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Megas

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  1. Megas
    Because I realize my iPod is mainly video game OSTs, I decided to make a list of my personal favorites OSTs.
     
    10) Dynasty Warriors 3

     
    As odd as it sounds to have ancient Chinese warriors fighting each other to loud Japanese rock music, it works very well. The Dynasty Warriors series usually does a good job having the music blend with the intense action of hack-n-slashing swaths of enemies, but Dynasty Warriors 3 is the cream of the crop. My favorite soundtracks here are
    , , , , and  
    9) Call of Duty 3 - Joel Goldsmith(RIP)

     
    I remember when I first booted up the game on the Wii(yes I got CoD3 for the Wii and enjoyed it, sue me) and just hearing
    Sometimes I'd just sit at the menu for minutes on end just to listen to it. Made even more epic was when that same theme would come back in the end of the final mission. Of course there are tons of great tunes in this game like , , and . It's still one of my favorite WWII themed soundtracks ever, only beaten by one other game... 
    8) Medal of Honor Frontline - Michael Giacchino

     
    Composed by the same guy responsible for UP, The Incredibles, and Ratatouille, Medal of Honor Frontline is another great addition to his work. Stand outs in this one include
    , , , and  
    7) Marvel Vs Capcom - Capcom Sound Team

     
    The musicians at Capcom were usually geniuses when it came to their older style of music when it came to their arcade fighters. It was disappointing to see the second game set to smooth and slow jazz music(for a fast-paced fighting game '-_-) especially coming off the heels of the first game's OST. It did a great job of finding fitting themes for all the characters whether it'd be based off older games or based off the characters. Favorites include
    , , , , , and  
     
    6) Persona 3 - Shoji Meguro

     
    High School, Teenagers, and Pop Music is usually a recipe for disaster but holy shit does Persona 3 subvert and completely curb stomp that trope. Persona 3 has the kind of music you either be walking around school too, driving to, or just use to sit down and chill. Some of my favorite songs here are Mass Destruction, Burn My Dread, I Want to Be Close, Iwatodai Dorm, and
     
    5) No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle - Akira Yamaoka

     
    No More Heroes 2 was really something. The first game's soundtrack was already awesome, but the second game managed to top it in almost every way, while at the same time it manages to be as batshit insane as the game itself.
    . Other great songs include , , , and  
    4) Super Smash Bros Series - Various Composers

     
    Yes I'm putting the entire series into this category as they usually bring back 90% of the soundtracks from the previous games into the next one. In short, if your a Nintendo fan(and Nintendo makes fantastic music), then you better make sure you have this in your music device, as it has a plethora of music from nearly every single Nintendo franchise(including some third parties like Sonic, Pac-Man, Megaman, and Metal Gear). Too many favorites to choose from, but some from the top of my head are Fountain of
    , , , , , , , Gerudo Valley(Smash 4), and  
    3) Metal Gear Solid - TAPPY

     
    There's something about the heavy sound of MGS's soundtrack that makes it so memorable for me. Every theme fits its scenario to a tee, from the slower sneaking parts to the adrenaline pumping fighting moments. And boy songs like
    , , , , , , and of course the game's  
    2) Final Fantasy VIII - Nobou Uematsu

     
    It was hard for me to pick which Final Fantasy OST should go over here, but if I had to pick just ONE OST to stick with forever, I would definitely go with Final Fantasy VIII. Seriously it's hard to beat a first impression like
    . To go along with it, I'd consider the game's boss theme, , to be the best one ever. And lets not forget , , , , , , , , and . Regardless of your feelings towards the game, the game has an amazing soundtrack, and honestly, if your not even gonna give its OST props, then you are, quite frankly, fucking insane. 
    1) Megaman X - Capcom Sound Team
     

     
    Kinda feels weird to give to the No.1 spot to a 16-bit game after praising the hole bejeebus out of fully orchestrated OSTs. It may be my love for rock music. Megaman X is not only my favorite game OST, it's my favorite OST ever, which is saying a lot considering Juggernauts like Star Wars and Disney movies. Nearly every single song in this game I find memorable and has a place in my heart.
    , , , , , , , ...Jesus the list goes on. Hell even the . All of the soundtracks above I hold in such high regard, but Megaman X has the biggest spot in my heart
  2. Megas
    While there are many moments in E3 that everyone remembers for the really bad acting, bad demos underwhelming hype, there's just as many moments at E3 that are memorable for hitting the right notes. Unlike the last one, this will mostly focus on moments rather than whole conferences, as it was kind of hard for me to find entire great conferences as opposed to bad ones which was miles easier. So without further ado.
     
     
    5) Microsoft E3 2008 - Microsoft's Final Fantasy XIII bomb
     

     
    Microsoft unveils Final Fantasy XIII going multiplatform and comes to the Xbox 360, much to the dismay of hardcore Sony fanboys around the world. Regardless of what your opinion on the game itself was, it was worth it for the complete meltdown of the internet for several months.
     
    4) Nintendo E3 2010 - The Nintendo 3DS steals the show
     

     
    No one expected it but holy hell did the 3DS reveal leave a huge impact. The 3DS was officially revealed, with tons of games and surprises to go along with it, such as getting remasters of Ocarina of Time and Starfox 64, as well as surprise announcements of several third party titles no one expected like Metal Gear(MGS3D), Resident Evil Revelations and Mercenaries, Street Fighter, Kingdom Hearts 3D(Dream Drop Distance), Assassin's Creed(which actually never happened), and Saint's Row(never happened either). The 3DS reveal was such a popular moment for Nintendo despite the steep price point of $250.
     
    3) Microsoft E3 2013 - Insomniac goes to Xbox with Sunset Overdrive
     

     
    Much like the Final Fantasy XIII multiplatform announcement, in 2013 Microsoft announced that it would be working with former Sony developer Insomniac to work on the Xbox One's Sunset Overdrive, again much to the dismay of hardcore Sony fanboys everywhere. However this internet meltdown was arguably more notable than FFXIII due to the controversies involving the Xbone.
     
    2) Sony E3 2013 - Sony Owns Microsoft and Xbone DRM
     
    Truth be told, Sony's 2013 conference wasn't anything special, it isn't the jizz-worthy conference Neogaf says it is. But at the time everyone was still losing it over the Xbox One DRM, no-used game policies that Sony used to their advantage. Sony would go on to announce that the PS4 would allow used games, easy to share games, would be $100 cheaper, and would not need to be always online. So many people were absolutely ecstatic that they forgot about that the PS4's multiplayer would be stuck behind the PS+ paywall.
    Also they released that sick burn moments later
     

     
     
    1)Nintendo E3 2004 - Zelda makes grown men cry
     
    Much like the Sony 2013, Nintendo's 2004 conference wasn't very remarkable either, that was until the final surprise, the first trailer for Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess, everyone exploding over the visuals, and Miyamoto coming out with the Master Sword and Shield.
     

     
     
     
    What were some of your favorite E3 moments? Because I sure as hell know that there are tons I am missing
  3. Megas
    With E3 being about a month away, lets take a trip down memory lane, as E3 has always been a huge even for gamers, as their always prone to both great and just utterly awful moments for gaming industry giants. But for the sake of this blog, lets just get the bad stuff out of the way
     
    Honorable mentions:
     
    UBISOFT E3 2011
     
    The actual conference wasn't actually that bad in terms of game announcements. But then I remember that Mr Caffeine was there
     

     
    5) E3 2012 in general
     

     
    For a showing that was set to reveal two new platforms(Wii U and Vita) you'd expect this one to be great, but surprisingly and unfortunately, it was very lacking. On top of Microsoft still being Kinect heavy and EA being EA, it's really sad when freaking Ubisoft had the best E3 showing that year with the reveal of Watch Dogs(which unfortunately didn't turn out the way people hoped)
     
    4) Microsoft E3 2010
     

     
    Why was this conference so awful? One word: Kinect. Microsoft's E3 2010 conference was the first and most infamous of many Kinect heavy E3 conferences. No one was interested in the Kinect, and none of the games they were showing were doing them any favors. Topped with bad actors, grown men asking the Kinect to put up Justin Beiber, and one of the most embarrassing showcases of Star Wars within recent memory, it'd be a while before Microsoft would be able to have another good conference.
     
