So lately, I've been playing Metroid Prime 2: Echoes on my Gamecube.  And though it may come as no surprise, I'm finding the whole experience to be top notch.  Everything about the game is just superb.  It may or may not top its predecessor, but one thing is for certain is that it sure does come close.  The original Metroid Prime was awesome, and this one is taking the series in the the next step forward. 

For anyone who follows this blog, I usually seem to give much praise to every game I play.  But I can't deny how wonderful this game is.  Why do I like this game so much?

Well first of all, I love Metroid.  The basic idea of exploring an alien environment while obtaining numerous powerups that enable you to explore more is a great idea.  I guess that makes it kind of like an RPG at heart? 

The gameplay is easy and accessible.  You do a lot of jumping in these games and it's a first person shooter!  You can't see your feet!  The targeting system is so great that I'm actually a little worried that my FPS skills aren't going to amount to much when I play any other FPS for a console.  It's going to take me a while to get used to dual analog sticks for aiming, I just might say forget it. 

The graphics and music in the game are top notch!  I could go on and on about how this game rocks, but I'll spare you and save the rest for an actual review.  (God, I can't wait for the third one.)

I have high hopes for Metroid Prime 3.  But I'm not really worried that they'll mess it up on the Wii.  Apparently those guys in Retro Studios are pretty dedicated to making awesome games, so I figure they'll come through. 

My only real concern is that playing these great games like Metroid Prime might turn me into some sort of "video game snob" who only plays the best of the best.  I have wide interests in video games, and I fear that every game I play is just going to be second rate fare that doesn't measure up to the "great" games, and that feeling might turn me off or keep me from enjoying a "good" game. 

Bah!  After thinking about it I figure I'll be just fine.  Playing games is one of my favorite hobbies and I'm sure that there will always be a part of me that wants to play a game where the only objective is to blow stuff up as a little alien dude....

Well, my wife and I finally moved in to our new place.  And now for the first time in over a year I can play my consoles again!  Allow me to explain...

When news of the baby first hit, we found it necessary to move in with my in-laws in order to knock out the expenses.  (Very grateful to them by the way!)  Naturally there was very limited space, and my Gamecube and PS2 pretty much gathered dust. 

I wasn't too bummed or anything since I still had my beloved GBA SP and I could still play some older PC games on my laptop.  But after a while I kind of missed having a contoller in my hands and kicking butt on my 27" TV. 

Last week, I sat down to relax for some Resident Evil.  (If "relaxing" is the right word to use for that game - lol!)  My wife and I visit our town in Animal Crossing almost every day.  And it's nice to have a game like that where you can just pick up and play without feeling the necessity to save the world!

Last night I decided to pop in Metroid Prime 2 since I had owned it for a while but hadn't gotten to play it yet.  And sure enough, it was pushing close to midnight when I realized I needed some rest before going into work today.  I think it's safe to say that before the night's over some Space Pirates are going to be taught a lesson about who not to deal with. 

Sigh....  It's just nice to be able to do something that I've always enjoyed doing - Playing Games.  I guess that's why we're all here on this website. 

Okay, enough rambling.  For now I'm trying to build my PS1 library with some wicked cool RPGs and other fare.  More on that later...

My world won't stop shattering! 

Well, my gaming world at least.  I'm referencing my lack of success attaining a cheap or free X360, my total loss of Castlevania: CotM saves, and now my beloved Gameboy Advance SP is no longer functioning properly! 

First off, let me say, me and my GBA were close.  I had that thing by my side almost perpetually.  It was the easiest way for me to get my fix because my consoles are in the same room as my sleeping baby.  In other words, I loved my GBA!

So yesterday, I sit down for a little R&R with Metroid: Zero Mission.  Eventually I get to a spot where I need to aim diagonally, and I can't!  My left trigger button is no longer working! 

No amount of resetting or restarting would fix it.  So I check out Nintendo's customer service for repairing it.  Those guys want $55 to repair a GBA not under warranty (which expires one year after you bought it by the way).  And then there's shipping which always costs extra.  I bought the thing for $60 to begin with.  For that price I can go to the game store and pick me up another GBA SP. 

