Tag Archives: rareware

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Glitches Involving Injustice

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Today the Duck is continuing my little glitch series with a description of glitches involving injustice in this already unfair world.  These glitches involve the unfair deaths and restarts that can sometimes be as amusing as they are frustrating.

Sometimes, your characters end up in another dimension (at least, they might as well be): In “Super Mario Sunshine”, I decided to go under the big waterwheel in Bianco Hills once as a shortcut (even though it’s a poor excuse for a waterwheel, considering it does not make contact with water, unless you squirt it, I guess), and poor Mario got pushed under the ground by one of the paddles.  Shocked and dismayed, I attempted to get him out or pause the game and exit at least, but could not.  He stayed under there, and the only thing that could be done was to restart the game.  And then Fox once fell through the ground in “Star Fox Adventures”, as well.  This time, he was simply walking along, and he just fell right through into this weird place (and he wasn’t even assaulted by a sorry example of a waterwheel, mind you).  Once again, I couldn’t escape or pause or anything, as pausing doesn’t appear to work in alternate dimensions, it seems, and had to restart the game.  Injustice! Continue reading Glitches Involving Injustice →

Retro

Community Post: The Elusive Stop ‘n’ Swop

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The original two “Banjo-Kazooie” games can be rather mysterious, filled with references to the series’ early development and features that were never used in the final versions of the games, but never removed, either.  In fact, I find these two games (the first one, especially) to be some of the most mysterious games I have ever played.  Hands down.  For one thing, who is Captain Blackeye, and why does he appear in a portrait in Mad MonsterMansion?  And what is Bottles’ Revenge?  And then there’s Stop ‘n’ Swop, the subject of this post, a most famous secret if there ever was one (and there was, and it was this one).

Since I actually played “Banjo-Tooie” before “Banjo-Kazooie”, I didn’t yet know of Stop ‘n’ Swop when I first played the series.  Sure, I collected those secret eggs and the Ice Key, having no idea that these related to the previous game, and I saw those pictures in Jolly Roger’s Lagoon (in the same room as Captain Blackeye, as a matter of fact), not being able to figure out what these images were supposed to be showing.  A location from the previous game perhaps?  But, why?  What was the significance of these images in particular? Continue reading Community Post: The Elusive Stop ‘n’ Swop →

Food For Thought, General Commentary

The Return of Side-Scrollers and a Quick Discussion of Other Trends in Gaming

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Not long ago, I was playing a game on the Wii called “Muramasa: The Demon Blade”.  This game is a side-scrolling action game, and it got me thinking about something likely much more than a normal person should have.  But, since I’m already thinking about it, I may as well drag you into my thoughts, as well.

We’re all familiar with side-scrollers, right?  Lots of old games were this format.  “Mario” and “Metroid” and “Sonic” and “Donkey Kong”.  And I can keep going to take up space, but I shan’t.  These games were often like this on the old consoles, such as the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis, but then that began to change.  I remember when the Nintendo 64 came out, we started to get these fancy, new 3D games, like “Super Mario 64”, “Donkey Kong 64”, and a new series I found superbly delightful, “Banjo-Kazooie”.  You didn’t really see side-scrollers so much anymore, except on handhelds and the “Kirby��� series, which has remained in that format to this day.  And as you’d expect, side-scrollers that became 3D continued to be 3D down through the years because, well, what’s new and fancy usually becomes commonplace.  We haven’t seen a decline in graphics over the years, and a series that gains the addition of voice acting usually doesn’t lose it.  Nevertheless, I’ve been noticing a trend lately. Continue reading The Return of Side-Scrollers and a Quick Discussion of Other Trends in Gaming →

Food For Thought

Is a Game Bad Just Because It’s Different?

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I have been hearing rather often over the years a lot of people saying that a game is terrible because it is different from other games in its respective series, such as the belief that “Final Fantasy XIII” and “The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” are bad games because they stray from the expected.  I am here to challenge that.