    3) Sony E3 2006
     

     
    Many legendary memes were born from this trainwreck. Giant Enemy Crab, riiiiiidge racer! Five Hundred Ninety Nine US Dollars. The list goes on. Not only a weak showcasing of games, but the PS3's price point revealed is what hurt this conference as well as the PS3's launch, which delivered an awful blow to Sony's finances(who were already selling the PS3 at a loss), It wasn't until a $300 price cut 2 years later that the PS3's sales would finally improve
     
    2) Nintendo E3 2008
     

     
    Unfortunately Stong shows 2 years prior wasn't able to stop Nintendo from dropping this turd of a conference. 2008 was a dark year for Nintendo fans, which is inexcusable when earlier that year they release Super Smash Bros Brawl. But they couldn't keep that momentum going, as for this conference they went full-on casual, nearly every game spotlighted were mostly minigame collections, tons of peripherals, Cammie Dunaway and boring stuff like sales numbers. And to top it all off, they ended the show with Wii Music...let that sink in. The conference did a huge number to Nintendo's and the Wii's rep among the press, gamers, and fans alike
     
    The only announcement worth mentioning was GTA Chinatown Wars and maybe Nintendo cockteasing Skyward Sword
     
    It was such a disaster that Nintendo would hold an October conference later that year, formally apologize for the E3 conference, and then announce games that would've definitely been welcome then, such as a new Punch-Out(which is awesome btw), a new Sin and Punishment, Madworld, Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon and etc.
     
     
    1) Konami E3 2010
     
    It was a tough call between this one and Nintendo 2008, but in light of recent events, I feel like giving it to Konami out of spite. Then I decided to watch it again and just though "wow...no wonder they're in such an awful state". Seriously, just watch, this video speaks for itself
     

  5. Megas
    Bored today, so here's another random top 10, this time about video game character themes. By the way, clicking the picture will bring you to the song
     
    10) Theme of Cecil - The Red Wings(Final Fantasy IV)

     
    Best theme song for second best Final Fantasy Hero
     
    9) Philistine - Margaret Moonlight(No More Heroes 2)

     
    It's not everyday there's a villain song that actively rips on you while you fight them
     
    8) Star Wolf - Starfox Assault

    This song's had many arrangements, but I still think Assault's is the best
     
    7) Ken's theme - Street Fighter II
     

     
    This song never fails to put me in an ass kicking mood
     
    6) Guile's theme - Street Fighter II

     
    This one too, but with more America
     
    5) Captain America - Marvel Vs Capcom

     
    But this right here is as American as you can get
     
    4)Terry Bogard - 11th Street(Fatal Fury Wild Ambition)

     
    A good song succeeds when it's both great to kick ass too and to chill out too
     
    3) Zero - Megaman X4

     
    Can't have a list of character themes without one of Zero's million themes. Personally X4's takes the cake
     
    2) Psycho Mantis - Mantis's Hymn(Metal Gear Solid)

     
    Haunting and Iconic. This one also gets a nifty boss theme in Twin Snakes
     
    1) Godot - Fragrance of Dark Coffee - Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations

    C'mon did you expect me to put anyone else at No. 1?
     
    Honorable Mentions:















     
    And billions more I undoubtedly missed
  6. Megas
    Earlier this week Konami, a former gaming giant, officially announced the cancellation of Silent Hills, after a weeks of speculation of the game's unknown status. Around the same time it was found out that Hideo Kojima, of of the last driving forces of the companies, would be leaving the company with Metal Gear Solid V being his last game. Along with that Konami delisted themselves from the New York Stock Exchange. Now Konami said that it was a move made to save money, and they are not in any financial troubles. This doesn't surprise me since in Japan they're also known for Pachinko and other Casino Machines, as well as fitness. But being a gamer, it's their video game division I'm worried about especially since outside of MGS all they have is Pro Evolution Soccer, Yu Gi Oh, and tons of lost IPs
     
    The Future of Silent Hill
     

     
    After disbanding the team of the original developers, Team Silent, and several attempts by Western Developers to make a Silent Hill games, each with mixed results, and the series was in hard times. Many hoped for a grand comeback for the series after the reveal of the Playable Teaser(dubbed PT) however, especially with the team of Hideo Kojima, Guillermo Del Toro, and Norman Reedus, it felt like a match made in heaven. The PT demo alone was considered by many to be one of the scariest games made, became a viral hit. Unfortunately the game will never come to light with the issues between Kojima and Konami. Also the fact that Konami that it would continue making MGS games instead of re-affirming the status of Silent Hills set its fate in stone. One month later Konami said it will continue working on the Silent Hill series, but after everything that's happened, no knows for sure.
     
     
    Castlevania

     
    Last year marked the year the franchises' head honcho, Koji Igarashi, would leave the company. Meanwhile the series was still in limbo after Lords of Shadows 2 bombed critically and financially. Lords of Shadows was a divisive game among, despite strong critical reception, while both Mirror of Fate and LoS2 were unpopular, and after that it seemed like Konami has been afraid to touch the franchise. Once one of the company's flagship franchises along with Contra, MGS, and Silent Hills, the series still has yet to see a new game
     
    Metal Gear

     
    Metal Gear is one of Konami's only IPs left that is still profitable, with Metal Gear Solid V releasing in September, and in light of recent events, this will be the last Konami game many fans will purchase, with some even going to buy the game used. It's likely that Kojima chose to leave the company so he can finally work on something new as for the past 10 years he's worked on almost nothing but MGS. The first thing Konami said after news of his departure broke out was "don't worry, we'll still make tons of Metal Gear games!". As a huge fan of this series I should be happy with this news, but if anything it has me absolutely terrified, as I feel Konami will try to milk the franchise and make money off the name alone.
     
    Contra
     

     
    Last major games were download releases, Rebirth for the Wii in 2009 and Hard Corps Uprising for the 360/PS3 in 2011, and the last physical game was released in 2007 for the DS. Other than that all they've been is iPhone ports of the first game. Much like Castlevania and Silent Hill, the former arcade hit has been in limbo.
     
     
    Konami's other IPs

     
    Konami has a plethora of other well liked IPs along with the aforementioned 4. Franchises like Suikoden, Geomon, Rocket Knight, Frogger, Gradius, and Zone of the Enders are just a few franchises loved by many fans everywhere. However, by the turn of the 7th generation, anything other than the Big 4 have been more or less out of commission and haven't seen any rereleases, let alone new games, say for a couple of exceptions like ZOE and Suikoden. Anything new they released were either unremarkable or gained a very niche standing
     
    Hudson Soft

     
    Hudson Soft has to be the most tragic casualty of this entire debacle. The company behind beloved franchises like Bomberman, Bonk, Adventure Island, unfortunately went under around 2012, and all of the company's assets were purchased by Konami, and needless to say Konami has done jackshit with any of them.
     
