redemption 2, Celeste, Dragon Ball Fighter Z, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Spider-Man...), and all the other games I bought during Black Friday for the last two years that I have yet to play. Furthermore, although I consider myself a fan of Fire Emblem and have played through all the GBA and 3DS games, there are still like five games in that franchise that I haven't played. How do I find time for all of these games?
When I was a young gamer, I felt content repeatedly replaying the same games I owned. Of course, such would be the case when one's parents is only willing to spend $40-60 buying a video game for their children only a few times a year. But now that I can buy my own games, and now that I have committed to my quest to finish as many games on my bucket list as possible, I rarely play through a game more than once. Once I complete a game, I will likely not come back to it anytime soon. I wish I could go back in time and spend more time playing other games rather than replaying the same games constantly, then perhaps my bucket list wouldn't be so long. Did I really have to play through Pokemon dozens of time, doing the same old shit over and over? The 493 hours I put into my Diamond save file... I could have used that time for other games. Then again, I didn't have money, and we always make the most of what we have.
And I don't even have kids yet. As much as I want them, I know that if/when I have kids, the time I will have for games will dissipate even more. When I read stories about gaming parents and how having kids makes it nearly impossible to find time for playing video games, I can't help but wonder whether I will ever truly have enough time, time to play games and do everything else I want and need to do, before I die.
I truly believe I could have made much better use of my time during my childhood and adolescence. Though I suppose that's everyone. I could have read more books and spent more time practicing martial arts. All the hours I put into certain games, I could have put into others. But then again, no one is perfect, and it's impossible to truly make the "best" use of time no matter how hard we try. As Gandalf says in Fellowship of the Ring, "all we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given." We make these decisions while knowing that there's always tomorrow, and stressing too much over making every hour, minute, or second count could simply result in us spending too much time worrying or failing to truly enjoy the little free time we have.
I'm a few games away from completing my 500th game (currently at 495 games beat). My bucket list includes almost 300 other titles, and there will surely be more in the future. I just need to spend far less time scrutinizing my bucket list and stressing about not having enough time to play everything. Maybe I'm already playing too many video games. Of course, I don't always have to play games; there are other activities I enjoy, like writing, reading, exercising, and watching movies/television shows. I shouldn't worry incessantly about how much time I think I'm wasting or about not having sufficient time to play all the games I want. I should just enjoy the time I have and feel happy that I still have so much more to look forward to.
Thursday, January 24, 2019
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Nintendo: Hate or Love (part 3/final)
Nintendo and Sony's unfortunate falling out in the 1990's was akin to a marriage engagement being called off. Sony proposed the concept of a CD add-on device for the Super Nintendo/Super Famicom, which would go on to become the PlayStation. Imagine if we had a Nintendo PlayStation. Better yet, imagine if we only needed to buy one console, and all the games from Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft could be played on that one device. In our dreams. If such a machine existed, then we wouldn't have to spend so much money buying multiple consoles because one system can't play some of the games released on another.
In my mind, a Nintendo PlayStation could have been the penultimate console that could play cartridges and CDs, while including all of Nintendo's and Sony's best games. Of course, twas' just a dream, not meant to be, at least not in its original form. Outside of a prototype that was finally discovered a few years ago, the plans to release a Nintendo PlayStation plans were scrapped. Instead, Nintendo left Sony for Phillips, which would be one of the most stupidly idiotic decisions that Nintendo ever made.
In the early 90's, Nintendo had control over the video game market. With that great (Nintendo) power comes great responsibility. In terms of responsibility and sound decision-making, Nintendo critically failed when they gave Phillips the licenses to Mario and Zelda, resulting in the horrendous atrocities that were the Mario and Zelda CD-i games. Worst decision ever. Unforgivable.
The Phillips CD-i
What. The. Fuck.
Nintendo never speaks of this travesty. They speak of this less than they do of the Virtual Boy, or the fact that they have used conflict minerals in their products (okay, they never talk about this).
What was the Phillips CD-i? A sad, pathetic excuse of a video game console. This is what we got instead of the Nintendo PlayStation.
Courtesy of Wrestling With Gaming
How could Nintendo approve the creations and sales of Link: The Faces of Evil, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon, and Zelda's Adventure? These games were absolute nightmares, cruel jokes, and hot garbage. The disgusting animations, terrible gameplay mechanics, and cringe-worthy voice acting could give anyone PTSD. Maybe some people think these games weren't that bad, evidence that people can be silly and that not all opinions are equal. At least we get to play as Zelda? No, not like this, please not like this.
