Tag Archives: the legend of zelda

Food For Thought, Uncategorized

Crime in Video Games and Why Even Kirby Commits It

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Why is crime okay in video games?  And no, I’m not talking about “Grand Theft Auto”.  I’m talking about games like “The Legend of Zelda” and “Kirby”.  Yep, even in games like those, things that would be considered wrong in real life are deemed perfectly acceptable.  What am I talking about?  Well, have you ever thought twice about walking into a stranger’s house in “Zelda”?  And if there is an item, do you not take it?  The answer to these questions is a no and a yes, respectively.  In the video game universe, any item in a treasure chest is up for grabs, whether it be in some deep, dark woods or someone’s home.  Stealing is okay.  Because that’s exactly what it is.  Stealing.  If someone walks into my house, even if I leave the door unlocked, and takes items out of my treasure chest (okay, I don’t own a treasure chest, nor would it be wise to put items in it, as it would suggest they are, well, treasure), I would come after you.  Don’t you rob me, you scoundrel!  But, Link does it all the time, and it’s fine.  Walking into people’s houses is an even more common practice, but you certainly wouldn’t like it if I did it to you, now would you?  (“Rayman 3” even involves our hero trespassing into someone’s house, then proceeding to assault the owner, and somehow the owner is portrayed as a villain because he fights back.)

And then, have you ever played a “Kirby” game and decided to attack those poor, little Waddle Dees just for the sake of it?  Of course, you have.  But, most of the time, are they really doing anything but taking a stroll or gently drifting down from the heavens with an umbrella to slow their descent?  Why do we not only feel the need to maul these poor creatures, but feel justified in doing so?  Again, if you attacked me while I was simply minding my own business, taking a walk (while trying to find a place to hide my treasure chest so people stop helping themselves to its contents) or participating in my own drift down from the heavens with a bumbershoot of my own, I would be quite peeved, to say the least.  It would be uncalled for, sir!  But, in a video game, it’s perfectly fine to attack those who are doing nothing or wild animals simply defending themselves. Continue reading Crime in Video Games and Why Even Kirby Commits It →

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

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? →