    Konami was once a giant among Japanese developers and to see all of these franchises go down with this sinking ship, as Guillermo Del Toro put it "breaks my fat, greasy heart"
  7. Megas
    A while ago I made a blog about cancelled games, yet was thinking of a game I wanted to include, couldn't remember. After a session of Halo, I remembered that the game I was thinking about was the little-known "Halo DS". Now you might be thinking "Megas, what the hell do you mean by Halo DS? Why the fuck would a Microsoft game be on a Nintendo console?" First off, it's rare(pun not intended) but Microsoft does put several games on Nintendo handhelds like the DS and the GBA, though mostly it's RARE IPs like Banjo Kazooie, Viva Pinata and Diddy Kong Racing (though even Blue Dragon got a release). It's most likely a combination of those IPs having audiences in the Nintendo handhelds, Microsoft not having any dedicated handhelds of their own, and didn't want to put them on the PSP. Halo could have also been one of those games, but unfortunately the idea never got passed it's pitched stage.
     
    The original pitch involved the game running on a Goldeneye Rogue Agent mod in the Zanzibar level of Halo 2(confirmed by a Bungie employee). The game started out as a rumor when former IGN editor Matt Casamassina said he actually played the build, and later
     

     
    As for why the game was never greenlit, no one knows exactly why except for the people involved, but many speculate that the parties involved, Bungie, Microsoft, and Nintendo. I mean, this involved putting Microsoft's flagship on the competition's platform(and it's not the case with RARE IPs, which were once Nintendo franchises), and would've involved lots of talks between the three. Ultimately, and unfortunately, the terms were never met, and the game was scrapped.
     
    As for the game itself, while it would likely be a step down from the console games, it would probably the closest thing we'd get to getting Halo on the go.
  8. Megas
    The Starfox franchise is no stranger to experimentation, with the original SNES game bringing 3D polygons, Starfox 64 introduced rumble with the Rumble Pak, and even experimented within it's own series, some with drastic changes(like Adventures), and some feeling close to what we expect from the series(Assault), with Starfox Command kind of in the middle, as while it does do somethings similar yet different compared to more traditional games in the series
     

     
    One thing the game does in terms of the series roots is a return to a purely air-based combat, but at the same time it does a different take on it. Instead of arcade style on-rail shooter, the game takes a tactical approach where you where you are given a number of turns(which you can get more by destroying enemy bases) give a select number of characters(up to 4) a path you set towards enemies, enemy missiles, and capture enemy bases, and engaging in quick all-range dogfights defeating enemies and gaining enemy cores, or you engage in destroying missles by following beacons until you are close enough to shoot them down, and with enemy bases, you can destroy enemies to get a chance to destroy the mothership by following beacons and destroying the mothership by barrol rolling into it...seriously. It's also worth noting that a lot of the game's inspiration comes from the cancelled Starfox 2.
     
    For the most part the game can be fun if you can get past some annoying drawbacks. For starters, the game is entirely controlled with the DS touchscreen, including Barrel Rolls by drawing circles on the touchscreen, dragging smart bombs, u-turns, and somersaults via buttons on the screen, which for game like Starfox can be a pretty big pain in the ass at first. I remember when I first played the game I was really turned off by the touchscreen controls to the point where I was put off the game for a month until I decided to give the game another chance, and played it enough to where I was able to play the game easily and enjoy. While I did ultimately get used to the controls, I feel it would've been a better idea to allow control with the d-pad, as I felt playing the game with the touchscreen in general would turn off the people who wasn't a fan of the touchscreen.
     
    One other annoying mechanic is the time limit(ala fuel) given to players for each time they fight, and are shared with all characters and goes into boss fights as well, though you can gain more fuel cells to increase your time limit, and deflecting projectiles can also increase your time limit. Once you get used to it, it's not as big of a deal, but when you start playing for the first time, it can be a huge turn off.
     
    Boss fights are also pretty fun, one of which even features a fight with F-Zero's Octoman
     

     
    The game doesn't really look to bad either, the in game graphics are exactly what you expect from a DS Starfox game. The character designs are serviceable, though for some reason they thought it was a good idea to have almost every female pink
    Funny enough the girl that was pink in the past is now grey(I feel like I'm in the minority that prefer's Katt's new design)

     
    A big change from this game was a bigger emphasis on the story. In the past games, the stories were, while enjoyable, were really just basic, simple, and typical things you'd expect from their games, while the game's main draw was the engaging gameplay. Starfox Command however decided to take a new approach and try to get you more engaged with the characters and the plot. All of this would normally be all fine and good...if it wasn't for how over-dramatic and serious the game takes itself and with how the characters act; the game feels like a really bad space soap-opera with furries(or Gundam SEED with furries)
     
    Basically bad fanfiction
     

     
    The game starts off with the Starfox team disbanding, with Peppy becoming the new Cornerian Army general after Pepper falls ill, Slippy staying with his girlfriend, Falco leaving to go solo, leaving Fox, Krystal and ROB. Sometime however, Fox ultimately decides to give Krystal the boot for her safety(urrrggghhhh...). Meanwhile a new army arises from the seas of Venom, the Anglar army, with it's emperor planning on taking over the Lylat System. Meanwhile, Starwolf becomes wanted criminals with high bounties on their heads
     

     
    As far as the characters go...ummm....well....well Slippy and Peppy mostly went in and out unscathed. If anything they're probably the only characters that really benefited from the game's narrative. As for the rest, Falco, even though he doesn't feel much different from what he's been in the past, does have his own fair share of bullshit moments. Fox and Krystal, however, were beaten over the heads with the stupid drama hammer. Throughout most of the game, Fox is an emotional wreck often begging on his knees for Krystal to forgive him.
    Speaking of which, let's talk about Krystal for a minute. Krystal is mean in this game, often giving Fox verbal thrashings, and even driving Slippy to tears at some points. She also joins Star Wolf and begins dating Panther just to spite Fox. I get that people can become bitter when someone breaks their hearts at points in their lives, but Jesus Christ girl. Another issue I have with this is that it further establishes the stigma that she's Fox's girl, and that's really about it, which was an unfortunate trait she's had since Assault. But one thing I will say it did that Assault failed at was giving a few small touches such as her apparently being close to Peppy and his daughter Lucy(I'll talk about her later), as well as
     
     
     
     
    Anyway back to the rest, Star Wolf is...not as entertaining as they have been in the past. Leon, again, just feels like he's their to be his right-handed man, Wolf rather than a rival/anti-hero comes off as an honorable foe, which isn't bad, but it's still a little lame. Panther picked up a new habit of taking in third person, and it is really fucking stupid, anything he tries to say menacing just comes off as laughably bad with his third person. Katt and Bill from Starfox 64 also return, and are mostly unchanged, though Katt also ghas her share of Bullshit drama as well. Several new characters are introduced as well, Amanda(Slippy's Girlfriend), Lucy Hare(Peppy's daughter and Krystal's supposed best friend), and Dash Bowman(another one of Andross's nephews, though unlike Andrew, he dislike his uncle) and while they aren't the greatest, I did fairly enjoy them, and would be a little disappointed if they were left out of the next game(though I could do without Amanda honestly)
     

     
    One of the benefits of having plenty of characters though is that you get to control all of them. Unlike previous games which mostly had you control Fox(unless you were playing multiplayer), you get to take control of several of the game's characters(including James McCloud!), each with their own unique ships and statistics.
     
