For those of you who know me, I am a huge fan of the Metroid franchise. I played it for the SNES and have been pretty faithful in getting every game since then. And when Nintendo released Metroid Prime for the Gamecube, I was ecstatic and the game was legendary in my mind. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes was another great game that I picked up and finished to my enjoyment.
The third installment, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption was released back in 2007 for the Wii I was equally excited. However, at the time I could not afford the Wii and spent the next year saving up for one. When I received the Wii for Christmas of 2008 (Thanks Mom) I was very happy to say the least. But, by this time Metroid Prime 3 was not on my list of games to immediately buy. I waited to find it cheaper and when I did I was sold. I bought the game used and the fun began.
After the first few days of playing it, and getting pretty far, my life took a hard turn. School was bogging down on me, my dad was moving, and I just got a part-time job. So time to play video games was few and far in between. So Metroid 3 was put on the shelf to be finished another day.
Fast forward to the present, and now with school finishing up and more time on my hands, I have FINALLY finished the game. A great game with great characters and a story that was evolving as the series progressed. And now with the release of Metroid Other M coming in a few months, I have finished the game before I can go on to the next one.
In the news recently a report came out that the many different studios that develop video games were contemplating fighting stores that buy and sell used games, such as Gamestop, for the right to resell video games.
The video game industry feels they are losing out on some profits because of Gamestop and other stores that buy and resell video games. So the plan is for the video game industry to actually have some kind of tax on the games that are resold. It's almost like "royalties", that when a game is resold a portion of the money received is given to the publisher.
This is absurd because the publishers will not be making that much profit and it will only increase the value of the games resold because Gamestop and the rest will jack up the price so they can make the difference that the video game industry is taking back.
The charm about Gamestop is that gamers can sell their games for a little money when they stop playing them so that others can enjoy them. And those who want to buy games for a discount can do so. Whether its for financial reasons or they just never got around to it, gamers can go and buy "older" games that they've always wanted to play. And now the video game industry wants to make it harder for those who cannot afford games. Shame on you.
However, I haven't heard any reports lately that the market of selling/buying video games will be infiltrated by the corporate suits behind video games. But only time will tell.
Hello everyone, a few months back I introduced a series of blog posts that I would be doing based on the animation studio Tatsunoko. This studio has developed some characters and shows that have become a part of our society such as Speed Racer. And with the release of the game "Tatsunoko vs. Capcom" I have become intrigued with some of the characters.
The first post was about the Science Ninja Team Gatchaman which has become the face of the studio over the years. This time around I'm going to highlight a character that I have grown to love in the game, Casshan.
The main protagonist, Tetsuya Azuma's, biological father, Dr. Kotaro Azuma, was the inventor of the robots that were originally intended to serve humankind. However, the first android, BK-1, was struck by lighting, and went out of control. With its great strength, it escaped from the castle despite attempts to stop it. After some time, it renamed itself as Braiking Boss, and was able to build a robot army against mankind; the robots mutinied en masse when their cold logic concluded that the good of the Earth Ecosystem required the destruction of the human race.
Casshan and his robotic dog, Friender, join forces with a beautiful girl named Luna Kozuki to battle the robots led by the Braiking Boss. Friender is capable of transforming itself into a tank or a jet aircraft and actively helps Casshan to fight the robot army. He is able to shoot flames from his mouth which catch many by surprise. While the robots are huge and robust machines, he is usually able to destroy them with his bare hands, dispatching a great number in any battle.
Luna was totally harmless, until her father was able to build an electromagnetic pistol, easily capable of destroying the robots.
Almost all the robot machines have an antenna on top of their heads, ripping it off usually causes them to blow up, so they are relatively vulnerable.
Now the Characters:
Tetsuya Azuma A.K.A Casshan
Tetsuya Azuma, also known as Casshan, is a cybernetic neoroider. Tetsuya turned himself into a cyborg for the purpose of hunting down and destroying robots that have taken over the world.
