Gamecube

HAWT First4Figures Metroid Prime 2 Gunship is 250 bucks.

I love Metroid, and it’s no overstatement for me to say that this is possibly the coolest toy I’ve ever seen: a model of Samus Aran’s gunship from Metroid Prime 2. The windshield and engines light up, too. How much for this sexy piece of Metroid kit? Why, only $250.

Kudos to First4Figures on an awesome design, but unless the thing flies on its own, that (already discounted) price seems a little steep.

Source: Play-Asia.

Brawl for the old bastar….I mean veterans…

As a self-proclaimed veteran player of the Smash Brothers series, I thought I would give my four cents (since my opinion is twice that of the normal blowhard) on its controls, anger inducing online lag, and overall feel. Although some of this gibberish might have been spat at you before, this time it comes with twice as much offensive diatribes. Before I delve face first into the unfilled swimming pool that is internet criticism, I would like to say that I like the game. In fact, there was no way I could not enjoy the game. In my book it hovers between a 9 and 10, oscillating like a fine sine curve. Regardless, it still has potential issues for the old bastards out there.

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Pick your poison in Brawl, no guarantee it won’t suck.

Let me being by pointing out that I spent a lot of time on Super Smash Bros Melee. I was still playing the game a couple of weeks ago, let me just be that open on this. I spent some time playing Brawl tonight, using the Wii Classic Controller, and I just don’t like it. Somehow, playing the game with the Gamecube controller’s lopsided button pattern feels so natural to me now that the more traditional symmetry of the Classic Controller does nothing but confuse me. I find myself looking at the controller constantly and asking myself, “wait, which one attacks again?” It’s that bad. It took me a good fifteen seconds just to learn how to move my character and jump.

I’ll be trying it with a Wavebird next, and if that doesn’t do it, I’ll be back to a standard wired Cube controller (saved one of those) with an extension cable. I’ll have rumble with that last option, which would be nice. I don’t expect I’ll even try the Wii Remote/Nunchuk configuration.

This isn’t enough to make me back off my demand for custom controls in all games, mind you. It just needs someone to italicize the disclaimer that lots of options in controls means one or more of those ideas may simply not work for you. Suck, perhaps, was a strong word, but it sprang to mind. Sorry if I hurt your feelings.

See also:
Custom controls in Brawl!
RE4 Wii Edition Proving the Custom Controls Plea.
I want to customize controls on my Wii.

Check out my new morph ball tattoo.

While it’s not my first tattoo, I have to say this morph ball tattoo I got yesterday is my first gaming tattoo, and probably not my last. If you have a tattoo, or know someone who does, you already know they can be addictive. I was fortunate enough to have a relative who’s a tattoo artist and enjoys giving tattoos as gifts. A real pro, she made the three hour sitting breeze right by.

The design for this tattoo comes from the original Metroid Prime concept art, which is unlockable on the game disc. I considered a few pieces before this one, and figured this one would translate well. I eventually want to get one of Ridley, but the kind of detail that would likely require would mean it would have to be a huge tattoo. That would be a bit much.

See also:
Do not feed the metroids.
Leave Luck To Heaven - Crazy Gamer Tattoo
Get your gamer ink on.
Metroid Hatchling Tattoo

DDR Dance Pads restocked, extra pads for Hottest Party now available.

Dance Dance Revolution fans take note, as Konami has announced that they’ve restocked their dance pads for their line of DDR games. Additionally, the series’ latest incarnation, Hottest Party on Wii, now has pads available for purchase without the game for those who want to play multiplayer. Previously, I think you could use the DDR Mario Mix pad from the Gamecube era, but don’t take my word for that.

Source: Konami

Dance Dance Revolution Controller (Dance Pad) for Nintendo Wii‚Ñ¢ ($39.99)
Dance Dance Revolution Controller (Dance Pad) for PlayStation®2 ($29.99)
Dance Dance Revolution Controller (Dance Pad) for Xbox 360‚Ñ¢ ($39.99)

Thrustmaster surprises with new wireless Gamecube controller.

