mikeszekely

I thought it was a pretty good year for PS2. ZOE II, Time Crisis III, Castlevania, Fatal Frame II, Megaman X7, Need for Speed Underground... although I do have to go with Abombz, I'm still all about Ace Combat 4. I really liked the Onimusha games, too. Oh yeah, and while I'm at it, I picked up Encounters In Space... probably not as good as Federation Vs. Zeon, but definately a lot better than Journey to Jaburo and Zeonic Front.

Been there done that. I have retail stories that would either make your skin crawl or bust a gut laughing. But I believe the average joe viewer stay average because of the way the studios and corporations treat them. I'm not saying they're being kept from becoming Einsteins, but a little imagination goes a long way. Really? I thought the average joe viewer is actually getting dumber, because health care is too good. Natural selection no longer applies when you can not only save the life of, but fully rehabilitate people who do things like drive an ATV off their roof to see if they can jump their pool or something. The idiot genes get passed on when they should have died out. More and more morons are born, and they lower the average for everyone.

Gilgamesh was the name of Feff's mecha. Now think of it this way: even though there's an affectionate relationship between Hibiki and Ishtar, ultimately Ishtar winds up with Feff. And, Feff is a Marduk commander who turns out to be one of the good guys.

Ever played ZOE? its like that. I have played none of these games... they are fun, but can get repetative. give ZOE2 a rent. Especially because ZOE 2 is ridicously short. My first time through, I beat it in around 2 and a half hours. I replayed it once, and beat it without even stopping to save it. I think I might just rent EiS. I have to save my money for Fatal Frame II, Deus Ex, and Sonic Heroes.

You think far to highly of the American average Joe. Something you just do NOT do after working for five years in retail... <_< Many of us here at Macross World are students of history or culture, either professionally or in our free time. Many of us have taken the time to learn something of the Japanese culture that gave us our Macross. But the average American? Don't be suprised to hear people walking out saying things like "That hairy carrie stuff is messed up. Those Chinese guys are sick!" Those people, the ones that reguard Chinese and Japanese as the same thing, definately needed some sort of gaijin character that they could relate to. Would the movie have worked without the gaijin? Sure. For some of us, it would have been better, even. But the movie would have lost its appeal to the masses.

Okay, I saw it yesterday. And even though Japanese history was part of my major, I had to read up on a few things before replying. Okay, first... like many of you, I was leary of the whole Tom Cruise becomes a Samurai bit. I was afraid the movie would be cheesy and historically innaccurate. However, the film turned out to be a masterpiece. It captures the conflicting feelings Japan had during the Meiji restoration, that desire to modernize and grow with the desire to retain the nation's sense of self... What's more, while Katsumoto was not a historical figure, he is in fact based on Takamori Saigo, and Katsumoto's rebellion is the Satsuma rebellion right down to the year (1877). The inaccuracies actually come from the depiction of the samurai themselves, but this is something that even Kurosawa is guitly of. The fact is, the world wants to keep that romatic image of the nobel Japanese samurai. No one really wants to watch a film about men who spent more time drinking and gambling than training because they'd largely had nothing to do for the last two centuries. Love him or hate him, Cruise played his role convincingly, and served as a vehicle for the average American who doesn't know the difference between Japanese and Chinese to relate to the film. But the spotlight should really go to Ken Watanabe for his performace as Katsumoto. "The Last Samurai" is a film that could have easily gone the way of cheesy Hollywood schlock, but I'm happy to tell you that it is actually one of those rare masterpiece films that will be talked about years later, ala "The Godfather" or "Schindler's List."

Now you see, the problem there is that you've compared EiS to two games: one that sucked, and one that I enjoyed. I held off on buying this game mainly because of Gundam's track record on PS2 in America. Two games of crap, and one enjoyable game. And since the one enjoyable game was actually developed by Capcom, I decided to be a little leary of EiS, until I've had a chance to rent it first. Now if AEUG vs. Titans can get a US release, it'd be a different story...

Seiken Densetsu 3 was slow paced? Are you sure you played it long enough? I can assure you... once you do the class lv up quests, the game is anything but slow paced. Then you owe it to yourself to get the original, and non sucky, FFT. Yet again, I'm going to agree to disagree with you. But I did indeed play the real SMB 2, in the form of "The Lost Levels" on the SNES. I got my SNES the year that Nintendo gave away All Stars. Anyway, as for Seiken Densetsu 3, I remember talking to someone who told me about class leveling or something, but not actually doing any of the quests. I'd say I played it for several hours, though. And as for FFT, the general agreement is that FFT had a better battle system and was better overall than FFTA. But, aren't they both really a series of tactical battles with a coating of confusing plot? Because my problem with FFTA wasn't really that they dumbed it down from the original or anything, just that I was hoping for more of a hybrid of strategy and RPG.