Nintendo pretends that these games never existed. I mentioned in part 2 that Nintendo, for the most part, treated their franchises with respect. Other than Nintendo's neglect for certain franchises, the existence of the Phillips CD-i games makes the former claim incredibly difficult to defend.
To think that, instead, we could have had a Nintendo PlayStation...
At least Sony went on to make the PlayStation line of consoles following Nintendo's abandonment of the Nintendo PlayStation project in favor of the Phillips CD-i. Although Sony may have slipped with the launch of the PS3 and PS Vita, the original PlayStation and PS2 were two of the greatest consoles ever made, having sold 102.49 and more than 155 million consoles respectively. Compare these numbers to the relatively paltry 32.93 million and 21.74 million units sold for the Nintendo 64 and GameCube, and it's clear that Nintendo suffered immensely for its poor decision to forego their working relationship with Sony. Even if Nintendo's portable consoles sold extremely well (Gameboy at 118.69 million and the DS at 154.02 million units sold), part of me will forever loathe Nintendo for allowing the Zelda Phillips CD-i games to have come to existence.
Nintendo's Tone-Deafness and Close-Mindedness
For better or for worse, Nintendo has always maintained a reputation of "doing their own thing." They pushed for motion controls over graphic fidelity, carts over CD-roms, and made a habit of ignoring what their fans want. Their consoles continue to lag behind Sony's and Microsoft's in terms of graphics, hardware capabilities, and online services. But all this has been said already.
According to Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo isn't concerned about what Microsoft and Sony are doing. Really? Apparently, their competitive mindset is "bigger." Fils-Aime states that Nintendo is competing with activities like web-browsing and movie-watching for entertainment time. A Mario movie appears to be in the works. Movies based on video games; that's always a great idea, right? Remember that Super Mario Bros. movie that came out in 1993?
To me, Reggie has always sounded like a politician. Politicians talk a lot but say very little, or they are excessively deceptive, hypocritical, and untrustworthy. I don't despise Reggie, but occasionally his responses to people's questions irritate me. His body might be ready, but some of the things he says are silly. He's a nice guy, for a corporate suit. He's a good mouthpiece for Nintendo, but he's no Satoru Iwata or Shigeru Miyamoto. He's a meme, and occasionally a broken record. It's still nice to see him, working hard, except when he's getting destroyed in Smash.
Nintendo always does what Nintendo does, which is why Sega used to do what Nintendon't.
Nintendo's success comes from its ability to adapt and learn from its past failures. Nonetheless, Nintendo has often struggled with finding the right balance between tradition and innovation. At times, they have been too conservative in terms of hardware, which led to the Nintendo 64's and GameCube's defeat at the hands of the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 when it came down to sales. Other times, Nintendo was avante-garde in their approach to controls and game design, leading to the overwhelming success of the Wii and DS. Then, Nintendo would flounder, lost and confused, as they were unable to effectively capitalize on new, unique, and underwhelming technologies such as 3D or a tablet controller that could serve as a second screen. The 3DS's poor launch (though it later made a comeback) and the Wii U's obsolescence are the results of Nintendo's recent endeavors prior to the Switch.
Mobile games? Absolutely not, was Nintendo's initial response, before they could no longer avoid the temptations or opportunities to make of millions of dollars from micro-transactions. Pokemon Go, Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes, Animal Crossing Pocket Camp... perhaps Nintendo has eased back their obstinance and opened up their mind... to embracing more avarice. They're building amusement parks too!
Now the Switch seems to have recaptured Nintendo's former glory. Life is certainly full of ups and downs. However, their online service still leaves much to be desired, and they still depend on their first-party IPs too much to move console units. Most people only buy Nintendo consoles so they are able to play Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Kirby, and Pokemon. This has always been the case since the Nintendo 64, when the PlayStation had all the other cool games like Crash Bandicoot, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, Tomb Raider, and Resident Evil. Yet, Nintendo wants us to continue buying their products, while closing their ears to our complaints about the poor decisions they have made or their close-mindedness.
Nintendo fanboys, blinded by their love and devotion, fail to see Nintendo's flaws and foolishness. Critics of Nintendo, who constantly claim that Nintendo is doomed for one reason or another, that their games are just for kids, that the Wii U was a failure, and that prior decision to not enter mobile gaming was a death knell, don't faze Nintendo at all. As far as loyal fans go, those who clamor for new games, begging Nintendo to simply do better and give us what we want, and treat us right, for being such loyal fans for all these years...