Now why on earth would a peripheral manufacturer decide to produce a wireless Gamecube controller? An attempt to unseat an industry phenomenon like Nintendo’s Wavebird? There’s an obvious answer. Nintendo’s Wii console boldly sports 100% reverse compatibility with Gamecube software and nearly all Gamecube hardware. Thrustmaster’s designed their controller, the T-Wireless NW, to take the place of a Wavebird, but they’ve formed it to make you think of it as an alternative to the Wii’s optional Classic Controller. You see, more of the Wii games that use a traditional control input support the Gamecube controller than the Classic Controller, one significant example being Metal Slug Anthology. So by going this route, Thrustmaster has made a very wise choice, and one I find very tempting.

IGN’s review of the device is very positive, and they give it a 9 out of 10. Unlike the Wavebird, it has rumble, which can be turned on or off. Lastly, there’s the news from NintendoWiiFanboy that the controller’s dirt cheap at Dell.com. Yum.

Source: IGN via NintendoWiiFanboy.

Capcom store marks certain items, including Zack & Wiki, down 15% for the Holidays.

Now may be the time to stock up on everything Capcom, because their online store is boasting a 15% discount through the Holiday season on everything in a special Hot Deals category. Well, not now exactly, but starting tomorrow. Some included items include titles that are now out of print, but are still available while they last.

In addition to fun stuff like Resident Evil 4, Dead Rising, and Phoenix Wright, there are some really cool games that you might have missed like Godhand and killer7, and even some really high-quality Street Fighter and Darkstalkers figurines. Again, some older titles are available in LIMITED quantities, and when they

Ancel refers to BG&E’s Jade in future tense in NP interview.

Saturday, October 27th, 2007

A somewhat gentle interview in the latest Nintendo Power magazine with legendary game designer Michel Ancel, best known for his creation Rayman, has an interesting number of questions devoted to the game Beyond Good & Evil. While the introduction points out that Ancel’s current project is secret, and the interviewer refers to BG&E and its concepts in the past tense, Ancel speaks of the concepts and the protagonist in tenses that seem to imply that, at the very least, he has not abandoned the idea of continuing the story.

Yes, this is barely news. It’s notable to those of us who played and loved Beyond Good & Evil though, because we’ve been waiting for the trilogy to continue since its first episode’s 2003 debut, and we’re still not ready to abandon hope that the series will continue despite its poor sales. Click through for exact quotes.

Source: Nintendo Power, Volume 222, December 2007.

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EGM rumor columnist claims new Skies of Arcadia game on the way.

Saturday, October 20th, 2007

Skies of Arcadia was a Dreamcast RPG starring an optimistic sky pirate named Vyse and his companions who struggled to make a dishonest living in the face of an everything-crushing empire. The game released and had some additional content delivered digitally later on, such as additional weapons. After the Dreamcast fell and Sega left the first party thing behind, they ported the game with nearly all its downloadable content to the technologically similar Gamecube as Skies of Arcadia Legends, which ended up being one of the platform’s few RPGs, and if it weren’t for Baten Kaitos, it would have easily been the platform’s best. Sorry, Tales of Symphonia, but you lost me at, “I’m the Wonder Chef!”

My wife and I played a good way into Legends when we had to abandon the game and sell it, a wrong I would right today if only I had the time for another RPG (I still haven’t finished Baten Kaitos Origins, you see). I found the game excellent in many ways, particularly for the positive attitude the protagonist had despite his villainous career. A number of times in the game you had to make a decision, and you got bonuses for choosing the most daring, in-character option. Basically for being the most reckless and fun.

Quartermann, who’s headed EGM’s rumor column for, like, well forever, says Sega is working on a Skies of Arcadia sequel. That would be fine by me, because I’d like to revisit the world established by the original game, despite its ridiculously long ladders to climb. Hm, I had almost forgotten about those weird ladders that went on forever.

I haven’t gotten my EGM yet, maybe it will come today. I recall reading that EGM’s rumor column has roughly a 50% accuracy rate, which seems to imply that they’ve got a little more than dumb luck on their side with these. I know my predictions don’t seem to come true nearly that often.

Source: EGM via Game|Life

Weekend Gaming Score: X does not equal ten.

Sunday, October 14th, 2007

I love to shop for games and peripherals. The thought that I could actually go into a store that sells this stuff and not know exactly what I want on the way in and still come out with something I want in my hands is always a treat. I went hunting down deals at various FYE locations this weekend with no success, but for this issue of Weekend Gaming Score, I’ll talk about what I managed to find today: a used copy of Mega Man X Collection for Gamecube, and a new battery kit for my third Wii Remote, both at Gamestop.

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