Casshan has great strength and agility, but he is not armed, except for a pair of odd pistols, used more like rockets than weapons.
Casshan has also some weakpoints: his body must be re-charged (with solar energy), and cannot sustain very long battles without risking low battery power.
The protagonist of the series, Casshern is an android—the union of Tetsuya Azuma's data with an invincible body. His body features a number of unique android functions, including superhuman speed, agilty and strength, an opening and closing facemask, a golden crescent-shaped solar panel on his forehead and waist-mounted pulsar propellers that can also be used as weapons.
Friender
Originally Tetsuya's pet dog, Lucky, its data was used to revive it as Friender after it was killed. In order to support Casshann, he can transform into a jet, submarine, tank, or a motorcycle, and is even able to breathe flames. Friender is a brave robotic dog capable of standing up to the Andro Army alone.
Luna Kozuki
A beautiful, 15-year-old girl who fights alongside Casshern. Like Tetsuya, her father is a scientist, and she is essential in the battle against the Andro Army, due to her MF (Magnetic Field) pulse gun.
Braiking Boss
The antagonist of the series, originally BK-1, the first android created by Dr. Azuma and designed to help the human race, he was struck by lightning and rebelled, renaming himself Braiking Boss. He leads the Andro Army in a plot to conquer the Earth.
Next time I'll discuss "Time Bokan Series Gyakuten Ippatsuman"
In 2006 when the three big gaming companies premiered their consoles, Nintendo stuck out from Microsoft and Sony by introducing motion controls. It is what made the Wii very revolutionary and fun to play.
Flash forward 4 years later and the Playstation and the Xbox have finally tried to imitate what the Wii has already done. For those of you who don't know, Sony developed the Playstation Move. A new controller that imitates the player's movements very identical to how the Wii controller works.
Now,in the minds of many self-proclaimed "hardcore gamers" motion controls are a bad thing. They're seen as a gimmick, and for good reason, the Wii has not put out a game that would be considered "gamer" worthy. Meaning, all the games Nintendo has released have been those that try to utilize their motion controller to the fullest. Sometimes it works (ala Metroid Prime 3, Wii sports) and sometimes it doesn't (Red Steel). A true "gamer" game is one where the player can sit down on their couch and play for hours upon hours. (comfort on your hands is important)
And as I pointed out in a earlier post, Nintendo has not released a game that would give the gaming community anything to get excited over in quite some time. I also called for Nintendo to create original games and characters in the same fashion Xbox and Sony have. Those that can be called classics like Halo and God of War. But now the competition is trying to take some share in the motion control market.
And with Sony and Xbox trying to create the capabilities for the next Madden game to use this technology, Nintendo should be nervous.
Honestly, I'm not too concerned about this. I don't feel they can do what Nintendo hasn't done, and why would those who have Playstation or Xbox want a motion control? Chances are they have a Wii already, so it's not giving anything new.
But I could be wrong.
Here's a little video poking fun at all the motion control fun. Warning: Explicit language used
Hey everyone, I'd like to take this time to post an opinion piece about what I would like to see out of Nintendo.
First off, I'm enjoying Nintendo's offerings so far this year. With "No More Heroes 2" and "Tatsunoko vs. Capcom" I feel the Wii is getting some much needed exposure to the gaming community. And with the news that "Super Mario Galaxy 2" and "Metroid: Other M" will be set to release this summer, it looks like the Wii will finally be able to match up if not surpass what the PS3 and Xbox are offering game wise.
But there is something I feel has lacked for the Wii since its creation. Consistent releases of good one-player adventure games.
I say this because I feel that the Wii releases games that are very multi-player friendly. Which is not necessarily a bad thing but it's not great either. I have this conversation with many of my friends and family members about the various systems. And the consensus with the Wii is that it is a great console for when you have people over but if you are alone and want to play a game, you are better off with PS3 or Xbox.