Worst Mario ever... avoid it like Dracula avoids a cross. Want suggestions? -Yoshis Island (best Mario game, hands down) Uh, yeah... other way around. I grew up playing the 8-bit Marios (and eventually, the 16-bit one). Super Mario Bros came with my NES. I didn't care much for SMB 2, but I loved SMB 3. I used to watch the SMB 3 cartoon on Saturday mornings, then run into my room to play the game. Super Mario World was great too... and then game Yoshi's Island. Boy, was that game dissapointing. It's like they recycled the worlds from World (kudos for the crayon art style, though. Worked good for Kirby, too), but they replaced all the characters with lamer ones. While we're at it, I hated Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine, too. I mean, despite having Mario characters, they were nothing like the classic Mario games. Since they finally got through all the old Mario games, I kinda hope they come out with a new 2D Mario on GBA. Which reminds me, Capcom is making a new 2D Zelda for GBA.

I never played the original. I was just at the store one day, looking for a portable game with some meat to it. Don't get me wrong, I love some of those other games like Wario Ware or Megaman, but Wario Ware isn't exactly the kind of game that you play for days, and I have a nasty habit of beating Megaman games the same week I buy them (in some cases, less than a day, but hey, Zero 2 and X7 came out on the same day...). I'd heard good things about FFTA, so I picked it up... and I don't really have a problem with the battle engine. I just wish that there was a game around that battle engine. Without exploring and talking and all that good stuff, it's just battle after battle after battle... mind-numbing, really. I mean, there's some extra thinking and stuff involved in that kind of battle than other RPGs... but still, I always hated fighting constantly to level up before fighting bosses. So, I'm not saying that the game is crap and that if you see it you should flush it down the toilet or something... but I am saying that FFTA is not for everyone.

I played the Japanese version. Maybe I just didn't play it enough, but it seemed kind of slow in pacing, and the combat system is kind of... I don't know how to explain it. It just didn't feel right. I have the same complaints about Seiken Densetsu 3... a shame really, since Secret of Mana was one of my favorite SNES games. I don't know, if you guys feel so strongly about it, maybe I'll give it another whirl when the American one comes out.

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance might be good if you like moving guys around so that they can either attack or not be attacked over and over and over and over... but since I like more to my games than battles, I dare call FFTA over-rated anyway. I only sort of agree with David. While I think the GBA player is a superb add on for anyone with a Gamecube, I don't think it trumps the GBA SP. I have no issue with control on the GBA, but I wish someone would make a better controller for playing GBA games on the GC. The front-lit screen makes it easy to see even the darkest games, and I like portability. As far as good games go, these are the ones that I've found to be worth owning: Megaman Zero Megaman Zero 2 (these two are probably the best new Megaman games in forever) Megaman Battle Network (as a Megaman fan, I like everything but Legends, but if you don't like this one, skip the rest of the BN series) Megaman and Bass (old school Megaman for people like me that started playing Megaman with the original) Metroid Fusion (Poo on the naysayers. Fusion was the first Metroid game I could get into) Castlevania: Circle of the Moon Caslevania: Harmony of Dissonance (not as good as CotM, though) Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (too short, but the most like Symphony of the Night) Pac-Man Collection (Need I say more?) Wario Ware Inc: Micro Mega Game$ (never thought picking a nose could be so much fun) Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past/Four Swords (Zelda the way I like it... 2D...) Yu-Gi-Oh! Word Wide Edition: Stairway to Destined Duel (Behind all that fanatic 10-year old crap and a terrible anime lies a suprisingly simple yet addictive card game) Breath of Fire II (Forget Golden Sun. This old-school game is my pick for best GBA RPG) Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga As someone that loved Secret of Mana, believe me when I say to skip Sword of Mana. Also, while Mario Kart was mildy fun and Street Fighter Alpha 3 was a good translation, the real appeal of those games was in multiplayer. Word to the wise: Gamestop is running a buy two used games, get one for free promotion, but Saturday 12-6 is the last day. Might be a good time to stock up.

Okay, here's my question. Reguardless of how they did it, we know that the Protoculture did guide the evolution of humankind's ancestors so that the end result would be something compatible with Protoculture for purposes of future colonization. Technically, we know that they did the same thing on Zola. So why isn't the evidence in the blood of every man woman and child on Earth and/or Zola? What is it that makes the blood of the Mayan people special?

