Quite a few Sonic the Hedgehog items today, and not by design; they’ve simply stacked up. In fact, I’ve opted to include all of the SEGA/Sonic stuff here, for those interested; I’ll add the rest of what I have later.
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Tonight is the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania, and I can’t wait. It’s looking to be a good show, and a long one… and one with the price jacked. But I can’t wait. Just relaxing a little bit before I go out, and wanted to do something I’ve been aiming to do for awhile: an old-fashioned return of Points of Interest. I’ve got a lengthy backlog of articles and links to content that are more or less timeless, and would like to whittle that list down just a bit, and today seems like a good day to do it.
But before I go on, I just want to remind anyone who might still be reading this that comments are welcome and are appreciated. You don’t have to agree with anything I say or like, but I just like to get some feedback, to know this stuff isn’t in vain. It helps drive me to do more of it. I really need to talk to Lance about getting a hits counter put on here as well, that helps, too. So yeah, as long as you’re not being outright disrespectful, any comments are welcome.
Now, on with the links!
I’ve only just recently been able to tailor my Avatar to my liking, thanks to the hat and coat you see there. Now it finally feels right, like it’s mine.
Just some other fun stuff to check out.
For me, it was simple: I bought the one that said “Nintendo” on the box (of course). In the past, getting other consoles has largely come down to “which one is supporting Mega Man and other franchises I love (which stemmed from being on Nintendo)?” That’s lead to my desires for the PlayStation, the PlayStation 2, and the Xbox 360: Contra, Castlevania, and Bionic Commando have all made very convincing arguments. Not that there isn’t other stuff I’d like to play, but those are some of the series which pretty much tilted things into “gotta have it” territory.
More recently, I find myself having to play any sort of remakes, such as Pac-man: Championship Edition and Galaga Legions that Namco Bandai releases on Xbox LIVE Arcade.
And with the internet questioning the wisdom of Sony’s move to make the demo for Killzone 2 only available to those who preorder at GameStop up to the day before the game comes out, Destructoid has put together an article which looks at the evolution of the video game demo, and whether or not Sony’s making the right move
–LBD “Nytetrayn”
Arriving in Japan next month is the DS RPG Mario & Luigi 3, which is still a surprising title to be carrying at this point. In any case, new screens, story details, and gameplay information have been revealed across a few sites, but for your surfing convenience, I’ve compiled them all for you right here on Kombo. So enjoy the preview, and let’s hope that this one surpasses its predecessors.
–LBD “Nytetrayn”
You know, even if you follow video game news very closely, you can’t catch everything. There are just some things that are bound to slip through the cracks here and there, whether you like it or not. And one of those things just happens to be Retro Game Challenge for the Nintendo DS.
Fortunately for me, I’m catching wind of this just in time. I’d heard the name mentioned before, and I think at first glance, it didn’t quite grab me. But I was just reading the January issue of Nintendo Power when I came across the ad, and as a good ad should, it pretty much sold me immediately on the concept: The evil Game Master Arino (who’s really based on a Japanese TV show host) traps you in the 80′s, and forces you to play NES-styled games (shooter, racing, platformer, and role-playing) in order to get back to your time. Even better, several titles have “sequels” that follow various industry trends of the time, from keeping everything the same but improving graphics to completely changing the foundation of the title.
When you complete the challenge for each title, you unlock the full game for free play. The DS game itself also includes oldschool-styled game manuals and even fake old video game magazines (called “Game Fan,” ironically) which cover actual gaming news and stories from the 80s, including the crash of ’83.
Fortunately, the game has only just come out in Japan, and isn’t due here in February, so I’m not totally behind. If you wish to learn more yourself, then here is the mildly-informative Wikipedia page, but for a better idea of what it’s all about, you’ll want to check out the official site. While the games look amusingly tongue-in-cheek, I think a large part of the appeal is the theme and narrative that ties it all together, Wario Ware style.
–LBD “Nytetrayn”
So one big item of news today, at least for me, is that the copyright to Popeye has expired. Or at least, it has in Europe; in the US, it still has a ways to go before the character becomes public domain.
I’ve always been something of a fan of Popeye, and that affinity has only grown since I’ve gotten into video games. “But why would that be?” you might ask. Funny thing, that, as in a way, the video game industry owes a lot to Popeye, or at least his influence.
As I see it, in much the same way that Mega Man owes his existence to Astro Boy, so too does Mario owe his to Popeye. In fact, when Shigeru Miyamoto had originally set out to create a game that would replace the failed Radarscope in the American arcade market, Nintendo tried to acquire the rights to the Popeye license. It wouldn’t be Nintendo’s first time working with a licensed property, as they had created Hanafuda cards years earlier adorned with Disney characters.
Following my little rant about Sonic Unleashed yesterday, my wife chose to have her say as well; she’s not pleased, either, and is a little less kind towards our blue friend than I. Read if you wish, and be warned that there’s a smidge of language, but I wanted to point out this part:
I guess I was taken in by the infamous Sonic Cycle, which is interesting because I thought I was aware of the writing on the wall after Sonic Adventure 2. This is the first time in ages I’ve given the Blue Streak a moment to redeem himself in my eyes.
Sure enough, Sonic ran in and only had time to belt out “HEY, WATCH THI–” before he tripped, hit the ground at 300 MPH and exploded.
You’ve got to admit, that’s a funny visual.
–LBD “Nytetrayn”
Now here is an interesting premise for a movie I would love to see: The Man Who Sued God. From Wikipedia:
The Man Who Sued God is a 2001 Australian movie in which Billy Connolly plays Steve Myers, an ex-lawyer who sues God because his boat is struck by lightning, and his insurance company refuses to pay, claiming it to be an act of God. By claiming to be God’s representatives on Earth, the Christian churches and Jewish synagogues are held to be the liable party, putting them in the difficult position of either having to pay out large sums of money, or prove that God does not exist.
Anyone know if this is available in North America? Sadly, the article lacks the details many of its brethren contain on releases and availability.
For those wondering, the subject came up in the comments of this post on The Consumerist, wherein someone who works at a store next to a Target had his vehicle struck by an errant shopping cart, only to be told by the manager that they “weren’t responsible” for the damages.
Speaking of The Consumerist, I just want to congratulate them on their recent purchase by Consumers Union. Glad to know the site will continue on.
–LBD “Nytetrayn”
Alrighty folks, I’m back, and now I’m trying to catch up with stuff that’s gone down in the time I’ve been away. And I figure what the hell, I may as well bring you all along for the ride.
On that note, a thanks to
Looking back… 2008 was one hell of a ride after all, wasn’t it?
–LBD “Nytetrayn”
Note: Nope, not back yet. This is just an accidental double-post from Kombo I didn’t want to go to waste.
Prices in games are a funny thing. As technology has progressed, there have been predictions of lower prices for software, such as with the move from cartridges to disc media, which is cheaper to produce. Or with in-game advertising potentially being used to see a lower price at retail.
But instead, prices have had a tendency to rise, or remain steady at best for quality titles. So, if cheaper media and paid ads haven’t succeeded, then is there anything that could cause a decrease in the price of games?
Well, there might be one thing, according to Forbes.