This is a problem that Nintendo shouldn't turn a blind eye too. Sure, the "party" kind of game is what has made the Wii very popular but I feel they have become too comfortable with this "niche" (for lack of a better word). While the Playstation and Xbox are dropping first-player adventures like "Halo" and "God of War", they have increased their fan base from all generations.
How did they do this?
Well it's simple, Sony and Microsoft have found more and more original people to create games. Original stories and original characters help make consoles new and fresh every time.
Nintendo sometimes feels like the same thing over and over. Rehashing old characters and putting them in new environments. While that may be good for some, and some of these games are outstanding, (see Mario Galaxy and Metroid) they can only go so far.
Sure we love Mario, Link and the rest of the Nintendo universe cast, but when have we had a brand new Nintendo character or story that has become a mainstay in our consciousness?
Hard isn't it? And I really don't know why this is the case. Xbox has given us Master Chief for the "Halo" series and Playstation has introduced Kratos of "God of War" but why couldn't these titles have been created for the Wii?
Why can't the Wii have a game like Heavy Rain? A game that is quickly changing the way games are played. And with the Wii motion capabilities, Heavy Rain (or a game like it) could easily cause the gamer to be fully engulfed in the story as every movement made is essential to the story.
There is no excuse, Nintendo needs to find developers who have a game changing concept and adapt it to their console. Cause the Wii is quickly becoming a console that gamers do not take seriously.
Create original stories, come up with new and exciting characters that will change these perceptions and make the Wii deserving of the "most owned console" title. Just because many households own it, doesn't mean they're being used.
So come on Nintendo...give us fans something to be excited about....give us something new.
Yesterday, Nintendo Australia announced that two of their most highly anticipated games for 2010 will be released much earlier than expected.
Of course I am talking about Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M.
Super Mario Galaxy is the sequel to the ground-breaking first installment which allowed everyone's favorite Italian plumber to venture through a 3-dimensional Space Land (or Galaxy whichever you prefer). But this time you will be able to use Yoshii, Mario's dinosaur companion. And come'on who doesn't like Yoshii?
But personally the game I'm most anticipating is the next Metroid game. The side scroller turned first-person shooter has made Samus, the star of the Metroid franchise, one of the leading ladies in Nintendo.
For this adventure, Team Ninja will be helming the production of the game, and by the looks at the teases given during the E3 convention, Metroid: Other M will incorporate both side scrolling and first-person shooting which looked like a hybrid from heaven.
IGN confirmed the information when they spoke to Nintendo Australia's Greg Arthurton who stated that both games will not be hitting the Wii consoles during the holiday season but instead between June and August.
This confirmation now leaves room for Nintendo to bring in more games slated for release next year to be brought in for the Christmas rush.
The announcement came a day before Nintendo is supposed to hold a press conference in the US today. Stay tuned as I will be updating as the news rolls in.
This post is going to be a nostalgic trip for me as the game I'm going to be talking about is probably the game I played the most as a child and quite possibly my favorite game of all-time. Kirby Super Star.
The "Kirby" franchise is a very simple one. It's a side-scrolling platform game where the main protagonist is a pink puffball that inhales just about anything to protect his world of Warp Star. What makes Kirby different is that when he inhales an enemy and swallows them, he gains their powers allowing for a variety of attacks based on the power acquired.
This had led to many games based on Kirby but this one in particular holds a special place in my gaming history. "Kirby Super Star" was released in America in 1996 and was packaged and advertised as having 8 games in one. This console had 8 different Kirby games that you can get through for hours of gaming.
This not only made the game an enjoyable sit down so a person can play and for many hours but it gave a variety of different tactics and stories to get through. Whether it was fending off Kirby's arch nemesis King Dedede from his plans to rule Warp Star, stopping Meta Knight's invasion of the planet or fighting Dyna Blade, the mechanical super bird,
Kirby would travel the planet sucking up powers on his way to victory.
