Retro Gaming

[JB0]

Pity the Atari Box is actually, well, ugly. The initial design goal was decent, I see what they were going for with modernizing the original look, but... they dropped the ball hard and decided to emphasize the ugliest part of the original design and make it dominate in a way it was never intended to.

[mikeszekely]

9 hours ago, JB0 said:

Pity the Atari Box is actually, well, ugly. The initial design goal was decent, I see what they were going for with modernizing the original look, but... they dropped the ball hard and decided to emphasize the ugliest part of the original design and make it dominate in a way it was never intended to.

I kinda like it.

[JB0]

I like that there's a version homaging the classic woodgrain-style VCS and a second version homaging the later "Vader" revision(the first one to actually be called a 2600).

[Black Valkyrie]

 

 

[Black Valkyrie]

 

 

[UN Spacy]

Anyone lock down a preorder for the US version?

[JetJockey]

I just missed the Amazon pre-order. Like everything in the world, people talk. And once news dropped that Amazon put up the pre-order on a different link, in the middle of the night, people decided to spread it around. I probably missed it by a few minutes.

 

But this is first and foremost Nintendo's problem. Then the retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and others. Nintendo because they know people want the SNES Classic. It's ok to make a limited item that's not popular. I didn't have that much of a problem getting the two limited Legend of Zelda artbooks at retail cost. There were flippers on it but let's face it, the limited book market isn't that big. And there were normal versions of the books too. But when you have a console that people want and you say it's going to be limited. All you are doing is creating a side market for flippers or let's be honest scalpers. Sure Nintendo just wants their money. But they are hurting real customers by their behavior. And scalping is far easier now with eBay than it was back when the SNES was released.

 

Also the retailers know there will be high demand. That's why both Amazon and Best Buy listed these in the middle of the night. The least they could do is say 1 per person until demand slows. And then open it up for 2 or maybe 3 per person afterwards. All those people saying they got extras for "their friends." If those current multiple orders don't get cancelled, then these retailers and Nintendo are showing that they don't care about scalpers. And also, if forums can use ID the image and CAPTCHA systems to search so can retailers when ordering to slow the bots that are running on their sites. It makes no sense why honest buyers have to try to beat automated bots.

 

Stuff like this is making me say emulators and the like is ok. I just want the SNES Classic for Starfox 2. I'm not paying a scalper premium price because Nintendo can't release enough for everyone to get and says something stupid like they will only make the system till the end of the year. When pre-orders sell out at every major retailer that means so far they aren't making enough.

Edited August 23, 2017 by JetJockey

[mikeszekely]

So some stuff has been going on, and now it looks like I'm going to taking some extended trips abroad.  Been stocking up on 3DS games, but fact that the only Castlevania game on the 3DS is Mirror of Fate had me digging out my older DS games... which in turn had me thinking about how many great GBA games there were.  And that, my dear friends, has got me thinking I'd like a portable device for retro gaming.  Perhaps something Android based?  I was kind of eyeing up the GPD XD, but I figured I'd ask here if anyone else has any experience with it, or any alternatives to offer.

[dizman]

How portable do you need, will a laptop work? I've heard that a hacked PSP will play quite a few different emulators though I'm sure the GPD XD is probably better and easier since it's built for it.

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

7 minutes ago, dizman said:

 I've heard that a hacked PSP will play quite a few different emulators though I'm sure the GPD XD is probably better and easier since it's built for it.

This is me; I STILL use my modded 3000 model PSP for on the go gaming.  IIRC, the last game I played on it was Tactics Ogre.

[mikeszekely]

10 minutes ago, dizman said:

How portable do you need, will a laptop work? I've heard that a hacked PSP will play quite a few different emulators though I'm sure the GPD XD is probably better and easier since it's built for it.

I probably will have a laptop in the hotel, but I was thinking something more portable for the inevitable trains/buses/taxis.

I actually had a PSP Go.  It did work pretty well for some stuff.  I'm looking for something a little more powerful that doesn't involve expensive proprietary or obsolete storage, though.  One of the attractive things about the GPD XD is that it comes with a minimum of 32GB but can also take a microSD card up to 128GB.