Nintendo doesn't care. They won't listen. Or, more accurately, they'll pretend not to listen, or pretend to listen, sometimes, but not actually do anything based on feedback or constructive criticism until years later, if ever. Things take time, I suppose, and Nintendo will keep on "nintendoing" whatever the heck they want, in spite of what people desire or think.
Who cares about what the people— fans, critics, or otherwise— think so long as people keep buying Nintendo's products? Nintendo doesn't have to listen to us or pay attention to what other companies are doing. They can remain apathetic, pretending to care occasionally or lying about how much they actually care, and there isn't much reason for them to cease being ignorant or negligent. They make all the money; we give it to them. As such, they'll continue doing things however they want.
Final Comments
Do I feel more love or hate for Nintendo? One and the same? Passion without a doubt. Love and hate can drive one mad. You may fancy me mad, and I'll not deny it.
I'm mad. I'm mad that Nintendo didn't provide a better Virtual Console service or bother to maintain it after all these years, forcing people to re-buy games they already own. I'm mad that they delayed the GameCube release of Twilight Princess because of the Wii. I'm mad about motion controls being gratuitously forced into my games even when they don't work very well. I'm mad that the Nintendo PlayStation isn't a thing. I'm mad that the Switch only has like 3 hours of battery life. I'm mad that Nintendo preys on my nostalgia and desire to collect their products, siphoning my bank account of much-needed funds. I'm mad that Smash Bros. Brawl is such a bad game. I'm incredibly mad that the three Phillips CD-i Zelda games ever existed.
I'm also madly in love with Nintendo. It's like I'm trapped in an abusive relationship with a gold digger. Nintendo takes advantage of me, but I cannot help but love (and hate) Nintendo.
I love Zelda. I love Pokemon. Mario is fun. I love Metroid games. I love Smash Bros. I love Earthbound. Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger came out on the Super Nintendo. I love them. I love the Super Nintendo. I love the NES. I love 8-bit and 16-bit pixel art. I love Ocarina of Time and Super Mario 64, even if the camera in these games suck. Despite their flaws, I hold fond memories of playing my Nintendo 64, Gamecube, and even the Wii and Wii U. Then there are the Gameboy and DS consoles— GBC, GBA, and 3DS included. Fun times. Good times. There are so many titles across all of Nintendo's consoles that I have sunk countless hours into. Many of my most joyful video gaming experiences and memories are thanks to Nintendo.
Here is a "short" list of some of my favorite games released on Nintendo consoles: Super Mario World/Bros. 3/RPG/64/Galaxy 1 + 2/Odyssey, Super Smash Bros., Super Mash Bros. Melee, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS, Smash Ultimate, Super Metroid/Metroid Zero Mission/Metroid Fusion/Metroid Prime Trilogy, Xenoblade Chronicles, Donkey Kong Country 1+2, WarioWare, Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword/Awakening/Fates, Kirby Superstar, Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, Mega Man 2, Mega Man X, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past/Link's Awakening/Ocarina of Time/Majora's Mask/Wind Waker/Twilight Princess/Link Between Worlds/Breath of the Wild, Pokemon Red/Blue/Gold/Silver/Crystal/Sun/Moon...
Whenever I recall how I felt while playing these games, my hate for Nintendo subsides.
Nintendo has the power to make people feel like children all over again. I can't hate Nintendo forever, but maybe I can love Nintendo forever, so long as they keep making great games and functional consoles.
I've dedicated so many hours and years of my life to playing Nintendo's games. I've given them so much money. I foresee myself continuing to buy and play Nintendo games, likely until the day I die.
Nintendo made Zelda, so that in itself makes them worth tolerating. Let's forget that the CD-i games ever existed.
In my mind, a Nintendo PlayStation could have been the penultimate console that could play cartridges and CDs, while including all of Nintendo's and Sony's best games. Of course, twas' just a dream, not meant to be, at least not in its original form. Outside of a prototype that was finally discovered a few years ago, the plans to release a Nintendo PlayStation plans were scrapped. Instead, Nintendo left Sony for Phillips, which would be one of the most stupidly idiotic decisions that Nintendo ever made.
In the early 90's, Nintendo had control over the video game market. With that great (Nintendo) power comes great responsibility. In terms of responsibility and sound decision-making, Nintendo critically failed when they gave Phillips the licenses to Mario and Zelda, resulting in the horrendous atrocities that were the Mario and Zelda CD-i games. Worst decision ever. Unforgivable.
The Phillips CD-i
What. The. Fuck.
Nintendo never speaks of this travesty. They speak of this less than they do of the Virtual Boy, or the fact that they have used conflict minerals in their products (okay, they never talk about this).
