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• I Appreciate You, Game Boy

  It's the Game Boy's 20th anniversary, and I feel like I ought to honour the little white brick. Problem is, I have no idea what I can say that hasn't already been said. Writing all my good feelings towards the ancient Nintendo handheld that served as a springboard for the portable consoles I love today feels awkward, like writing a letter to a friend who's bailed you out of jail. Game Boy, I want to say “thanks” to you...but the thought of doing it makes me blush and squirm. There just aren't any suitable words for how much I care about you. I'll take you out for beers. The Game Boy vaulted me into “real” gaming; it was my first console after the Colecovision/Atari 2600 Frankenstein that introduced me to gaming, but didn't necessarily make me fall in love with the pastime. Sure, I had previously been mystified by Super Mario Bros, but I wouldn't own an NES until late in the system's life. It was games like Super Mario Land, Double Dragon and Final Fantasy Legend taught me that video games could have form and structure; they could be more than a score-counter. They could have goals, and tell stories. When I managed to separate my mother from Tetris, of course. Read More... Posted Apr 21 2009, 11:29 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: game boy, double dragon, nostalgia, anniversary, tetris, nadia oxford, super mario land

• Watcha Reading: 20 Years of Nintendo Power

  Even though my reading habits have made a significant transition to the online world during this decade, I've been a little more aware of gaming magazines since the death of EGM. After all, print publications are what helped me become obsessed with the medium during the first 15-or-so years of my relationship with video games; during those grade school days of yore, I couldn't be seen without a current copy of Nintendo Power open at any possible free moment--just ask all of those horrible, child-hating teachers who confiscated them from me. We can only hope that they're dead now. So, on my latest trip to Barnes and Noble, I was surprised and delighted to find a special issue of Nintendo Power along with the newest Retro Gamer--the latter of which is actually quite good if you can get around an overdose of Eurocentricity. In an age where no one really seems to care much about video game magazines, it's odd to see a special publication about the history of a video game magazine; but, given the fact that I picked up one of only two copies remaining on the magazine rack, 20 Years of Nintendo Power seems to have hit upon a nostalgic Hooksexup of old-school Nintendo nerds. Read More... Posted Mar 23 2009, 02:00 PM by Bob Mackey with | with 7 comment(s) Filed under: nintendo power, nostalgia, bob mackey, egm, magazines, print is dead

• Final Fantasy VII and How Nostalgia Colors Opinions

  A few days ago I rhapsodized about A Boy and His Blob, only to have Bob Mackey provide me with a reality check. The game had its flaws. He's right! This morning I read IGN's roundtable discussion on Final Fantasy VII, which set out to determine if the game is overrated.  I don't think FFVII could have possibly come at a better time in order to enjoy canonical status today. A huge portion of today's video game journalists were probably ten to fifteen when the game was released. I vividly remember seeing the game's trailers aired during ABC's TGIFriday. Even my parents were impressed. Read More... Posted Mar 09 2009, 08:00 AM by Cole Stryker with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: a boy and his blob, cole stryker, final fantast vii, nostalgia, bob mackey, squaresoft

• A Boy and His Blob Hates You

  I'm afraid I'm going to have to be the lone hater when it comes to the recently-announced Wii-make of the NES "classic," A Boy and His Blob. Mainly because the original game was sort of... terrible. Don't get me wrong, it had a unique premise and quite a few iconic features that make it a memorable game to this day, but so did Kid Icarus. And we all know about Kid Icarus. I'd like to say that the NES A Boy and His Blob is just a tragic example of a game that didn't age well, but I found it pretty intolerable back before my age entered the double-digits. To me, the game had this unfriendly, 80s PC game design sense that showed utter contempt for anyone brave enough to dare explore its world. And while the different forms of The Blob were interesting to mess around with, the limited amount of transformations available in the game made necessary experimentation a frustrating experience. To be fair, I'm sure the Wii-make will make ABaHB much more playable, though I still don't understand the appeal outside of misguided nostalgia. Hell, even if you're interested in the shape-changing gimmick, it's been done much better in the 20 years since A Boy and His Blob traumatized little kids like me. Since the official party pooping cannot start until I've distributed some actual party poop, I offer this video playthrough of the original A Boy and His Blob as evidence that all of your childhood memories are wrong--or right, in my case. Video after the cut. Read More... Posted Mar 04 2009, 04:00 PM by Bob Mackey with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: wii, a boy and his blob, nostalgia, remakes, bob mackey

