Messages

46

General / Re: January 2019 - Recently added to collection/recently purchased

« on: February 01, 2019, 10:22:36 am »

Final pickups for January!

Nintendo DS (original) w/Metroid demo complete in box
World of Nintendo Skull Kid 2.5" figure
World of Nintendo Deku Link 2.5" figure
World of Nintendo 8-bit White Link 2.5" figure
World of Nintendo Character Pack five 2.5" figures

47

General / Re: Who is your favorite video game villain/antagonist?

« on: January 31, 2019, 01:40:44 pm »

The first that came to mind for me was Andrew Ryan from Bioshock

Spoiler alert next time!  Im sure you just ruined it for somebody who hant gotten around to playing this in the past twelve years!   

Same game but I chose Fontaine because Ryan was just misguided whereas Fontaine lusted for power above all and brainwashed the protagonist (player) to do his dirty work for him.  By the way, Bioshock is my favorite game of all time

48

General / Re: January 2019 - Recently added to collection/recently purchased

« on: January 30, 2019, 08:28:14 pm »

Max Factory Skyward Sword Princess Zelda figure

Gonna need deets on this.  I can't find any info on a SS Zelda figure.

Sorry, I'm a dumbass typing while half asleep. Twilight Princess Zelda figure. 

My 17 month old son has been up sick for the last two days. I'm exhausted.

Ah, I know how that is.  Shame though, I'd love a SS Zelda figure.

Oh HELL yes to that!  Lol.

49

General / Re: January 2019 - Recently added to collection/recently purchased

« on: January 30, 2019, 09:55:39 am »

Max Factory Skyward Sword Princess Zelda figure

Gonna need deets on this.  I can't find any info on a SS Zelda figure.

Sorry, I'm a dumbass typing while half asleep. Twilight Princess Zelda figure. 

My 17 month old son has been up sick for the last two days. I'm exhausted.

50

General / Re: January 2019 - Recently added to collection/recently purchased

« on: January 30, 2019, 12:42:03 am »

New Stuff!

Consoles/Systems
Nintendo Game Boy Tetris bundle complete in box
Nintendo Game Boy Pocket Silver complete in box

Games
Mickey's Dangerous Chase for Game Boy in box (missing manual)
Game & Watch Gallery for Game Boy complete in box
Disney's Pinocchio for Game Boy cart only
Wario Land - Super Mario Land 3 for Game Boy cart only
Looney Tunes Carrot Crazy for Game Boy Color cart only

Swag
World of Nintendo Walgreens Exclusive Red Bullet Bill figure
Nendoroid Princess Zelda Wind Waker version figure
Max Factory Skyward Sword Princess Zelda figure

51

General / Re: Which stereotypical gamer critique annoys you the most?

« on: January 29, 2019, 11:34:47 pm »

They're fairly rare to run into, but you've hit on the two main ones: that girls only play games for attention, or that girl gamers are always casuals. I don't really think of these as female-exclusive, though. The guys who tend to pull these out are also the ones who put down children, overly
What I'd be interested in, is if there's a regional affect on the kind of commentary you're likely to run into. I live near the Seattle area- home of Microsoft, Nintendo, PAX West, etc. We're neck-deep in nerds around here, & the best known retro shop around is co-owned by a woman. I feel like there's a lot less shock over the idea of being into videogames up here. But I wonder if, say, someone in rural Nebraska would have the same experience?

Here in the Missouri boonies, female gamers are pretty uncommon. During big midnight launches, there may be 2-3 women to 100 guys. Of course that's not a very thorough survey of the local gaming landscape, but it's just what you see. When a girl does come in to the local stores to buy gaming stuff for themselves, somebody in there is always seemingly surprised.

And a true but funny anecdote from back when Resident Evil 2 first came out on the original PlayStation. I was browsing games in the display case at the local Walmart. This backwoods looking lady comes in and asks the associate "Does yins have Residential Evil?"  LMAO!  I just had to walk away. I couldn't take it!   