What was the Phillips CD-i? A sad, pathetic excuse of a video game console. This is what we got instead of the Nintendo PlayStation.
Courtesy of Wrestling With Gaming
How could Nintendo approve the creations and sales of Link: The Faces of Evil, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon, and Zelda's Adventure? These games were absolute nightmares, cruel jokes, and hot garbage. The disgusting animations, terrible gameplay mechanics, and cringe-worthy voice acting could give anyone PTSD. Maybe some people think these games weren't that bad, evidence that people can be silly and that not all opinions are equal. At least we get to play as Zelda? No, not like this, please not like this.
Nintendo pretends that these games never existed. I mentioned in part 2 that Nintendo, for the most part, treated their franchises with respect. Other than Nintendo's neglect for certain franchises, the existence of the Phillips CD-i games makes the former claim incredibly difficult to defend.
To think that, instead, we could have had a Nintendo PlayStation...
At least Sony went on to make the PlayStation line of consoles following Nintendo's abandonment of the Nintendo PlayStation project in favor of the Phillips CD-i. Although Sony may have slipped with the launch of the PS3 and PS Vita, the original PlayStation and PS2 were two of the greatest consoles ever made, having sold 102.49 and more than 155 million consoles respectively. Compare these numbers to the relatively paltry 32.93 million and 21.74 million units sold for the Nintendo 64 and GameCube, and it's clear that Nintendo suffered immensely for its poor decision to forego their working relationship with Sony. Even if Nintendo's portable consoles sold extremely well (Gameboy at 118.69 million and the DS at 154.02 million units sold), part of me will forever loathe Nintendo for allowing the Zelda Phillips CD-i games to have come to existence.
Nintendo's Tone-Deafness and Close-Mindedness
For better or for worse, Nintendo has always maintained a reputation of "doing their own thing." They pushed for motion controls over graphic fidelity, carts over CD-roms, and made a habit of ignoring what their fans want. Their consoles continue to lag behind Sony's and Microsoft's in terms of graphics, hardware capabilities, and online services. But all this has been said already.
According to Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo isn't concerned about what Microsoft and Sony are doing. Really? Apparently, their competitive mindset is "bigger." Fils-Aime states that Nintendo is competing with activities like web-browsing and movie-watching for entertainment time. A Mario movie appears to be in the works. Movies based on video games; that's always a great idea, right? Remember that Super Mario Bros. movie that came out in 1993?
To me, Reggie has always sounded like a politician. Politicians talk a lot but say very little, or they are excessively deceptive, hypocritical, and untrustworthy. I don't despise Reggie, but occasionally his responses to people's questions irritate me. His body might be ready, but some of the things he says are silly. He's a nice guy, for a corporate suit. He's a good mouthpiece for Nintendo, but he's no Satoru Iwata or Shigeru Miyamoto. He's a meme, and occasionally a broken record. It's still nice to see him, working hard, except when he's getting destroyed in Smash.
Nintendo always does what Nintendo does, which is why Sega used to do what Nintendon't.
Nintendo's success comes from its ability to adapt and learn from its past failures. Nonetheless, Nintendo has often struggled with finding the right balance between tradition and innovation. At times, they have been too conservative in terms of hardware, which led to the Nintendo 64's and GameCube's defeat at the hands of the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 when it came down to sales. Other times, Nintendo was avante-garde in their approach to controls and game design, leading to the overwhelming success of the Wii and DS. Then, Nintendo would flounder, lost and confused, as they were unable to effectively capitalize on new, unique, and underwhelming technologies such as 3D or a tablet controller that could serve as a second screen. The 3DS's poor launch (though it later made a comeback) and the Wii U's obsolescence are the results of Nintendo's recent endeavors prior to the Switch.
Mobile games? Absolutely not, was Nintendo's initial response, before they could no longer avoid the temptations or opportunities to make of millions of dollars from micro-transactions. Pokemon Go, Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes, Animal Crossing Pocket Camp... perhaps Nintendo has eased back their obstinance and opened up their mind... to embracing more avarice. They're building amusement parks too!
Now the Switch seems to have recaptured Nintendo's former glory. Life is certainly full of ups and downs. However, their online service still leaves much to be desired, and they still depend on their first-party IPs too much to move console units. Most people only buy Nintendo consoles so they are able to play Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Kirby, and Pokemon. This has always been the case since the Nintendo 64, when the PlayStation had all the other cool games like Crash Bandicoot, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, Tomb Raider, and Resident Evil. Yet, Nintendo wants us to continue buying their products, while closing their ears to our complaints about the poor decisions they have made or their close-mindedness.
