(Retro) What have you been playing this week?

[Kit]

Beat Zelda: A Link to the Past!



I thought Ganon's tower was never going to end! I mean, you take on three of the bosses from other dungeons and they even included that pain in the ass boss who knocks you down a level, meaning you have to restart from scratch again! fortunately, I'd upgraded just about everything so I took him out quite quickly.

The final battle with Ganon was brill! took me a few tries to beat as I kept falling off the platform, but managed to take him out in the end and only used a single potion.

Not sure where I'd place this in the hierarchy of Zelda titles, as it's hard to say - this must have been truly ground breaking at the time - but it's a credit to how well the games aged that the final battle still feels so epic!

Definitely up there with my favourite Zelda's, but having played Ocarina many years after its release also (think my first playthrough was 05?) I feel that is the definitive Zelda experience, with Majora's Mask a close second.

[noobish hat]

Yeah, it's almost impossible to compare the 2D Zelda's to the 3D ones. Ocarina of Time is definitely the best in the latter category, but as for the former, I've never been able to choose between Link's Awakening and Link to the Past. My friend and I are going through a bit of a Zelda marathon right now. He'd only ever finished the N64 games (with me), so now we're going through the rest. We've already got LA and WW under our belts. Next is probably Twilight Princess, but Link to the Past is sure to make an appearance on the Game Boy Player soon. Haven't revisited it in a while, so it will be nice. Such memorable music and locations. It has a really odd feel to the whole game that I can't quite put my finger on, but makes it rather special and eerie.

I'm just about to finish Phantom Hourglass too, which has been fun. It has a lot of good puzzles (like the island where you have to draw the map yourself), but there's a bit too much hand holding for my liking. In my book, Twilight Princess is a highlight of the series in terms of striking a perfect balance between tough and intuitive puzzles - they're all possible to figure out for yourself, but you still feel clever when you manage it.

What's next for you then, Kit?

[nakamura]

I'm all kitted out.

Is this a pun on your username?


As for Zelda, the Oracle games are also fantastic.

[noobish hat]

Yeah. My friend is terrible at 2D games, and it didn't help using the Gamecube controller with Link's Awakening (don't even try it, it's impossible). It took him a long time to beat the game. I laughed and told him that the Oracles games add up to about 18 dungeons. It's an epic undertaking. Also, I don't know those games inside out like LA, so god knows how long it will take us to go through. Excellent stuff though, can't wait.

[nakamura]

The Oracle games I would say are close to LA in terms of quality. They are just utterly charming and have fantastic design. The two games are also completely different too. Completing one and hearing references to your efforts in another is a great moment. Good music and some fantastic locations. The seasons game is my overall fav of the two but both are bordering on perfection.

[Kit]

Yeah, it's almost impossible to compare the 2D Zelda's to the 3D ones. Ocarina of Time is definitely the best in the latter category, but as for the former, I've never been able to choose between Link's Awakening and Link to the Past. My friend and I are going through a bit of a Zelda marathon right now. He'd only ever finished the N64 games (with me), so now we're going through the rest. We've already got LA and WW under our belts. Next is probably Twilight Princess, but Link to the Past is sure to make an appearance on the Game Boy Player soon. Haven't revisited it in a while, so it will be nice. Such memorable music and locations. It has a really odd feel to the whole game that I can't quite put my finger on, but makes it rather special and eerie.

I'm just about to finish Phantom Hourglass too, which has been fun. It has a lot of good puzzles (like the island where you have to draw the map yourself), but there's a bit too much hand holding for my liking. In my book, Twilight Princess is a highlight of the series in terms of striking a perfect balance between tough and intuitive puzzles - they're all possible to figure out for yourself, but you still feel clever when you manage it.

What's next for you then, Kit?

Forgot to mention the music! Yes, utterly sublime. Even the Dark World theme had grown on me by the end and the music that plays when you're wondering round the dungeons sets the tone perfectly.

As for the next game that's up Zelda wise, I've never played Wind Waker, Skyward Sword or Links Awakening so any of them I'd be up for playing. I reckon though we may see HD 'remastered' versions of WW and Skyward Sword on the Wii U so I may hold off on those two.

Keep us updated on your Twilight Princess progress, Noobish! adored that game. Thought it got unfairly criticised at the time.

Also, have you thought about teaming up for some co-op with Four Swords?

Is this a pun on your username?

lol had a bit of a blonde moment when I first read that.

[noobish hat]

I think we'll be playing WW on the cube, which will be interesting since I played it on the Wii. I can't imagine it will be better without the wiimote aiming, but my friend is prejudiced against motion controls! Besides, it will be weird to see the entire game mirrored! We want to play 4 swords, but we don't have enough people (or link cables).

LA is probably my second favourite Zelda after Ocarina (and in my top ten games of all time, too), but you might want to play something else before another 2D one.

[Brad]

More Chivalry. The fun of taking someone's head off with a massive hammer simply cannot be overstated.

[Matt~]

Finally started Pier Solar today and got over to the second town. Really enjoying it, surprisingly good story so far

[noobish hat]

More Chivalry. The fun of taking someone's head off with a massive hammer simply cannot be overstated.

How did this find its way into the thread?

[tokyochojin]

Been playing Blue Stinger this weekend. Forgot just how hilarious(ly bad) it is....

http://youtu.be/ksV-Mn9S6YQ

Wrote a bit more here too,http://www.dreamcastgaga.blogspot.jp...e-stinger.html

[Brad]

Sorry chaps. Wrong thread will move once im at a pc

[Cepp]

I played and beat Faxanadu. It's a pretty short game overall but it'd be even shorter if you didn't have to grind for golds so much. It's still a fun game though and it's held up remarkably well.

Now I'm getting started on Super Robot Wars Alpha Gaiden and resuming my playthrough of Sin & Punishment on VC. IIRC the last time I played it I was at this boss that has enemies floating around him and a timer. I couldn't figure out how to hurt him for whatever reason and set the game aside for a while.

[Kit]

Went back to Rayman on the GBA. Can not believe how hard this gets!

I reckon I'm about three quarters of the way through and I've just beat the washing machine boss (yes, washing machine) and it needed something like 10 hits. Snag she/it stays invincible for large portions of the battle.



11:40 - even this pro has trouble!

Been looking to expand my GBA collection also, but the one game that really appeals to me seems to cost a fortune. Thinking I may just ignore Metroid Zero and go straight to Fusion.

[noobish hat]

Nooo! Fusion is nothing compared to Zero Mission!