• 16Nov 08

  Is the DS a dead system now (for non-casuals)?

  What happened to the DS? Is it just me or has it been ages since a good game actually came out on the DS and the only game to really look forward to is Pokemon Platinum? Being a DS owner myself (got a phat and DS Lite at launch), I have really been disappointed in the system for the past year and I'm also disappointed in where it's headed.

  The DS had a great 3 years since launch, even though there were a few game droughts in between. We always had something to look forward to on the DS and most games pretty much lived up to their expectations, but what do we have to look forward to now? From what I can see, there are absolutely no anticipated titles for the DS which is quite a shock. I was very shocked that at both E3 and the Nintendo Conference Nintendo hardly announced anything for the DS in terms of software. The only games that come to mind are Pokemon Platinum (same games as Diamond/Pearl with added features) and GTA: Chinatown Wars (which really doesn't seem that good).

  Instead of getting more games, we are getting yet another system rehash, the DSi. The question is though, "do we really need it?". Why do we need buy another system rehash if there are no games worth getting on the DS anymore? This is all due to the fact that the DS is purely being kept alive by the casual market. It seems Nintendo have completely shifted their focus towards the casuals now, entirely leaving us hardcore gamers in the shadows.

  Overall, I have been pretty disappointed in Nintendo this year. I am actually considering selling my DS soon and, if no good games are announced next year, then my Wii as well. I'm glad that Wii Music hasnt sold well, because hopefully it has made Nintendo realise that they need to put some focus back into the development of hardcore titles. Nintendo really need to keep their hardcore base as we were the ones who helped keep Nintendo alive last generation. What happens if Nintendo makes another bad move and they have no hardcore base?

  • Posted Nov 16, 2008 4:07 pm GMT
  • Category: Games
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• 19Oct 08

  Back to the Past - Banjo-Kazooie

  I've decided to start yet another monthly segment titled "Back to the Past", where I revisit past games and explain why they were good/bad back in the day and how they have held up now. Feel free to share your thoughts as well.

  

  Since Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts is coming out next month, I've decided to look back on the Nintendo 64 cIassic, Banjo-Kazooie. Banjo-Kazooie was one of the three games which I got with my Nintendo 64 on Christmas 1998 (the two games being GoldenEye and Mario Kart 64). Since I was only 8 years old, I did not have a great understanding of the video game industry, so I did not know what to expect of Banjo-Kazooie. All I can say is that Banjo-Kazooie was like no other game I had ever played before.

  Incase you haven't played Banjo-Kazooie before, the protagonists of the game are a bear named Banjo and a bird which resides in Banjo's backpack named Kazooie. One day, Banjo's sister Tootie gets kidnapped by the evil witch Gruntilda, who wants to steal Tootie's good looks. Banjo and Kazooie set out on a quest to rescue Tootie but in order to rescue her they must pass through Gruntilda's lair.

  

  What made Banjo-Kazooie so unique back in its time was the level of exploring. The game just had so much...freedom, you could basically go anywhere you wanted at any time and at any place. The exploring element of the game definitely changed the way I looked at platformers in the future.

  Banjo-Kazooie was a bit similar to Super Mario 64, but it just had so much more to it. Both games had a HUB world and a set of worlds which you could enter from the HUB, which a lot of other platformers have these days. The major difference is that Banjo-Kazooie is just more open to exploring, rather than following a path layed out for you like in Super Mario 64. You could spend hours exploring the worlds in Banjo-Kazooie looking for new things which you hadn't stumbled across before. This is what made Banjo-Kazooie so much fun as everyone loves to explore.

  

  The main driving force behind Banjo-Kazooie's gameplay is collecting. In order to progress, you had to explore or complete tasks to collect things, which include:

  • Jiggies (golden jigsaw pieces used to unlock more worlds)
  • Music notes (used to unlock more sections of the HUB world)
  • Jinjos (when all five of them are colelcted in a level then you earn a Jiggie)
  • Mumbo skulls (used to transform Banjo/Kazooie into something else)
  • Eggs/Feathers (ammunition for shooting eggs and flying)

  Searching each of the worlds for new things was very fun and rewarding, which is why future platformers have used the same gameplay elements of Banjo-Kazooie.

  The music in Banjo-Kazooie was absolutely stunning. The geniuses at Rare created some of the most catchy and unforgettable music ever in a videogame. The graphics at the time were also amazing. They were sharp and vibrant and overall georgeous to look at. I still think the graphics hold up to this day, which is why they probably aren't being changed in the Live Arcade re-release.

  

  Overall, Banjo-Kazooie is an absoultely amazing game. It is definitely in my top 10 games of all time and should be in everyone elses who has played it. I can't wait until the game gets released on Live Arcade on the 360 next month, so I can play it again and relive the experience.

  • Posted Oct 19, 2008 12:54 am GMT
  • Category: Games
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• 17Oct 08

  October in the Music Department

  Nothing much has really happened this month in the music industry that interests me. I have been listening to a lot of Radiohead this month, which is why I ended up buying their album "Hail to the Thief", as it is one of the two Radiohead albums which I didn't own. So far I'm liking the album a lot, definitely has some creative tracks. I would definitely recommend it to all Radiohead fans or people who want to listen to some experimental alternative rock/art rock.

  
  

  Tomorrow, AC/DC will release their new album "Black Ice" and I must say that I'm not looking too forward to it, as a lot of their later material hasn't been that great. I think they have lost their charm which they hadback in the 70s and 80s, but still, I may purchase the album later on and give it a listen. Also, the new Kaiser Chiefs album "Off With Their Heads" will be released in a few days time. I really like Kaiser Chiefs, but I must say that after listening to the first single off the album "Never Miss a Beat", I'm not really impressed at all. It seems as though they are changing their styIe a bit which I think is totally unecessary, as their previous work has been great. I may pick this up in the future as well, but for now, that's it for October in the music department.

  
  • Posted Oct 17, 2008 1:00 am GMT
  • Category: Music
  • 5 Comments
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