• Death of the Rental Store

  I do not have a GAMEFLY account. Yeah, yeah, shock and dismay, I know. Sometimes my tastes can be a little archaic. Even though I'd rather do my *grocery shopping online I prefer a brick and mortar store for rentals since I rent very sporadically. One of these days, though, I'm going to be forced to embrace the modern age of online game rentals because my local Blockbuster really does suck. We also have a Family Video but they're a further drive away and last time I checked, only had a marginally better selection. All of the little mom 'n pop places have long since vanished. Indeed, it was the end of an era I was personally sad to see go since my own parents were a couple of those mom 'n pops. Read More... Posted Mar 03 2009, 08:00 PM by Amber Ahlborn with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: amber ahlborn, nostalgia, game rentals

• A Boy and His Blob Wiimake?

  Imminent Nostalgia Overload Warning! A Boy and His Blob is being remade for the Wii, published by Way Forward Technologies, according to Wikipedia. Those jerks at Nintendo Power only offer a super pixellated set of screenshots, but it's enough to make my heart soar.  Your gelatinous sidekick, Blobert, can morph into different useful items when you feed him jelly beans. What's not to like? For all you youngins (and I mean that like the guys on HBO's The Wire say it, not like a redneck mother) who haven't played the original, here's a video to fill you in on what you've missed: Read More... Posted Mar 03 2009, 06:00 PM by Cole Stryker with | with no comments Filed under: a boy and his blob, cole stryker, nintendo power, nostalgia, way forward technologies

• Whatcha Playing: Guadia Quest

  “But Nadia! 'Guadia Quest' is just one part of the magnificent whole that is Retro Game Challenge!” You're right, you little mathematician! But as fans of Retro Game Challenge are already well-aware, this DS title isn't merely a half-hearted mini game collection. That goes double for its RPG "parody." Both my husband and I intended to play through Retro Game Challenge, but there is only one save file. We decided we'd split up the experience. I've been letting my husband to the lion's share of the work while I sit by and witness the outcome. I want to see what comes of Game Master Arino, the lonely Wizard of a digital Oz who went as far as to outfit himself with a paper crown from Burger King. But I cannot chicken out by the sidelines for the entirety of the game. Someone needs to take up the sword and hack away at Guadia Quest. My husband doesn't know a hilt from a blade, whereas I was weaned on unicorn milk (and cocaine). Read More... Posted Feb 26 2009, 08:29 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: nintendo ds, dragon quest, retro, nostalgia, nadia oxford, dragon quest iv, Retro game challenge, dragon quest ii, guadia quest

• Sonic's Secret Past

  The ins and outs of Sonic the Hedgehog continuity have mostly been a mystery to all but the most insane fans of the franchise, mainly because Sonic's story really hasn't been all that consistent over time. We've gone from a little blue dude running on checkerboard-patterned dirt to emo inter-species love stories without any explanation as to just how this drastic change makes any sense whatsoever; and let's not forget about the multiple cartoon series and Archie Comics that make pinning down one true story of Sonic nigh impossible. But from the character's very inception, he did have his own "bible," which is essentially a guide to ensure that the Sonic characters, as well as the setting they exist in, remain consistent regardless of who's handling the property. Over time, the mishandlers of the Sonic franchise have veered very, very far away from what the universe is supposed to be; but, thanks to some leaked documents from a NEOGaf user aptly named TheSonicRetard, confused gamers worldwide can catch a glimpse of Sega's intentions for Sonic from day one. Read More... Posted Feb 18 2009, 05:15 PM by Bob Mackey with | with 4 comment(s) Filed under: sega, sonic the hedgehog, sonic, retro, 16-bit, nostalgia, bob mackey

• A SNES Story

  The year was 1991, I was in 7th grade and the digital bomb had been dropped. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System had been released. For months prior I'd been drooling over the glossy spreads in Nintendo Power magazine featuring this baby. Little green dinosaurs and caped Marios frolicked in my imagination. I wanted this game console badly and I could have it, if I bought it myself. Otherwise I would have to wait a year for the holiday season to roll around again and hope I got lucky. Like many a game junkie, I just couldn't wait that long. I needed money. Read More... Posted Feb 16 2009, 10:00 AM by Amber Ahlborn with | with 4 comment(s) Filed under: snes, amber ahlborn, nostalgia, super mario

• Retro Game Challenge is Out Today. You Will Buy It.