Granted, maybe it was my fault to begin with for buying a used system in the first place.  Tack on the fact that I usually carried it in my jacket or pants pockets as opposed to the travel case and you could say that it was not being babied from the start. 

Ultimately, it would be pretty hard to keep playing with it since most Advance games seem to require all 6 buttons.  I guess maybe it's time for me to get a DS Lite.  I knew the day was coming.  I was hoping for later rather than sooner.  You know after a big price drop. 

As for the fate of my beloved, and now broken GBA?

Since it's not worth repairing, I know some people would trash it.  - But it still works great except for that trigger button.  It holds a long charge and everything!

Some other jerks would try selling it.   - That's not my style.  I wouldn't feel right. 

Me?  I try to look on the bright side when I can.  - I think my broken GBA would make a superb alternative as a Gameboy Color machine.  Since the DS does not have backwards compatibility for old Gameboy and Gameboy Color games. My GBA would still serve an excellent purpose by playing all of the old Gameboy games released between 1989 to 2000. 

None of those games required a trigger button.  And the GBA has a faster processor making old Gameboy Color games look even sharper.  The GBA even allowed for some colorizing of the green Gameboy games like Metroid II.  And there were plenty of quality handheld games that aren't available on any other system today - Link's Awakening anyone?

For now, I think I might steal my wife's Micro until I can get my hands on a DS Lite.  (Which would make a great Christmas gift for anyone reading who happens to be filthy rich!)  (Anyone?)

Late last week I picked up Metroid: Zero Mission and I dove right into it on the weekend.  I beat it Sunday night, and let me tell you I'm itching for more...

I read the review here on Gamespot, and I have to admit that Greg Kasavin's review is pretty darn accurate (though I think it should have recieved a higher score). 

The game is great quality side-scrolling, but it does seem to end too quickly leaving you wanting more.  And towards the end of the game Samus is pretty powerful, leaving no formidable foes to deal with, and that she was equipped to take on a bigger adventure.  I think they should have thrown in an extra boss battle or two. 

For the record, I thought Metroid: Fusion was a superb game, and this one is on-par if not better.  And as far as remakes go, this game is top-notch even throwing in the original as an unlockable. 

Usually when I get a new game, I try to master it and get the most out of it since I can't afford to be buying games too frequently.  The bad news is that I'm not sure how much longer I can stretch this one since I already beat it so quickly.  Don't get me wrong, I'm going back for the hard mode, but after that....?

Right now it seems like Nintendo is riding the Metroid Prime wave on the Wii and DS.  (Metroid Prime is another superb game by the way!)  I can only hope that Nintendo gets around to releasing more 2D Metroid games in the future.  I'd say we're long overdue for a remake of Super Metroid - that game would be great on the DS.  Or a whole new adventure would be swell too - whatever just sign me up! 

If you read my last post, you'll find me giving shameless praise for Castlevania: Circle of the Moon.  I just found out today that all of my data for that game had been erased!  I was currently on my fifth run of the game (trying to beat it in "Thief" mode) and I was just about to beat it again too. 

Last night I decided to pick up another game for my GBA - Metroid: Zero Mission for less than $7.  I popped it in to my GBA to make sure it was working properly and it was.  So today, I'm thinking, "okay, I'll just quickly beat the rest of Castlevania and move on to Metroid."  I put the cartridge back in and my GBA showed a messed up Nintendo logo.  So I turned it off and on and stuck it back in and still nothing.  When it finally started working again, I had no saved data!  Argh!

I'll built all five of those characters up pretty high (level 60+) and everything I did in the past month or so is gone.  What a bummer.  I'm wondering if it was my GBA that messed it up or the cartridge?

I know that cartridges use batteries to save data, but the game isn't that old.  Right? 

Right......?

Over the past couple of months, I've been finding less and less game time since I started a new semester at college.  Yet somehow, one game has managed to keep me occupied throughout this time span - Castlevania: Circle of the Moon on the Gameboy Advance. 