    One of the game's best features, something that's been missing since Adventures and Assault, was the return of branching paths and several alternate endings. Depending on what decisions you make throughout the game, you can change the story and the outcome which will give you access to 9 different endings, each different from one another. While whether any of them are any good is subjective, it does give the game high replayability(as some paths are more enjoyable than others)
     
     
    There's no more multiplayer. Nintendo nuked it
     
    FINAL VERDICT: I personally thought the game was really fun, in spite of the learning curve and the shitty story, and I did managed to find a few endings that I liked(thought they're all neutral because I'm boring like that). I do think there is something here if you can get passed the touchscreen controls, poor story and well...questionable art direction
  9. Megas
    A list of the the dumbest moments in the WWE. Nothing controversial or anything, just moments that were really fucking stupid, and not in a good way
     
    Killing the Cruiserweight Division...with Hornswaggle as the final champion
     

     
     
    The Anonymous Raw General Manager Storyline...and the reveal of who it was
     

     
     
    John Cena gets drafted to Smackdown...then back to RAW on the same night
     

     
     
    Katie Vick. 'nuff said
     

     
     
    Big Show Vs Akebono @Wrestlemania 21
     
    No one wants to see Big Show in sumo attire
     
    Kevin Federline defeating John Cena in a singles match
     

     
     
    King Booker
     

     
     
    Spirit Squad
     

     
    There was a time when these guys were some of the main heels in the WWE roster....let that sink in
     
    I will give 'em credit though, it gave us Dolph Ziggler
     
    Corporate Kane
     

     
    Much like American Badass Undertaker, Corporate Kane is a reflection of the real life Glenn Jacobs(the guy who plays Kane). And like the American Badass Undertaker, it hasn't gone over well with fans
     
     
     
    I'm pretty sure I missed a lot of dumb moments, so feel free to add any that you thought was dumb
  10. Megas

    10 Gaming Easter Eggs

    By Megas,

    ATTACK OF THE CHICKENS(ZELDA)
     

    Starting with A Link to the Past, attack a chicken as much as you can and an entire army will get their revenge on you
     
     
    METAL GEAR-VANIA

     
    Have Castlevania Symphony of the Night on your PS1 memory card and he'll reveal the game on your memory card. This works with other Konami games including Azure Dreams, Suikoden, and Vandal Hearts. The Gamecube remake also brings this back, this time with Legend of Zelda Windwaker, Super Mario Sunshine, Super Smash Bros Melee, and Eternal Darkness
     
    CLOUD JOINS THE PARTY(FINAL FANTASY TACTICS)

     
    A sidequest that is activated after finding a certain Zodiac Stone, you can get Cloud from Final Fantasy Tactics to join your party, complete with most of his Limit Breaks from the game. The PSP remake of the game follows up on this by re-including Cloud, as well as Luso(FFTA2) and Balthier(FFXII)
     
    LINK AND SAMUS IN SUPER MARIO RPG
     

     
    Both Link and Samus make appearances in Super Mario RPG, sleeping in some inns before/after(respectively) facing battles with their foes
     
    BATTLE CUTMAN(MEGAMAN X8)

     
    If you have a save file of Megaman X Command Mission on your PS2 Memory Card, you can unlock a battle with Cut Man from Megaman 1
     
    STARFOX REPORTING FOR YOUR MASKS
     

     
    A line of masks in your inventory in Majora's Mask will appear to represent the Starfox crew+Pigma
     
    SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH THE G-DIFFUSER
     

     
    Appearing in F-Zero X, James McCloud in F-Zero is pretty much the same character from F-Zero. Since his appearance in F-Zero X, he's since become a staple
     
    ROOM OF GABEN(HALF-LIFE)
     

     
    The God among PC Gamers has his face plastered in a room in Half Life...which is kind of creepy
     
    RESIDENT GAMECUBE(RESIDENT EVIL REMAKE)
     

     
    In the Gamecube Remake of the original Resident Evil, the MO Disc Reader was changed to resemble the Gamecube(as a nod to the game's exclusivity). Unfortunately since the recent HD update of the game isn't available on any Nintendo consoles, the GC resemblance has been removed
     
    STARTING THE CONSOLE(NINTENDO GAMECUBE)
     

     
    Holding the Z Button with one Controller will make an alternate sound when starting up. Do it with all four controllers and you'll get another start up tune
  12. Megas
    Earlier this week Nintendo finally bit the bullet and finally announced plans to make mobile(though also confirming that they are making the next line of Nintendo hardware, lifting fears that they were jumping the shark). Now while I'm not here to talk about why this is a bad thing, but rather I'm here to talk about what I feel would be beneficial(as well as what I believe would be terrible ideas), as there are many things that can go right, yet so wrong. So So Wrong.
     
    What I want to see
     
    eShop/Nintendo Network App
     

     
    This one is kind of a given, but being able to manage your purchases/Nintendo Network account on your smartphone would pretty convenient, especially if it means a future with a unified account system(which honestly should have already happened by now)
     
    Companion Apps

     
    When I hear the words "Nintendo" and "Companion app", memories of the Gamecube/GBA Link Cable come to mind. While the Link cable was ultimately a flop, I still found it fun and enjoyed things like the Tingle Tuner, and believe it could find more success through mobile companion apps.
     
    Virtual Console
     

     
    While I recall Nintendo saying that they have no plans to release their old NES/SNES/etc. games on Smartphones any time soon(likely because most of their games probably wouldn't work well with touch-controls), emulation has a pretty big fanbase on smartphones, so regardless it would be a good idea to jump on that market
     
    Warioware
     

     
    With the type of games the Warioware series typically sports(quick a series of micro games), it would undoubtedly find a suitable fanbase on the smartphone market
     
    WHAT I DON'T WANT TO SEE
     
    Excessive microtransactions
     

     
    Given the nature of most mobile games, I think it's safe to assume that microtransactions are expected. Now personally I don't think microtransactions are evil
    . However, if Pokemon Shuffle is anything to go by, Nintendo is awful with microtransactions. While I don't expect anything like , Nintendo still has to re-evaluate their microtransaction strategy, or omit them complete(I'm sure everyone would prefer the latter) 
    The next installment of a popular yet dormant franchise to be mobile exclusive
     

     
    If anyone remembers when Capcom announced Breath of Fire 6 to be mobile exclusive, you'd also remember how horribly how that turned out for them. I'd hate to see what'd happen if Nintendo announced the next F-Zero or Metroid as mobile exclusives
     
    Good ideas that'd be better used for consoles and dedicated handhelds
     

     
    Here's another one courtesy of Capcom.
    Remember when they announced that they're big Megaman game for the series 25th Anniversary, only for it to be a mobile free-to-play? Boy did that go wrong.
    Pretty much the same with the reason above also applies here.
     
    Mandatory uses for their games
     

     
    Whenever I think about mandatory companion apps, I think of how well that worked out for Assassin's Creed Unity(/sarcasm). Stuff like mandatory peripherals is typically what turns me off from games that use them(Crystal Chronicles 1 comes to mind), will most likely hurt them if they do implement it.
  13. Megas

    Top 10 cancelled games

    By Megas,

    Earlier today, a game I've been looking forward got the axe. Kaio: King of Pirates was one of several games spear-headed by Comcept and Keiji Inafune(who's known for his work on the Megaman, Dead Rising, Onimusha, and several other Capcom franchises as well as the upcoming Mighty No. 9) and sounded like the perfect game for me(Pirates? Penguins? RPG? Hell yes!). But unfortunately, shit happened and the game has officially been cancelled.
     
    This of course this isn't the only promising game that has been shitcanned however, throughout gaming's history many games have been killed in the middle of development, despite the amount of potential they had.
     
    10) Unknown Disney Brawler(I'll just call it Disney Smash Bros)
     

     
    When you think about it, Disney is probably the one of the very very few companies with a stable of characters more iconic than Nintendo's(which says a lot), which is why I'd be the perfect company to have their own Smash Bros clone. Not much is known about this game other than it was an idea that was never greenlit and this artwork is the only thing we know of it. Most likely it never came to light for the same reasons Dissidia went from being a Kingdom Hearts fighting game to purely Final Fantasy, as Disney probably wouldn't like to see their characters beating each other up
     
    9) Star Wars 1313
     

     
    Another game that was cancelled because Disney seems to hate good ideas. 1313 was a game intended to put Star Wars fan favorite Boba Fett in the spotlight in his early adulthood as a bounty hunter. The game was cancelled when Disney closed down Lucasarts after buying out the Lucasfilms and its assets in 2013. However Disney has said that they are willing to revive the project if a studio with the license is willing to work on it, so there's still hope. In the mean time...hey we still have Star Wars Kinect.....
     
