Tag Archives: retro studios

Review

The Duck Apologizes to Retro Studios

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Screenshot by Flickr User: Gieson Cacho
Screenshot by Flickr User: Gieson Cacho

As you may very well be aware of, I have complained a good deal about the fairly recent Donkey Kong Country Returns on the Wii.  It’s way too hard, I feel silly shaking the controller around (though, I do with all Wii games, so that’s nothing new), and it lacks the feel and the charm of the original Super Nintendo games.  Due to all this unhappiness I felt towards the game, I had my doubts about getting the sequel on the Wii U, Tropical Freeze, but I had some money to spare and decided to give it a chance.  And I am now forced to eat my words.

Now, I don’t really need to get into tons of detail about this game.  It’s a simple concept, as it’s a platformer.  We know what those are.  And many of us have played Donkey Kong.  It’s a platformer involving lots of apes and a monkey (Diddy is the only monkey I know of).  And so I’d just like to focus this post on what this game does so right and why I finally believe Retro Studios has done a commendable job bringing back a series from 20 years ago that I used to adore.  I will always have a special place in my heart for the original games on the SNES and will always feel they are far better, but any gamer that has been playing for more than a few years knows how strong nostalgia can be.  And I accept that I can’t always compare games to those I loved many years ago. Continue reading The Duck Apologizes to Retro Studios →

Console

My First Days with the Wii U

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Image from Flickr User: Gamer's Resource
Image from Flickr User: Gamer’s Resource

Well, I did it. It’s been a crazy time for me lately. I just got a new cat. And, even more exciting (I kid, or do I?), I finally relented and bought my first console of the current generation. My choice was the Wii U, despite a waning love of Nintendo, for it was the only console that already had games I wanted, while my next choice, the PS4, has yet to receive the immense joy that I hope Kingdom Hearts 3 will bring. I also can never resist a new Super Smash Bros., so the Wii U was, well, not the obvious choice, but the one that made the most sense. Kind of.

Despite being told that the Wii U I wanted was the last one in stock a few months ago, this turned out to not be true, as when I went to the game store to pick up my console, along with the new Super Smash Bros and the Final Mix version of Kingdom Hearts 2 for the PS3 (oh, my gosh…), the console was still there, and I happily bought the one that came with New Super Mario Bros U, as Super Mario 3D World didn’t look as appealing to me. And the box for the one I chose was prettier. In addition to those games, I also bought a month prior (I had money for the games, just not the console yet) the new Donkey Kong Country and Pikmin 3. Now all that was left was to set it up and go for it. Continue reading My First Days with the Wii U →

Resonance

Resonance: Scorch ‘n’ Torch

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Screenshot by Flickr User: angeltenchi1
Screenshot by Flickr User: angeltenchi1

I know I’ve said this before, but I wasn’t a big fan of Donkey Kong Country Returns.  I thought it was too difficult, and it didn’t stand up to the high expectations I had of a new entry to an old series I used to love.  Well, I have since grown somewhat fond of the game, and I really can’t expect it to compete with the old SNES games, now can I?

Nevertheless, I really wasn’t sure about trying the game’s sequel on the Wii U, Tropical Freeze.  I decided to give the game a chance, however, and was pleased to find that it excels in all areas.  The levels are far more unique and varied, the enemies aren’t as, well, silly (they’re still silly, but I didn’t particularly like those tikis), and then there’s the music. Continue reading Resonance: Scorch ‘n’ Torch →

Collaborations and Projects, Listmas

Listmas: Games I Need to Play Next Year

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Image from Flickr user: FaruSantos
Image from Flickr user: FaruSantos

I’ve already listed all the game I played this crazy year of 2014, and now it’s time for all the games I need to play in 2015 AKA my gaming backlog! Not including games not yet purchased… Continue reading Listmas: Games I Need to Play Next Year →

Listmas

Listmas: Games I Played This Year

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Image from Flickr User: Mark Fleming
Image from Flickr User: Mark Fleming

How wonderful that we’re doing Listmas again this year, as it was quite a fun holiday, and I’m just a person who enjoys listing things, no matter what time of year that may be. This has been a crazy year for gaming, so I thought today’s list would be a list of the games I played this year. Look at me go!

  1. Rayman Legends, PS3, which somehow managed to top the masterpiece that came before it
  2. Final Fantasy VIII, PS1, a game that makes you want to conserve your magic at all costs, only to have it get periodically stolen during the final boss, the only time you feel like you can actually use it
  3. Final Fantasy VI, PS1, the inspiration for the first costume I ever made and for getting me into masquerade competitions
  4. Final Fantasy IX, PS1, a game I strangely couldn’t get into, even when, at the same time, it was pretty darn fun
  5. Chrono Trigger, PS1, a nice break from the turn-based RPG’s I had played up until that point and which included some pretty neat time travel
  6. Chrono Cross, PS1, which was both fun and the bane of my existence, considering they didn’t let you get experience from fighting most of the time, and the bosses could be so darn ridiculous
  7. Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal, PS2, my second playthrough, but my first time completing Annihilation Nation and collecting all sewer crystals, thanks to a map I completely forgot existed before
  8. New Super Mario Bros U, Wii U, which I’m still in the process of playing, with much gusto
  9. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Wii U, which is a lot like the prequel, which accounts for the lessened gusto and less motivation to complete it any time soon…
  10. Pikmin 3, Wii U, which makes fruit far more fun than I ever would have expected; I just wish Brittany would shut up

A Duck That’s Been Busy With Nonsense

Console

The Duck Discusses the Wii, 360, and PS3 Generation: Part 1-Wii Look at the Wii

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Image by Flickr User: MrBeng
Image by Flickr User: MrBeng

You all remember how, when this blog first got started, I wrote a series about the pros and cons about the GameCube/XBox/PlayStation2 generation, don’t you?  Well, actually, you may not because that was a while ago.  But, believe me, I did.  And now that I have had a good amount of experience with the last generation of consoles (the Wii, XBox 360, and PlayStation 3, of course), I decided it was time to write a series of posts on what I find good and bad about these three awesome consoles.  To start, the console I’ve had the longest, the Wii.

Continue reading The Duck Discusses the Wii, 360, and PS3 Generation: Part 1-Wii Look at the Wii →

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 →