http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Tue, 20 Mar 2007 22:13:01 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/ Phillip WinnSunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding. Administration0@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/03/20/221301.php Rob FaraldiThe Shout! Factory knows how to tickle gamers sweet spots. They've released a plethora of '80s and '90s video game cartoons such as The Super Mario Bros. Super Show and The Legend of Zelda. Of course these series are hit and miss, but don't shoot the messenger. It's great that a company has the jewels to release such "gems." For those unfamiliar with Captain N, basically he's a simple game player who is summoned to a parallel universe (Videoland) where fictitious video game characters are not only real, but they exist and interact with one another. The hero characters often stay together to defend their home worlds against evil doers hell bent on conquering said worlds. Is there any other way to live? Captain N comes equipped with a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) Zapper and an NES controller. These tools give Captain N the powers necessary to deliver Videoland from evil. Please note, while I can't confirm this, some Internet resources on this series claim that it (this DVD set) is in fact incomplete. Anyway (I’ll take their word that it is complete), the complete series spans four discs which consists of every Captain N: The Game Master episode, 26 in all. As with other Shout! Factory DVD sets I've had the pleasure of viewing, the video quality leaves much to be desired. Each episode has its share of dust and scratches, some more severe than others. Colors are inconsistent, sometimes muddy, but every once in a while you may get a scene that's clean. Jagged edges also appear on characters and backgrounds, but are far less annoying (and severe) when compared to other noted problems. Overall, expect a visual quality a bracket above VHS. The audio thankfully is heads and tails above the visuals. The voice and background music recordings are crisp and clean, just the way fans will remember! The actual animation is on par with other Saturday morning offerings of the time. Nothing to write home, but gets the job done. Apparently a different animation house was used for the last episodes in the series, but fear not, the animation more or less matches up on this set. The episodes are a mixed bag. Some are sub-par that consist of the N Team battling Mother Brain and her minions. These can be skipped. When the series focuses on certain N Team characters such as Simon Belmont of Castlevania fame, the series hits its highs. I never thought some of the most bizarre imagery I'd ever be privy to exists on this set. My favorite episode, where Simon Belmont hits himself with a "love arrow" is just too funny. He's struck with said arrow and the first "person" he views he falls in love with. It just happens that he sees the head baddie Mother Brain. For those unfamiliar with Mother Brain, she's the villain from the fabled Metroid series. She's basically an enormous grotesque brain in a jar with a spinal column, eyes, mouth, tendons, tentacles, and attitude. After Simon convinces her that his feelings for her are genuine, a montage kicks in where they prepare to be wed. The bizarre imagery lies in this montage where Simon, a blonde dashing hunk, is picking out wedding rings and the like with Mother Brain. Fucking hilarious and not to be missed! Nintendo purists may be put off by the unfaithful characterizations of their favorite NES characters. Megaman is green and is missing his famous "arm blaster." The actor who voiced him sounds like his genitals were thrashed repeatedly while battling a serious case of throat cancer. Simon Belmont is a pompous, yet funny jerk. King Hippo looks like he's been dead for a year or two and apparently spent his formidable years in Texas. The list goes on and on. I wasn't offended by altered renditions of sacred gaming icons, but some geek in his momma's basement may be. One of the coolest parts of the series is the main characters' ability to "warp" to other game lands. In one episode the main characters go to a Tetris-themed world, in another they visit Hyrule from The Legend of Zelda series. Interestingly enough, they never run into the largest Nintendo character of them all: Mario. Why the big M never appeared is puzzling, but at least his presence is felt through certain sound effects lifted from the Super Mario Bros. games. Captain N: The Game Master series has its fair share of flaws. The idea that our favorite game characters are alive and well in some alternate universe is charming. Some of the episodes are truly entertaining and are elevated above the average Saturday morning cartoon fair. If you're a fan of the NES and are looking for a cartoon series that was relevant in a time when Saturday morning cartoons meant something, I highly recommend this series. Thirty bones to warp back to a simpler time filled with fun is worth it! Video61256@blogcritics.org Tue, 20 Mar 2007 22:13:01 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/12/10/012917.php Rob FaraldiSonic the Hedgehog made a major impact on the videogame industry way back in 1991. Regardless of what you think of his adventures since then, any character that can last 15 years is special; or at the very least is "respectable."Nintendo got me into gaming but Sega and Sonic made me stay, Sonic made me a hardcore gamer. I love many of Sonic's games so much that I plan on getting a Sonic the Hedgehog tattoo. It won't only honor my favorite videogame character, but also stand as a sort of monument to my commitment to gaming. Do you remember the moment you "went hardcore?" When Sega announced they were bringing the original Genesis version over to Gameboy Advance (GBA) I was overjoyed. One of my favorite games coming to one of my favorite handhelds! This is a win-win right? WRONG - Not only is Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis (Sonic) a horrible port, I'll go there: this version is the worst game ever made. Where do I start? When you power up the GBA the first thing you'll notice is the background music has been changed. Sonic's famous "jingle" has been reinterpreted. Just about every sound effect (if not everything) has been re-recorded as well as the background music. This wouldn't be an issue if the soundtrack and effects sucked, but this is Sonic. The original soundtrack and effects are iconic and didn't deserve to be altered... but at least they fit with this mess. I preferred to play with the sound low, the "new" compositions made my eardrums burst. Bone shards stabbed my inner ear, blood spilled everywhere - maybe I'm being a little dramatic. If you look at Sonic in screen shots it looks like a pixel for pixel port of the original (besides some cropping). I wouldn't expect anything less from the GBA. The little system that could has handled breathtaking sprite heavy 2D (including the fantastic Sonic Advance series), so why but not a 15 year old Genesis game? This game looks like the landmark Genesis original but it doesn't move like it. It's obvious all the bugs weren't worked out of the game engine, there are few moments where the frame rate