    8) Dinosaur Planet
     

     
    The reason this one is much lower on the list is because it technically still exists.....as Starfox Adventures. At first Dinosaur Planet was originally going to be an original IP for the N64, and was going to be RARE's swan song to the console. However, despite the original game being in near completion, it became Starfox when Miyamoto noticed the one of the main characters, Sabre, looked close to Fox McCloud of the Starfox series. As a result, he asked Rare to change it up into a Starfox game and move development. The game was mostly going to be the same until Rare was bought out by Microsoft in 2002(sometime during the game's end development) and the buyout resulted in the game becoming rushed. In the end, a lot of content was cut from the game(leftovers can be found on the game's code), Sabre turns into Fox McCloud, Krystal(Dinosaur Planet's original lead character) turns into a fox and gets royally screwed over, General Scales(the game's original main villain) also gets royally screwed over, and Arwing sections feel tacked on. Despite it's problems I personally enjoyed Starfox Adventures, however there isn't a moment in my life where I wish it stayed Dinosaur Planet, and I hope that one day the original game has a chance to come into light
     
    7) WWE BRAWL
     

     
    Developed by Blue Tongue Entertainment(Known for their work on the de Blob series and the Nicktoons Unite games)WWE Brawl was going to be different from what we expect from traditional WWE games, even different from WWE All-Stars. Instead, the wrestlers were put into some kind of alternate world with over-the-top interpretations of their characters, beating the crap out of each other in a Power Stone style fight, free from "real world" rules. Ultimately it wound up as one of the many casualties of THQ's financial struggles in 2011(who closed down in late 2012). It still pains me that this game was never made while WWE Immortals and Crush Hour exist
     
    6) The Avengers FPS
     

     
    Despite not knowing much about this game, whether it had its own story or if it was based on the upcoming movie, it looks awesome. Much like WWE Brawl, it was also a casualty of THQ's financial issues.
     
    5) Raven Blade
     

     
    Before working on the critically acclaimed Metroid Prime series, Retro Studios working on 4 different games at the companies foundation, including a Vehicle-Combat game(like Twisted Metal), an untitled Action-Adventure game, a football game, and an RPG called Raven Blade. Development was insane, probably because they were working on 4 different games at once. When he looked at the different projects, he had a peculiar interest in the Action-Adventure game, which would wind up becoming Metroid Prime. The Car Combat game and the football game wound out getting cancelled to put more focus on Metroid, but Raven Blade still had a chance, and eventually got to show it off at E3 2001. Unfortunately the game was cancelled due to technical setbacks and so the could put all of their focus on Metroid Prime. Perhaps with everyone clamoring for a new IP from Nintendo, and Retro working on a secret title, maybe there's still a chance?
     
    4) Dead Phoenix
     

     
    Dead Phoenix was one of the Capcom 5, a set of games that Capcom intended on releasing exclusively to the Gamecube, along with Viewtiful Joe, P.N.03, Killer 7, and Resident Evil 4. Unfortunately it was the only one to never see the light of day, and no one knows why.
     
    3) Lily Bergamo
     

     
    Much like Dinosaur Planet, Lily Bergamo does exist...as Let it Die, and being a big Suda fan I had to put it on the list. Lily Bergamo was first revealed at the 2013 Tokyo Game Show, and it showed a lot of promise. Then by E3 2014, the game turned into something completely different, instead of looking colorful and stylish, it became a dark and gritty hack-n-slash featuring a bunch of half naked convicts trying to violently kill each other. Oh, and the game has been confirmed to be free-to-play
     
    I'm sorry Suda, I love you, but Let it Die looks like complete shit
     
    2) Starfox 2
     

     
    For some reason, despite the game practically being finished, the game was never released and ultimately cancelled. After the success of the orginal Starfox, developers Argonaut went on the create a second game, one problem however, was the coming release of the N64 and Nintendo was afraid of the game getting overshadowed by the new console. When it was cancelled in 1995, Nintendo planned on having the game release on the N64, but eventually Nintendo ultimately decided to reboot the original game instead into the space shooter we all now and love as Starfox 64. Despite the game ultimately being the original Starfox, Starfox 64 reuses a lot of Starfox 2's assets, including Star Wolf, and even more assets were used in Starfox Command.
     
    Eventually, fans have found a full ROM of the game, which can be easily played on SNES emulators. But still the game has a bit of cult following, and two characters exclusive to the game, Fay and Miyu, are surprisingly popular among the Starfox fandom. Hopefully someday, Nintendo can finally release this game(or at the very least, let Fay and Miyu become official characters )
     
     
    Now before I get to number 1, here's a short list of games that should have stayed cancelled:
    - Duke Nukem Forever
    - Aliens Colonial Marines
    - Too Human
    - Ride to Hell Retribution
     
    And now Number 1
     
     
    1) Megaman Legends 3
     

    C'mon, don't act like you're surprised, if you know me then you should have seen this coming. 10 years after the release of Megaman Legends 2(which as everyone should know, ended with Megaman stuck on the moon). 10 years fans have been begging to see a sequel. 10 years later they're prayers would finally be cancelled. A few months later Keiji Inafune(One of Megaman's leading forces) leaves Capcom on bad terms. Then Capcom announces a Prototype demo for the game in order to gauge interest. Then Capcom cancels the game, without releasing said prototype. Then Capcom would blame fans for the game's cancellation....
     
    Yeah you can see how well that went. The game's cancellation is still to this day considered one of the most unpopular moves Capcom has ever made, as well as prove to one of the company's biggest PR nightmare. Fans eventually made a 100,000 Facebook page in hopes of getting the game resurrected, and has already passed it's initial goal. While many Megaman games have been cancelled leaving fans sour, Legends 3's cancellation still hurts the the most
     
     
    Keep in mind that this is really a personal list, but I still acknowledge that there are many promising games that were cancelled and people would love to see come to light, like Starcraft Ghost or Earthbound 64, so share your thoughts while I go cry endlessly in a corner
  14. Megas
    *Game review is based on the 3DS version*
     
    Ever since Super Smash Bros hit the N64 in 1999, a new style of fighting games were born. Since then many companies have tried to emulate the Smash Bros style, with games like Playstation All-Stars Battle Royal, TMNT: Smash-Up, Jump Superstars(and its sequel Jump Ultimate Stars), DreamMix TV World Fighters, etc., each with varying degrees of success.
    By 2011, the higher ups thought it would be a good idea to make a Smash-style fighter featuring various characters from Cartoon Network's line-up, and on paper it does sound like a pretty awesome idea.
     
    Unfortunately the execution left a lot to be desired.
     

     
    The game starts with your standard modes with Story and Battle modes, as well as an Options menu and Vault(where you can view records, character stats, movies, etc.). The Battle mode has a normal and custom mode, and can be played between friends and/or CPU. Despite the game being a multiplayer heavy game(like most fighters are), there's not an option to play online, so you better hope you have friends that have this game and are willing to play this with you.
     
    The game's visuals are nothing really to write home about, though there isn't really anything wrong with them either. The games follows the character designs fairly well, and seeing some of the different show's worlds recreated in 3D is pretty neat to see.
     

     
    The game's music moves between dull and generic to outright non-existent. Even when I played the game with headphones and having the 3DS at full blast, I could barely hear any of the game's music, and if I did, it would be nothing worth noting. The game also features voice acting, but unfortunately hearing them yell the same lines over and over can be grating, especially considering some of the characters don't have their original voices. On the bright side, the ever awesome George Lowe(Known for Space Ghost Coast to Coast fame), and he sounds as great as ever(despite a few cheesy lines.)
     
