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What (video) games are you playing at the moment

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16:15 / 19.11.02

Mario Sunshine is cool, though I'd like a few more different worlds, like the others - snow, lava, that sort of thing. Never mind, it's still cool.

I must admit, though, that I haven't played Animal Crossing in a week and I haven't missed it. It was even my birthday yesterday, and I bet lots of things happen on your birthday, but I still couldn't be bothered. It's just too... chilled? slow? uneventful?

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

16:23 / 19.11.02

System Shock 2... an oldie but a goodie. But I'm about to take the plunge and try to pick up "The Thing" where I left off (as it were)... big big BIG fucking boss guy with dogs' heads and a bloke's face, and another bastard tentacled thing coming through an air-vent...

THIS TIME I'll do it, I swear. I watched the movie again yesterday to get me all fired up. But first I shall go to the pub. That ol' Dutch courage and all that...

16:23 / 19.11.02

I started Metroid Prime last night. It looks pretty awesome, and runs really smoothly. Lots of lighting effects, etc. I'll try to post a mini-review once I've had a chance to get a little deeper into it.

I'm up to 183 goals out of 190 on Tony Hawk 4. This game gets BRUTAL with some of the challenges. Of course, in the bizzare blended world of porn and every other form of pop culture, when you complete all the goals in Tony Hawk, you unlock the Jenna Jameson character. A bit puzzling...

Mario Sunshine is definitely a lot of fun, but I wish there was more of an incentive to clear it out. I have a few heinous shines left to collect (those evil timed red coin secret missions), but I'll probably just give it up at this point. You're right about needing other worlds.

16:39 / 19.11.02

i m back to a dreamcast, my friend lent me it.
with that defunct piece of shit came a million games he got oh so cheaply.

including what was and still really is the legendary tony hawk's
2.

repra-cemented.

16:58 / 19.11.02

If anyone else has a chance to pick up a Dreamcast, it has some of the best games ever, and they're all cheap. Tony Hawk 2, SF Rush 2049 (only for the multiplayer battle mode - SUPER fun), Jet Grind Radio, Soul Caliber, DOA3, Space Channel 5, House of the Dead, Virtua Tennis, Metropolis Street Racer, and more.

17:13 / 19.11.02

I have a DC that shat the bed a while back. Anyone know a good way to get them repairedon the cheap? Some of those games are so good, though I see Marvel V Capcom 2 is coming for the PS2 now...

17:16 / 19.11.02

Come to think of it, if you want a really cheap but good system, there are still N64s knocking about, and there are some classics for that that are going to be extremely good value. The memory cards are a bit hard to get hold of, though.

18:45 / 19.11.02

What would these N64 classics be? I've been looking at picking up a couple more games for it, but most of them seem to be uninspired 3rd person platform jumping crap which I have no interest in.

18:58 / 19.11.02

Well, Mario 64 is an inspired 3rd person platformer, if "platformer" is not too small a world, though it's been so influential that a lot of it might feel very familiar now. Similarly with GoldenEye, the benchmark console 1st person shooter. Perfect Dark, the follow-up, is better, being really much like Deus Ex with better guns and graphics and an excellent multi-player deathmatch.

There are various other excellent 3PPs but if you don't like them in general, I won't bore you with them....

Turok I is a nice little videogamey piece; Turok II is an awesome rambling gothic monstrosity. There are various Mario-based games that are great multi-player, such as Mario Party, Mario Tennis and especially Mario Karts.

As for role-players there are the two Zeldas which rock, and also a few other things like Shadowman. These are just ones off the top of my head.

I'll admit, though, that there's a lot of shit, too. Nintendo finally realised too late that they were losing out against the PS because they'd prevented third party developers from getting access. They then seemed to give licences to anyone and completely lost all sense of quality control.

There's not that much point in getting an N64 if you have another console, sure, but I know people who are still having lots of fun with one.

19:10 / 19.11.02

The it's worth it simply for the two Zeldas. On top of those fridge has mentioned, I'd add F-Zero X - a ridiculously fast, packed, precise racer that, once everyone's got the hang of it, is fantastic fun in multiplayer - and 1080 Snowboarding, which remains the benchmark in its genre. Starfox 64 is an entertaining shooter that's only major failing is the lack of a level select option and if you like a bit of Treasure - and who doesn't? - Mischief Makers is a laugh. That said, it's basically a platform game, so may not be up your street.

If you've got a Dreamcast, you need Treasure's Bangai-o.

19:16 / 19.11.02

Oh yeah. I've just started the Gamecube version of Towny Hawk's 4. It's nothing more than a port of the PS2 version, and an absolutely rank port at that. I thought the GC version of TH3 was poor, but this takes the fucking biscuit. What makes it worse is that underneath the horrific drops in frame rate it's actually a good game. Absolutely fed up with fast buck ports on the GC from lazy publishing houses, I've added Activision to the list of publishers I'm boycotting.

Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!

19:34 / 19.11.02

I always had a soft spot for Pilotwings on the N64. I'm considering getting one for Christmas if the Gamecube proves too expensive for me right now...