doesn't drop to ensure maximum lag. Sonic feels like he's constantly moving underwater. Most stages can still be conquered easily until you make it to the Labyrinth Zone where you're actually underwater part of the time. Thanks to the harsh graphic flaw, Labyrinth Zone 1-3 is far more difficult and frustrating than it should be. Graphics aren't everything, but this incredibly flawed engine is the chief contributor to this ports flaws. Had Sega released the original Sonic in this state no one would have bought it. What else? The enemy patterns have been altered too, for the worst of course. When you're a good five seconds into the game you have the ability to jump on a hidden "bumper" in a tree. It launches you in the air so you can collect extra rings. In the Genesis original, you're free to bounce off this bumper several times. In this shit version the second time you try for the bumper an enemy is waiting below. Unless you move you die. There are several annoying instances where this happened.Why do you hate Sonic Sega? Are you intentionally trying to murder your cash cow... err... hedgehog? The title controls well for the five seconds the engine runs correctly. Sega made it a point to mention the inclusion of the spin dash move (first appearance was Sonic 2), which is cool. It should be noted that this isn't the first time a Sonic the Hedgehog port featured the spin dash. Sonic Jam for Sega Saturn holds the distinction of being home to the first Sonic port with the spin dash move! Sadly when the engine slows down the controls seem to be "altered." Maybe it's me, but 99% of the time the title controls like shit. Do not mistake this as a mere misstep. No, this disturbing collection of thoughtless code represents the ongoing disarray at Sega. If Sonic the Hedgehog (1991 Genesis) represents Sega at their peak, this horrendous port, this clear contrast, represents Sega's current state perfectly. Bottom line, even the hardest-to-the-core Sonic fans (like me) must stay away from this game. We need to send a clear message to Sega that we're not going to take this shit anymore. Hopefully they'll listen and turn things around. If not, don't count on Sega or Sonic being around for another 15 years. To Sega: you disgust me. Through your lack of care for one of the greatest games ever you've engineered a new low point in gaming. Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis is rated E (Everyone) by the ESRB. Gaming56888@blogcritics.org Sun, 10 Dec 2006 01:29:17 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/06/24/223701.php Rob FaraldiWhen I was a wee lad, I was quite sure that I’d grow out of my “childish habits” by the time I became a man. It's been a long time since becoming a man and these so-called "childish habits" dominate my life now more than ever. Of course, I've accumulated a few adult activities over the years, but I’m still a kid at heart. Cartoons are one of those "childish habits.” So, when I was given the chance to review the first season of Inspector Gadget (IG), I jumped at it. I hadn’t seen IG since the early 80’s so I really didn’t know what to expect. I was filled with so many questions. Mainly: Would it stand up today? Could I appreciate it as an adult as much as I did as a child? I popped the first of four discs into my DVD player. I clicked the “play all” episodes option and was greeted with the familiar and excellent IG theme song. Then I became instantly confused. IG had a mustache? Huh? The episodes appear in order. The pilot episode plays first and is significantly different from the way we remember IG. The most noticeable changes is the inclusion of a mustache on IG (a mustache which never appears again) and the different voice actors playing recurring characters parts like Chief Quimby (IG’s boss). It’s ironic in a later episode in the season IG wears a disguise that consists of glasses and a goofy mustache! The pilot episode was great. It’s a shame that the entire season shares a similar formula. Gadget gets an assignment; Penny (his niece) and Brain (the dog) have to get to the bottom of each plot while keeping him out of trouble. Dr. Claw (IG’s nemesis) gets angry when his plot is foiled and they do it all over again. The episodes rely far too much on IG’s appeal. Don’t get me wrong, he is appealing. When that’s all you have, it breeds boredom and episodes seem to blend together. Regardless of content, IG’s video quality is generally solid for a 20+ year old cartoon series. There isn’t any grain or color bleeding to be found. Periodically you’ll notice scratches in the print, but there’ve been worse. The majority of the time the colors are bright and beautiful. At certain points when IG cuts to some scenes they appear darker and, in turn, uglier than when IG is “running” at its best. Very strange. The audio is the shining star of this set. The audio is crisp and clear. The sound effects like those used for IG’s different gadgets are distinct and iconic. The voice actors are extremely entertaining and only add to the appeal of the characters. I suspect this series wouldn’t have survived so long without them. The best part of the audio is the soundtrack, which ranges from “goofy music” to awesome synth sounds akin to the IG theme. If I had the soundtrack, I’d be listening to it right now. Totally recommended. As with a lot of older cartoon sets they’re light on the extras. IG isn’t immune to this “curse.” On the fourth disc we’re treated to a short retrospective on how IG got started. There is also an original art gallery and some fan art. It shows that little effort was put in this set and I find that sad. Ultimately, that’s not why we’re here. We’re here to watch a classic cartoon! Still — no excuse. Cartoon sets like IG seem to always be meant for fans first and foremost. Unlike other sets I’ve viewed and reviewed, I can’t recommend this to anyone other than die-hard fans. The episodes are simply too shallow and lack variety. If you’re an IG fan you’ve already bought this set or plan to do so. To everyone else remotely interested, rent this set or watch it with your die-hard fan friends. Video49641@blogcritics.org Sat, 24 Jun 2006 22:37:01 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/06/24/212928.php Rob FaraldiI prefer hardcore music above all else. Hardcore sounds like punk rock (not the crap on the radio) at light speed. Hardcore is usually more aggressive and socially conscious than punk. It's not all about anarchy and destroying yourself. Black Flag (BF) is considered by many as "a" - if not "the" - hardcore punk band. They formed in the late 70's during the heyday of punk rock and continued into the 80's, spawning many fans and followers. While BF had many lineups and singers, they're most famous and popular version was fronted by Henry Rollins. Yeah that Henry Rollins, the hardcore punk guy that was in a Gap commercial a few years back. I prefer the band's work with the other singers that can be found on the album Black Flag: The First Four Years. Most notably the bands original singer Keith Morris that went on to front the excellent Circle Jerks. This tribute album features covers from some solid contemporary bands like Most Precious Blood and Bleeding Through. I'm always a fan of bands that cover "flawed" songs. I consider