    The story is pretty much what you expect from almost any other crossover: A bunch of characters are bunched together and must travel into each other's worlds in order to beat the bad guy. One thing I'll give this game over Smash is that it actually used the character's universes to the story's advantage(which was one of my main problems with Subspace Emissary). Unfortunately it is also here where the game's biggest problems start to unravel. The story is mainly played through a series of platforming fighting several enemies along the way, the controls feel slippery and awkward. Jumping would feel loose and slippery and fighting enemies proved to be nuisance do to poor hit detection. There would also be moments where that moved you away from the main gameplay and placed you in different gimmicks like turret sections, cannon sections, slingshots, and etc. And for some reason the cutscenes aren't animated, and feel like they were poorly made through MS Paint
     

     
    Going back to the main gameplay, it definitely feels like a Smash Bros game, but if feels like one if it had all of the precision, effort, and fun removed. Again, the controls feel very slippery and clumsy. Much like Smash, damage is determined by percentage and the more damage you receive, the farther you'll be knocked back. The game also features Super Attacks(like Final Smashes) that can be initiated by filling up a power bar(like PSASBR) that's filled by obtaining these power gems that appear after an opponent is attacked. Activating the attack then initiates a cutscene of the character using the attack, rather than the character using the attack in game(like in SSB or PSASBR), which can get very old and annoying quick. Also, for some reason, rather than having the camera zoom far enough to see all the characters(like Smash and PSASBR) it's zoomed into the character your using instead, which makes following your opponents a pain since more likely than not you won't have enough time to detect your enemy's attacks. Also one thing that's expected to see in a fighting game is too see your enemy's status, in this game you only have access to your own status and one opponent's status, fighting multiple enemies and the enemy status will alternate when ever the opponent on your screen is KO'd, which makes detecting opponent's progress difficult on top the camera issues.
     
    The roster feels feels really small and underwhelming despite some notable fan favorites. The roster mainly features 18 characters from the "Golden Age of Cartoon Network" with characters like Bloo and Mack, Dexter, Grim, Billy and Mandy, Numbah One, Samurai Jack, all 3 Power Puff Girls, as well as some more recent characters Flapjack, Chowder, and Ben Tennyson and even features Captain Planet. Despite having some notable fan-favorites, the game also has various glaring omissions:notable shows include Ed, Edd N' Eddy, Courage, Johnny Bravo(who was included in PS360Wii Port), Scooby Doo, Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi, Juniper Lee, Megas XLR(personal Bias ), Generator Rex, Symbionic Titan, and most notably Adventure Time and Regular Show(the game appeared after these two aired, and in a year where the 2 hit their stride), and even Toonami's Tom. The console port bumps the roster up to 26, but the only character worth noting was Johnny Bravo as all the other characters appeared in the 3DS game as bosses(and are from shows already repped)...also apparently it was a better idea to have a second version of Ben 10 as a playable character
     
    The characters also play like Smash Bros characters, each character has 4 normal and special attacks, several air attacks, grabs(though grabbing opponents feel sloppy), blocking and dodging. Unfortunately the roster is unbalanced with some characters being overpowered and having unfair advantages over others(Ben 10's side special in particular is ridiculously strong)
     
    There's potential for a good game here, but there's a ton here that needs to be fixed before that can happen. Instead it's a very unsubtle Super Smash Bros clone that lacks the polish and excitement that that series is known for. From what I've heard. the console version addresses a couple of issues I had with the game(Online, display for all fighters, etc.) but until I try that version for myself, I'm still not sold
     
    Final Verdict: I can only recommend this game to those who are huge Cartoon Network fans(added that it's pretty cheap), and even then it's a hard sell, especially with the limited roster. Otherwise your better off sticking to Super Smash Bros(or PSASBR if you like the Smash style, but aren't sold on Nintendo characters)
     
     
     
  15. Megas
    15 years today, marked the release of the Playstation 2, and the rest is history. After the runaway success of the PS1, the PS2 went on to surpass its predecessor to great lengths and would become the best selling console ever made. There were many things that helped the system become such a success, like the ability to play DVDs, but what everyone remembers the most, is its ridiculously extensive strong library of games, which helped cement it as many people's all-favorite consoles.
     
    METAL GEAR -

     
    Metal Gear Solid was critically acclaimed when it was released on the PS1, and the series would continue on its success with the sequels on the PS2, MGS2: Sons of Liberty and MGS3: Snake Eater, both of which were as critically acclaimed as the first(despite people's problems with Raiden). They eventually released an "Essentials" collection which included the Substance and Subsistance(updated versions of MGS2&3) as well as a rerelease of MGS1
     
    FINAL FANTASY X

    Final Fantasy help greatly with the PS1's success, and the series would continue with FFX, which attempted to differentiate itself from its PS1 predecessors. FFX would be the first game in the series to use voice acting(which most would've probably been happier without) as well as a conditional turn system, in place of the ATB system used since FFIV(and would be used in many future JRPGs like Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon, Megaman X Command Mission, etc.). FFX would also be the last Final Fantasy game that it's creator Hironobu Sakaguchi would be involved.
     
    Also it would be the first FF to spawn a direct sequel which was....yeah.
    Unfortunately I never played FFXII
     
    Kingdom Hearts
     

     
    You'd think a crossover featuring Disney and Final Fantasy would be really stupid, but in a game that shocked everyone, it turned out to be fantastic, and one of the most beloved game series ever. I plan on replaying the series in anticipation for Kingdom Hearts III
    God of War
     

     
    God of War comes from the heels of Twisted Metal creator David Jaffe, and would eventually become one of Sony's biggest IPs. Also like Twisted Metal, God of War kicks ass....
    Despite starring an A-Hole of a protagonist
     
    Persona
     

     
    While the series has been going on since the PS1, it wasn't until the PS2 where the series began to get noticed with Persona 3, and I'm very glad it caught on, as it would become one of my favorite JRPG franchises ever.
     
    Sly Cooper

     
    While Sucker Punch made a game before, the Sly Cooper series is what really got them noticed. The series was a stealth-platformer with a cast of lovable characters and was ridiculously fun. While the series went on a hiatus until some time in 2013 where they finally got a sequel. I never got to play, but I've heard that while it's not made by Sucker Punch, it's got the same amount of love and effort as the other games had
     
    Ratchet and Clank

     
    After Sony had the genius idea of selling Spyro off to Activision(/s), Insomniac moved on to develop the Ratchet and Clank series, with a whopping 4 games on the PS2, each as every bit as awesome as the Spyro series. The series has still continued on through to the PS3 and is still going strong
     
    Odin Sphere

     
    A hidden gem among the PS2's library. It's one of the most beautiful PS2 games out there using it's 2D artstyle to it's full advantage, as well as utilizing it's RPG playstyle well. The game's story plays through five different stories following the five main characters, each with Unique struggles and gameplay styles that make them each worth playing
     
    God Hand
     

     
    The game that made everyone hate IGN more than they already did, as well as Clover's swan song and Shinji Mikami's final game under Capcom. God Hand is a ridiculously silly beat-em-up and it kicks ass. Seriously, if you haven't played it you should.
     