Nintendo fanboys, blinded by their love and devotion, fail to see Nintendo's flaws and foolishness. Critics of Nintendo, who constantly claim that Nintendo is doomed for one reason or another, that their games are just for kids, that the Wii U was a failure, and that prior decision to not enter mobile gaming was a death knell, don't faze Nintendo at all. As far as loyal fans go, those who clamor for new games, begging Nintendo to simply do better and give us what we want, and treat us right, for being such loyal fans for all these years...
Nintendo doesn't care. They won't listen. Or, more accurately, they'll pretend not to listen, or pretend to listen, sometimes, but not actually do anything based on feedback or constructive criticism until years later, if ever. Things take time, I suppose, and Nintendo will keep on "nintendoing" whatever the heck they want, in spite of what people desire or think.
Who cares about what the people— fans, critics, or otherwise— think so long as people keep buying Nintendo's products? Nintendo doesn't have to listen to us or pay attention to what other companies are doing. They can remain apathetic, pretending to care occasionally or lying about how much they actually care, and there isn't much reason for them to cease being ignorant or negligent. They make all the money; we give it to them. As such, they'll continue doing things however they want.
Final Comments
Do I feel more love or hate for Nintendo? One and the same? Passion without a doubt. Love and hate can drive one mad. You may fancy me mad, and I'll not deny it.
I'm mad. I'm mad that Nintendo didn't provide a better Virtual Console service or bother to maintain it after all these years, forcing people to re-buy games they already own. I'm mad that they delayed the GameCube release of Twilight Princess because of the Wii. I'm mad about motion controls being gratuitously forced into my games even when they don't work very well. I'm mad that the Nintendo PlayStation isn't a thing. I'm mad that the Switch only has like 3 hours of battery life. I'm mad that Nintendo preys on my nostalgia and desire to collect their products, siphoning my bank account of much-needed funds. I'm mad that Smash Bros. Brawl is such a bad game. I'm incredibly mad that the three Phillips CD-i Zelda games ever existed.
I'm also madly in love with Nintendo. It's like I'm trapped in an abusive relationship with a gold digger. Nintendo takes advantage of me, but I cannot help but love (and hate) Nintendo.
I love Zelda. I love Pokemon. Mario is fun. I love Metroid games. I love Smash Bros. I love Earthbound. Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger came out on the Super Nintendo. I love them. I love the Super Nintendo. I love the NES. I love 8-bit and 16-bit pixel art. I love Ocarina of Time and Super Mario 64, even if the camera in these games suck. Despite their flaws, I hold fond memories of playing my Nintendo 64, Gamecube, and even the Wii and Wii U. Then there are the Gameboy and DS consoles— GBC, GBA, and 3DS included. Fun times. Good times. There are so many titles across all of Nintendo's consoles that I have sunk countless hours into. Many of my most joyful video gaming experiences and memories are thanks to Nintendo.
Here is a "short" list of some of my favorite games released on Nintendo consoles: Super Mario World/Bros. 3/RPG/64/Galaxy 1 + 2/Odyssey, Super Smash Bros., Super Mash Bros. Melee, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS, Smash Ultimate, Super Metroid/Metroid Zero Mission/Metroid Fusion/Metroid Prime Trilogy, Xenoblade Chronicles, Donkey Kong Country 1+2, WarioWare, Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword/Awakening/Fates, Kirby Superstar, Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, Mega Man 2, Mega Man X, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past/Link's Awakening/Ocarina of Time/Majora's Mask/Wind Waker/Twilight Princess/Link Between Worlds/Breath of the Wild, Pokemon Red/Blue/Gold/Silver/Crystal/Sun/Moon...
Whenever I recall how I felt while playing these games, my hate for Nintendo subsides.
Nintendo has the power to make people feel like children all over again. I can't hate Nintendo forever, but maybe I can love Nintendo forever, so long as they keep making great games and functional consoles.
I've dedicated so many hours and years of my life to playing Nintendo's games. I've given them so much money. I foresee myself continuing to buy and play Nintendo games, likely until the day I die.
Nintendo made Zelda, so that in itself makes them worth tolerating. Let's forget that the CD-i games ever existed.
Tuesday, January 1, 2019
Enter 2019
2018 is now in the record books. We'll be spending the next few days, or weeks, erasing "2018" whenever we make a mistake writing the year date.
How do people feel now that another year has flown by? Sullen and melancholic due to the constant reminders that they are aging closer to death? Excited for 2019's new releases? Or perhaps contemplative while reflecting back on 2018's ups and downs.