  It seems that, outside of a few very specific outlets, we retro game fans don't get nearly enough love. Sure, most modern franchises will occasionally throw us a bone or a little steaming nugget of fan service, but we're mostly left to our own outdated devices. This is why we should thank our lucky stars (yes, all of them) that companies like XSEED (who I respect for bringing over interesting B-Grade RPGs like Wild Arms 4 and Shadow Hearts: From the New World) recognize our need for attention and seek to remedy this problem with the release of games like Retro Game Challenge--which, if you couldn't tell from the title of this post, is out today. And I would like you to buy it. Please. The interesting thing about Retro Game Challenge is that shows no guilt about tapping into the purest roots of nostalgia; through the framing device of the game, you're basically re-living a childhood narrative of electronic entertainment. Read More... Posted Feb 10 2009, 02:00 PM by Bob Mackey with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: ds, retro, game center cx, nostalgia, bob mackey, Retro game challenge

• Nifty Nostalgia: Super Game Boy

  I have a Gamecube connected to my TV. It sits right next to my Wii. Why have the Gamecube, since the Wii plays GC games you ask? To play GB/GBA games of course! As much as I enjoy the games released for my portable systems, I have never liked the portables themselves. I don't like the tiny screens or the cramped way I have to hold them (and I have small hands). So really, it's no wonder I thought the Super Game Boy was The Best Thing Ever back in the SNES days. The Super Game Boy, in all its chunky glory, kept an entire library of portable games from ever occupying my neglected Game Boy. Aside from allowing me to play GB games on my TV, there was one other neat little thing that I loved about the Super Game Boy, indeed, something that absolutely fascinated me when I discovered it: the animated borders. When the SGB displayed games on the TV, it always placed a frame around them. There were a variety to choose, and Nintendo being Nintendo, they went the extra mile to actually hide clever little animations in these frames. If you left the system idle long enough, something special was bound to happen. Check out some videos of my favorites after the jump. Read More... Posted Feb 09 2009, 10:30 PM by Amber Ahlborn with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: nintendo, game boy, snes, gamecube, amber ahlborn, nostalgia

• My First Banned Game: Double Dragon

  Screw Attack has a video retrospective on Battletoads & Double Dragon for the Super Nintendo. It's good for a quick nostalgia fix, and it contains 200% of the daily recommended intake of fart and tit jokes in case you haven't been meeting your quota lately (that happens in the winter). I never played Battletoads & Double Dragon. Watching the video reminded me of the reason why: my taste in games was slightly above that of a blind burrowing animal who sleeps in its own excrement. Seriously though, I never played Battletoads & Double Dragon because Double Dragon was the first verboten series in my house. My mother took note of what I was playing long before the Mortal Kombat scare, and she didn't approve of games that let you grab women by the hair and knee them in the face. I guess. It's not to say I grew up in an ultra-Puritan house where the only permitted video games came in telltale baby-blue cartridges, or were games about barn raising. I was allowed to play most anything, and my mom even played a bit, even if she could never get past the first boss in any given Castlevania game (but damned if she didn't try over and over). But after bringing home Double Dragon for the NES, she noted that Billy and Jimmy Lee could vent their masculine frustrations on thug women, and she deemed that uncool. Read More... Posted Feb 03 2009, 11:16 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: snes, nes, double dragon, retro, nostalgia, nadia oxford, game violence, double dragon & battletoads

• Video Game Music that "Brings You Back"

