GBA - GC Connectivity

[Tom Salter]

Here's my weekly piss-fest negativity thread by me

I've been playing Zelda 4 Swords recently, and I've got to the point where I'm thinking: yeah, this whole gba-GC thing is innovative...but it's pretty pants. It's like a retro throwback system: one the one screen you have really nice (albeit basic) graphics, and then you move back to ****-o-Vision on the other screen. Add to that the fact that it's a complete pain having to shift your focus from one screen to the other, and it soon collapses pretty quick.

At first, I thought it was the best system ever. More than one player can run around into different buildings at the same time, whilst staying in the same cohesive gameworld. But I find that after a while, it makes the whole gameworld less cohesive, you're constantly moving from one world to another, and a certain 'other' is vastly different from the next. It'd be like entering a house in Zelda: Wind Waker and then getting Ocarina of Time graphics.

Don't get me wrong, I like the game. It's more the concept behind it. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles also had a problem, when you were pissing about on the one screen, you were more than likely getting batty-raped on the other screen. The game could have worked far better with a transparent menu on the main screen, rather than the player having to shift focus onto the other screen, and you can also keep a track on the batty-rape-fest too.

Don't get me started about some certain games (*cough*Metroid *cough*) where you have to finish one game to connect it to another, to reveal a new costume. WOW, NOT A NEW COSTUME!! AFTER SPENDING ?90 ON A GBASP, ?10 ON A CABLE AND ?30 ON ANOTHER GBA GAME I NOW GET A NEW COSTUME!!!!11111111

Is it just me that sees the irony in this?

The only possible times I can see GBA-GC connectivity working is in a game of Poker when you want to hide your next move from your opponent. And what's the chance of that?

So here's your chance to tell me that the future is inter-connectivity between consoles and handhelds.

[darkangel]

So here's your chance to tell me that the future is inter-connectivity between consoles and handhelds.

Well it isn't is it?

As much as you seem to enjoy these type of things at the end of the day it just becomes a novelty, I too was begenning to get bored of the contionus screen shifting but I do have to add that it added much needed depth to the zelda puzzles.

I also think that it is a waste of money, not only do you have to buy the game, then you have to buy the damm GBA if you do not have one, but also the link cable.

And it hardly innovates, as I said in another topic about linking up, I was doing this with my NGPC to DC long before the cube came out.

I eagerly await for my post to be ripped apart

[Tom Salter]

I too was begenning to get bored of the contionus screen shifting but I do have to add that it added much needed depth to the zelda puzzles.

Oh aye, them puzzles were pretty damn decent. But surely it could have been designed for a single screen?

[Mr Ono]

PacMan VS makes great use of the link up and that doesn't requre a GBA SP Cart.

[darkangel]

But neither does 4 swords, or FF:CC and AC for that matter.

[nips]

The only possible times I can see GBA-GC connectivity working is in a game of Poker when you want to hide your next move from your opponent.

Am I the only one thinking that we are seriously lacking a good Poker Sim. Hell, you could have a whole load of card games if you wanted to.

I concurr that generally the GBA/SP link up is pretty ****. As mentioned in the pokemon thread, it's far inferior to the GB Pack that came with the N64. It's just too slow and annoying...

I'd rather have the option to use it, than not have it there, it allows games liek Pac man to evolve, but atm, I would conceed that it's rather redundant.

[Tetsuo]

Setting aside the connectivity aspect for a second, what is it with people moaning about "having to buy a GBA just to play these games"?

Surely for 99% of gamers, they already own a GBA, it's not as if everyone who buys Zelda 4 swords or Final Fantasy: CC doesn't already have a GBA/SP, link cables etc. That 's simply not an issue as far as I'm concerned.

If you don't own one, tough ****, stop complaining, these games aren't for you, are they?

Go and play on a Xbox or something.

[Magnakai]

Am I the only one thinking that we are seriously lacking a good Poker Sim. Hell, you could have a whole load of card games if you wanted to.

Or you could just spend 50p on a pack of cards...

[taurusnipple]

Four Swords works just well without a GBA, I still can't get excited about the connectivity, though I reckon theres life in the idea its just not been implemented too well.

[Tom Salter]

Setting aside the connectivity aspect for a second, what is it with people moaning about "having to buy a GBA just to play these games"?

If you ignore that reason, there's still plenty of other reasons why it sucks in my original post.

[nips]

Or you could just spend 50p on a pack of cards...

If it isn't digital, I don't want to know.

[Commander Marklar]

If you ignore that reason, there's still plenty of other reasons why it sucks in my original post.

No there isn't, mainly 'cos the example is in the extreme. It's a stupid argument, like complaining about buying extra controllers to play multiplayer or CAT-5 cables to use system link.

[Tom Salter]

I think the price of buying the extra stuff for GBA connectivity is slightly higher...but like I said, there's plenty of other reasons in my original post (except for cost) why it sucks.

And if you lot insist on bugging me because of that one example, then just try counting up the cost for a 4 player game of Zelda: 4 Swords of FF:CC, then try to tell me it's insignificant. You could buy a new PC for that amount of dosh :\

[nips]

You aren't forced to buy all that **** for those games though, it's more like if you have the opportunity to bring together 4 players who have, or can pick up some link cables for ?5 each, then this will be a nice supplement to your gaming.

I've never seen any adverts saying, buy this game, 4 new GBA SPs, 4 Link Cables and 3 new friends so you can play our game. They seem like games which you can pick up if either you want to do the above, or you have the opportunity to get people together and want a 'new' and 'interesting' gaming experience.

I'm still not convinced though!

[nips]

There are pre-requisites for every gaming experience:
You need the game, a pad and the console for single player, you need a memory card if you wish to save, you need more than one pad and a multi-tap for multi-player, you need a modem and broadband for online play, etc...

It is just that because this is new and different, requiring new tools for gaming engagement that it comes under fire. Like all previous examples it offers something new to the experience which offers new areas of enjoyment for the user... If you're not willing to spend money on new hardware, software or such like, then you may as well buy a pack of cards and bleed them dry. If you can't get these things together, then unfortunately you can't participate.

It's not like MS said: "I've got this great idea; we can call it XB Live! Millions will be able to play online, download new software and updates, extend the life of their games and meet new friends, all through this one little service, not only that, but we hope that in time, we'll make a profit... However, it will require the user to pay for the subscription, and the new hardware, and let's not forget, many people don't have access to broadband. We'd better cancel this idea because not everyone will be able to play! It would have been nice to at least offer it for those who could play though, oh well! *shrug*"