N64 Time - Duke Nukem 64

[noobish hat]

I was using a NexGen memory pak for Turok, which failed to retrieve a save a couple of times, but then randomly would work again (I don't mean it would save again, I mean the previous saves magically reappeared). Then I used an Electronics Boutique brand pak, which is totally unreliablle. I played Wonder Project with the memory pak that came packaged with it, which I'm assuming is official. However. that pak looks pretty worn out (physically), and of course wiped itself today. This Animal Forest one looks like the business though, as it still has the data I must have saved on it over three years ago (or, if it wasn't my data, then even further back).

At any rate, I just won a pack of 5 CR2032 batteries on ebay, so if this one wipes too, I shall be replacing the battery and will hopefully have a fully functioning pak at last.

This is making me yearn for a go on Animal Forest though. Just looking at the beautiful packaging, and the charming little name tag stickers for the memory card (unused of course, I'm not an animal), reminds me of all the happy times I had with Animal Crossing on the Gamecube. It makes me sad to think that it'll be a very long time before I arrive at the release of the N64 version. On the other hand, at least my last days with the N64 will be spent with one of the most serene and blissful games ever made, and one of my all time favourites. It's gonna be bittersweet. If I ever make it that far, of course. I'm only just at the end of the first month.

[Shozuki]

another day, another slurry of GBA and N64 purchases. my finger is hovering over Hybrid Heaven - anyone know if its worth it?

[noobish hat]

Bien sur! I already have the Jap version ready and waiting on my shelf. Naturally, it depends if you're an RPG fan. If you are, then you HAVE to get it, if only because it's one of about three RPGs released for the N64. But even if you're not it's worth having a look see for it's twisting sci-fi story.

[egparadigm]

It's on my list of games to get. I followed it carefully before it was released, and was looking forward to it, but was put off by the final review. Looking back, though, it did receive over 80%.

Only problem is that I don't really like RPGs these days. :/

[Shozuki]

yeah same here really, I do know anyway though that of the 60 odd games ive brought over the last 2 weeks I wont play all of them even though i'd like to. Still Hybrid Heaven is quite expensive boxed, but unboxed can be had for peanuts and I wont pay additional postage due to the slurry of other titles i've purchased.

Its annoying cos I dont want an unboxed title clogging up my collection, but I dont think i'll enjoy it so unboxed will do...

[noobish hat]

This is why I'm going all chronological on the N64's ass - it means I play just as much as I collect. In one month I've finished three games that have been on my shelf for YEARS (and one of them, Mario 64, is a pretty massive game), and two new games that would have gone unplayed if I'd bought them before this project. You have to get ORGANISED, people!

[Shozuki]

This is why I'm going all chronological on the N64's ass - it means I play just as much as I collect. In one month I've finished three games that have been on my shelf for YEARS (and one of them, Mario 64, is a pretty massive game), and two new games that would have gone unplayed if I'd bought them before this project. You have to get ORGANISED, people!

lol, But I like hoarding, so does everyone else here right? *Scared Face*

[punio75]

Re: Animal Forest

Picked it up myself, is it still fun despite not knowing a word of Japanese?

[noobish hat]

I'm not sure really. Obviously the nuances of what the characters are saying would be lost, and that's where a lot of the game's humour and quirkiness comes from, but even worse, you wouldn't be able to do the villagers' chores if you couldn't understand what they wre asking you, surely? The problem with the N64 version is that it's almost identical to the Gamecube version, but with less features. There is no tailors and no pattern designing, for one thing, which is a shame because it was one of my favourite parts of the cube version. I remember when Order of the Phoenix came out, I copied the cover exactly, and put signs up all around my town, and told my younger brother it was an in-game promotion programmed by Nintendo. And he believed me ahahaha. He was about 8 though. Anyway, because I'd already played the cube version to death (over the course of about 4 years) I didn't put much time into the N64 edition. It is nice to own as a collector's item though. As I say, the box and stickers are very nice And of course you can still enjoy the beautiful music and relaxing atmosphere.

[egparadigm]

I wonder if noobish hat ought to gatecrash the "Games you are looking forward for rest of year" thread... I could do the same, but it would all be out of order!

Or perhaps someone should start an equivalent thread for Retro.

[noobish hat]

I'll admit, I was considering it, but to be honest, there is not much more coming out this year, after Starfox and Blast Corps. It all depends how quickly I can speed through the mags though.

[noobish hat]

I've been playing more Wonder Project J2. I realised this is the first Japan-exclusive game I've come to, and people might not have heard of it. It's this one:






Looks a little Ghibli-esque doesn't it? So it's already starting with a mark against it.

Has anybody else played it? Importaku kindly offered me a copy from his stockpile (wished I'd taken him up on it once I saw the somewhat battered condition of my own), and he is experienced in playing language heavy games in Japanese, so I assume he has at least had a go on it. For most people though, I think the language barrier would be a big problem because the game is so non-linear.

Basically, you have the robot girl, Josette, and a point and click style interface with which to attempt to interact with her. There is a list of 25 tasks that you have to get Josette to achieve in order to finish the game, and they can be completed in any order. Most tasks are about learning things, such as cooking, piloting the ship and so on. You teach Josette by getting her into certain scenarios where she comes across something she can learn from, and then praising or scolding her reaction until she gets it right.

The thing is, getting her into those scenarios can be quite longwinded. The first task, learning to greet people is simple enough. You go to the first location outside of her house/boat and there is a man there who comments on her not speaking. You return to the ship automatically and Josette babbles on about what a greeting is, until she comes up with one, then you praise her. If you go back to the guy, she will then greet him, and task one is accomplished.

Task two, on the other hand - learn to cook - is not so simple. It involves meeting the owner of a pub, several visits to a job registration office, actually registering for one of several jobs on a computer, going back to the pub, returning to the boat, buying a tray, teaching Josette to carry it properly, as opposed to, say, kicking it across the floor, throwing it like a frisbee, or EATING IT. That's just to get her to the stage where the owner asks if she'd like to cook. You still have to go back and buy all kinds of things and teach Josette to use them all. I have NO IDEA how anyone would manage any of that without understanding Japanese.

Of course, there are guides available, and luckily for modern gamers there are also translated rom patches of the game. Almost makes learning Japanese seem like a MASSIVE WASTE OF TIME. But I'm not going to linger on that too long.

[Decider-VT]

Remember this quite vividly from the days of N64 Magazine. Are you going to try one of the translated ROM patches?

[noobish hat]

Most assuredly not. I don't do ROMs! I don't think my old banger of a PC would be able to handle N64 emulation anyway, it can barely do colours.

[importaku]

Yup i completed the thing, the ending is epic it's 30 mins long

Im pretty sure you should have no problem completing it as your japanese is better than mine. The last section is the hardest as you have to run round a maze listening to the laughter to track down the parts of yourself & then when you find one you have to answer a question of something you did in the game. Each question will be different depending on what tasks you completed in the game. If you get it correct the part of you will merge back together with you, if you get it wrong it will run off & you will have to find it again. Luckily the questions dont change.

Theres a english walkthrough for this game now but when it first came out i had no such luxury, it's a bit rough looking round the edges now but still a really wonderful game. You will become attached to Josette by the end.