  Because I've been playing video games since I started retaining memories (roughly age 3), a disturbing amount of my personal history can be linked to my lifelong hobby. The past, for me, is not defined by important world events, but rather, what I happened to be playing at that moment in time. Case in point: September 11th was the first day I was able to get my hands on the original Advance Wars. Coincidence? I really hope so. That being said, going back to Mario Kart 64 (which has aged pretty terribly) recently reminded me how much of my goddamned mid-to-late teenage years were spent playing this game. Let me point out that A.) I didn't own an N64 until said teenage years had passed and B.) I never even owned Mario Kart 64. But just upon hearing one specific song from the game's soundtrack, I'm immediately brought back to my days of teenage nerd solidarity replete with endless pizzas, soda, and other body-destroying substances we used to shield ourselves from the outside world. The funny thing is, back when there were only two Mario Karts in the world, I preferred the SNES one by a pretty big margin. Yet I still distinctly remember accompanying one of my friends to Toys R Us to buy the game nearly 12 years ago, as well as the pizza that was consumed afterwards. I'm honestly surprised that I didn't grow up to be a 400-pound shut-in. So what song from Mario Kart 64 whisks me away to the wonderful and awkward world of puberty? The answer lies after the cut. Read More... Posted Jan 28 2009, 04:00 PM by Bob Mackey with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: nintendo, mario kart, ost, music, nostalgia, bob mackey, soundtrack

• A Playstation Tradition

  It's official, I am committed to buying a PS3...eventually. I'm pretty darn optimistic that, considering the current US economy and Sony's own financial problems that we'll be seeing another price drop for the PS3 and that will be enough for me. Now if only I could afford an HD TV I'd be set. Though I may not have the system yet, today two games I ordered came in the mail: Ratchet & Clank Future and Devil May Cry 4. As I unpacked these games, I realized that, starting with the first Playstation, I seem to have created a bit of a buying tradition. Read More... Posted Jan 22 2009, 09:30 PM by Amber Ahlborn with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: wii, amber ahlborn, Playstation, nostalgia, ps3

• Boss Fight!: How I Bashed My Head Against Vagrant Story and Won

  Who here has played Vagrant Story? I almost used this title in my Underrated series as it certainly failed to capture its deserved interest when it was released for the original Playstation. A crying shame since it's a beautiful game with a lovely art style and animation that still impresses even in this age of high definition graphics. The story may be vintage Square WTF-ery but the haunting atmosphere, music, and intriguing characters made the obtuse plot easily tolerable. A love-it or hate-it game, I loved the heck out of it. That said, there were some aspects of the game that I really was not into; a disinterest that occasionally lead to dire consequences, the most heinous being the longest boss fight I have ever engaged in. Read More... Posted Jan 13 2009, 09:30 PM by Amber Ahlborn with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: amber ahlborn, nostalgia, challenge, ps, vagrant story, boss fight

• Confessions of the Young and Stupid: I Almost Bought a Genesis For Moonwalker

  When the Sega Genesis came on the scene, there were specific game advertisements or previews that made kids look at their 8-bit Nintendo with new doubt. Some children started paying attention to the Genesis when Altered Beast wose from its gwave. Others started pulling on their mom's arm for Sonic the Hedgehog. The first game that gave me “console envy” was Michael Jackson's Moonwalker. If you're nodding with me right now, you're around my age and you understand me. If you're snickering, you're a young punk and gerroff my lawn. When I was a kid, the name “Michael Jackson” made kids' eyes light up. Promises of special trips to Neverland Ranch and all the candy we could eat weren't necessary; Michael was just that cool. Everyone wanted to be Michael. He could dance, he could perform and damn it all, he put together Thriller. Moonwalker was cool, too. At the time, it made perfect sense to me that Michael's demigod essence could not be contained by the dinky Nintendo; no, it would take nothing less than a 16-bit temple. The in-game playlist was enough to stop a kid's heart: Bad, Billie Jean and Thriller to name a few (though we did get stiffed pretty bad Thriller-wise, since the music didn't show up where you'd expect it to—hello, graveyard? Zombies?). But once you stripped (!!!) the suave suit and hat from Moonwalker, it wasn't much beyond a mediocre platformer with a big name and Bubbles face-sitting action. Read More... Posted Jan 09 2009, 10:17 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with 4 comment(s) Filed under: nintendo, super mario bros 3, music, nes, retro, 16-bit, nostalgia, sega genesis, nadia oxford, michael jackson, moonwalker

