So, months ago I sold my Xbox 360 thinking I was done with violent games...

Then Gears of War came out and the online worked in Ultimate MK 3... so I got another Xbox 360 and played more violent games.

Close to the PS3 launched and it became clear what a disaster the console is, I realized that I wasn't done with traditional games and it seemed the 360 is a good place to get those. I still may get a PS3 someday if Fumito Ueda makes something as wonderful as Ico or Shadow of the Colossus again, but other than Gradius 6 and Virtua Fighter 5, there is nothing coming out for the PS3 in the next year that appeals to me in the least. The 360 on the other hand has Mass Effect, Assasin's Creed, Bioshock, Viva Pinata, Halo 3 and Forza 2, so I decided to cough up the money and reinvest in one. If only the system had games where you didn't just shoot guys.

Sadly, I haven't played the system at all since I bought it. All I do is play Wii.

Zelda is remarkable. Better than Okami (which I believe was one of the best games of last gen) in many respects and is complete in ways that other games can't compare to. The level of detail and care that was put into the game is truly astounding and the quality of the puzzle design is incredible. It's upsetting that some journalists preferred Gears of War to it; considering in one game you saw people in half and yell "EAT **** AND DIE" and in the other you solve intricate puzzles and get an equally satisfying feeling from shooting things (picking off people while riding on epona is great). Zelda's design makes other games look like they were made by people who simply didn't care. Especially when compared with games on the XBox 360, it shows how none of the next-gen games have the attention to detail of some of the best designed games of last-gen. Also, the writing and character designs in Zelda is hilarious, which no next-gen game has managed to be and only Amped 3 and Viva Pinata have attempted. Along with Okami, Chibi-Robo, the Tamogatchi Corner Connection games and Elite Beat Agents, Zelda is one of the funniest games of the year.

Oh, and I wanted to mention how Gears of War, regardless of how fun it is, makes me embarrassed to play games. The ending credits in the game are so dumb and stereotypical of the "Xbox crowd" that I had to turn my system off. Pictures of a bunch of nerdy guys who sit in cubicles all day doing complex math to get the physics working in the game were photographed and put over a red and black background with rap that was trying to make it seem more "street" or something.
Regardless of how well Cliff designs games, he's still some faux macho dude with ridiculous hair and that credit sequence makes that pretty clear.

Maybe he should make another Jazz Jackrabbit and stop putting gel in his hair and I'll like him more. He does seem like a good guy, just a remarkably insecure one.

Anyway, I've played lots of Zelda and lots of Virtual Console games. I'd take playing Gunstar Heroes, Ristar, Mario 64, Ice Hockey, Bomberman 93, Alien Crush or Super Star Soldier any day over being yelled at by homophobic teens on XBox Live.

I think it's a little disappointing how a lot of the Virtual Console games are more solid than many new games. Ice Hockey for example, regardless of its imperfections, is perfectly balanced and anyone can pick it up and play it. Gunstar Heroes also is more intense than any of the new shooters on XBox Live and has more replay value. Also, Bomberman '93 may just be the best bomberman game, and it is 14 YEARS OLD.

Oh well. Maybe in a year from now the XBLA games will be better and I'll have managed to get a terrible case of Wii-elbow and have sworn off the system forever.