The Big Picture: Junk Drawer: Game On

[mesoforte]

Twilight Princess made me cry man tears at the end.

Skyward Sword still leaves me with a meh feeling.

Midna's chatacter is perhaps my favorite in the entire series, which is why when the walking computer was introduced in SS, I started to lose interest. Zelda left basically no impression at the beginning either ( Making me wonder why I was even bothering with the quest.)

I'm sure Nintendo starting the 'peeking in baths' phase of development is interesting, but the it just didn't grab me in enough to be emotionally involved.

 

[RTR]

Now that I think about that, "Gee-ra-him" is a much better way to pronounce the name than "Gai-ra-him".
It's almost adorable how earnest Nintendo is to finally make a Zelda game where romantic connections between people aren't just implied. It's like Ninty just hit puberty. I have completed the sidequest with the item check girl, and it was worth it just for her dialogue. While I haven't finished it yet, I will say the the only true ***** in the game's armor so far is precisely Fai. I mean, when it comes to companions/sidekicks in the series, Midna from TP would've been a tough act to follow regardless, but stil, damn.

 

[Warforger]

I agree with Bob here that it wouldn't hurt to make a peripheral for the Iphone/Ipod (or Android) that has buttons instead of relying on the touch screen. It shouldn't replace the touch-screen, but make it something more 'convenient' for players to chose their preferred input device method for their gaming on the go.

Plus, doesn't the I-whatever have Bluetooth or Wireless capability? Couldn't there be a plethora of gamepads for the I-something similar to gamepads for the PC?

Why do people though think Steve Jobs was great? He had some great idea's he came up from when he took LSD (yah, amazing success story) but it was always other people that created the code he himself didn't know how to code it.

 

[anonymity88]

I agree with Bob here that it wouldn't hurt to make a peripheral for the Iphone/Ipod (or Android) that has buttons instead of relying on the touch screen. It shouldn't replace the touch-screen, but make it something more 'convenient' for players to chose their preferred input device method for their gaming on the go.

Plus, doesn't the I-whatever have Bluetooth or Wireless capability? Couldn't there be a plethora of gamepads for the I-something similar to gamepads for the PC?

Why do people though think Steve Jobs was great? He had some great idea's he came up from when he took LSD (yah, amazing success story) but it was always other people that created the code he himself didn't know how to code it.

People think he's so great because he had some great ideas. No one cares about the nuts and bolts they want the visionary!

 

[skylog]

Part of me can't help but wonder if Fi's blandness was intended to be part of her character. She was created by the goddess for a specific purpose (help the chosen hero fulfill his destiny and save the world), so she's essentially a robot. One without any type of AI to interfere with its prime directive. She is there merely to complete her mission, and when that's over, she ceases to be, which explains why we haven't seen her when any of the other Links use the Master Sword.

I'm sure none of this is true, and I won't be sorry to see Fi go. But it does help tolerate her.

 

[internetzealot1]

I guess I'll just add Fi to the list of things in Zelda games that no one but me like.

 

[SnowyGamester]

I think somebody is forgetting this fellow

Spoiler

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birdo]

 

[ZiggyE]

But Vita has potential and 3DS is god awful, Moviebob. Oh wait, silly me, trying to reason with Nintendo fanboys.

 

[Nurb]

I'm in agreement that over the top sexuality in games and advertising is a bit silly, but I'm a little tired of guys getting their balls busted over enjoying asthetically pleasing depictions of the opposite sex in games. A big chunk of the customer base is teenage boys and young men, and sexuality just happens to occupy a majority of their mind, so you have what you see in gaming.

People that complain about sexism always seem to forget girls objectify and sexualise the opposite sex the same ways in different mediums... do I need to bring up Twilight execs using the appeal of shirtless teenage boy characters to get teen girls and lonely middle-aged women into the theater again? Or that insufferable yaoi phase some girls go through?

Geez, I wish people would stop pretending everyong dislikes sexually appealing characters or advertizements.(not aiming that at bob)

 

[the spud]

Ghirahim is hands down one of the greatest villains of all time in my humble opinion. I love his erratic behavior and movements, they always keep one on edge. Definitely the best Zelda villain since Majora's Mask.