For any person at least half computer literate person and with any sense of ethics, the first choice. Well, I'm certainly more than half computer literate. And as far as ethics goes, it doesn't matter whether I dl or buy a boot, because Big West isn't getting anything for either. Now, considering how long my internet would have to be tied up (broadband isn't available here yet), and the electricity to run my computer long enough to download it, the price of a blank DVD, the cost of paper and ink to print a cover and a label for the disc itself, the fact that internet fansubs might have better subs but probably worse audio and video, then the time I'd spend creating a menu and chapter stops, plus the time to re-encode the video to MPEG-2 before I burn it, even if I figure that I can get the case for free from AOL or something, it's still a hell of a lot easier to just buy the bootleg.

Good question, especially since there's so many. If I had to guess, though, I'd say maybe they're verniers.

Hopefully, with Zeta Gundam and this "Revival of Gundam" stuff, we'll get a US release of the AEUG Vs. Titans PS2 game.

VF-1 Valkyrie appeared in Macross TV/DYRL. VEFR-1 is a recon type VF-1 varient that appeared for a moment in Macross TV. You only see it for like a second or so. VE-1 Elint Seeker appeared in DYRL. It's a recon type. VT-1 Ostrich appeared in DYRL. It was the trainer that Hikaru stole to take Minmei out. VF-4 Lightning III appeared briefly in Flashback 2012, but only in fighter mode. Battroid and Gerwalk mode were first revealed in Macross VF-X. VF-11B Thunderbolt appeared in Macross Plus. It was the fighter Isamu piloted before testing the YF-19. YF-19 appeared in Macross Plus. It was Isamu's fighter. It became the production model VF-19A Excalibur. VF-21 appeared in Macross Plus. It was Guld's fighter. VF-11C Thunderbolt appeared in Macross 7 as the cannon fodder. VF-17 Nightmare appeared in Macross 7 as the VFs flown by the elite Diamond Force. VF-19F/S Excalibur appeared in Macross 7. They were the blue fighters given to Emerald Force in the second half of the series. VF-22 Sturmvogel II appeared in Macross 7. It was kind of a production version of the YF-19, but with conventional controls and some simplified technology. Max and Millia flew them. VF-19 Kai Fire Valkyrie was in Macross 7. It was Basara's. VF-11MAXL Kai was in Macross 7. It was Mylene's. VF-17T Kai was in Macross 7. It was Ray and Veffidas's. VF-11D appeared in Macross 7. It was the varient used by the Jamming Birds. VF-5000 Star Mirage appeared in Macross Dynamite 7. They were used by the Zolan police. VA-3C Invader appeared in Macross Dynamite 7. It's what the pirates used, and looks a bit different from the VA-3M that appeared in Macross VF-X2. VT-1C appeared in Macross Dynamite 7. It was the funny looking VF-1-ish thing that Basara took to sing at the whales the first time. VF-19P is another varient of the VF-19 that appeared at the end of Macross Dynamite 7. VF-14 appeared briefly in one of the Macross 7 Plus shorts called "Spiritia Dreaming." It was retroactively called VA-14 after Kawamori re-did the VF-14 for a Dreamcast game. Fz-109 Elgerzorne appeared in Macross 7. It was the main Varuata fighter for the first half of the show. Az-130 Pantserzorne appeared in Macross 7. It was the heavier fighter used by the Varauta in the second half of the show. FBz-99 Zaubergeran appeared in Macross 7. It was the flying wing fighter that Gabil flew, and Gamlin kept shooting down. PHEYOS appeared in the games Macross VF-X and Macross VF-X2 as the "Enemy Valkyrie." VF-3000 Crusader appeared in the Dreamcast game M3. It looked like a bigger, heavier VF-1. VF-9 Cutlass appeared in the Dreamcast game M3. In fighter mode, it was kind of like a little Fire Valkyrie, but had a much different Gerwalk mode. VF-14 Vampire appeared in the Dreamcast game M3. Supposedly, it was the basis for the Varauta fighters. VB-6 Konig Monster appeared in Macross VF-X2. It was like a shuttle that could turn into a Monster Destroid. VF-0 appeared in Macross Zero. It's the one that the UN uses, and looks like a VF-1. SV-51 appeared in Macross 7. It's the wing flapping fighter used by the Anti-UN forces. VF-2SS Valkyrie II was the main fighter in Macross II. VF-2JA Icarus was the fighter they used when the Marduk attacked Culture Park in Macross II. It was only for use in an atmosphere. VF-XX Zentraedi Valkyrie appeared briefly in Macross II, during the big final battle. VF-1MS Metal Siren appeared in Macross II. A sort of prototype was the one that Wendy Ryder was singing in during that Moon show. Nexx flies a combat ready Metal Siren during the big final battle. For pics, try Mahq.net.