20:16 / 19.11.02

For N64 - MarioKart RULES! For multiplayer, that is. Banjo-Kazooie (yes, platformer) was pretty cool. I got a lot of enjotment out of 1080. Also, WaveRace 64 is a load of fun, and pretty much as good as the version on the GameCube (with slightly worse graphics).

20:17 / 19.11.02

Sorry to keep posting, but SMASH BROTHERS was the game that spent the most time in my N64, over all others. If you have gamer friends, Smash Brothers is unendingly fun.

21:36 / 19.11.02

I never got much enjoyment out of Smash Brothers. It was a bit too simple. The designers seemed to be trying to ape the pick up and play nature of Mario Kart, but forgot that what makes that game great is the hidden depth of strategy it contains - no matter how much I or others played Smash Brothers, we never found anything under the surface to make it worth scratching away at.

The GC sequel is such an improvement that you get the impression the first one was either rushed out or purely a toe in the water, a way to get feedback on the premise without paying playtesters.

I'd forgotten about Pilotwings 64. There's really not anything else like it, is there?

22:13 / 19.11.02

Bought an N64 this summer - bags of fun. Goldeneye and Zelda are fab, Zelda especially - surprisingly subtle and involving. F-Zero is mental fun, quite addictive on time attack. But best of all...

International Superstar Soccer 98. Oh yes. Wonderful stuff - not too difficult and realistic, but still a bit tougher than fifa of the era - and no dodgy exploits. When you score in it, against a human or computer, you feel like you deserved the goal. Add tons of tactics stuff and some quite subtle techniques and you get one of the best footy games ever, and the N controller works quite nicely on it.

N64 stuff is available at silly prices if you look around, and some of the games are just stunning. (Many are shite, though, so don't buy them!)

Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!

22:19 / 19.11.02

I remember when I first played Pilotwings 64, I was really amazed by how good it looked back then. It's a fun game. One of the things I liked most about it was just flying around the islands looking at everything. I always like those rare games when you have just as much fun messing around and completely ignoring any objectives you have.

I was reminded of Pilotwings 64 by playing the previous SNES title, which boasts some of the finest humour in games. Basically you have to train to get your "flight license". Each lesson you pass , you get a new level of certification. You have to complete objectives in three areas: Hang gliding, sky diving, light plane and rocket pack. After you get your gold license, someone gets kidnapped by the EVIL syndicate (I kid you not), and then you have to and rescue them. In a helicopter. Oh, and you also have some missles to get the bad guys. After that, you do everything again at night with some extra difficulties thrown in, and then - oh! The EVIL Syndicate strikes again! This time, they've kidnapped some kind of government type, and the best moment is in the end of your mission briefing, where it is stated "Please help! He is my brother!".

So don't try and tell me games never had good plots in the old days.

Back to the N64, isn't Diddy Kong Racing supposed to be good?
I never played Smash Bros on the N64, but the Cube version is one of the craziest games I've ever played.

Oh, and I've just been looking at the Gamecube version of Zelda, and it looks like playing a cartoon! Oh, and in Japan, for some reason, you can get it with a gamecube port of the orginal n64 zelda, and a new updated version. Cripes!

23:18 / 19.11.02

I enjoyed Mario 64 for about 2 hours, until I realized that I had to go through all the levels around 5 times to get some silly stars just so I can progess. Making a player go through a level more than once does not add play value. It's annoying and repetetive.

I wish I could find old N64 stuff at a decent price, but I must live in a part of the world that hasn't gotten the word that the N64 is dead and you should sell all the stuff off cheap. I can still find new copies of Mario 64 going for $60.

23:44 / 19.11.02

N64 emulators are out there, too. I've played a few games on them - Zelda, Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie, etc. Works fine for any single player game, as I recall.

02:06 / 20.11.02

There has never been a greater game than MarioKart. Kart for the N16 was the best, but MarioKart for the N64 is pretty damn good too.

Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!

10:49 / 20.11.02

Trijhaos, are you seriously saying that the couple of times you've been through Mario 64's levels you've seen all they have to offer? Really, generally you have to do completely different things in each level to get all the stars. And the levels aren't usually small. Sure, there are some annoying things you have to do (but in the end, you don't have to collect all the red coins on every level to proceed and beat the game) but going though a level a few times really is part of the fun. Now, my memory might be a bit hazy on this as it's a long time since I played it... but to me, like Mario Sunshine, playing the same levels... really isn't like playing the same levels most of the time. But then... I guess I'm a bit of a Mario junkie.

Oh, and the other day I saw an N64 with Mario, think it was new, for £40. That's pretty good. (And oh so tempting). I think you should ask people round your area what they're thinking, trying to rip you off so bad. I guess you could mail order some stuff pretty cheap.

11:22 / 20.11.02

Mario 64 is wonderful. Half the fun is that the levels AREN'T repetetive to get stars; most of the later ones require some serious changes to the level (such as altering the topology or approaching it with a different hat on) in order to progress further. The first star is the exploratory one, or the one that opens the level up; the rest develop and build on that. Dire Dire Docks is a superb example of that. And stuff like Tiny-Huge World (which is superb) or Tick-Tock Clock are designed precisely so the level DOESN'T get boring.