• Some Games Nadia Played in 2008 Instead of Working: Mega Man 9

  When I have to call up numbers for any reason, I rely on “funny” math. 1+1 = cow and whatnot. I don’t like math and math doesn’t like me. There’s a reason why I’m scrabbling as a writer and not pursuing my dream career as an epidemiologist (no, I’m serious). This is my roundabout say of saying I miscounted the days and my “Ten Games Nadia Played, etc,” list isn’t going to hit double digits. It will be forever young and I’m comfortable with that. One reason I might be so bad with numbers is because I spent a significant amount of my childhood playing Mega Man games instead of doing something useful. When you’re a Mega Man fan, what use is there for numbers above eight? Of course, when it comes time to count the sheer number of sequels and offshoots Mega Man has appeared in, you’re kind of boned. I thought I’d just do like the rabbits from Watership Down and refer to large numbers as “Hrar”--but then rumours of Mega Man 9 showed up and around and I knew the title deserved my attempt to count above eight. The first substantial details about Mega Man 9 came through the June 2008 edition of Nintendo Power. It was pretty heartening to read jaw-dropping revelations about a highly anticipated title through a print magazine; that sort of thing just doesn’t happen so much anymore. Read More... Posted Dec 23 2008, 05:55 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: top ten, nes, mega man, 8-bit, mega man 9, retro, nostalgia, nadia oxford

• Unwrapped: Dragon Quest IV

  Ahhh, Christmas. This is a nice time of year for a freelance writer. I’m going to ingest fermented liquids that take the edge off my passion for writing, and editors don’t feel like wading through my crazy letter soup to ball together the few sensible words that congealed in the broth. So I’m told “That’s enough, get outta here. Merry Christmas.” And I start blubbering about my little son Tim dying slowly of acidosis and rickets. Then I settle down and finally, finally get caught up on the games I was too busy writing about to actually sit and play. First task: Finish Chrono Trigger DS and set aside the five thousand hours that’s required to sweep through the “bonus” dungeons. I’ve not experienced them fully, but I’ve been made to understand that the quotation marks are richly deserved. I can’t wait to find out why. I hear it has something to do with a fetch quest! Boy oh boy! Second: break out and play Dragon Quest IV. Hell yes, Akira Toriyama double-feature. I’m an unapologetic fan girl and will remain thus until I drop my love for human-devouring dinosaurs bristling with spikes and unscientific add-ons. STATUS, 22/12/2008: I still think dinosaurs are rad. Associated love for Akira Toriyama: Stable. The original Dragon Quest III/Dragon Warrior III for the NES left an indelible impression on me; ask me sometime about the story I wrote that featured an original plot but lifted monsters straight from the game. On second thought, don’t. Read More... Posted Dec 22 2008, 09:03 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with no comments Filed under: nintendo ds, square-enix, 8-bit, retro, nostalgia, nadia oxford, christmas, dragon quest III, dragon warrior iv, dragon warrior III, dragon quest iv: chapters of the chosen

• Celebrities Discuss Their Favourite Games

  When I'm not leaping like a circus bear here on 61 FPS for everyone's amusement, I can often be found digging up dirt on the lives of celebrities. For a pittance, I write snark about ladies and gentlemen who could bottle their farts and sell it for twice the money I’ll likely earn in my lifetime--and I’m even counting my upcoming stint as a rocket pack monkey trainer. It’s the media’s responsibility--nay, pleasure--to remind the world that celebrities make mistakes, just like the rest of us. They must wipe their bottoms, just like the rest of us. And they like video games just like your mom and dad…if your dad hasn’t touched a game since Pac-Man and your mom still thinks Moon Patrol is the height of hardcore action. Hooray for irrelevant glamour at the Spike Video Game Awards. Read More... Posted Dec 22 2008, 07:41 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: celebrities, super mario bros, 50 cent, nostalgia, nadia oxford, moon patrol, ms pac-man