[davidwhangchoi]

how about the nvidia shield?

[mikeszekely]

9 minutes ago, davidwhangchoi said:

how about the nvidia shield?

It has one of those mushy d-pads that's like a circle with some directions carved into it.  Makes playing games like Mega Man a bit of a pain.

Well, that and the fact that I sold my original Shield (still have a Shield tablet and a Shield TV), and they're kind of pricey on the second hand market now.

[JetJockey]

On 9/10/2017 at 11:25 PM, mikeszekely said:

So some stuff has been going on, and now it looks like I'm going to taking some extended trips abroad.  Been stocking up on 3DS games, but fact that the only Castlevania game on the 3DS is Mirror of Fate had me digging out my older DS games... which in turn had me thinking about how many great GBA games there were.  And that, my dear friends, has got me thinking I'd like a portable device for retro gaming.  Perhaps something Android based?  I was kind of eyeing up the GPD XD, but I figured I'd ask here if anyone else has any experience with it, or any alternatives to offer.

There are 3 Castlevania games on the DS. Dawn of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin, and Order of Ecclesia.

 

I never liked the idea of portable gaming and when I play my portables I have them attached to speakers to really enjoy the games. I guess you could use good headphones though. But talking true portable games the one I always recommend is Boktai on the GBA. You have to play that outside for the sun sensor. I'm going to pick up the Hotel Dusk mystery games too. I'm sure there are other slow puzzle type games like that available. Those seem like good portable games where the sound might not be as integral to the gameplay. But for something like Castlevania, I need to hear the sound through quality speakers.

 

The new Metroid comes out this week too I think but that's another one I would play with the speakers. And honestly I'm not really looking forward to that game anyways. The whole classic games on portables never really gelled with me. I downloaded this version of the Metroid NES OST and I'm waiting for the First 4 Figures Samus to come out. Then I'm going to replay the NES and SNES games.

 

3 hours ago, Valkyrie Hunter D said:

This is me; I STILL use my modded 3000 model PSP for on the go gaming.  IIRC, the last game I played on it was Tactics Ogre.

My PSP never leaves my home even though it stays in one of those Logitech clear cases.

[JB0]

2 hours ago, JetJockey said:

The new Metroid comes out this week too I think but that's another one I would play with the speakers. And honestly I'm not really looking forward to that game anyways.

Same. I have zero faith in Nintendo turning out a remake that is... appreciative... of Metroid 2's atmosphere and general goals. It is not a guns-blazing power fantasy. It is a creepy, unsettling, occasionally nerve-wracking experience, and really the only Metroid game to deliver on the horror-movie premise(though the NES game tried). Also, you know, the moral questions of our hero character being someone who will literally commit genocide for money(you KNOW Nintendo is gonna downplay the hell out of that).

...

I preordered it anyways. Expect me to be cussing up a storm once I get it.  Why do I do this to myself?

 

 

And before someone chimes in to help... no, Another Metroid 2 Remake is not the answer. Right now, Samus Returns has a very slim chance of being a decent remake, whereas AM2R has already been confirmed to completely miss almost every possible point. I respect DoctorM64's work on a technical level, moreso since he had zero programming experience when he started it all those years ago, but artistically his work was an unmitigated disaster. 

*sigh*

Oh well, we'll always have 8-bit. I'm actually about halfway through a replay of the original right now, and it is really amazing how much richness Yokoi and his crew managed to tuck into the world of an early GameBoy game.

[mikeszekely]

I played Metroid as a kid in the NES, but I couldn't get into it. I think kid me wanted something more like Mega Man. I never played Metroid 2 or Super Metroid...

I really liked Fusion and Zero Mission, though. So I have the 3DS Samus Returns preordered.

In other news, Nintendo says they're making way more SNES Classics, then putting the NES Classic back into production next year.

[Black Valkyrie]

 

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/09/nintendo_is_resurrecting_the_nes_classic_mini_and_increasing_snes_classic_inventory

 

[davidwhangchoi]

On 9/11/2017 at 10:03 PM, mikeszekely said:

It has one of those mushy d-pads that's like a circle with some directions carved into it.  Makes playing games like Mega Man a bit of a pain.