a vast majority of Rollins era BF to be flawed. I was cautiously optimistic that these covers would be far better than the source material considering most bands would opt to cover "his" stuff. From the first howl to the last scream, this album is an exercise in boredom. Each band sounds nearly indistinguishable. Like them or hate them, Black Flag at least had a specific identity. There isn't a single bright spot on this album. There isn't a single song that I had to listen to 15 times in a row and not get sick of. To say I was extremely disappointed is an understatement. It seems like the bands put zero effort into their covers. Some of the bands have demonstrated with their original material that they can play great music. How sad. If you're eager to discover real hardcore, start with the innovators of New York Hardcore like Warzone, Agnostic Front, and Cause For Alarm. You can also check out other great examples of different Hardcore styles with bands like DYS, Madball, Pitboss, One Life Crew, F Minus, and 25 Ta Life. All great bands, all great starting points for new listeners, they are shimmering examples of the hardcore genre. I'd only recommend this album to the BF fan that needs everything related to the band. Like Rollins era BF, I didn't like this album, so perhaps that's a plus to the fans. Plunk down the cash if you wish, but don't say I didn't warn you! Music49640@blogcritics.org Sat, 24 Jun 2006 21:29:28 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/05/23/162206.php Rob FaraldiClassic compilations are nothing new. It's gotten harder and harder through the years to stand out in this crowded "genre." Twenty-nine original arcade hits on one compilation is how Taito Legends is billed. Twenty-nine arcade hits huh? Not exactly. I guess it wouldn't be attractive to folks if it read "A few arcade hits and bunch of obscure arcade games you haven't heard of." A lot of what made gaming great in the good old days was that whole "easy to learn, a lifetime to master" type of game play. If whatever title didn't achieve that balance it was almost certainly doomed to failure with few exceptions. Taito Legends contains great examples of brilliant game design and horrid failures.Space Invaders, Bubble Bobble, Elevator Action, Zoo Keeper, Colony 7, Electric Yo-Yo, Rainbow Islands, and Rastan are games that deserve your attention immediately upon popping this compilation in your PS2. Most of the other titles on Taito Legends are worth your time too. The Ninja Kids is worth playing for the soundtrack alone, although game play is repetitive. Sadly Operation Wolf doesn't make the "good list" along with a few other titles simply because you don't have a peripheral such as a gun to interact with, which devastates the experience. A lot of these titles are available on MAME. So why spend a cent when you can play em for free? It's illegal! If the law won't deter you take this into account: a huge advantage that arcade comps have over playing illegally obtained ROMs is the fact that they are formatted to fit your television screen. MAME will usually have bars on older titles to preserve the original resolution of whatever arcade game you're playing, which some prefer. This new format doesn't hurt this collection a bit and I prefer it in this instance. I wish they had included more history and interviews about each title in the bonus materials. Only a couple notable games receive such luxury and what they present is largely insufficient. It's easy to see little effort was put into Taito Legends. Luckily the aforementioned titles make it worth your time no matter how bad the bonus material is. I would have paid an extra $10 or $20 just to add more depth to the bonus materials. It's doubtful, but hopefully this glaring flaw will be corrected in future Taito compilations. For the price of a lap dance ($20) you can pick up this charming compilation. It's worth losing five minutes in the VIP lounge to partake in hours of great old-school arcade gaming. Taito Legends is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB for Mild Violence. This game can also be found on: PC, Xbox. Gaming48142@blogcritics.org Tue, 23 May 2006 16:22:06 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/05/23/154721.php Rob FaraldiI own and enjoy OutRun 2 and Burnout 3 on the Xbox. They were released around the same time, and of course the excellent Burnout 3 got a majority of praise and attention. I, as usual, (unintentionally this time) went against the grain and voiced my support and preference for the amazing OutRun 2. Call me old-fashioned, but I love 1990's polygonal racers that debuted on Sega's Model 2 and 3 arcade boards. Think Daytona USA, Sega Rally Championship, Super GT, and the like. OutRun 2 is a welcome throwback to that charming era. While OutRun 2006 Coast 2 Coast is more than solid, it doesn't offer anything beyond those other titles as far as innovation. I had high hopes that OutRun 2006 would expand and innovate on OutRun 2's sturdy foundation. Unfortunately, however, OutRun 2006 doesn't offer anything new in terms of game play. If you've played OutRun 2, or pretty much any Sega arcade racer from the mid 90s, you've played this. While that might put some folks off, I see it as a distinct advantage considering there really isn't anything else like it on the market currently. If you love power slides and taking turns at 200 MPH, this is the game for you. If you're more concerned with tire pressure, then don't give this title a thought. The controls are tight and responsive. I've always preferred the Type S controller for racing games. The left and right triggers work so well. The left trigger represents the brakes while the right trigger is for the gas. The left analog stick is for steering. The controls are easy to come to grips with, but by no means is that an indication that this is a simplistic racer. Slightly tilt the analog stick left or right and your car will respond in the same way as if you were turning a steering wheel. Power slides can be pulled off with authority due to the aforementioned triggers. If you don't master the power slide you won't master OutRun! Simple controls to learn, a lifetime to master, just the way I like it. The graphics are beautiful. OutRun 2006 not only benefits from a blazing engine that run at 60 frames per second, but it's one of the only racers in the Xbox/PS2/Gamecube generation that sports beautiful car models along with fantastic background designs. This is one of the few games I enjoy observing as much as I do playing (for now anyway). The visuals in this title are more satisfying than the bland, jagged, realistic visuals in titles such as Project Gotham 3 on Xbox 360, which only runs at 30 frames per second (you can send your hate mail directly to me). The fantastic choice of color and design in the backgrounds along with awesomely rendered Ferraris make OutRun 2006 a visual tour de force. That statement is not made lightly. It's unfortunate that the audio doesn't quite match the visuals. Effects such as engines running and cars crashing are well done and perhaps too realistic for this fantasy racer. The soundtrack is extremely limited and all of the tracks from OutRun 2 return. Sega seems to neglect racing/driving game soundtracks for