In some ways, I understand this notion.  When we grow to love a series, it can be disappointing when a game comes along that is different.  I love the “Rayman” series, particularly the gameplay of the second and third main installments, but now they’ve decided to make the next few games side-scrolling like the original.  This does upset me quite a bit, as I loved “Rayman 2” and “3” (while at the same time tolerating the exceeding silliness of the latter), and I want more like them.  At the same time, the side-scrolling “Rayman Origins” from a couple years ago was a really fantastic game, and I’m sure the upcoming “Legends” will be, as well, but at the risk of being very corny, my heart yearns for another “Rayman 2”.  It yearns, people.  I don’t like these recent changes, even if they are not bad, because I like what I have grown accustomed to.  At the same time, in no way can I say “Origins” was a bad game, despite its differences from my favorite version of “Rayman” gameplay.  It saddens me in some ways, while also providing me with a whole new way to have good, old “Rayman” joy. Continue reading Is a Game Bad Just Because It’s Different? →

General Commentary

Games That Inspire Adult Tantrums

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Several posts ago, I wrote about how many video games seem to be getting easier now than in the past.  This made me think of games on the other side of the spectrum.  Not really difficult games, though, as you’d expect.  Difficult games can be good for those who like a challenge.  But, what I had in mind was games that were difficult in a bad way.  Some of us like a challenge, while others prefer games that are simpler and more relaxing.  But, I would have trouble believing anyone enjoys games that are just, well, ridiculous and unfair.  That make you toss your controller across the room and tug out all your silky locks.  And scream completely new profanities at the images on the scream that made you behave this way.  You know those kinds of games, don’t you?  Don’t feel ashamed if a game has reduced you to insanity one time or another.  It happens.  But, boy, do I despise those kinds of games.

“Donkey Kong Country Returns” is one game that automatically springs to mind.  While the old Super Nintendo “Donkey Kong Country” games could be pretty hard, they never inspired such absolute loathing as this game.  This game has moments of fun.  It looks beautiful.  But, I hate it.  I just hate it so much.  It is ridiculously hard sometimes.  You know that Super Guide I mentioned in an earlier post, that completes the level for you if it’s too hard?  While it’s silly to have a game that plays itself, I do understand why they added it.  Because some levels can’t be completed using the skills readily available to us carbon-based life forms.  But, I have a tip for you, game developers.  DON’T make the levels so hard that they can’t be completed using the skills readily available to us carbon-based life forms in the first place!  What a radical notion! Continue reading Games That Inspire Adult Tantrums →

General Commentary

The Duck’s Personal Trials and Joys of Multiplayer Gaming

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I am a solitary gamer.  I hardly ever do any multiplayer, and I have never done any online multiplayer gaming (except PC gaming once playing “Runescape” on an old computer that froze every two seconds).  Just never wanted to, plus no way am I paying to use XBox Live.  You raise the price of each game by $10, then, expect me to pay for multiplayer?  I think not!  Good day, sir!  I said good day!  But, I have done the old-fashioned multiplayer on occasion, and I did enjoy it the times I wasn’t humiliated by my opponent.  And there are times when I prefer playing against people over playing against the computer.  And so this post shall compare the duck’s positive and negative experiences with playing alone and with others. Continue reading The Duck’s Personal Trials and Joys of Multiplayer Gaming →

General Commentary

Are Games Getting Too Easy?

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Seriously, are they?  Over the years, I’ve been noticing that an increasing number of new games take less and less effort to beat nowadays.  I never have to wonder if I’ll be able to beat a new game or not.  In the past, I had many games sitting around that I needed to return to and finish.  Now, it is quite uncommon for me to start a game without being able to finish it.  When the rare game comes along that I can’t beat on my first playthrough, I’m rather surprised.  Such things never happen anymore.

I remember games definitely used to be much harder.  Back when I was playing a bunch of Super Nintendo games for the first time, I couldn’t beat any of them.  Finally, I got through “Donkey Kong Country 3”, but the second game stopped me near the end, at the stressful Castle Crush level, while the first game of the series stopped me earlier still at world number three.  It took quite some time before I was good enough to beat those games.  And to this day, I can’t beat any old “Mario” games except for “Super Mario World”, with help.  I have not beaten one game on the “Super Mario All-Stars” collection.  Not one.  Even “The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past” was hard, and it wasn’t even part of the platformer genre that used to cause me so much grief.  You remember that big worm centipede boss thing where you have to hit the tail, and it keeps pushing you off the platform, forcing you to start the battle over again?  Yeah. Continue reading Are Games Getting Too Easy? →