• Nostalgia and Game Association

  I've been wondering recently if there's some substance behind game nostalgia besides fodder for Internet fights about how nothing will ever beat the original Legend of Zelda, evar. What I mean is, do you ever think about where you were when you played a certain game? Does visiting certain locations or experiencing the change of seasons remind you of the same? Do you count game nostalgia amongst valued memories like favourite vacation spots or the glorious spill that came with learning how to ride a two-wheeled bike for the first time? Pour example: Final Fantasy VI remains one of my favourite games. I first experienced it in the cold, rainy month of November, going into the crisp days of December and Christmas vacation (I was a little slower at RPGs back then). Even today, a rush of cold air can bring me back to my fifteen-year-old self, excited to get home and resume my long quest to reunite Celes with her friends and nurse the vague hope that I might knock Kefka from Chez Crazy. Read More... Posted Dec 19 2008, 11:51 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with 5 comment(s) Filed under: bioshock, final fantasy vi, retro, nostalgia, nadia oxford

• Santa's Welcome Bounty: Christmas Morning Games

  I know everyone who reads 61 FPS was a model child who was very thankful for the gifts they received at Christmas. Nobody went home loaded down with socks and underwear, tears stinging the backs of their eyes. Nobody played wistfully with the Manger scene, replacing their unfulfilled toy soldiers and enemy aliens with Joseph and the Shepherds. No, we were always good and unselfish. Okay, but the Christmases that left us with mountains of toys effin' rocked, right? We still spared a thought for the poor kids who woke up to nothing but a can of pumpkin mix, but kind of forgot about them as we attacked our loot. We were lucky, but at the same time, Christmas was often the only time of year we could hope to score games. Maybe that's why the holiday makes me so nostalgic; I was sometimes gifted with items I hadn't even dared to ask for. Read More... Posted Dec 18 2008, 12:35 AM by Nadia Oxford with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: game boy, retro, nostalgia, memories, nadia oxford, christmas

• Know Your Mega Man Boss Weaknesses. It Will Save Your Life.

  Quick. Name Snake Man's weakness in Mega Man III. Your two seconds are up. Do you know it? That's what I thought. According to the word on the wind, I'll be getting a BB Gun for Christmas. I plan to arm myself and quiz citizens of the world on their Mega Man trivia. You would do well to study up, and to stock up on Red Bull (I'm thinking about being lenient on ignorant gamers who provide a suitable offering to slake my wrath. They might not be wholly spared, but a shot to the bum is preferable to a shot through the eye). It just so happens Cybermoon Studios has visual references for Mega Man boss weaknesses. The games covered include Mega Man, Mega Man 2, Mega Man 3 and Mega Man 9. Read More... Posted Dec 16 2008, 05:46 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: mega man 2, mega man, 8-bit, mega man 9, retro, mega man 3, nostalgia, nadia oxford, robot masters

• 10 Games Nadia Played In 2008 Instead Of Working: Bionic Commando Rearmed

  Having grown up with two brothers and personally scoring somewhere in the negatives on the official Femininity Chart, you would think that Bionic Commando would have found its way into my Nintendo library somehow. Alas, no. Though I was always aware of Rad Spencer and his important contribution to history (making Hitler's head and secret headquarters EXPLOD), I didn't adopt any fondness for Bionic Commando until I watched my husband do a playthrough. My eyes followed that swaying red-headed soldier like a pendulum. Where do I sign up for the Bionic Harem? (And what did I just say about scoring in the negatives on the official Femininity Chart?) I tried to take control of Rad. When my attempts to make him swing out of the television screen and into my lap failed, I decided I'd at least try to get him through his no-jump adventure. I couldn't get through Area 01. It was an embarassing disaster and Hitler won. I figured Bionic Commando was simply something you had to be born into if you wanted to stand any chance of finishing it. Time went by, stealing a drop of my life with every tick, and there dawned an age (Now) wherein game developers learned the value of nostalgia. Remakes and revamps of old classics, they reasoned, would send twenty- and- thirty-somethings running to Playstation Network and Xbox Marketplace like sows to the trough. Indeed, we sucked it all down, but there's no shame in indulging in a high-quality remake like Bionic Commando Rearmed. Read More... Posted Dec 12 2008, 09:14 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: capcom, bionic commando, 8-bit, nostalgia, bionic commando rearmed, nadia oxford, top 10