whatever reason. Remember the four songs that would cycle through while playing Crazy Taxi on the Dreamcast? In the future please include a larger soundtrack Sega! It's not that the audio is bad; it's just far too limited, especially for people seeking to unlock all the different game modes. OutRun 2 was a fairly barebones arcade conversion. Fans didn't complain at the time because there was doubt that OutRun 2 would even be ported to the Xbox! OutRun 2006 certainly shines in the features department. You can play the OutRun 2 and OutRun 2 SP arcade experiences if you'd like, which is great for folks that don't have the desire or time to unlock paint jobs and extra audio tracks. Or you can play through a single-player campaign and unlock cars, paint jobs, challenge stages, and more. I found myself playing through OutRun 2 SP a majority of the time in OutRun Mode. It allows you to race through every stage the game has to offer enabling you to view every wonderful background in a single race. If that's not for you, you can still race through the novel branching path system. Major thumbs up to the OutRun Mode, the most significant addition to the series. I cannot comment on how faithful the arcade conversion is as I've never encountered an OutRun 2 SP cabinet. OutRun 2 and OutRun 2 SP run on the Chihiro board, which is a modified Xbox, so I assume it's pretty spot on. OutRun 2 on Xbox is definitely a faithful port of the OutRun 2 arcade game. Arcade perfect or not, it's still very pretty. I'll assume casual gamers won't know or care anyway. In Xbox Live play, you will be competing against five other drivers in OutRun, Time Attack, and Heart Attack modes. In Time Attack, you play against ghosts and try and beat the fastest time.I've always been against the "reality movement" that gaming has been headed towards for the past decade or so. I got into gaming to be transported to new worlds and to experience things no one could in the real world. OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast is an arcade/fantasy revivalist racer. This game should not be missed! It doesn't innovate but it harks back to a great time in racing and it certainly mimics those old games extremely well. Xbox fans hungry for new games should waste no time and buy this today! Trade in your OutRun 2 disc, you don't need it anymore. OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast is rated E (Everyone) by the ESRB. This game can also be found on: PC, PS2, PSP. Gaming48139@blogcritics.org Tue, 23 May 2006 15:47:21 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/05/05/105001.php Rob FaraldiA couple developers, most notably EA (Electronic Arts), have come out recently with announcements that they're going to quit being so reliant on licenses and pursue creating new IPs (intellectual properties) aimed at blockbuster status. At first I was excited. Holy shit! Developers get it finally! A new renaissance of gaming will be upon us in a few years. This is going to take a while after all. Then it hit me: new IPs don't equal new experiences. The industry does not need new IPs per se. Instead we need innovation all around. We need new ways to define gaming, to create games, to report on gaming. This industry has been around less then four decades and it's already drowning in a stagnant puddle of mediocrity. So what the hell do we need?It's obvious that the standard controller on a PS2 (Playstation 2) or Xbox 360 limits what developers can do. There hasn't been significant innovation on home consoles since the introduction of Shenmue on Dreamcast. Grand Theft Auto 3 may have popularized the "3D Sandbox" genre but Yu Suzuki and AM2 did it first! Hardware manufacturers need to follow Nintendo's lead. They don't necessarily need a DVD remote akin to the Wii's centerpiece for success, but they need something more than the status quo controller. How can a system be "Next Gen" if it's basically the same shite as older consoles? A new interface is a partial answer and it does help drive innovation. Play the DS to catch my drift. Developers and the press need to treat gaming differently. It starts with developers pumping out new experiences of course. It ends with journalists objectively reporting facts to the public. Gamers hardcore and casual will become far less reliant on the press in years to come thanks to the ability to play demos with little effort. The press will have no choice but to change the way they do business or go out of it permanently. Please die!So fuck the new IPs. Playing the same game with a different character is not what anyone involved with gaming, developers to gamers, needs. We need innovation all around. Innovation exists. There are those out there that believe it's all been done before. That way of thinking needs to go six feet under. Gaming47282@blogcritics.org Fri, 5 May 2006 10:50:01 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/04/12/015957.php Rob FaraldiI'm too old and jaded to believe "the hype" any more. Be it hype for the latest blockbuster film or high profile videogame. X-Arcade Joysticks are nothing new. They've been reviewed a billion times by a billion publications. I haven't come across a negative review. How can this be? I decided to take things into my own hands (pun intended) and see what all the raves were about for myself. Forget what you've heard and read elsewhere, this is the real review, the only one you'll ever need. This is a review for the 15-pound, made of bullet proof and "pro" arcade materials X-Arcade Dual Joystick (for those couldn't read the title). My creative question upon plugging in was: does X mark the spot? Playing MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) with an X-Arcade Dual Joystick is about as close to playing real arcade games as you can get. The claim is that the buttons and joystick are made with real arcade parts and they truly feel that way. I've had other sticks in the past crap out on me from prolonged use and abuse. I bashed, I mean tested, the X-Arcade Dual Joystick on numerous games, especially shooters. Everything held up perfectly like an arcade stick on a $2000 cab (arcade cabinet) would. I was pleased and impressed. When I first began using the X-Arcade Dual Joystick it was a bit too tight. With little trouble I was able to loosen it which made gameplay much more enjoyable. Why it came so tight is beyond me. I tried the X-Arcade Dual Joystick with every videogame genre MAME supports and was pleased with the results across the board. I'm a huge 2D vertical and horizontal shooter fan so naturally I gravitated towards all the classics like Raiden and R-Type. There's no better way to play. Because you can replace parts easily (so I'm told) I really went to town. No alien invader was safe I tell you! The button layout accommodates all the classic Capcom and SNK fighters. If you're a Mortal Kombat 3 orUltimate MK3 fan fear not, they even have a Run button in place too. The joystick has an oval head as opposed to the round heads you'd find on a Pac-Man cab. I prefer this style of joystick and it works well with all of the games I tried. I was shocked to find that the X-Arcade Dual Joystick didn't come with a standard USB plug. They all should, damn it. X-Arcade does sell a USB adapter as well as console