    Okami
     

     
    Another underrated gem by the gents at Clover, and Hideki Kamiya's final Capcom game. Okami was Capcom's answer to the Legend of Zelda series, and is just as good as any Zelda title(if not better than some). If you haven't played it yet, you should, and there's really no excuse(it's available on the Wii and the PS3 via PSN)'
     
    Dragon Ball Z Budokai 3
     
    http://img.gamefaqs.net/box/9/0/4/59904_front.jpg
     
    The Dragon Ball Z Budokai series is really well liked among fans, but many(myself included) consider this to be the best in the series, even going as far as to say it's the best game in the series. Hell this game is worth getting
    (which you can't hear in the HD version unfortunately) 
    Smackdown! Here Come's the Pain
    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fb/WWESmackDownHereComesThePain.jpg
     
    Surprising considering this is a sports game, but I was absolutely surprised when I tried this out, as it would eventually be one of my most favorite WWE games ever, featuring the best of the WWE's roster, and a surprisingly fun career mode. Wish whoever was developing the games now would look back on this game to see how to make the current games as great as this
     
    Also it has The Undertaker Chokeslaming John Cena on the cover
     
     
    Since this is a blog post commemorating the PS2, and I know I didn't include some notable fan favorite games like Devil May Cry, Jak and Daxter, Xenosaga, and the TEAM ICO games(Ico and Shadow of the Colossus), why don't you share some of your favorite games on the console
  17. Megas
    Title is pretty self explanatory. After Square-Enix's troll-tastic reveal yesterday about Final Fantasy VII is returning to the PS4(only for it to be a port of the more inferior PC version in HD...which won't do anything). Ever since their little PS4 tech demo back in 2005, people have been clamoring for a FFVII remake for ages now, and for good reason, as there are plenty of things that could do good for the game, the Final Fantasy franchise, and Square Enix themselve, if they ever decide to remake it
     
    1) The game's visuals have aged horribly
     

     
    I'm not gonna mince words here, while the CGI cutscenes still look alright, the in-game visuals look fugly. The blocky style of the characters just look weird and jaggy, and it doesn't help with the story, which itself is pretty serious. The
    shown in 2005 obviously shows that the game could use the visual upgrade, especially, again, with the more serious tone of the story. 
    2) The Game could use a new translation
     
    Early games never really had the best translations, especially in regards to Final Fantasy game, like FFIV or FFTactics, and VII is no exception. Translation errors galore, like "I see. So that'll how you'll fool them" or "Bizzarro Enegy" and who can forget "This guy are sick"?
     
    3) It would make Squeenix tons of money
     
    Obvious reason is obvious. Final Fantasy VII is insanely popular, often credited for the JRPG boom around the PS1/PS2 era. Sure it'll cost a lot to make(the original game is the 4th most expensive game made, behind GTAV, CoDMW2, and Destiny), but everyone can guarantee that it'll make it's money's worth and then some. If they never make the game, that'll just prove that Squeenix hates money.
     
    4) It could help the Final Fantasy franchise recover
     
    Lets be honest here, this generation hasn't been kind to Final Fantasy. Between the divisive reception of Final Fantasy XIII(along with two unwanted sequels), the poor launch of FFXIV, the negative reaction to the FFVI port on the iOS, no localization for Type-0(thankfully that's actually being released this gen)and the disaster that was All The Bravest, Final Fantasy has seen better days. I mean it's sad when the best received Final Fantasy games this generation were spin-offs, granted they were awesome like Dissidia and Theatrhythm, but the main series sure did take the beating. While FFXV and the HD update of Type-0 look promising, seeing Squeenix fully remake VII with the quality we expect would definitely help reinvigorate faith in the franchises
     
    5) Would be a good appitizer before FFXV
     
    Of course, assuming FFXV DOESN'T take for ever to come out, a remake of FFVII would definitely keep people occupied before the game ever comes out
     
    6) They could tie in Crisis Core and Advent Children
     
    This is probably just another way of me saying that I want Crisis core, but I would love it if they remade the game, that they could also tie in Crisis Core and/or Advent Children in some way(even if AC wasn't the best movie out there). Hell, maybe they could include Dirge of Cerberus too, even if that game could use some fixing
     
    7) It can use a few touch ups to the story
     
    And what I mean by that is that they could do some changes to the story that would otherwise be beneficial to the game's overall story. A good example of what I mean
     
     
     
     
     
    While some people often decry FFVII of being an overrated title(personally I think it's a great title, even though it's my least favorite of the PSX trilogy), it's hard to deny the impact the game's had on the industry. It's still a legendary title, but unfortunately it hasn't stood well against the test of time. And ultimately I feel a remake would be a great thing to happen, Square Enix would get some profit from the game, and the game itself would be completely revamped into something both older fans and newcomers can enjoy
  18. Megas
    Characters have always been one of the biggest things in Super Smash Bros, and with the Wii U version coming right around the corner, I figured it was time to look back at all of the characters we’ve seen in this series, more specifically, the newcomers of each game. What qualifies as a newcomer is a new character whose been added to the series roster whether as a hidden character or the starting roster. Since this is about newcomers, this list won’t include the first 8 original Smash characters(Mario, Donkey Kong, Link, Samus, Yoshi, Kirby, Fox and Pikachu.), but I will count the secret characters in Smash 64, and most of the characters here are there for their impact, whether it be for Smash or for Nintendo in general. Now, without further ado
     
    5) Mr Game and Watch
     

     
    There’s a really irresistible charm about Mr Game&Watch, whether it be his bizarre fighting style or his general goofiness. But in all Mr Game and Watch was the character that started a trend of weird characters appearing within each game(otherwise known as WTF characters in the Smash Bros fandom), with other characters like ROB, Wii Fit Trainer, and Duck Hunt Dog joining Mr. G&W. While some may argue that Ness was the first WTF character to his obscurity, but Mr. G&W was the true leader in weirdness….speaking of Ness…
     
    4) Ness and Lucas(Earthbound and Mother 3)
     

     
    Included both Ness and Lucas since they’re both here for pretty much the same reason. To put it simply, Ness and Lucas’s appearances in Super Smash Bros is one of the biggest contributors to the Mother series’ popularity in the US. Before SSB64, hardly anyone knew what the Mother series or Earthbound was, come Ness’s appearance in Super Smash Bros and BAM, everyone is suddenly interested, with the series exploding in internet popularity, prices of the game skyrocketing, fan translations of the first and 3rd games, and constant petitioning of Nintendo to bring the series to America.
     
    3) Pit(Kid Icarus)
     

     
    Even before Super Smash Bros, Kid Icarus was a pretty popular game(with a solid sequel on the Game Boy) among the Nintendo fanbase, and a game that fans pretty much begged a sequel too. Seeing his inclusion in Brawl brought a lot of happiness to KI fans, even with his design being drastically different from past appearances(cartoon angel to anime pretty boy), and his inclusion must’ve been really well received, as Nintendo finally released another sequel on the 3DS, Kid Icarus Uprising, which was led by Sakurai himself, with Pit sporting a new look. Thankfully the game was well received and sold well, which helped build its popularity(even if Sakurai shows disturbing bias for the series in Smash 4)
     
    2) Snake(Metal Gear Solid)
     

     
    This list could consist mostly of the 3rd party characters since they’re well… 3rd party characters, but if you asked me which one was the best, surprising, most important 3rd party character in Smash, my vote would go to Snake, and no that’s not my MGS fanboyism kicking in. Here’s a brief history lesson: Hideo Kojima and his son Kojima Jr. are playing Smash 64 on a nice day, Kojima Jr asks why isn’t his character in it, and since Kojima is an awesome dad, he goes to Sakurai(whom he’s friends with btw) and asks his if he can put Snake in Melee, Sakurai says ok, realizes that Melee is too far into development, so he says “meh, I’ll put him in the next game” and the rest is history. Whatever your opinion on his inclusion is, you can’t deny that his inclusion had a huge impact on the series. We probably would have never gotten Sonic, Megaman, or Pacman without Snake, and I'm personally happy for it...even if it means we'll now have to deal with Sonic fanboys begging for the entire Sonic roster
     
    1)Marth and Roy(Fire Emblem and Fire Emblem Sword of Seals)
     

     
    Taking the number one spots are two characters that were originally intended as Japan exclusive characters(which I’m glad didn’t happen since Japan exclusivity sucks balls). Marth and Roy were main characters in one of Nintendo’s older franchises and formerly Japan-exclusive, Fire Emblem, specifically the first game and Sword of Seals respectively. No one knew who either of these characters were, but their appearances were insanely well received in America, that Nintendo decided to release Fire Emblem Blazing Swords, the first Fire Emblem to reach America. The game sold very well and received critical acclaim. Every Fire Emblem game since then has been released internationally and continues to do well, and I’m very glad for that. I’d hate to think of a world where Fire Emblem Awakening was only released in Japan, since that’s probably one of the best games I’ve played in a long time.
     
