Tag: Videogames

Coffee Talk #83: Originals That Are Better Than Their Sequels

“They don’t make ’em like they used to,” is a pretty common phrase. In gaming, that usually doesn’t apply. Better technology and smarter development almost always make current games superior to their predecessors. There are exceptions to the rule…though sometimes it’s simply a matter of taste.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, poor Taylor Swift getting bashed for her singing skills, Ellen’s debut on American Idol, or robbing arcades with coffee mugs, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

“They don’t make ’em like they used to,” is a pretty common phrase. In gaming, that usually doesn’t apply. Better technology and smarter development almost always make current games superior to their predecessors. There are exceptions to the rule…though sometimes it’s simply a matter of taste.

To me, Super Mario Kart for SNES is the best game in the series. While I’ve enjoyed several of its sequels, none of them come close to the original, in my opinion. I will defend the game’s clever design and simple controls all day when someone tells me that the sequels had more complex tracks and more intricate controls. To me, Super Mario Kart was the most fun.

That said, I have to admit that nostalgia might have something to do with it too. I had a blast playing the game with my brother for hours and hours. Perhaps I’m fooling myself, but I believe that’s a minor part of it. I honestly believe that as technology improved and game design became more complex, the Mario Kart series became less fun.

Are there any games that make you feel the same way? Is there a series that became worse over time instead of better, in your opinion? Am I nuts about thinking Super Mario Kart is the best in the series? Leave a comment and let me know (please)!

Man Robs German Arcade with a Cup of Coffee

N8R sent this one in and I’m still struggling to understand how a man armed with a cup of coffee robbed an arcade in Hamelin, German. Here’s the 411 from Reuters:

“He wasn’t going to pour coffee over her, he was going to hit her with the cup,” a spokesman for local police said.

Brandishing the steaming cup he had just ordered, the thief forced the 26-year-old to open the till and fled with cash.

I suppose a coffee cup is an inconspicuous object, but it still seems like a lame weapon for “armed” robbery. Personally, I would have gone with a pint glass. Hopefully this doesn’t start a beverage-based crime wave.

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Nippon Ichi Software Changes Game Title, Pet Shop Boys Pissed?

Nippon Ichi Software has announced that it has changed the name of Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! for Sony PlayStation Portable to What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord?! So instead of a title that uses an Adam West Batman pun, the game will now make people think of The Pet Shop Boys.

Check out the box art below.

UFC Undisputed 2010 Coming in May, Brock Lesnar on Cover

THQ has announced that UFC Undisputed will be hitting store shelves on May 25, 2010, sporting Brock Lesnar as the cover athlete. The company claims that its second UFC game is, “Poised to deliver intelligent and intuitive combat, increased fighter customization, robust career progression, challenging new gameplay modes and explosive online offerings.” Hopefully the explosive offerings have nothing to do with gastrointestinal issues (MMA fighters wear skimpy shorts, after all).

The first UFC Undisputed was a huge hit last year. Considering the popularity of MMA and UFC, that wasn’t too surprising. That said, it was a strong return for MMA to videogames and the sophomore effort should be even better.

I’m definitely psyched for this one. How about you?

Coffee Talk #82: What Game Would You Show Mom & Dad?

What game would you show your parents (or parent-like figures) to show off how far gaming has come? It’s easy for older people to dismiss games as “greasy kid stuff”, simply because they don’t know any better. A lot of parents haven’t seen incredible interactive adventures like Uncharted 2 or the thrilling action of Left 4 Dead 2. They don’t know how awesome games are, even compared to last generation.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, “The Million-Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase finally being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, where Johnny Damon will end up, or the next great Android device, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

What game would you show your parents (or parent-like figures) to show off how far gaming has come? It’s easy for older people to dismiss games as “greasy kid stuff”, simply because they don’t know any better. A lot of parents haven’t seen incredible interactive adventures like Uncharted 2 or the thrilling action like Left 4 Dead 2. They simply don’t know how awesome games are, even compared to last generation.

I remember this one time (not at band camp) when my Dad visited me in San Francisco. We saw my uncle and his family in the East Bay and they had all sorts of questions about games. When they brought me home, I showed them a cutscene from Final Fantasy X and they were amazed by the graphics, music, and storytelling. I think they were expecting a modern-day Pac-Man and were blown away by the evolution of games.

Today (or later this month, really) I think I’d show them Heavy Rain. The graphics are incredible. The story, emotion, and music are easy to appreciate. Most importantly, the game is simple enough that they could actually play it. They wouldn’t have to worry about summoning, sphere grids, and potion management. They’d need a little help for sure, but they would easily get the idea.