Hey, watch it buster!! I *loved* Jem when it was on the air. I had all the dolls and would listen to the cassettes that came with them over and over. I even remember owning a "Choose Your Own Adventure: Jem & the Holograms" book! Err...I mean.... Um...M.A.S.K...Yeah, I'd like to see that on DVD. Especially if it increased the chances of them re-releasing the toys! Also wouldn't mind seeing the Japanese Headmasters series subbed on a nice DVD set! Melissa Hi, I dont mean to sound rude but are you a lesbian because you seem to like alot of guy stuff. Actually, she sounds like my dream girl.

I tried it the other day, expecting another scrolling shooter... but it seemed more like a dating sim. Anyone else played it?

DYRL timeline is currently "non-canon", as it is a "movie" within the Macross universe. Therefore, Komilia was born in 2010, not 2019. You think $25 was fair for Magic Engine? So far it's ver 0.9.9 beta 5. Maybe I should wait until ver 1.0?! Yeah, but 2036 and Eternal Love Song are also non-canon. They're set in that alternate universe, in the space between DYRL and Macross II.

Then definately, the one for you is Let's Fire!! It has the regular and TV versions of Seventh Moon, and the duet versions of Planet Dance and Totsugeki Love Heart.

A shame, really. It was probably one of the better AU Gundam series, in my opinion. A more original story and better characters than Wing, and closer in feel to the older Gundam series. Not to mention that it had some nice mecha without being over the top like G Gundam or Gundam Wing.

While any of those 80's cartoons would be fine (I'm all for SilverHawks, Captain N, or the Super Mario Bros. Super Show), when will the 90's cartoons get some love? I mean, I'd love to have the Tick, Eek the Cat, and Ren and Stimpy in my collection.

Yes... forget about Gundam. Why? Because you will never find a person who will give you an unbiased opinion about it, specially since 90% of ppl here seem to dispise it. If you can rent.... rent as many as you can without listening to anyone. Ppl bash Wing, but you might miss out on something that you might enjoy if you listen to them. If you can't rent.... buy the first DVD of the series that are available and see if you like anything you see. If you don't.... its not really a big loss. But if you do like.... expect to be spending alot of money on it. Have an adventure spirit.... walk into this unknown region without a map. Best advice I heard all day. I mean, for every one person that says they liked a certain Gundam series, another will come up and say that they didn't. Ultimately, you just have to try it and see. I do find it ironic that people here tell you to watch the Gundam movies, but not the TV series, because they think that the TV series is too old and poorly animated. Yet they seem to universally be in favor of a TV show that's not much more recent, and for several (Animefriend) episodes, much more poorly animated. No, I'd definately go with the TV series over the movies... the movies are so crammed that they borderline on incoherent if you're not already familiar with the story. The pacing of the TV series works much better. I think it's more in the lines that the movies are subbed, whereas the TV series is dubbed only. I think it's safe to say that the majority of fans here (and anime fans in general) prefer subs over dubs. Thus the reconmendation of the movies. Heck, if I can find an R1 MSG subbed with good translations, I'll be first in line to pick that up. I prefer subs too... and bad as they were, I have the old Anime Cartoon bootlegs.

Yes... forget about Gundam. Why? Because you will never find a person who will give you an unbiased opinion about it, specially since 90% of ppl here seem to dispise it. If you can rent.... rent as many as you can without listening to anyone. Ppl bash Wing, but you might miss out on something that you might enjoy if you listen to them. If you can't rent.... buy the first DVD of the series that are available and see if you like anything you see. If you don't.... its not really a big loss. But if you do like.... expect to be spending alot of money on it. Have an adventure spirit.... walk into this unknown region without a map. Best advice I heard all day. I mean, for every one person that says they liked a certain Gundam series, another will come up and say that they didn't. Ultimately, you just have to try it and see. I do find it ironic that people here tell you to watch the Gundam movies, but not the TV series, because they think that the TV series is too old and poorly animated. Yet they seem to universally be in favor of a TV show that's not much more recent, and for several (Animefriend) episodes, much more poorly animated. No, I'd definately go with the TV series over the movies... the movies are so crammed that they borderline on incoherent if you're not already familiar with the story. The pacing of the TV series works much better.