Well, that and the fact that I sold my original Shield (still have a Shield tablet and a Shield TV), and they're kind of pricey on the second hand market now.

oh didn't know you sold off your 1 gen Shield, 

just want to mention that i use the psp go you sold me almost daily as a console hook up to my Sony BVM. great great machine to play psx psn titles on a CR.

if anyone doesn't know the psp go's potential as one of the best psx options available for gaming on a CRT, check out this video below:

 

[JetJockey]

19 hours ago, JB0 said:

Same. I have zero faith in Nintendo turning out a remake that is... appreciative... of Metroid 2's atmosphere and general goals. It is not a guns-blazing power fantasy. It is a creepy, unsettling, occasionally nerve-wracking experience, and really the only Metroid game to deliver on the horror-movie premise(though the NES game tried). Also, you know, the moral questions of our hero character being someone who will literally commit genocide for money(you KNOW Nintendo is gonna downplay the hell out of that).

...

I preordered it anyways. Expect me to be cussing up a storm once I get it.  Why do I do this to myself?

 

 

And before someone chimes in to help... no, Another Metroid 2 Remake is not the answer. Right now, Samus Returns has a very slim chance of being a decent remake, whereas AM2R has already been confirmed to completely miss almost every possible point. I respect DoctorM64's work on a technical level, moreso since he had zero programming experience when he started it all those years ago, but artistically his work was an unmitigated disaster. 

*sigh*

Oh well, we'll always have 8-bit. I'm actually about halfway through a replay of the original right now, and it is really amazing how much richness Yokoi and his crew managed to tuck into the world of an early GameBoy game.

I never played the original Gameboy Metroid 2. I downloaded that recent fan game before Nintendo shut it down though. When people were going crazy about the new Metroid on 3DS, I looked at the first trailer and some gameplay and it didn't look like a Metroid game I would like. I might check it out one day. But I have Fusion and Zero Mission and I still think the original NES and SNES games are better.

 

12 hours ago, mikeszekely said:

I played Metroid as a kid in the NES, but I couldn't get into it. I think kid me wanted something more like Mega Man. I never played Metroid 2 or Super Metroid...

I really liked Fusion and Zero Mission, though. So I have the 3DS Samus Returns preordered.

In other news, Nintendo says they're making way more SNES Classics, then putting the NES Classic back into production next year.

The original Metroid was and still is a tough game to get into. Especially if you were a kid back then. It was a large and hostile world. I remember not knowing what to do or where to go in the game. But I knew the game was special and probably good. Like Goonies II with it's secrets and two sided map, it wasn't until I got the Nintendo Player's Guide that things made sense to me. And even then, for me as a kid these were still massive worlds and difficult games. I'm sure I paged though the instruction manuals of those games. But you really were on your own unlike with many of today's games that point you in the direction you are supposed to go.

 

Super Metroid is a brilliant game. One of the best ever. I would jump at that game way before getting the 3DS one if you've never played it.

 

At least Nintendo is doing something right with the SNES classic. I hope all the scalpers on eBay get return requests as well as the people who ordered multiples on Amazon get banned for buying multiples and then cancelling for no reason other than not needing them anymore.

[UN Spacy]

http://m.ign.com/articles/2017/09/12/nvc-pax-panel-lets-rank-the-best-nintendo-games-of-all-time

 

1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

2. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

3. Super Mario World

4. Super Mario Bros.

5. Super Mario 64

6. Super Metroid

7. The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time

8. Super Smash Bros. Melee

9. Metroid Prime

10. Pokemon Gold/Silver

[JB0]

3 hours ago, JetJockey said:

Super Metroid is a brilliant game. One of the best ever. I would jump at that game way before getting the 3DS one if you've never played it.

I don't disagree, but... it is kind of like the Aliens to the previous games' Alien, the Terminator 2 to their Terminator. Or, arguably more topically, the Resident Evil 4 of the series. They took a horror story and turned it into a guns-blazing action spectacular. It has a very different core essence to it. 

And so many of Samus' new abilities are there simple because "wouldn't it be cool if... ", it makes for a game that is somewhat cluttered.  Heck, one of her now-iconic abilities is basically there because "Dudes, what if she could fly through enemies and ram stuff like Getter Robo G? C'mon, I already have the ASM for a shine spark attack coded, just try it out it is SO COOL!"