And the reason why I've been playing it for months is not because it's hard to beat or anything.  On the contrary, I'm currently on my 3rd run of the game!  You'd think I'd be tired of it by now, but I'm looking forward to getting some time in tonight, because there is some serious undead butt-kicking that needs to be done. 

I must say, this game is simply amazing.  It is, believe it or not, my first Castlevania game.  I missed out on all the previous incarnations on the older consoles.  However, I think my next game is going to be Symphony of the Night for the Playstation if I can find a good deal. 

After coming off of Metroid and Metroid Fusion some months back, I was delighted to find some familiar gameplay in an entirely different setting.  Obtaining items that unlock new areas is definitely a game technique that I find welcome. 

But there's so much more to Circle of the Moon than Metroidian similarities.  In fact, the game takes a page or two from the role playing genre as well.  Upgradeable gear and the use of magic that gives you special abilities and summons, not to mention character stats and leveling up.  A union between Metroid and RPGs set in Dracula's castle can't be a bad thing!

Once you beat it the first time through, you get a password that starts off a new game with different stats and abilities.  This feature is like icing on a cake.  Different modes of play give this game extended replay value which is always a plus. 

Now I understand the fact that reviews from gaming websites like this one should always be taken with a grain of salt since reviews are really just someone's opinion.  But, if you take the time to look, Castlevania: Circle of the Moon is the highest-rated GBA game on this website.  And I'll agree, that if it's not the best GBA game ever, it sure comes pretty close.

I'm looking forward to playing the two sequels for the GBA - Harmony of Dissonance & Aria of Sorrow!

If you go back and read my post entitled "Bummin'...", you'll find a sad tale about how I almost got an XBOX 360 for free.  What you don't know is that later that week, I had e-mailed the website about how their new policy of a 90 day time frame was unfair because I was never notified.  Much to my surprise, they gave me an extension to get my eighth person.  My determination was renewed. 

I did manage to get my eighth person credited to my account.  The next step I had to fulfill was to send an approval form.  At this stage they check you and your referrals for any signs of cheating.  I wasn't the least bit worried.  Besides, they had all been credited so what else could go wrong?

Much to my dismay, after checking my account, I was not approved.  Apparently they claim that my father somehow broke the terms of agreement since his account is on hold.  Which translates into me only having 7 people credited and therefore not completing the requirements.  To put it another way - NO XBOX 360 for Mario. :(

Now I understand that perhaps I should have gone and found a 9th or 10th person, just to play it safe.  (Which I'm sure is exactly what they want you to do in the first place.)  But I know that my father did nothing of the sort to break the terms of agreement, so I start to wonder just how many of these they are really giving away. 

By now, I'm tired of messing with the whole thing.  I don't even want to contest it because I'm sure they'll give me some lame response.  So, I've come to accept the fact that I won't be playing a nex-gen system for quite some time. 

And after thinking about it, maybe that's not such a bad idea.  I've got a long list of Original XBOX games I'd like to play.  And with Backwards Compatibility on the X360 sucking so badly.  I might just find myself buying a shiny new XBOX sometime in the near future. 

For now, I'm still loving on my SP....

I just beat Golden Sun: The Lost Age.  What a great game!  I can't believe it actually took me over 52 hours!  Can you believe a little Gameboy Advance game could occupy someone for over 52 hours!?!?  I wasn't even messing around trying to level up or anything!  I played it with the intent of getting through the end because the story was so intriguing!  So many sidequests as well!  *Sigh*  Mario gives it 2 thumbs way up!

And now like all of the other people who have played the Golden Sun series, I am really yearning for a third game!  The look and feel of the series suggests a trilogy.  (The second game had a subheading of Book Two!)  And the conclusion of The Lost Age, though not a cliffhanger, allows for a new chapter to be told.

But alas, I am pretty leery of such a miracle actually happening.  Camelot (the Developers) made the first game in 2001 and the second in 2003.  So far there is no word of Camelot producing anything for the handheld market and we're going in to 2007! Personally I think a third game would go great on a DS because of all the new features it could employ to keep the series fresh!  Wishful thinking.....