adapters but that will run you extra. I had to plug the X-Arcade Dual Joystick in through my keyboard port and then plug my keyboard into the stick in order to map buttons and do certain commands in MAME. Laptop-only users may want to check with X-Arcade before they buy to make sure they can play without a hitch. I downloaded a version of MAME 32 and was happy to find an X-Arcade joystick setting in place which meant I didn't have to map any buttons which is always nice. That handy setting saves a lot of time. The X-Arcade Dual Joystick is pretty big for a single player but it's meant for two. I'm a big guy and felt restricted while playing with a friend. If the sticks were spaced out two or three more inches away from one another it would be perfect. To be fair I've felt this way while playing real arcade games, especially mid-90s Capcom stuff. I'm generally pleased that the X-Arcade Dual Joystick faithfully recreates the arcade experience at home - besides this minor pain, of course. I hate to agree with other critics but the X-Arcade Dual Joystick is the real deal. Minor gripes aside this is the only joystick you really need. Sure it's a bit more expensive than anything out there but you get what you pay for. I don't have an Xbox 360 but it'd be grand if this stick was compatible with Xbox Live arcade games. The X-Arcade Dual Joystick truly creates an authentic arcade experience. All that's missing is a smoke-filled room with sticky floors and people coming up behind you slamming down 50 cents for a challenge. Damn I miss those days. Gaming46191@blogcritics.org Wed, 12 Apr 2006 01:59:57 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/04/10/142233.php Rob FaraldiIn the latter part of the '80s Nintendo was on top of the world. They single-handedly revived the videogame industry and crowned its new star Mario. When the creator of the Super Mario Bros. (Shigeru Miyamoto) crafted the highly anticipated sequel, Nintendo didn't think it was fit for Americans. A modified version of the Famicom's (Japanese Nintendo Entertainment System) Doki Doki Panic masquerading as Super Mario Bros. 2 was released here instead. This important fact wasn't revealed to American gamers for a long time. Doki Doki Panic (US Super Mario Bros. 2) is the most successful modified videogame to date by far. The Super Mario Bros. Super Show (TSMBSS) is largely based on this "fake" game. TSMBSS retains all the fun that the Super Mario Bros. games delivered, but, unlike its source material, is largely original. Live action/animation hybrids barely ever work for me. TSMBSS is a rare example of where it does. Mario (Captain Lou Albano) and the oft-forgotten Luigi (Danny Wells) are cast perfectly. Albano and Wells play Mario and Luigi in both the live action and animated segments. Why Nintendo didn't sign these gentlemen up with lifetime contracts to supply the voices to two of their most beloved characters is beyond me. These guys ARE Mario and Luigi, before they (the characters) were castrated anyway. It's not too late Nintendo! I found the episodes to be charming as a whole. Part of the appeal is pure nostalgia and love for the subject matter of course. That said the episodes are well written, well acted, and a lot of fun. I was surprised how well they stood up after all these years. A lot of other cartoon series that were near and dear to my heart back in the '80s didn't age quite as well like the horrid Thundercats. If you enjoyed TSMBSS when it first aired you'll probably dig it now. This set comes with 24 half-hour episodes spaced out over four discs from the 1989 season. It's light on extras. The coolest of the slim pickings is the insightful interview with Albano. I never knew the show was such a ratings winner. Each episode includes the original bumpers as well as the preview for The Legend of Zelda cartoon that would air on Fridays in TSMBSS time slot. There used to be videos with popular music played during the show that weren't included. I'm assuming they couldn't get or wouldn't pay for the rights. A lot of media outlets charge by the second, ouch! This deletion doesn't take away from the enjoyment of TSMBSS in the slightest. The audio is crisp and clear across the set. The video on the other hand left much to be desired. I originally watched the episodes on my computer which has an HD monitor. I could see every little imperfection in the print. I decided to test the discs on an SDTV and found that the video quality improved dramatically. Perhaps it didn't improve per se, but it looked better for sure. Who says HD is everything? Regardless of monitor type I wish they had cleaned things up. Mario is over 20 years old. You generally love him or hate him by now. This probably won't convert anyone to the "church of Mario" but I don't think it's meant to. If you are a Mario fan (you know who you are) and you're still on the fence about purchasing this set let me be the hand that pushes you over. It's relatively cheap for the entertainment value it provides and is a great way to get excited about the upcoming original 2D title New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS. What a great time to be a Super Mario Bros. fan! Video46188@blogcritics.org Mon, 10 Apr 2006 14:22:33 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/03/12/235840.php Rob FaraldiLast week I was able to talk with Bill Kunkel about gaming and his book Confessions of the Game Doctor for a couple hours. It's an interesting read that you really shouldn't miss. Once you're done reading head on over to Rolenta Press and buy the book. Rob Faraldi (RF): How do you think the public has taken to your book?Bill Kunkel (BK): Well, I think the gamers, especially the folks who were between, say, 12 and 21 when the first issue of EG [Electronic Games] came out, they love it. But I haven't been able to get much mainstream coverage in terms of reviews and stuff outside the game magazines and sites. I've gotten a great personal response from the people who've read it, which is cool.RF: Why do you think the mainstream press hasn't picked up on it? You're a pioneer! They cover the 80-year-old gamer grandma but not you? Why do you do you think that is? The 80-year gamer grandma was on Tucker Carlson last night on MSNBC.BK: I think it's because game journalism is simply not much respected. You've got people reviewing games in Entertainment Weekly and Rolling Stone, but beyond a really nice review in his Wired blog by Chris Kohler, even Wired won't review it in their magazine.RF: That sucks. How have game journalists and industry folk taken to your book? What were the reviews like?BK: Other than a snide comment or two in the Brit magazine Edge (the book was all about "me, me, me," which I felt oddly appropriate given the book was my memoirs), the reviews have been 100% positive and people have seemed to really dig it. Just saw the new Game Informer that had a short but very sweet review and the comments on the boards seem to be very favorable, so I guess that target audience is enjoying it.RF: Edge is sort of Next Generation's UK counterpart isn't it? I always got that vibe anytime I picked it up.BK: Yeah, and a pretty good magazine, but after all, I guess I'm not a "legend" in England where they had their own journalists. RF: That's