But what made this game a candidate for "Best Game of my Gaming Life" was the co-op experience that it allowed. This was the first game where me and a friend could go through the story and fight side by side. One as Kirby and the other as a special comrade that Kirby could manifest. Each comrade would be different depending on what power Kirby had at the time giving us a new world of different characters to enjoy.
It was a life-changing experience that I still remember vividly to this day. Me and my older brother never really did too much together but this game kept us sitting in front of the TV screen side by side. We joked together, tasted defeat and victory together.
Kirby Super Star is a simple game that allows for anyone to pick up and understand. But the mechanics and game play make this game a classic to gamers everywhere.
Heres a little video demonstrating all the abilities gained in the game. Enjoy
Last week I introduced the game Tatsunoko vs. Capcom and in particular the production studio that is Tatsunoko.
Reading up on the Japanese animation giant made me more interested in the characters that were in the game. Especially the ones that I've never heard of (meaning all of them). And so I ended last week's post with a tease into what I was going to talk about for the next few weeks, the faces of Tatsunoko starting with the anime Science Ninja Team Gatchaman.
Science Ninja Team Gatchaman (or Gatchaman for short)is an anime that made its debut in September of 1972. It would go on to last for two years and 105 episodes and would even have two sequel shows, Gatchaman II and Gatchaman F.
The series centers around our five main protagonists who are part of a fictitious organization called "The International Science Organization" under their employer Dr. Kozaburo Nambu. The main objective of the organization is to protect Earth's natural resources from the clutches of the evil group Galactor. (I never knew Ted Turner watched anime? but I digress)
Galactor would continually send giant battle machines to steal one resource or another (oil, water, sugar etc...) and our five heroes would come in and save the day using their super powered ship the God Phoenix, a ship equipped with missiles and a special Firebird mode that allows the ship to transform into a giant flaming bird that seems indestructible. However, this mode does not come without its price, as the team takes the risk of being destroyed every time they use it.
Each member of the team are highly trained in a new fighting style developed by Dr. Nambu called Science Ninja Arts which utilizes super speed, flight, jumps, silent attacks and the like, very similar to their bird namesakes. And every member is equipped with different weapons and their own vehicles that resemble the birds they took after. And each one had a communicator which allowed them to transform into their ninja costumes by saying the phrase "Bird GO!!".
The series even had a movie done back in the 70's and a new movie is set to premier in late 2010 or early 2011.
The series would have many twists and revelations throughout its run so I will not spoil them for you.
Now onto the characters:
Ken the Eagle
Ken Washio is the leader and tactical expert of the team. His leadership skills help bring the team off the brink of defeat many times. He often gets into arguments with Joe the Condor (see below)about tactics and the role of leader.
In the game, he is the character on the cover that is facing Ryu. He uses a bird-shaped boomerang and uses jump combos and a quick hand-to-hand combat style. I've found him very fun to use as a character in the game but at first he can be difficult to use but with enough practice he is one of the best characters to use.
Jun the Swan
The lone female on the team, Jun is the group's electronics and demolitions expert. Her array of bombs and knowledge of every electrical makes her a valuable member of the team.
She is seen alongside Ken on the cover facing off against Chun-Li of Street Fighter and is another character that can be very deadly in the game with enough practice. She uses her variety of bombs and her signature weapon (which is a yo-yo by the way) to fight her enemies. Just like Ken she uses an array of high speed kicks and jump moves to fight.
Joe the Condor
Gatchaman's second in command, marksman and weapons expert. Joe Asakura can best be described as the trigger-happy, at times psychopathic, member of the group. His fights with Ken always make the show fun as Joe's methods of blow up first, ask questions later approach does not go well with Ken. But his skills are very valuable to the group and is a member that Gatchaman can't do without.
In the game, Joe is a character that needs to be unlocked. You do so by beating the Arcade mode with six different Tatsunoko characters. And when you do, you have another player to have fun with. Joe maybe the slowest of the three playable characters of Gatchaman but he makes up for it with his strength and use of weapons (machine guns anyone?).
The last two members of Gatchaman are not playable in the game but need to be mentioned.