For those of you actually reading this, I'll stop the shameless praise I'm giving for the Golden Sun series.  Just allow me to say that playing those games was well worth it!

I just beat Golden Sun for the Gameboy Advance - what a great game!  Great story, lengthy quest, awesome music, excellent graphics for the equivalent of a handheld Super Nintendo, and tried and true gameplay.  What more could you want?  I've only played a couple of RPGs in my lifetime.  And if there are awesome games like Golden Sun out there I might just become an RPG fanboy....

I remember when I was younger, I went to my cousin's house and watched him as he played the greats - FF7, FF8, Xenogears, Breath of Fire series, Vagrant Story, etc.  I always thought the games he played were cool, but they just weren't for me.  I was used to platformers like Mario or random action/adventure stuff.  I didn't get what was so fun about going through bunches of menus (the guy was lightening fast!) and selecting attack and heal and whatnot! 

I understood that they were supposed to be epic stories but I just couldn't see the fun in hours upon hours of gameplay in a dark room.  I just sat quietly and admired the stunning graphics not really knowing the appeal of a grand quest. 

Years later (almost 10), for some reason I'll never know, I developed a bit of curiosity for RPGs.  And one day, I decided that my lack of appreciation for the genre was unwarranted since I never gave it a try.  I took it upon myself and picked up a friend's copy of FF1 and FF2 for the GBA.  My cousin said to give it an hour of gameplay and if I still didn't like it to give it another.  And if after that I still did not see the appeal, then it just wasn't my cup of tea. 

After I got the mechanics down, I was enjoying my first RPG experience with the game that most RPG gamers started with.  The original Final Fantasy.  I loved it!  I promptly beat the next one.  Thus began a lifetime of getting lost in massive quests to save the world - otherwise known as fantasy.

So as of this posting, I am now also in love with the Golden Sun universe and am highly looking forward to its sequel - The Lost Age.  If you have the slightest interest in handheld RPGs, I strongly recommend the Golden Sun series.  You can get them both used for less than $10 each at Gamestop. 

One day, many months ago, I was wasting time on the interweb when I got sick and tired of seeing advertisements promoting a free this or that.  One advertisement caught my attention – A Free XBOX 360.  I wondered how it was possible to get a next-gen system for free because it could not be false advertising.  After reading the terms and conditions, thoroughly I might add, it seemed that all that was required was to complete a trial offer from a third party website and get 8 other people to do the same.  I could actually pull that off….

So I set out to complete my requirements.  The trial offers consisted of Blockbuster.com, Real Rhapsody Music, True.com, Video Professor, and a bunch of other things.  In fact most of the trial offers were free or less than $10.  The trick was to cancel your offer before it auto-charged.  Completing my offer was simple enough.  But convincing 8 other people to input their credit card information was a pretty difficult task.  I managed to get the help of my family, friends, and coworkers. 

But alas, I could only find 7 people who were willing to do this for me.  After the 90-day requirement had passed, I felt the need to kick myself for getting so close and not following through.  The original XBOX was the only current-gen console I did not own.  I had never experienced Halo, KOTOR, Ninja Gaiden, DOA, Fable, or any number of games that were just superior on the system.  The thought of owning a backwards compatible 360 was fabulous.  The option to play original XBOX games as well as next-gen games like Burnout Revenge, Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, Perfect Dark, and Elder Scrolls: Oblivion was a sweet bonus since there is no way I could afford a PS3 or any next-gen system for that matter. 

Unless some distant relative of mine passes away and leaves me his estate, it will be a long time before I can partake of any next-gen goodness.  Maybe it’s all for the best because I can afford a new XBOX for $150 or less.  And currently there are half a dozen great games for $3 used at Gamestop.  I am still confident to this day that had I finished my requirements in the allotted time frame, I would have in fact got a new XBOX 360 for free.  For those of you interested, Freepay.com hosts many other websites, including the PS3!!!  Hmm… maybe next year….