 

[Tinybear]

Most sexist game I've played is actually Xenoblade. about 9-10 hours in, the best in slot armor for the woman is a fucking bikini bathing suit... That is, a BH, and panties. That was when I just said "fuck this game, it ain't good anyway". (and I'm a guy actually, I just felt it got too dumb, and the game suffers on so many other fronts as well.)

 

[Korten12]

I thought Majora's Mask was the first to go into THAT particular area.

And the PS Vita actually did give Nintendo a good kick in the pants when it was first announced. Basically stiff arming its clear monopoly with a visibly superior product for the exact same price.

Agreed. Also if the rumours about a Monster Hunter coming out for the Vita in the 2nd half of the year are true. That will hurt the 3DS.

While there is MH4/3G on the 3DS, and if the MH is a new one and now just MH4. The updated graphics, possiblites with the Vita tech, easy access touch screen/back screen. And plus built in 2nd Analog stick could really help.

Also possibly using the program NEAR to help Hunters get together.

 

[chif-ii]

Dude, that thing with the item check chick was hilarious! Although...

Yeah, Nintendo? Just because you give a character this moving speech right at the end doesn't mean that we'll automatically start caring about them. Seriously, I pretty much just walked out when Fi started talking at the end of the game.

Also, I want Bob's and everyone else's opinion on this; who feels like this game is just...way too Eastern? I mean, the Instructor, that bamboo guy, Zelda's tsundere attitude and relationship with you, Ghirahim (ie, creepy bishonen) - Hyrule has always been a western fantasy setting, and this is the first game I've played that really feels like it was made by a Japanese development team. "Aw man, you got Final Fantasy in my Zelda!"

(FYI, I've finished Minish Cap, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, and Spirit Tracks).

 

[zephae]

Great episode, Bob. These junk drawer episodes are my favorites and they always deliver for me. I just like the way you think in these video Op-Eds and so junk drawer episodes are kind of like when you get to dive into your candy after a successful Halloween night of trick-or-treating.

I'm totally with you on the lack of buttons on the iPhone - there's a great appeal in the whole minimalist aspect thing, but phones without buttons are kind of like using computers without hotkeys - yeah, it works, but it definitely doesn't have the same smoothness and ease that the extra buttons offer someone with a basic knowledge of the device.

 

[Rad Party God]

Well, Soul Calibur has been pretty much the same since... well, since the first game. Don't get me wrong, SC2 is my second favorite fighting game for the Cube and one of my all time favorites, but after playing the first game, the third one in my cousins' PS2 and the demo of the 4th one, I can safely say that the series haven't changed one bit, beyond fighter roster increase and graphical upgrades. You see all those logos of the physics programs they use?, I don't think they necessarily use them to enhance realistic battles... but other than that, I don't care, it's only in Japan and if, somehow, it would be made to this side of the continent, I would simply get a chuckle from it.

As for the iPhone desperately needing some form of real buttons and/or sticks, yup, indeed it needs them. It craves for them. Heck, the only game I kinda liked in my (other) cousin's iPod Touch was Infinity Blade, not half-bad for a Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! clone.

As for Zelda, well, the series pretty much grew up earlier than anyone would've expected and that happened 12 years ago with Majora's Mask, wether you're too busy playing your shitty military shooters to take notice or not, that's not my problem.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

SC Ad: Yeah, we could stand to stop doing sexist ads like that.

Portable gaming: Yes, the Vita does look like a hilariously boring piece of hardware. Looks like Sony still hasn't learned how portable gaming works. Luckily Nintendo is far more responsible with their position than most.

Lords of Shadow: Best to go back to Iga and his reliably great 2D titles. Seriously, HD 2D art on a console would be orgasmic.

Zelda: Now next up, Samus gets a boyfriend. Man, and you thought Adam made dudes livid.

 

[Sir Thomas Sean Connery]

I was fully expecting to HATE this as Bob has had MANY opinions in gaming that have pissed me off.

However, none of these things where mentioned and I must say I was quite pleased.

And the Zelda thing just made me giggle. Maybe now that Nintendo is going through puberty, we can see some NEW games!

 

[daxterx2005]

So wait, Bob thinks Vita is going to flop....?
I was under the impression it was going to out do EVERYTHING the 3DS does (besides 3d obviously)
What gives? Am I missing something? Was there like an announcement somewhere that puts Nintendo comfortably above the Vita?
Last I heard, it costed the same, had nearly ps3 graphics and tons of third party support....
So again I say "what?"