52

General / Re: How Long Does It Usually Take For You To Beat A Game? (estimate)

« on: January 29, 2019, 03:48:19 pm »

Does anyone actually have the stamina to beat a game with 100+ hours of content?

Not very often. There aren't many games I've invested time into like that. Witcher III, Skyrim, Diablo II, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Zelda Breath of the Wild....that's about all I can really think of off-hand. I've probably invested 100+ hours into various racing & fighting games. Maybe Halo Reach which was the most online multiplayer I ever played.

Beyond those, about 40 hours on most RPG's that I've seen through to completion.

53

General / Re: Which stereotypical gamer critique annoys you the most?

« on: January 29, 2019, 03:43:55 pm »

I wanted to say OP that you really touched on something there, talking about remembering the smell of Christmas ham cooking, feel of the box, etc. It is a moment of being transported back to simpler times. When something like that new Nintendo cartridge brought you so much joy, that the sights & sounds are forever etched into your mind.

I get the "if you weren't buying games, you coulda... " shit all the time from my parents. I just ignore it. It's like when I was 13 listening to Iron Maiden and Metallica and my mom tried to tell me I didnt really like that music, I just thought I did because other people listened to it.    Well, here we are 31+ years later and I'm still banging my f**king head!

I kinda see where the smelly virgin gamer thing comes from. When you go to midnight launches and guys wearing shirts 3X too small with their gut hanging out, crusty teeth and acne from eating too much junk food and the distinct sour mop smell indicative of not washing their clothes, I'm pretty sure they've never scored before.  . But I get where you are coming from. I brush my teeth 2-3 times a day, 1-2 showers daily and wash my clothes. Those people- while only a small segment of people who play games - makes everybody look bad.

54

General / Re: Ever Hate a Game, Then Revisit it Years Later and Love it?

« on: January 29, 2019, 01:40:53 pm »

Following up:  I just completed the Forest Temple and am having an absolute blast. My only real complaint is the janky camera. But being an N64 game, all the ear li y titles had janky camera controls.

55

Modern Video Games / Re: Do you think games are often worth full retail price? (e.g. $60 USD)

« on: January 29, 2019, 12:07:09 am »

In my personal view, a game isn't worth $60 if it's not a complete product. Games that come with bugs to be later patched, future DLCs, etc. aren't worth the full price at retail. I'd rather wait until the inevitable "complete" edition with the lower price tag to boot.

Well said. That's why this far, I have been able to trust Nintendo. My wife and I were talking about random shit, and I told her that even if I never connected my Nintendo system(s) to the internet, they will all play perfectly fine out of the box. I respect Nintendo for holding a game back until it's actually a complete product. Pretty much every PS4 and Xbox One game these days has an enormous day-one patch and a bazillion little ones after. Because they are rushed to market before they are ready. Sony 1st party titles avoid these pitfalls for the most part in my experience.

56

General / Re: January 2019 - Recently added to collection/recently purchased

« on: January 28, 2019, 02:44:18 pm »

It came in the mail today!  I swear when I held it under the light for inspection, the Zelda fanfare when Link opens a chest played in my mind!   

57

General / Re: Light Set Ups For Game Rooms Discussion (Game Room Idea 2019)

« on: January 27, 2019, 10:04:02 am »

I think it's a pretty cool idea!  Generic is definitely the way to go with the LED lighting as brand-name stuff like Hue is outrageously priced.

The only suggestion I would make is start minimalist. That way you can add to it if it's not enough, and you wont find it overdone from the start if you get a little carried away.

Before my son came along, I had an LED strip ran along under the top shelf of my AV stand/TV mount. It has a remote to change the colors, lighting patterns, etc. Watching movies, I had it set to dim white. Xbox it glowed green. PS4 it was blue and Wii U was purple.

58

Modern Video Games / Re: Do you think games are often worth full retail price? (e.g. $60 USD)

« on: January 27, 2019, 07:48:05 am »

Video games are a rare breed, as in when inflation has ballooned the price of just about everything else, video game prices have really not risen since the 80's.

I still have my receipt for The Illusion of Gaia. I paid $79.99 plus tax for it new at Walmart.  I paid $60 on average for SNES and N64 games when they were released.