What game would you show your parents to illustrate the awesomeness of gaming?

Square Enix Files Trademark for Deus Ex: Human Revolution

It looks like a proper Deux Ex sequel is on the way as Square Enix has filed trademarks for Deus Ex: Human Revolution in Europe and North America. Once one of the edgiest franchises in gaming, Eidos neglected the brand and let it fade into the background. Square Enix appears to have big plans for a Deus Ex revival. Hopefully it lives up to Warren Spector’s excellent vision.

While Deus Ex still means a lot to older gamers, there’s a new generation that has never heard of the series. Fallout 3 and Bioshock have shown that old brands can help sell to older players and great games will sell to everyone. Hopefully Deus Ex is treated similarly to those two games.

Are you guys and gals interested in a new Deus Ex game?

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PSA: Xbox Live Deals of the Week (Three Games!)

Microsoft has three games on special for its Xbox Live Deal of the Week: Marvel vs. Capcom 2, TMNT: Turtles in Time Re-shelled, and Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao. The games are 800, 400, and 800 Microsoft Points, respectively. I was interested in Re-shelled when it was released, but never got around to picking it up. At 50 percent off, I’ll probably pick it up this week.

Any of these games interest you guys and dolls?

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Coffee Talk #81: Do Publishers Still Get Too Much Credit?

What other industries promote publishers over creators? Do you walk into a movie thinking, “Oh sweet! This is a Fox Searchlight film. They’re awesome!” Do you buy music thinking, “Oh man, I love Jive Records! This is going to be great stuff!” What I really want to know is…are you going to go my way? No wait, that’s not right. I meant, are publishers still getting too much credit these days?

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the answer to the question, “Who dat?!?”, the hottie you want in a bath tub pitching the phone of your dreams, or how much bourbon Smartguy had last night, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

New Coffee: Stumptown Indonesia Gajah Aceh (Thanks for the great service Kate!)

One of my biggest pet peeves when I first got into this business (in the ’90s *gasp*) was that publishers got way more credit than developers. Things have certainly gotten better and more people are aware of the companies that actually make the games they play…but it’s still not where it should be. I don’t mean to piss on the hard work that publishers do, but it seems ridiculous to me that they get top billing and more credit than creators do.

For example, let’s say I search for Mass Effect 2 on Amazon and GameStop. The search results will show the game, what platforms it’s available for, and the publisher (Electronic Arts). The excellent developers at BioWare do not get credit that appears right away. A general customer that’s not familiar with developers will think, “I know these guys. They make Madden NFL Football and Tiger Woods PGA Tour.” It’s stupid and misleading and — most of all — disrespectful to BioWare.

Reading comments about Bethesda’s Rogue Warrior showed me that even enthusiast gamers don’t know the difference between publishers and developers. I’ve seen a lot of complaints on the game that were all, “I can’t believe Bethesda went from making Fallout 3 to this piece of crap!!!” The problem with statements like that is that Bethesda didn’t “make” the game. Rebellion did.

What other industries promote publishers over creators? Do you walk into a movie thinking, “Oh sweet! This is a Fox Searchlight film. They’re awesome!” Do you buy music thinking, “Oh man, I love Jive Records! This is going to be great stuff!” What I really want to know is…are you going to go my way? No wait, that’s not right. I meant, are publishers still getting too much credit these days?

This Week’s Videogame Releases

Last week was pretty dry in terms of videogame releases, but this week more than makes up for it with Bioshock 2 and Dante’s Inferno. Hitting the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, both games deliver heavy action, but in very different ways. The Wii actually has a couple of interesting titles up its sleeve with Shiren The Wanderer and Super Monkey Ball Step & Roll. Neither are a high profile as the two games mentioned earlier, but the Shiren series has an ardent following and everyone loves balled monkeys.

As always, let your fellow RPadholics and me know if you’re picking up any of this week’s new releases.

Kingdom Hearts’ Sora Originally Had a Tail and Used a Chainsaw

How different would Kingdom Hearts have been if Tetsuya Nomura’s original design for Sora was used — you know, the one with beast ears and a chainsaw. Translating an interview from Famitsu, Andriasang learned:

The character’s original design was more beast-like — somewhat like a mix of a lion and human. He had a tail and beast-like ears. Instead of his keyblade weapon, he used a chainsaw. These beast-like features were implemented in order to make the character match the Disney characters.

A mix of a lion and a human? You mean like Aslo the Li-man from Epic Movie?!? Seriously though, one of the reasons the original design was nixed was because of similarities to Zidane from Final Fantasy IX. This is just a guess, but I’m pretty sure Disney wasn’t too high on the idea of a child protagonist with a chainsaw.

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