Jinpei the Falcon
Jinpei is the youngest member of the team but he has the duty of reconnaissance. His small frame is perfect for sneaking into enemy mechs as he gathers the information needed for the team to defeat it. Jinpei is only about 10-11 years old (as opposed to the rest of the team who are 16-17). Growing up without a family, Jinpei is Jun's adopted brother and she cares for him like a mother.
Ryu the Owl
Ryu Nakanishi is the team's pilot. He has the privilege of operating the God Phoenix. His mastery of planes helps him control the Phoenix with ease.
And that's that. Gatchaman is an iconic show in Japan that has been parodied by many shows, including shows in America. It's a staple and starting point for many "team based" cartoons such as Captain Planet and Power Rangers. So check it out and judge for yourself.
The original intro and outro to the show.
The next post will be about a character that I have grown to love in the game. The android Casshan. See you then.
This past saturday I bought my first new Wii game in quite some time. I have been playing my brother's PS3 for the past few months but since he has found his own place and is moving out very soon, I knew the system would go with him so I went back to my own system. And I'm glad I did.
It started when I saw the trailer on IGN for a fighting game called, Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom Ultimate All-Stars.
It was obvious this series of games comes from the Vs series that includes titles such as Capcom vs. SNK and the classic Marvel vs. Capcom.
It had all the familiar faces from Capcom that many are familiar with, Ryu (com'on what's a capcom game without him?), his Street Fighter associate Chun-Li, Megaman and many others. But when I first read the title I was like "What the hell is Tatsunoko?"
That question was quickly answered when I turned the game on. It brought me into a universe filled with super-powered people, androids, space aliens and giant robots. My curiosity rose and after a quick wiki search I found out all I needed to know. Tatsunoko is a Japanese animation studio which, since its creation in 1962, has paved the way for Japanese animation today. It has given the world characters that has since supplanted itself in the world's psyche.
One great example is Speed Racer.
That's just a little back story (I'll be getting more into Tatsunoko in later posts) but now back to the game.
The first day I bought it I went over to my cousin's apartment and we played it for hours. It was an instant hit to say the least. The assortment of different characters with their own special moves makes the game more fun. We both didn't know which character to choose but the variety made us use each one to see who were best with.
The game play is very simple which is good for those who are not to adept at fighting games. It's easy to perform combos and special moves which keeps the frustration of learning elaborate sequence of buttons away.
But the best part of the game are the hyper combos. They are easy to perform and their "over-the-top" spectacles take this game to a new level, making you feel you are watching an anime such as Dragonball Z.
Couple the stylish and easy game play with original Japanese voice acting and you get a game that will be talked about as one of the best fighting games on the Wii if not ever.
I highly recommend purchasing this game. The one-on-one fights with friends along with the online capability makes the game enjoyable for hours. And the one player arcade mode gives you a chance to polish your skills against the computer.
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom is a game that should be owned by everyone who has a Wii system.
In the coming weeks, I will be continuing to showcase this game but I will be doing so in a series of posts that will highlight certain Tatsunoko characters. Personally I like to read about different characters' back story and see where they originated from. I feel it makes the experience of playing as that character a little more fulfilling.
So check back soon as the first post will be about the anime Science Ninja Team Gatchman.
I've created this blog to voice my opinion on everything Nintendo. It's systems, the games everything that has to do with the NES. Now that doesn't mean I will be excluding Playstation and XBOX from mention in my posts, but for your information this space will be dedicated to the company that pushed modern gaming into what it is today.
I will post reviews of games, upcoming releases, and any news about Nintendo. And every so often I will post about past games that have shaped my gaming habits to what they are today. Because honestly if it weren't for Nintendo I wouldn't be the kind of gamer I am today.
I am currently a journalism major at a four year college with aspirations of having my own sports radio show. As you can tell I love sports but I'm also an avid gamer.
legendary in my mind. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes was another great game that I picked up and finished to my enjoyment.
.jpg)