Many gamers are too young to remember things like this or were even alive then. It wasnt until PlayStation that games started getting "standard" pricing.

With all that being said, I generally have no issue paying $60 for a new game. The only time I won't pay full retail is when I know a price drop is incoming. For example, I want Mario Maker 3DS. It still sells for $39.99 new, but it is joining Nintendo Selects in February. So I'd be stupid to pay double for it when I can just wait a week or so and snag a "leftover" original at the Selects price. It's a game I've not bought yet and it's been out a couple of years. A couple weeks longer ain't gonna hurt me.

I always find other people's perception of an items value fascinating. I hear people balk about paying $60 for a new game or recently, when talking about an enhanced port like New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe or Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. For me, if I get a complete experience out of the box for a single-player game that lasts me roughly 6 hours, it was worth it. Even if I never play through it again, as long as I enjoyed it.

People will go out and spend $30 or $50 a pop at a restaurant without batting an eye. A lot of folks I know will spend that much at a seafood restaurant eating shrimp or crab legs. Me?  I'll spend $3 on a McBurger, get my game and not have eaten sea cockroaches. 

59

General / Re: Do you think common/non-sought-after titles are collectible?

« on: January 26, 2019, 09:51:18 pm »

I think if it's something you want, it's worth collecting. I dont think that being "common" or abundant copies being available makes a game less collectible. For example, there are over 30 million copies of Diablo III out there. It's a fantastic game and the Switch version is especially desirable to me since I can not only play it on the go, it has exclusive content. Does the fact that it is "common" make it undesirable?  How about Grand Theft Auto V with over 100 million copies out there?

Not to mention, Nintendo games in particular hold their value regardless of there being a bajillion copies out there.

60

General / Ever Hate a Game, Then Revisit it Years Later and Love it?

« on: January 26, 2019, 09:40:54 pm »

As the title says, was there ever a game you absolutely couldn't stand or never gave it a chance, only to revisit it down the road and enjoy/love it?

Mine is a big one and probably surprising to many. Its Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time. Back on release day in Novemer 1998, I was supposed to be going in to work for an 11:30PM/midnight shift. But I was excited, called work and fibbed that I was having car trouble and would be a little late. So I hit Walmart and got in line for the midnight release. Had to get that Collector's edition with its shiny, chromium cover!  And I did!  The whole way to work and during my shift, all I could think about was getting home and playing Zelda!  The Zelda overworld theme played on repeat in my mind all night long!  So when I finally got home and was unwrapping the game, my hands were nervously shaking with excitement.

It was then that my dreams of that classic music and Zelda swordplay was replaced with the horror of fetching stuff and a buck tooth goober blocking me from getting to the Deku tree. The classic gameplay was replaced with sneaking past guards, a big-ass field, playing a musical instrument and Navi's annoying ass repeatedly going "Hey listen!"  I couldn't accept it. I didnt want to!  I put that game away and left it alone. I returned to it a few times, but just couldn't do it. It wasnt until Twilight Princess came out that I returned to Zelda.

Because I am a collector AND a Zelda fan overall, I bought the various versions of this title as well. So yesterday, after finishing Link Between Worlds, I said what the hell. It's been over 20 years since I played it. Why not give it a shot? 

And I have to say, I'm really getting engrossed in it. Maybe it's part because I'm older and don't have the same old preconceived notions. Maybe it's because I'm not enraptured by the likes of Castlevania Symphony of the Night, Final Fantasy VII, Crash Bandicoot and other PlayStation heavy hitters. But I love it. I'm still early on, having just finished the Lost Woods. But I'm enjoying the adventure. My resistance to gameplay mechanics like playing the ocarina have melted away. I was actually kinda giddy when I played the notes to make Epona cozy up to me.

So there it is. I absolutely hated this game with every fiber of my being. For two decades, I avoided playing it and shook my head with people who talked about how much they love that game and stood, mouth agape when I told them I despised it. Many would tell me it was not only the game that made them fall in love with Zelda, but gaming as a whole.

So, anybody else have a story to share?