interesting. Are you saying there were UK game journalists before you? Or just that they have their own heroes?BK: Oddly enough, it is my belief that the SECOND game magazine was, in fact, published in England a matter of a month or two after EG launched over here. But I don't know that it survived. We also had licensed French, German, etc. editions of EG like Tilt! and Tele-Match which translated and reprinted our stuff.RF: And you were writing about games years before EG.BK: Oh yeah, in Video. As for the Brit, I think he was just being snarky, but he gave me a good idea for a chapter that I'll be writing in my column on the Digital Press site.RF: I can't wait to check it out.BK: Actually, he suggested a chapter I didn't write and, in retrospect, he was correct; I should have written about it. The wanker.RF: Do you feel game journalism is too politically correct today? It seems that as videogame journalism grows, the journalists have become as bland as politicians trying to pander to everyone. It seems that selling a magazine or whatever takes priority over everything else. Was it always this way? Is it right to place magazine sales or website hits over integrity? Is lack of integrity part of the reason video game journalism is still not accepted?BK: I don't think that today's game journalists lack integrity, but they do lack other things. The magazines are all too specialized, there are virtually no magazines that treat electronic gaming, be it console, PC, arcade, PSP, DS, whatever, as a hobby or even a lifestyle. Just because I tend to enjoy console games doesn't mean I don't want to know all about, say, the new Petroglyph Star Wars game on PC, or why Doom 3 got such indifferent reviews -- and even why the movie didn't work successfully. It's all integrated, it's all synergistic. Instead, if you own a PS2, you buy a PS2 magazine and so on -- you're only looking down one of many interesting corridors in the game universe. Also, the Internet has eroded the foundations of print journalism. If you graduate from the U. of Missouri School of Journalism, you don't want to write for Xbox Magazine because the money isn't there, among other reasons. The Internet can give you the information so much faster. Magazines can offer in-depth analysis, but it doesn't seem as if that's always their mission. Also, the industry, and especially the game media, are always fixated on the NEXT generation of games rather than appreciating the systems they already have.RF: But there are multi-platform magazines like Game Informer that has the largest readership of any game mag on the planet. GI started out as an advertising tool for Funcoland so is that what the problem is? Are magazines just ads for game companies? And because of that you're not allowed to stretch your "journalistic muscle?" BK: Certainly, too many magazines are being published by people whose interests conflict with those of the game players. Diehard Gamefan was perceived as objective, but was it? This is an industry where literal tools of the game companies are bought by readers who believe they're reading something with credibility as an objective source. Hell, Nintendo Power may well be the most financially successful magazine in the history of this business, but anybody who trusted in the objectivity of the magazine was drinking Mario's Kool-Aid, so to speak. Magazines that start off as marketing vehicles never lose that stink and serious journalists are generally appalled by the way game writers are romanced so easily by the game companies.RF: I hate interviewing company reps, there's no bigger waste of time. I've interviewed reps all the way up to VP's. I try not to.BK: Well, they're just doing their job. You don't expect the company VP to badmouth his company's game, and you can't expect Nintendo to badmouth one of its own games in its own magazine.RF: Of course not, but it's still lame. What do you think about videogame television programming? It doesn't seem to be working well considering G4 is transitioning into an all male channel a la Spike. Spike is trying to get "into the game" so to speak, too. Again, what's your take? BK: Spike hasn't had a clue from Day One and probably never will. That company seems to re-imagine itself every year or so. As for G4, they don't have much on to appeal to female viewers, but I think their coverage of E3, for example, is fantastic. If you're into games, I'd be watching G4 -- and, in fact, I do watch it a good deal -- before I'd read a game magazine. G4 can SHOW me the game; there aren't enough unique voices among today's game journalists. You still have some of the old school people around, but there are too many kid reviewers who have no historical perspective and can't put the games in context. Magazines need hot writers and there just don't seem to be enough of those out there.RF: Besides yours truly (sense the sarcasm), are there any hot game journalists out there? If so who are they?BK: Oh there are. I mentioned Chris Kohler, and Zach Meston, of course, and old schoolers like Chris Bieniek who is, in my opinion, largely wasted on a magazine like Tips & Tricks where the most interesting stuff is jammed into the back pages. And again, G4 and Gamer.TV have produced a generation of reviewers who are very good at capsule reviews. Talking head journalism with a lot of hair gel. The people who review games for the mainstream publications, however, are all over the place, from good to horrible.RF: Chris Bieniek was one of the heads of Videogame Magazine in the 90's, Meston was there too. Meston does Videogame Collector (Meston is no longer with that magazine), now which I'm not too impressed with.BK: They were the young guys coming up when I was moving more toward other areas of gaming, such as design and consulting. I was sorry to see Steve Kent leave the biz; the world doesn't need more bad sci-fi novels.RF: That's hilarious. I was pissed when he wrote his farewell in Game Informer, but I respect him a lot. I thought his book was a great companion piece to Leonard Herman's.BK: Kent really put in the time on that book, too. I know he spent a lot of time talking with me and I was probably just a minor source. You know, when I was writing comics for DC and Marvel, everybody there wanted to write novels, movies, or TV, thinking those fields were "classy". The grass is always greener, but I'd rather be a top notch game journalist than a third-rate novelist. Not that I want to pre-condemn Steve's work but it does have that Michael-Jordan-Wants-to-Play-Baseball vibe to it, you know? The comic wants to do Shakespeare, the great actor wants to get belly laughs.RF: At least two of those guys you mentioned are kind of old school by today's standards (Meston and Beniek). Would it be accurate to say there's really no new talent worth a damn at this point?BK: I can't say that, quite honestly, because I simply don't read enough game magazines or hit that many sites. My game-related work -- except for the classes I teach on game design and some consulting -- is almost exclusively for Running With Scissors and the Postal franchise. And from that point of view, we not only don't see much talent among game reviewers, we don't see any guts. We literally get email from the reviewers with the link to a review