It's a wonderful game - it all opens up superbly. And the learning curve is perfect.

Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!

11:31 / 20.11.02

A big yes to that.

11:39 / 20.11.02

I've been playing Mario 64 recently too, must a retro bug going round. It's little difficult with using a keyboard but I can see the appeal I didn't really play it when it came I'm usually not that fond of platformers 3D or not but I'll keep playing I think.

Still working my way round Vice City just got my own mansion which is nice, just about to do the Window smashing level, can't work out the biker mission though with the chaosmeter, it doesn't seem to go up?

Been playing Smackdown-Shut your Mouth which seems ok, they're getting better at the story moods but it still doesn't feel quite right, but I have plenty of fun just using the create a wrestler function!

13:23 / 20.11.02

Bear- you can't play it with keys. You need the analogue control. Thankfully, I found a rather good analogue joypad that Project64 picks up perfectly. The point of Mario IS the analogue control.

13:26 / 20.11.02

I keep meaning to buy a controller, I thought it was just me though I just can't use keys for gaming, give my a good old joypad any day.

15:49 / 20.11.02

I got to explore a bit more in Metroid last night, and I'm pretty impressed. The frame rate seems locked at 60 fps, and somehow they've managed to make first-person platforming work. You can swing on a grappling hook, and roll into a ball for Marble Madness-esque action. I've only finished the first couple levels, and poked around the "overworld" a bit, but it's really well done.

I put down Vice City last week. Too hard and not fun enough for me. I had the same problem with GTA3. Plus, I miss the fake songs.

16:58 / 20.11.02

What do you actually do in Metroid?

I played a bit of the demo in the store, and I wasn't killing much shit (not enough) and I wasn't exploring much shit (too linear). Possibly that's a flaw of the demo level.

17:27 / 20.11.02

If the demo is the same as the first level, then yeah - it's pretty linear. I haven't gotten too far into the rest of the game, but it definitely opens up after the first level. There's an overworld, with different paths to take. You lose all your fun gear at the end of the first level, so you have to dive in and try to find it. Some pieces of levels are tantalizingly out-of-reach until you re-equip.

It's possible that the game may get lame, hard, or boring as I continue. I'll keep y'all posted. I guess I'll know if I go back to Tony Hawk for the last few insane goals.

10:16 / 25.11.02

Well shit. I was out and about yesterday and picked up Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask pretty cheap. When I got it home, dusted off the N64 and popped it in, I was told I needed an expansion pak. So, what's a reasonable price for an expansion pak? The cheapest I've found is $25 and that seems a little steep.

12:02 / 25.11.02

Only platformer that I've played in a long time was Ape Escape on the Playstation and it rocked

. On one level it was a 3-D moving camera platformer but it was so well done. You started with stun-club and net, to catch the evil time travelling monkeys of course and you had to run around stunning then and netting them.
But then as you gradually went forward through time, you got gadgets

. Heli-backpack, Capapult and a remote control car, you definately need analog control on this game.
Some parts are very difficult but oh the fun of smacking up some monkeys with your lightsabre and then netting them. A really cool game.

12:35 / 25.11.02

Right. So I'm not exactly sure where to put this, either here or at the Switchboard, as I'm just waking up and haven't had my caffeine yet. But it seems the makers of Hitman 2 have kinda slipped into the same sort of religious controversy that resulted in the Nigerian riots.

This from the BBC:

Shops have told CBBC's Newsround that they've stopped selling the controversial game Hitman 2 after loads of complaints.

In the game you play a man who has to kill lots of baddies in really violent ways. And in one level, set in a temple, the people you have to kill are wearing turbans.

The game says the people in turbans are terrorists, which has prompted loads of complaints from Sikhs who say the game is racist and offensive.

This strikes me as another stupid clumsy religious poke-in-the-eye like the idea that Mohammed would just LOVE the Miss World contestants. Is sterilizing a game about a hitman and his job cheapening the game itself? Should terrorists wearing turbans (how off-base stereotypical is that?) be bumped off in visceral fashion? Are game manufacturers upping the ante on the shock/controversy value of games (Grand Theft Auto, etc) to get people to buy them in droves? Or is this just a video game so lighten up, man.

14:09 / 25.11.02

I've now been playing Morrowind - on and off - for about three months. Judging from the map I've covered, and conversations with other gamers, it looks as though I've managed to see about a tenth of the gameworld so far...

15:24 / 25.11.02

I'm currently playing Thief. It's good sneaky fun, but, as it's from the same people who make System Shock 2, it's filled with giant jumping hissing spiders. Bastards. All I ask is to play a game where I'm not being chased by giant arachnids with spindly legs...

15:46 / 25.11.02

You really need to play Thief 2 after you've finished, Bizunth. Thief had some bad aspects to it which Looking Glass Studios only included to ensure sales in a market pretty much dominated by FPS. Once they'd got a following they made the game they'd always meant to: Thief 2. Incidentally, although LGS sadly went bust, most of their programmers and designers were absorbed into ION Storm, who are currently working on Thief 3.

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