• Picking Chrono Trigger Clean

  Mackey just reminded me of something. Well, Mackey reminds me of a lot of things, primarily of when I was a sexy leopardess who drove across Canada, solving cold murder cases. Let's keep this in the context of games, though. Mackey's post reminded me of a different age of gaming, when we used to pull apart games like so much shredded pork in hopes of squeezing just ten more minutes of gameplay from the battered cartridge. Oh, to find one more secret. Oh, to tie up that loose end. The Internet in 1995 was polluted with gaming "secrets" like the exact rain dance you needed to perform in order to resurrect General Leo in Final Fantasy VI. And Schala could be revived in Chrono Trigger, of course. All you had to do was the hokey pokey while waving a chicken over your head. I performed a lot of these crazy rituals. I was desperate to find Schala. I thought the key lay in the Last Village--more specifically, in Janus' chatty purple cat, Alfador. I thought Alfador could lead me to the answers. He didn't, and I was very sad. Why were we so desperate to make these connections back then? Read More... Posted Dec 05 2008, 08:00 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: nintendo ds, snes, chrono trigger, retro, chrono cross, 16-bit, nostalgia, nadia oxford, chrono trigger ds

• The Day Ocarina of Time Got Me Kicked Out of History Class

  The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time hit ten years of age last month, and I am so proud of it. The day I got the game, I skipped half a day of school, brought it home and forgot school even existed until my mother made me go back there the next morning. Once in class, I couldn't stop talking about Link's first 3D adventure. I bounced off the walls so hard that the teacher sent me out. Why this story is magical: I was eighteen at the time and attending grade 13, a "preparation" year for college. And I had been exiled to the hallway for disturbing the class like an eight-year-old with a pocket full of fart bombs. Ocarina of Time hasn't aged well in ten years. If I encountered a hermit scratching moss from behind his ears and blinking at the sunglight for the first time in two decades, I'd direct him in his video game education thusly: skip Ocarina of Time and go straight for Twilight Princess or even Majora's Mask. Link's first N64 outing was lacking in swordplay, no thanks to a barren overworld bristling with a few fences and peahats, maybe a leever or two. But if this hermit told me some manner of centipede god had told him to emerge into the world strictly to study game history, I'd tell him, "Oh shit dude, Ocarina of Time all the way." Ocarina of Time is a pioneer. Bare fields were a small tradeoff for playing the Zelda series' classic puzzles in 3D for the first time. Light a torch with a lantern? Yeah, if you're a sissy. Light a torch by shooting an arrow through a living flame and sparking the cold sconce on the other side of a pit? Awesome. Read More... Posted Dec 02 2008, 08:00 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with 5 comment(s) Filed under: nintendo, legend of zelda, ocarina of time, n64, nostalgia, anniversary, nadia oxford

• Japanese Musicocracy: Capcom's Numerous Tributes to Axl Rose

  I don't know how many years Axl Rose spent working on his latest album, Chinese Democracy, but I seem to remember still playing with dollies when the project was first announced. I'd say I was about 13 years of age. Don't judge me. Axl's hibernation was long, but he had the courtesy to surface every few years and eat a former band member so we wouldn't forget him. Forget him we did not, though perhaps the Japanese deserve the most credit for keeping Guns N' Roses alive through video games. Capcom in particular was good about reminding us that Axl Rose was more than a scary story parents told their children when they formed an obsession with hair bandanas. GnR's influence flavours the streets of Metro City in Final Fight, haunts X in Mega Man X's Maverick uprisings, and, in Street Fighter III, gives us a glimpse of what Axl might look like if he drank two steroid smoothies every day. You might have missed Axl and Slash in Final Fight; they were mere droplets in the tsunami of thugs that crashed over Cody, Haggar and Guy. It was an unspectacular appearence anyway. Slash didn't try to hit anyone with a concrete Gibson and Axl didn't have an attack involving a heroin syringe. I'm sorry, I'll show myself out the door. Read More... Posted Nov 25 2008, 02:53 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: capcom, music, nostalgia, nadia oxford, guns n roses, mega man x7, street fighter 3, axl rose, mega man x5

• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Stupidity

  The Legend of Zelda cartoon was one of the more competent game-based television series to foul up the '80s. That's not saying much, I suppose, especially when you recall some of the show's more ridiculous traits. Here's ten minutes of The Legend of Zelda, as collected and sewn together by The Switcher. Guaranteed to make you cringe and say, "Oh Christ above why did I love this? No wonder nobody ever came to my birthday parties." I don't think I was ever aware that the Zelda cartoon had a considerable amount of innuendo. Dude, Link tried to ambush Zelda on her bed. If I were the king, I'd turn that impish rogue out on his bum and just set down some fly paper around the Triforce of Wisdom. Read More... Posted Nov 19 2008, 06:47 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with 5 comment(s) Filed under: the legend of zelda, zelda, movies, nostalgia, link, video, fandom, nadia oxford, the '80s, game cartoons

• Looks Great, Tastes Bad: The '90s and its Crop of Unbalanced Games

  "Earthworm Jim is on the Virtual Console today!" exclaims a message board thread somewhere in Gamer Town. In seconds, nostalgia draws traffic to the post like a purring queen draws kittens to the teat. "Oh, this game was so awesome," a poster named Billy declares. "They don't make games like this anymore." That's right, little Billy. They don't. I'm sort of glad about that because I don't think my heart can endure mass doses of disappointment anymore. Though Japanese games ruled the sixteen bit era, American developers were finding their legs as well. And oh, what a pair of legs they found. Games like Aladdin on the Genesis, The Lion King and Earthworm Jim looked and sounded brilliant. They are, in my opinion, still some of the best-looking games out there in spite of running on 24 megs of memory as opposed to today's standard of a hojillion gigabytes. I still love watching people play Earthworm Jim because the title has so much love and personality in every frame of animation. There's the rub: I like to watch (tee hee). I don't actually like to play Earthworm Jim--or Aladdin--or The Lion King--because the games are consistently and unfairly difficult, sometimes for the most baffling reasons. When Earthworm Jim fires his standard weapon, you can't see the spray of bullets. Even the lowliest of crows will dodge your invisible fire half the time despite being directly above you, but there's no possible way to correct your aim because you can't see where you're aiming. Read More... Posted Oct 29 2008, 04:16 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: earthworm jim, super nintendo, 16-bit, nostalgia, sega genesis, nadia oxford, the 90s, aladdin, lion king

• Too Many Crayons

  As I write this, I'm in a conversation that has me thinking about old games and how they were developed. The game that has prompted this moment of musing is Mega Man 9. I like what's been done with Mega Man 9 and the purposeful 8-bit approach, not because I care for the NES style but because I like the intentionally imposed restrictions. Sometimes, when the sky is the limit, sloppy design can result. I'd like to see more developers give their teams pet projects like this just to hone their skills and learn the value of efficiency. Read More... Posted Oct 01 2008, 10:00 AM by Amber Ahlborn with | with 4 comment(s) Filed under: amber ahlborn, mega man 9, nostalgia, game design

• Continuing the Old-School Conversation

  Boy, we here at 61FPS sure are thinking with a hive mind today--and it's all due to a lovable, fast-talking British fellow who's already popped up a few times on our blog in the past 24 hours. Needless to say, the reactions of our own bloggers have been intriguing, so I thought I'd continue the old-school conversation with my own post. First of all, retro is undoubtedly back in style--if that isn't contradictory enough for you. I was going to begin this post by going through a list of the most recent retro remakes/revivals, but there's just too damn many. Right now, I'm completely stuck in the past with Mega Man 9 and the DS remake of Dragon Quest IV, and I couldn't be happier. As much as I try to resist the crippling powers of nostalgia, it does get to me; and, in some ways, I realize the tragedy of buying my childhood back, one game at a time. It's safe to say that I'm on the same page as John and Nadia when it comes to Bionic Commando: Rearmed--but there are certain retro quirks that irk me when they appear in a modern-day game. Take the concept of "lives," for instance; it's something that I've wanted to write an in-depth article about for a long time (and I just may do that!). I'm completely against punishing a player with tedium (i.e., replaying long stretches of a game) for screwing up; but if Mega Man 9 didn't have a lives system, it would feel very, very wrong. Despite it kicking my ass up and down the block for a week, there are certain old-school ideas that work best in certain contexts. Read More... Posted Sep 25 2008, 07:00 PM by Bob Mackey with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: yahtzee, zero punctuation, retro, nostalgia, bionic commando rearmed, difficulty, castle crashers