where they rave about Postal 2 or one of the add-on games then apologize in the email (and sometimes even in the review!) that they could only rate it a 6 or a 7 because, well, you know, you're not supposed to notice that Postal 2 is actually an excellent game.RF: But will it be an excellent movie? I'm interesting in seeing it.BK: And because Postal is the only franchise the company has, the whole industry can dump on it and pretend their games aren't far more violent. As for the movie, you've probably heard that Uwe Boll is the director. I can only say that Dr. Boll has promised that Postal 2 is, indeed, his favorite game and he sincerely wants input from Running With Scissors. I suspect it will be funny, violent, and sexy. At this point, there isn't even a finished screenplay, so it's way early to tell. You know how Uwe casts his movies?RF: With a blindfold?BK: Sort of, actually. He waits 'til about a month before he's going to shoot and he sees who's not working. Next thing you know, he's got Ben Kingsley or Burt Reynolds signed to some generally inappropriate role, but he gets those big names and they make his money back.RF: That's amazing! I was wondering how he pulled that off with BloodRayne.BK: Yeah, I guess they shoot them quickly and they go home with many thousands of dollars for a week or so's work.RF: Must be nice! I recall that you're into titles that take a minute to learn and lifetime to master. It seems Nintendo is taking that direction with some of their DS titles. They've also expressed interest in doing the same with their Revolution console. Are you excited or appalled? BK: I'm... intrigued. When it was first released, I thought the DS had all the potential in the world, but I don't hear any real buzz for it. I like the fact that they appear to have simplified their Revolution controllers because it was just getting ridiculous. I have no idea how anybody can play with an Xbox controller -- all those buttons, analog joysticks, directional commands, yadda yadda yadda...RF: Everybody knows how to use a TV remote.BK: As PC and home games have moved closer, the console gamers have been forced to use the sort of complex, multi-command interfaces favored by PCs -- since they have keyboards.RF: Yeah.BK: I thought the N64 controller was just about perfect.RF: And not every gamer has the money to shell out for console keyboards if they're offered at all... the N64 claw!BK: Then everybody jumped the shark.RF: I thought the Dreamcast controller was just about perfect for 3D stuff, especially racing games.BK: Yeah, what a sad story that system was.RF: Yeah, to say I was upset when they killed that system is an understatement. Dreamcast had the second most successful console launch in history behind the PS2.BK: It just shows how foolish is our obsession with "the specs" of each new system really is. The most elegant machine often loses its round because of pricing, marketing and, of course, a lack of killer app titles. Remember the 3DO?RF: In Sega's case it was a history of console failures. Of course! 3DO made sense on paper, design a console and let a third party manufacturer take the risk. Trip Hawkins has come up with some great ideas.BK: Trip Hawkins wrote the most brilliant business plan -- people who were there still marvel at it. But you can't price the thing at $700 or whatever -- it was like asking the early adopters: "Okay, so just how big a tool ARE you?"RF: Yeah, it was $700.BK: It's one of the oldest and surest axioms of the game business: You can't sell a console list at a SRP higher than $300. Just can't do it.RF: I'm with you...until this gen. $300 isn't what it used to be but obviously a lot of people are still with you, Microsoft for one. That $299 core system for 360 is a load of crap.BK: Of course inflation will change that number, but whatever $300 was worth in, say, 1990, you can't go higher than that for any system.BK: They also make you buy the memory cards and an extra controller -- and what happened to the game that comes WITH the system?RF: A $299 console in 1995 costs about $380 today. They kind of chucked the pack-in out with the launch of Playstation.BK: I wouldn't try selling a console system, bare bones, for more than $350.RF: The $399 Xbox 360 isn't a bad buy. I'd love to pay nothing for it but that's not going to happen.BK: Well I was spoiled. I bought an Odyssey2 in 1978 and didn't have to pay for a new system until the late 90s, so I'm not as quick to jump in and debug somebody's new system. I never buy a system the first year it's out. The people who do wind up bug testing the thing, the company rebuilds it, sells it for less, and makes games that aren't compatible with their "older" systems.RF: And that's another point. The majority of folks who buy any successful system don't buy it within the first year at "full price."BK: Of course not. They don't want another Dreamcast or Saturn.RF: I do! But I want them to succeed.BK: Though both systems were well worth owning.RF: Yeah.BK: I let the market fight it out. But really, Sony's backwards compatibility is so sweet, I can still play my favorite PS games and if I buy a PS3, I'll be able to play NHL Hockey '06 on it.RF: In this round, I'm digging Nintendo's backwards compatibility. Sony will let you play PS and PS2 games on PS3 but there's no memory card or controller plugs. so if I want to play Taiko Drum Master with my awesome PS2 drum, I can't. Microsoft is the same way. Nintendo has pretty much provided a Gamecube and Revolution console in one. Sony's backwards compatibility is good for most games but it could have been a tick better.BK: And Sony's online play isn't close to where it should be.RF: Right, they're promising a lot; well the rumor is they're promising a lot with their Xbox Live Killer. We'll see.BK: Ever know a company to say, "Our next gen system really isn't going to be that impressive?"RF: No not really. They all love to talk shit, I guess that's their jobs.BK: Yeah, but this four to five year cycle is ridiculous. They have got to let these systems to hang out longer and stop getting people all worked up about what's coming NEXT. Give the systems seven to eight years, let the developers teach them how to stand up and do tricks and when you can make a quantum leap, then make it. But with these guys, it's planned obsolescence on a four year rotation and it kills the existing systems.RF: I agree especially with longer dev cycles. Two to three years to make a proper game in a five-year lifecycle isn't enough.BK: Of course it isn't. As you say, we're looking at development cycles that are longer than most films and yet, even if you start development on the first day the system launches, you have to sweat as to whether it'll still be the "hot" system by the time your software arrives -- or will the company be trumpeting its Next Big Thing?RF: Most films? Almost every film! unless you develop EA games, they shit those glorified upgrades out fast.BK: True, but remember the screenwriting process is generally not included in movies.RF: True that. I'm a filmmaker and I definitely know what you're talking about! Is a woman's place in the kitchen or online playing you in Halo?BK: If it's Halo, she's probably kicking my ass. I don't like that game -- rather play Goldeneye (the