 

Most importantly, it changed "space pirate" from a career to a species. And that bugs me.... but it doesn't bug me as much as the subsequent "chozo did everything ever" rampage the Prime games and Zero went on after Super Metroid's US manual created the name in a translation error(and the Nintendo Power comic then ran with it and made them Samus's foster parents and creators of her power suit... seriously, that lore originates in a US-authored tie-in comic). I can almost guarantee that Samus Returns changes SR-388 into a chozo colony world.

I love Prime, but would be just as happy to see most of the chozo lore erased.

[ScrambledValkyrie]

On 9/13/2017 at 0:18 AM, JetJockey said:

I never played the original Gameboy Metroid 2. I downloaded that recent fan game before Nintendo shut it down though. When people were going crazy about the new Metroid on 3DS, I looked at the first trailer and some gameplay and it didn't look like a Metroid game I would like. I might check it out one day. But I have Fusion and Zero Mission and I still think the original NES and SNES games are better.

 

The original Metroid was and still is a tough game to get into. Especially if you were a kid back then. It was a large and hostile world. I remember not knowing what to do or where to go in the game. But I knew the game was special and probably good. Like Goonies II with it's secrets and two sided map, it wasn't until I got the Nintendo Player's Guide that things made sense to me. And even then, for me as a kid these were still massive worlds and difficult games. I'm sure I paged though the instruction manuals of those games. But you really were on your own unlike with many of today's games that point you in the direction you are supposed to go.

 

Super Metroid is a brilliant game. One of the best ever. I would jump at that game way before getting the 3DS one if you've never played it.

I pretty much totally agree with everything here. Didn't get far in the original until the players guide came along opened up the map. Then I played it to death.

I also never played Metroid 2.

Super Metroid is probably in my top 10 all-time favorite games. Aside from the upgraded graphics and sound from the original, I think the built-in map was part of the key to making this game more accessible. Though this might not have been possible with the original due to system limitations. 

My biggest gripe with Fusion is the way it locks you into a completely linear quest. Sequence-breaking aside, Super Metroid was actually more linear than many people think; but they succeeded in not making it feel that way.

I thought Zero Mission was OK; it just didn't feel as innovative. And of course all of the Chozo narrative...

[mikeszekely]

Ok, you guys basically talked me into grabbing Super Metroid on my 3DS's Virtual Console.

It's a darn shame the only GBA games on the 3DS were for the early adopters. I'd buy Fusion, Zero Mission, the Minish Cap, and the trio of GBA Castlevania games right now if I could.

[JetJockey]

10 hours ago, mikeszekely said:

Ok, you guys basically talked me into grabbing Super Metroid on my 3DS's Virtual Console.

It's a darn shame the only GBA games on the 3DS were for the early adopters. I'd buy Fusion, Zero Mission, the Minish Cap, and the trio of GBA Castlevania games right now if I could.

Please don't play one of the best games ever on a small portable screen. Wait and get it on the SNES Classic since that's going to be readily available according to Nintendo. Or get the SNES cartridge. 

 

Those Castlevania DS games don't seem to go for too much. The only thing you have to look out for is this "Best" edition cover. Someone got paid for this. Seriously they should be fired.

[Black Valkyrie]

 

 

[mikeszekely]

On 9/16/2017 at 1:57 AM, JetJockey said:

Please don't play one of the best games ever on a small portable screen.

Why not?  I have a two year old; portable gaming is most of the gaming I can fit in right now.  Besides, it's not like those sprites are going to look any better for being bigger.

On 9/16/2017 at 1:57 AM, JetJockey said:

Wait and get it on the SNES Classic since that's going to be readily available according to Nintendo. Or get the SNES cartridge. 

I don't plan on getting a SNES Classic.  I definitely don't plan on tracking down an actual SNES, a copy of the cartridge, and a CRT to hook it all up to.

On 9/16/2017 at 1:57 AM, JetJockey said:

Those Castlevania DS games don't seem to go for too much.

I have the Castlevania DS games.  What I want are GBA games on the 3DS Virtual Console since I haven't owned a GBA in years.