I gain new, precious gaming memories every year, and 2018 was no different. Each year I set aside time to complete games and remove them from my bucket list, only to add new titles as I succumb to the temptations of buying games whenever they're on sale. In fact, http://dailygamedeals.com/ is the first website I visit every single day.
As far as 2018 game releases go, in truth I haven't played as many as I would have liked. Critically acclaimed masterpieces like Celeste, Monster Hunter World, and Red Dead Redemption 2 will remain on my bucket list for the foreseeable future. I spent much of 2018 completing games that, honestly, I should have finished long ago.
It's common for websites to create "Top Ten" lists of their favorite, and what they consider to be the best, games at the end of the year. If I count the number of 2018 releases that I actually played through completely, coincidentally I arrive at ten.
1. Smash Ultimate
Love, joy, and everything nice. Even then, these words are merely euphemisms (yes, the word love is not powerful enough) to sum up my feelings for this game and the franchise in general. As with any fighting game, the character balancing could still use some work. Also, I would have liked a better selection of stages. But all in all, Smash Ultimate is my favorite game of 2018. I originally assumed that Nintendo would simply re-release a port of Smash 4 with all of the DLC included (a common trend), and maybe a few new characters, but instead we received a completely new game. As the tagline states, everyone is here! Every character from previous Smash games, a bunch of new characters bringing the total roster to 74, and more DLC characters on the way. Wow. Sure, a lot of things stayed the same, but I find Smash Ultimate to be one of the most polished games in the series. After playing Smash ten hours straight the night it was released and then nonstop for two weeks, I'm currently taking a break. On a final note, websites that understand little to nothing about the game need to stop making erroneous tier lists that fail to reflect the actual thoughts of competitive players and tournament results.
2. God of War
Video games are art. Such was said by Cory Barlog, director of God of War. This game not only reinvigorated a stagnated franchise, but it brought the series to previously unimagined heights. I've completed every God of War game, and as much as I love them, there were times when I was turned off by the gratuitous violence and mediocre plots. Nonetheless, the God of War games had such refined gameplay mechanics that laid the foundations for later 3D action adventure games. After murdering the entire Greek pantheon for the sake of vengeance, Kratos now found himself in the universe of Norse mythology. I thoroughly enjoyed this evolution of the God of War formula, and I'll always remember the well-told story and breathtaking set pieces. I look forward to playing through New Game+ in the future, as well as the inevitable sequels.
3. Shadow of the Colossus for PS4
This is a remake of the PS2 classic, which I fondly remember playing in the form of the PS3 HD remaster. Though the game is essentially the same, the colossi are still amazing to behold, especially with the updated graphics. The slightly improved controls are also much appreciated. Shadow of the Colossus is another brilliant game that attests to the fact that video games are art.
4. Octopath Traveler
I've already sung this game's praises and shared my impressions in a previous article. Gorgeous art, a beautiful soundtrack, and a perfect blend of nostalgic JRPG goodness. Also, I can never get tired of listening the Battle II theme.
5. Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon
When I played this game back in June, it helped me remember everything that I loved about Castlevania. At its core, Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon is a homage to Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, one of the best Castlevania games ever made. With Bloodstained's release and Simon and Richter's additions to the Smash roster, I've found myself going back and playing older Castlevania games, even the obscure ones on the Gameboy that don't play very well. This game is a prelude to what we're really waiting for: Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. With all of its delays, I hope that Ritual of the Night will live up to our expectations and not be another Mighty No. 9 situation.
6. Mega Man 11
At least Mega Man 11 was a decent game. Lovely visuals, solid controls, and challenging difficulty, just like the good old days. More levels would have been nice. Where the hell was Proto Man?
7. Mega Man X Collection (1+2)
This is not necessarily a new game, but a collection of older games. I always found myself liking the X series a bit more than the original because of the movement mechanics (dashing and wall-climbing) and more interesting characters. Surprisingly, I never played Mega Man X8, so this collection finally gave me the opportunity to do so.
8. Kirby Star Allies
This is when we arrive at games on the list that I don't necessarily consider stellar quality. But this isn't a "Top Ten" list of what I consider the best games - just the ones I played that were released in 2018. This Kirby game isn't that bad, honestly; it's just uninspired. The free updates and character editions helped give this game a better sense of completion. However, the updates make the original version feel like an unfinished product. At least the updates were free and not paid DLC, though. The level designs are generic and bland, and this game doesn't feel as fun as Return to Dream Land or the 3DS games. Kirby is still adorable, though. The Kirby games are another series for which I make efforts to play through every title. Star Allies managed to keep me occupied for a couple days after finishing Pokemon and waiting for Smash.
9. Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee
For a Pokemon game, this one, in my opinion, really isn't all that great. It's beautiful and enjoyable at times, but it can also be frustrating when one's Pokeballs keep missing the target or when a Pokemon flees after repeatedly breaking out of Pokeballs. We can't put Pokemon to sleep or weaken them to increase our chances of catching them. Outside of catching Pokemon, Nintendo made an already easy game even easier. Without the nostalgia factor, this game simply isn't as good as the others in the series. The mechanics for raising stats through candy is unbalanced, tedious, poorly thought-out, and plain stupid compared to the EV system. Little was done to evolve the gameplay, but there were substantial efforts to devolve it. Battles often give paltry experience. Forcing Meltan and Melmetal into the game by way of Pokemon Go connectivity is anachronistic and awkward. Ultimately, Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee wears out its novelty quickly with its watered down gameplay, despite its beautiful graphics. Maybe I'm just finally too old for Pokemon? At least the game is pretty. Being able to ride Pokemon and have them follow the player is really cool. Despite all my criticisms, I still had fun, and that's what counts.
10. Dissidia Final Fantasy NT
This game is not good. But, as a longtime Final Fantasy fan, I couldn't help but enjoy it. I could play as Terra, Cloud, Sephiroth, Jecht, Ramza... all my favorite characters from the Final Fantasy games. I completed the previous Dissidia games on the PSP, which were decent, so I was saddened to see the lack of effort put into this game. Of course, this Dissidia Final Fantasy NT is a port of an arcade game, and I remember feeling so sad when I thought the game would never leave Japan. I appreciated the fan service and (again) the beautiful graphics and animations. The progression system is terrible, and the story is pathetically bad, but I've gotten used to terrible stories in Final Fantasy games (XIII and XV specifically) from the modern day Square Enix. It's really important to remember how amazing the first ten Final Fantasy games were. Seeing these characters brought to life brought me joy, even if this was the worst Dissidia game and one of the worst games with the Final Fantasy label ever made.
And that's my list of the 2018 releases that I played. Time to go back and play more games.
How do people feel now that another year has flown by? Sullen and melancholic due to the constant reminders that they are aging closer to death? Excited for 2019's new releases? Or perhaps contemplative while reflecting back on 2018's ups and downs.
I gain new, precious gaming memories every year, and 2018 was no different. Each year I set aside time to complete games and remove them from my bucket list, only to add new titles as I succumb to the temptations of buying games whenever they're on sale. In fact, http://dailygamedeals.com/ is the first website I visit every single day.
As far as 2018 game releases go, in truth I haven't played as many as I would have liked. Critically acclaimed masterpieces like Celeste, Monster Hunter World, and Red Dead Redemption 2 will remain on my bucket list for the foreseeable future. I spent much of 2018 completing games that, honestly, I should have finished long ago.
It's common for websites to create "Top Ten" lists of their favorite, and what they consider to be the best, games at the end of the year. If I count the number of 2018 releases that I actually played through completely, coincidentally I arrive at ten.
1. Smash Ultimate
Love, joy, and everything nice. Even then, these words are merely euphemisms (yes, the word love is not powerful enough) to sum up my feelings for this game and the franchise in general. As with any fighting game, the character balancing could still use some work. Also, I would have liked a better selection of stages. But all in all, Smash Ultimate is my favorite game of 2018. I originally assumed that Nintendo would simply re-release a port of Smash 4 with all of the DLC included (a common trend), and maybe a few new characters, but instead we received a completely new game. As the tagline states, everyone is here! Every character from previous Smash games, a bunch of new characters bringing the total roster to 74, and more DLC characters on the way. Wow. Sure, a lot of things stayed the same, but I find Smash Ultimate to be one of the most polished games in the series. After playing Smash ten hours straight the night it was released and then nonstop for two weeks, I'm currently taking a break. On a final note, websites that understand little to nothing about the game need to stop making erroneous tier lists that fail to reflect the actual thoughts of competitive players and tournament results.
2. God of War
Video games are art. Such was said by Cory Barlog, director of God of War. This game not only reinvigorated a stagnated franchise, but it brought the series to previously unimagined heights. I've completed every God of War game, and as much as I love them, there were times when I was turned off by the gratuitous violence and mediocre plots. Nonetheless, the God of War games had such refined gameplay mechanics that laid the foundations for later 3D action adventure games. After murdering the entire Greek pantheon for the sake of vengeance, Kratos now found himself in the universe of Norse mythology. I thoroughly enjoyed this evolution of the God of War formula, and I'll always remember the well-told story and breathtaking set pieces. I look forward to playing through New Game+ in the future, as well as the inevitable sequels.