    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
     
    I'll probably make a top 5 worst newcomers list sometime in the future depending on my mood, though I'm less inclined to make one since no.1 is probably going to be Dark Pit
  19. Megas

    In Memory of the PSP

    By Megas,

    I decided to make this in response to finding out that Gamestop is phasing out the PSP by September 1st, and to me it's pretty saddening. I always found the PSP to be the handheld version of the Sega Dreamcast or the Nintendo Gamecube, a great platform with a solid library that didn't do well as it deserved. For all it's shortcomings I had very fond memories of the handheld to the point where I consider it my favorite platform, with lots of games I loved to play where ever I went.
     
    Valkyria Chronicles 2/3
     

     
    Even if it was disappointing to see the series transitioning from console to handheld, the next two Valkyria Chronicles games were still excellent follow-ups to the first game, though it was still disappointing that the 3rd game never got a localized release
     
    Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops/Peace Walker
     

     
    MGS had a pretty strong presence on the platform, whether it be the AC!D games or the PS1 rerelease of the first game and VR Missions, but these two games were the MVPs, with them greatly expanding Big Boss's story
     
    Final Fantasy
     

     
    The PSP saw tons of love from the Final Fantasy series, recieving a lot of remasters from many of the older games such as the first two, the Final Fantasy IV Complete Collection(including the new "Interlude"), a PSP enhanced port of FFIII, and an updated version of Final Fantasy Tactics(complete with added story, new characters, new weapons, and online features; though the slowdown unfortunately brought it down a bit)
     
    Crisis Core/Type-0
     

     
    The series also saw some new games as well, one being a prequel to Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core, which follows events surrounding Cloud's friend Zack Fair(who I found to be much more fun and likeable). The other was Type-0, a game that was part of the Fabula Nova Crystallis series(which somewhat made it connected to FFXIII in some way) and shared similaritie to Crisis Core's gameplay. The game on the PSP was never released in the US unfortunately despite strong praise. Thankfully remasterd releases will come to the PS4/Xbone, which includes a localized release
     
    Dissidia
     

     
    The PSP also saw a spin-off fighting game called Dissidia, and a fighting game with a surprising amount of depth. The games mainly featured the main protagonist and antagonist of the first ten FF games(while the sequel Duodecim included the leads from XI, XII, and XIII, as well as a few support characters). The best way for me to describe it was that it was DBZ with FF characters, with tons of over-the-top and fun fights and a pretty hectic story
     
    Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep
     

     
    BBS is another solid prequel and my personal favorite in the Kingdom Hearts series, which follows 3 new protagonists whom all have ties to several characters in the other series. Anyone who loves Kingdom Hearts should not skip out on this gem
     
    Megaman Powered Up/Maverick Hunter
     

     
    The Megaman series also got some love(something that unfortunately doesn't happem anymore). Maverick Hunter X and Powered Up are some of the best remakes I've played, with them both adding a ton of things to make them feel fresh while sticking true to the original game. It's a shame that they didn't do better, as it would have led to their series getting the same treatment as these two. I can only imaging how great it would've been to see a Powered Up 2, or a Maverick Hunter X4
     
    Tons of Capcom Classics
     

     
    Along with Megaman, Capcom gave the PSP a ton of strong support bring out some of the most strong titles such as Darkstalkers, Ghost and Goblins, Street Fighter Alpha 3(my fav. SF game) as well as the popular Dreamcast fighter Powerstone
     
    Monster Hunter
     
    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a0/Monster_Hunter_Freedom_Unite.jpg
     
    Even though the PSP wasn't such a big seller in the US, it was a force to be dealt with in Japan, an it wouldn't have been possible without the Monster Hunter series, one of the most popular franchises in Japan with a cult, but vocal following in the West
     
    Persona
     
    http://www.otakustudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/perpsp.jpg
     
    With the success of Persona 3 and 4 on the PS2, Atlus wanted to give fans a chance to relive the original games, releasing remasters of the original game on the PS1 as well as the never released in Japan Persona 2: Innocent Sin. The PSP also saw another version of Persona 3, which included the ability to play as a female protagonist and included new dialogue and interactions with the other characters
     
    God of War
     

     
    Sony released two games of their insanely popular God of War series, Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta. Both were excellent games that managed to successfully transition from console to handheld while keeping everything people love about God of War intact. Chains of Olympus also gets bonus points for getting me to actually like Kratos
    Syphon Filter
     
    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/08/PSP-SyphonFilterDarkMirrorUSversion-FrontCover.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d2/Syphon_Filter_Logan
     
    After a fairly mediocre PS2 game, Sony decided to bring the Syphon Filter series to the PSP, deliver possibly 2 of the best games in the series(well, after 2 of course). These two games were great follow ups of the PS1 games and successfully brought modern controls to the series despite them being on a limited platform
     
    It's also worth noting that the PSP was a goldmine for other JRPG titles, and the handheld was also easy to hack which made it popular for a few people, as hacking it would allow them to play emulators and PS1 games that weren't availible on the PSN. PSN also worked well on it as it gave people the ability to play several download only titles as well as the ability to watch movies(also availible on UMD movies), tv shows and listen to music, making it a great portable multimedia device
     
    What did you think of the system? Did you have any fond memories? Any games you loved that I forgot to mention?(I know I missed a ton of great games on it)
  22. Megas
    10 really dumb maverick ideas that somehow got through the idea board. Some are legitimately bad fights here but otherwise they're on the list because they look dumb
     
    10) Infinity Mijinion(Water Flea)(X6)

     
    Water Flea sounds dumb on top of being an annoying boss, but at least he has an
     
    9) Crystal Snail(X2)

    The biggest pain in the arse of the 8 Mavericks in X2. Messing with the shell is fun though
     
    8) Wire Sponge(X2)

    Really? C'mon this is only the second game
     
    7) Split Mushroom(X4)

    Fortunately this guy's power isn't growth. Thankfully he has the funnest fight on the list
     
    6) Shield Sheldon(Clam)

     
    Yeeeaaaaahhhh, Sheldon isn't exactly the most threatening name either
     
    5) Duckbill Mole(????)(Command Mission)
     

    Apparently this is a thing
     
    4) Gigabolt Man-O-War(Jelly Fish)(X8)

    .....Next
     
    3) Optic Sunflower

    To this day, Axel the Red is still the only plant based boss that doesn't look dumb
     
    2) Tornado Tonion(Onion)(X7)

    Capcom was probably really high when they made this boss. Just like they were with the rest of the game
     
    1) Ground Scaravich(...Dung Beetle)(X6)

     
    That's right, you actually fight a dung beetle. Because nothing is more fun than fighting a guy who rolls around in other's caca. Oh, and he's probably the worst boss in the entire franchise
     
     
     
    okay. bai
  24. Megas
    Whether you thought this was a great year for gaming, or think this was one of the worst years in recent memory, between the anti-consumer practices, studio closures, and people not knowing when to shut up on Twitter, it's hard to argue that this year was one of the most controversial ones within recent memory.
    Some moments, however, have left massive scars on the gaming community causing rifts between not just gamers, but with publishers and developers as well. With the year coming to a close, lets look back on some of the biggest incidents that left a scar on the industry
    Wii U's poor sales and shitty advertising and 3rd party support
     


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