original). But you bring up a crucial point. The demographic breakdowns are indicating a world that is pretty much 50-50 male and female. Designers are going to need new paradigms, such as Will Wright, who is a genius, created The Sims. Women aren't satisfied by a rail gun and a bunch of zombies; they want something different and game designers better be thinking about what that is -- especially the female designers.RF: I find it strange that women didn't pick up on gaming especially early on. You always had violent stuff but some of the biggest games Pong, Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Mario, and Sonic seemed to appeal to men and women.BK: I think that it's a major misconception that women and girls didn't enjoy videogames back in the early days. Centipede was huge among the female audience, and of course Pac-Man was as well, but women tended to play primarily at arcades, as a "night out" thing. The idea of tying a videogame system to their TV set and sitting there for hours wasn't quite so appealing.RF: How do you feel about arcades drying up? Will they ever come back?BK: Not until they find a way to offer something that you can't get at home -- and at a reasonable price. We have a Gameworks here in Vegas and it's a really great arcade but man, those credit cards they sell you to play the games dry up fast and you just can't spend the kind of time and money learning to master a game that you did in the old days. Also, the arcades are so clogged with those mindless redemption games and even the videogames are all kits, whereas every coin-op back in the day was designed to be a unique unit, from controls to monitor type to cabinet design. Now they're mostly glorified home systems, big Neo-Geos.RF: But they did that to reduce cost.BK: Of course.RF: The cabinets from the golden age are amazing. Works of art!BK: Arcade owners lost a fortune on laserdisc games. Remember that Tron cabinet?RF: Yep.BK: What a beaut!RF: There's an arcade in Pennsylvania called Challenge Arcade. They have rare modern stuff and classic cabinets all set to their original prices: a quarter. That's the way I like it, I just wish I lived closer.BK: Wow, I'm impressed. As I said, today it's all rows of racing cars and mini-batting cages and all, but the big ideas don't come from the arcades anymore, which is why they've dropped so far back in terms of popular culture.RF: If you could bring back any videogame series what would it be and why?BK: Toejam & Earl. Especially the first one. One of the most delightful game experiences I've ever had. The second was great for a platform game, but I'm not a huge platform game fan.RF: Toejam & Earl came out for Xbox but I didn't think it was great.BK: So I'm told.RF: I think the original developers did it too.BK: I believe so.RF: Would you want it in 2D or keep with the times and plaster it with polygons?BK: I'd like it in two-thirds perspective like the original. Just bigger, with more levels, new prizes, etc. I think they had a classic there. RF: I've got to play it again!BK: How about Zombies Ate My Neighbors? I'd like to see them redo that one. Konami for the SNES.RF: And Genesis.BK: Riiiight.RF: I was playing it for Genny the other day...no kidding!BK: If you got to keep your weapons on the saved levels, it would have been awesome.RF: Some new attacks would be great too.BK: Of course.RF: And to give something to the newer gamers there'd be an unlockable code via Gameshark to have sex with the zombies. That would put it over the top.BK: And make Jack Thompson a very happy fascist.RF: He claims that kids mimic videogames and proposed a game to kill a developer. Something like that. If they designed a title to off Mr. Thompson, I'd be cool with that.BK: He can claim the world is flat, too, but he's still full of shit. Actually, the developer in question was Vince Desi, CEO of Running With Scissors and a game was actually developed and I hear it's hilarious.RF: I'd like to check that out. What is your favorite game and system? BK: So many systems... From the old days, the Bally Home Arcade was just sweet. The N64 I still play and I love the sports games on the PS2. My favorite game? It just depends on what I'm playing at the time. But I have stated that I believe Tetris is the most perfect videogame ever created.RF: And you have a great Tetris portion in your book.BK: Thank you. It's not only a brilliant game, but it has one of the great back-stories of any game in history.RF: Yes it is.BK: I mean, people wound up dead!RF: It's truly wild. I think there are pictures on rotten.com. Tetris is so non-violent.BK: Yeah, but it was money, and there was a double-cross and when the Soviet government got involved it just became surreal. They really should make a film about its sale.RF: Tetris for Gameboy is one of the best selling games of all time. BK: Tetris MADE the Game Boy.RF: For good reason. I know you've smoked a lot of weed, have you done it while playing games? Do anything else while you play? I tripped on mushrooms and played Sonic Adventure many years ago, the game looked like Toy Story! Do drugs help enhance playing games?BK: I've never believed that smoking pot enhances movies, TV, videogames, comic books, or anything else. It just so happens to be my drug of choice. I don't drink and I don't smoke cigarettes, so it tends to be what I do when I'm relaxing. But when I'm really into a game, I don't stop for anything. Heroin, on the other hand, definitely makes games better. (Only kidding!)RF: I barely smoke anymore, but I do enjoy a joint and some videogames every once in a while.BK: I don't recommend it to anyone. It's my vice and I ask only that other people leave me and Bill Maher alone. RF: So what are you up to these days besides writing great books? BK: Well, I still get called in to consult and even to do seminars with development groups, but I sign so many NDAs regarding that stuff I don't think I can actually talk about it. You can read my stuff at the Go POSTAL site by visiting the Newsletter where I write as both "The Gimp" and under my old Game Doctor moniker. I got a LOT of interview requests coming off the book and I'm actually doing some research now on a couple of potential products. I also wrote my first novel recently (it's not sci-fi and its setting predates the arrival of Pong by a year) but I do that under another name because they're really a totally different thing and I wouldn't want to confuse people. Besides, pseudonyms have been berry, berry good to me. I'm also working with a local filmmaker on something that I believe will make a major splash on the festival scene. And other stuff, but that's enough, I think, for now.RF: Very good! Any plans for another book on gaming?BK: It IS possible. Actually, my wife Laurie Yates and I were already working on a textbook for game design instruction when the Game Doctor book came along. Since then, the textbook idea has sort of morphed again but I'd say yes, there's a very good chance you'll see another game-related book from me within the next, say, three to four years.RF: I can't wait.Thanks a lot Bill for doing the interview. Remember to pick up Confessions of the Game Doctor at Rolenta Press. You can thank me later. Gaming44856@blogcritics.org Sun, 12 Mar 2006 23:58:40 EST