3. Shadow of the Colossus for PS4
This is a remake of the PS2 classic, which I fondly remember playing in the form of the PS3 HD remaster. Though the game is essentially the same, the colossi are still amazing to behold, especially with the updated graphics. The slightly improved controls are also much appreciated. Shadow of the Colossus is another brilliant game that attests to the fact that video games are art.
4. Octopath Traveler
I've already sung this game's praises and shared my impressions in a previous article. Gorgeous art, a beautiful soundtrack, and a perfect blend of nostalgic JRPG goodness. Also, I can never get tired of listening the Battle II theme.
5. Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon
When I played this game back in June, it helped me remember everything that I loved about Castlevania. At its core, Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon is a homage to Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, one of the best Castlevania games ever made. With Bloodstained's release and Simon and Richter's additions to the Smash roster, I've found myself going back and playing older Castlevania games, even the obscure ones on the Gameboy that don't play very well. This game is a prelude to what we're really waiting for: Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. With all of its delays, I hope that Ritual of the Night will live up to our expectations and not be another Mighty No. 9 situation.
6. Mega Man 11
At least Mega Man 11 was a decent game. Lovely visuals, solid controls, and challenging difficulty, just like the good old days. More levels would have been nice. Where the hell was Proto Man?
7. Mega Man X Collection (1+2)
This is not necessarily a new game, but a collection of older games. I always found myself liking the X series a bit more than the original because of the movement mechanics (dashing and wall-climbing) and more interesting characters. Surprisingly, I never played Mega Man X8, so this collection finally gave me the opportunity to do so.
8. Kirby Star Allies
This is when we arrive at games on the list that I don't necessarily consider stellar quality. But this isn't a "Top Ten" list of what I consider the best games - just the ones I played that were released in 2018. This Kirby game isn't that bad, honestly; it's just uninspired. The free updates and character editions helped give this game a better sense of completion. However, the updates make the original version feel like an unfinished product. At least the updates were free and not paid DLC, though. The level designs are generic and bland, and this game doesn't feel as fun as Return to Dream Land or the 3DS games. Kirby is still adorable, though. The Kirby games are another series for which I make efforts to play through every title. Star Allies managed to keep me occupied for a couple days after finishing Pokemon and waiting for Smash.
9. Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee
For a Pokemon game, this one, in my opinion, really isn't all that great. It's beautiful and enjoyable at times, but it can also be frustrating when one's Pokeballs keep missing the target or when a Pokemon flees after repeatedly breaking out of Pokeballs. We can't put Pokemon to sleep or weaken them to increase our chances of catching them. Outside of catching Pokemon, Nintendo made an already easy game even easier. Without the nostalgia factor, this game simply isn't as good as the others in the series. The mechanics for raising stats through candy is unbalanced, tedious, poorly thought-out, and plain stupid compared to the EV system. Little was done to evolve the gameplay, but there were substantial efforts to devolve it. Battles often give paltry experience. Forcing Meltan and Melmetal into the game by way of Pokemon Go connectivity is anachronistic and awkward. Ultimately, Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee wears out its novelty quickly with its watered down gameplay, despite its beautiful graphics. Maybe I'm just finally too old for Pokemon? At least the game is pretty. Being able to ride Pokemon and have them follow the player is really cool. Despite all my criticisms, I still had fun, and that's what counts.
10. Dissidia Final Fantasy NT
This game is not good. But, as a longtime Final Fantasy fan, I couldn't help but enjoy it. I could play as Terra, Cloud, Sephiroth, Jecht, Ramza... all my favorite characters from the Final Fantasy games. I completed the previous Dissidia games on the PSP, which were decent, so I was saddened to see the lack of effort put into this game. Of course, this Dissidia Final Fantasy NT is a port of an arcade game, and I remember feeling so sad when I thought the game would never leave Japan. I appreciated the fan service and (again) the beautiful graphics and animations. The progression system is terrible, and the story is pathetically bad, but I've gotten used to terrible stories in Final Fantasy games (XIII and XV specifically) from the modern day Square Enix. It's really important to remember how amazing the first ten Final Fantasy games were. Seeing these characters brought to life brought me joy, even if this was the worst Dissidia game and one of the worst games with the Final Fantasy label ever made.
And that's my list of the 2018 releases that I played. Time to go back and play more games.
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