The 3rd dimension the Final Frontier

So you may be wondering what that means.
Every game out now is in the 3rd dimension...and probably some newfangled one as will soon replace that.

Anyway back in yesteryear...1995 one company made a daring plan break out of the lame 2D world and into the futuristic awesomeness of 3D. What they came up with was the amazing failure known as the Nintendo Virtual Boy.

Now keep in mind at the time of its announcement every kid at my school literally exploded in enthusiasm...seriously it was a mess...

The system promised amazing 3D graphics, immersive games and worlds the like of which we'd never seen, and intuitive controls. What we got was an awkward goggle apparatus like thing, strange red and black graphics, and a lot of headaches.

Oh yea this is so 3D

The system was designed poorly and looked very similar to an 80s View-Master. It had to be played at a table, and you could only see the view screens by looking into the device. I say screens because the 3D was actually just two separate view ports, which displayed information on a separate level giving the illusion of 3D. You couldn't even see the controller while playing it was terrible.

The system ultimately failed, and was discontinued only three months later, and has since become a black spot in Nintendo's otherwise glorious history.

Interestingly enough they used similar technology in a future project called the 3DS, and the controller was reworked and adapted into the Nintendo Gamecube two systems with great commercial success.

 

Is this not the most terrifying thing ever?

I Survived the Console Wars

One could argue that this war wages today between the current heavy hitters Sony and

Microsoft...Sorry Nintendo I don’t think you count anymore...

Anyway, the console wars (also known as the bit wars) took place in the early years of the 90s. It was fought between Nintendo’s Italian Stallion, and Sega’s spiky haired fast talking (he didn’t actually talk did he?) rebel Sonic.

Ok so they didn’t actually fight, but oh boy the company’s sure did.

 For the most part Nintendo played a clean game akin to a politician that wants to win with honour, VS Sega’s aggressive mud-slinging with the “Genesis does, what Ninten-don’t” campaign.

Now back then video games were still highly thought of as “a kid’s toys” and as such if you were lucky enough to have a console at all, it was one or the other at the discretion of your parents.

What this did was turn lunch room discussions over which system was better into all out guerrilla warfare!

I wish I was kidding, I remember getting punched over a heated argument as to why Mario would win in a fight against Sonic...An argument I later proved correct 20 years later with a battle in Super SmashBros Brawl...

Ok I’m off topic sorry!

My point was you had one or the other, and people passionately defended whichever system they had. Games very rarely went multi platform either back then, so by having one limited your ability to play games so your choice mattered a lot more. Not like today when damn near everything gets released on everything...does it sound bad that I kinda hate that? I think it just takes away the whole experience.

Speaking of mascots does anyone remember what Sony’s used to be? ;) No Google, That’s cheating!

For more information about the console wars check here.

RIP Nintendo Power

Hey Guys,

I was going to post about something else today, but then I discovered something heart breaking.

Nintendo Power has gone the way of the dinosaur and is no longer in print.

What? What’s Nintendo Power you say?

Take a seat and let me regale you in the history of the Rosetta stone for video games.

OK I’ll stop with the melodramatics.

Nintendo Power was a monthly magazine, which would contain a plethora of information about all things Nintendo. This would be upcoming games, cheats, tips and walkthroughs.
Often the magazine would have contests you could enter for free Nintendo gear. I remember once winning a MagaMan poster, which my brother later stole...

Its first issue was in July/August of 1988, and its final issue was December 2012.

I know I’m a little late reporting on this, but Nintendo and I haven’t gotten along to well since the 64 days.  What can I say, Sony dug her digital nails in me and hasn’t let go since.

This upsets me on many different levels though. It’s an end of an era for one, but it’s another shut door on fond memories. I know I’m lame, but as a kid coming home from school and seeing the latest issue sitting in my room used to be the highest point of each month.

I know you can read all this stuff online but I’m a collector I like to actually have real copies of things in my hand. I know I’m not the only one out there!

In closing I'd like to leave you with this commercial that...you know what, just watch it, it says it all.

Enjoy!

Multiplayer like in the same room? laaaame.

Does anyone else here remember playing multiplayer with people in the same room?

I mean within smacking distance from your friend that keeps killing you, and not with the kid screaming about your mom over a microphone.

I remember getting the new Mario, Mortal Kombat, Bomber Man and King of the Monsters games and I couldn’t wait to have my friends over and play these games together all night.

I still suffer from post traumatic stress because of all night Golden Eye 64 battles... so many bodies....

These were games that were design to be played with friends sitting in one room... you know to encourage social interaction...eww right?

I remember one of the most fun moments I've ever had in a game, was playing Gears of War with a friend. We sat in my small bed room and played that game from start to finish. But the best part was when we just kept getting killed at a super intense part, but we just couldn't stop laughing. It was a great time. I don't think it would have been as fun over headsets in different areas. No Sir!

Look I’m not saying that online play now isn’t fun, hell I’ve had some great matches in Mass Effect 3 and Defiance, but I wish that I could have this same event in one room, with one T.V. with four of my friends.

Life is getting too digital too impersonal nowadays. Rather than being told I suck by some random kid online, I’d rather a friend sitting beside me. Call me old fashioned I guess.

Did I just get a bit philosophical there?

Good god I am old.

Physical VS. Digital, The Final Battle

So I touched a little on this whole digital movement in my last post.

It doesn’t just stop at manuals, oh no my friends.

In the futuristic utopia that is the future games will be available over vast wireless networks. No longer will we need to use polish quartz mediums to store data and... wait... what? It’s already going digital...DAMMIT!

Ok, so as you can tell from my last post I lean more towards physically holding something in my hands. This whole idea of paying real money for something that only exists so long as my hard drive is alive seems ridiculous to me.

Don’t get me wrong I do see some pros to it, never having to worry about a scratched disc, or misplacing it...no wait I’ve never had those problems because that’s why I own a shelf.

I think my biggest issue with the digital medium is that it costs the EXACT same amount as the physical, and I just don’t understand why. In essence you’re getting less. No great box art, no manual (grumble), not even a collectable. (Collector’s editions are my addiction...)

Though in all fairness both digital and physical copies have benefits, and an article I found here does a great job explaining them in a fair and unbiased way... Me...I can’t do that I’m afraid I’m far too passionate on this subject....and ill tempered.

 Ok fine digital isn’t all bad, rare games are usually pretty easy to find...and companies like Sony allow “classic” game downloads, which is an amazing idea.

Speaking of which it’s time to play Metal Gear Solid for PSone (Sony beat you to that name Microsoft!)

We Don't Need No Stinking Manuals!

So last week I hinted at a touchy subject for me, and that’s manuals.

They used to be this ancient manuscript written on high gloss paper. Within its pages these relics held the codex of infinite knowledge... for the included game anyway...

During the older generation of games (Nintendo-early Play station 3 era) these keepers of truth, would contain so much more than just control instructions. Each page would have information on the game you were about to jump into. 

This would be a world history, character biographies, hints and some stunning artwork to boot!

If you’re lucky enough to get a manual now, it mostly consists of about 3 pages. Most of it just legal information with one page dedicated to the controller layout.

Nowadays game companies tend to release manuals digitally on the game disc vs. physically in the game’s package. Companies claim they are doing this to be “environmentally friendly.” This could be true, and I wouldn’t even be mad about it...if the game wasn’t still full price.

Now I know it isn’t that big of a deal, but for me this is just another sign of the golden age slipping away.

As a collector (and a child at heart) I always enjoyed reading the games history, looking at its world map and reading about characters I would encounter. All this would be me so excited to jump in and play.

Pretty sure I learned how to read just because of these manuals...