[Salamander]

On 9/13/2017 at 4:54 AM, davidwhangchoi said:

if anyone doesn't know the psp go's potential as one of the best psx options available for gaming on a CRT, check out this video below:

 

That video reminds me of how easy we have it in Europe with SCART cables and TVs. When I bought my second-hand PS1's (for 10 Euro) I got a RGB-SCART cable with them, and after hooking that up to my HDTV everything worked as intended...

[JetJockey]

11 hours ago, mikeszekely said:

Why not?  I have a two year old; portable gaming is most of the gaming I can fit in right now.  Besides, it's not like those sprites are going to look any better for being bigger.

I don't plan on getting a SNES Classic.  I definitely don't plan on tracking down an actual SNES, a copy of the cartridge, and a CRT to hook it all up to.

I have the Castlevania DS games.  What I want are GBA games on the 3DS Virtual Console since I haven't owned a GBA in years.

It's the overall experience of the game. I grew up playing SNES and other games on a 24 or 27 inch TV. The 3DS XL is 4+ inches. It would be a great game turned into a more portable experience. Even Michael Bay joked in an interview about people watching movies on some small phone. That's just not the way to do great movies or games.

 

I misread and thought since you had a 3DS you wanted the Castlevania DS games. I don't think the GBA Castlevanias are that great. I play the GBA games on a DS Lite. But I guess you could get the GBA Player for GameCube. I can't recall my reasons for passing on that.

 

I have a very small portable library, if you could even call it that. Basically only some of the portable versions of games from my favorite series. And then only because I really like the art style and music. For the GBA and DS, it's the 6 Castlevania titles, the 2 Metroid titles, Gunstar Super Heroes, Double Dragon, and a few others. I passed on many portable titles like the Marios, Zeldas, etc because I'm just not crazy about the format.

[ScrambledValkyrie]

On 9/17/2017 at 12:11 PM, mikeszekely said:

Why not?  I have a two year old; portable gaming is most of the gaming I can fit in right now.  Besides, it's not like those sprites are going to look any better for being bigger.

I don't plan on getting a SNES Classic.  I definitely don't plan on tracking down an actual SNES, a copy of the cartridge, and a CRT to hook it all up to.

While I would also tend to recommend playing SM on a bigger screen as it was intended (with good audio because the soundtrack is quite immersive) I can certainly relate to the need to fit gaming into your life as you can, and sometimes portability is the best option. My kids are older now, though I remember that nap times were sometimes gaming opportunities! The main thing is that you are at least getting to experience the game on some level.

Perhaps more so than the screen size, there's something about using the original controller that creates a more authentic retro experience for me. For example, when I play my Mega Man X cart with original SNES controller, it feels better than playing the same game on the PS2 controller through the MMX collection.

[JetJockey]

8 hours ago, ScrambledValkyrie said:

While I would also tend to recommend playing SM on a bigger screen as it was intended (with good audio because the soundtrack is quite immersive) I can certainly relate to the need to fit gaming into your life as you can, and sometimes portability is the best option. My kids are older now, though I remember that nap times were sometimes gaming opportunities! The main thing is that you are at least getting to experience the game on some level.

Perhaps more so than the screen size, there's something about using the original controller that creates a more authentic retro experience for me. For example, when I play my Mega Man X cart with original SNES controller, it feels better than playing the same game on the PS2 controller through the MMX collection.

Yeah those early elevator moments are awesome and how the game builds the music. But still on portable, it's like someone telling you to watch Alien or Aliens on a cell phone and at least you've seen it. But it's not the same.

 

The controls are a huge part of gameplay and it does feel better to play a game on the controller it was originally designed for. I always felt that way when I played many old titles and arcade games like Street Fighter.

[Black Valkyrie]

 

 

[JB0]

A Hydorah remake? Rad!

Locomalito's in the big leagues now!

 

[mikeszekely]

I sat through the video and it didn't even tell me what system...

[Black Valkyrie]

Steam and Xbone.

 

 

[mikeszekely]

2 hours ago, Black Valkyrie said:

Steam and Xbone.

 

 

Thanks, BV. I'll check it out in Steam.