Time Passes But Love Never Dies

As I sit here, drinking my tall, cold, plastic cup of chocolate milk, looking through old photos of friends whom I never talk to anymore, I realize that many things have changed in my life over the years.  I've moved from the Central Valley, down to Santa Barbara and then way up to San Francisco.  I've gained and lost numerous friends, fallen in love (twice) and even got into a couple of car accidents.  All of these experiences have changed how I live my life or how I view others.  My tastes have changed as well.  I now have a much broader appreciation for films, books, music and, not surprisingly, my family.  I've heard that the only constant in life is change.  In my experience this seems about right.  Although, there is one thing that has never changed -- something I can't imagine ever changing:  my love for certain videogames.

My favorite game, which has been mentioned several times on this site, is over a decade old.  It came out on the Nintendo 64, a system with the most awkward controller and a catalog of games that comes up short when compared with its main competitor, the PlayStation 2.  Countless other games have come out on about a dozen home consoles and hand helds, but few have earned the right to be compared with that one N64 title.  At least, according to me.  The Halo series has now become a blockbuster franchise with near-perfect multi-player capabilities.  Super Mario Galaxy has redefined the platformer genre.  World of Warcraft has over 12 million people willing to pay a monthly fee in order to give up their own lives and play a game.  I wonder how many people who have played these games will name a classic throw-back title as their favorite, and possibly as the best, game of all time.  Do these titles always rest on pedestals while we maintain some kind of grand illusion about them?  Would our favorite games be worth going back to after so much time has passed?  Would they stand the test of time or fall by the wayside along with other, outdated games?

 At one time this was the pinnacle of technology in our civilization.

There are some who can call a game "great" simply because of the nostalgia it brings.  Memories of a time without paper work or dead lines.  This may be enough of a reason to play a game, but certainly not enough to judge whether or not a game is great.  I loved playing Pokemon Snap with a group of friends a couple years ago, but I know I would never play that game alone.  Not again.  We see this type of thing happen all the time.  We're probably all guilty of hearkening back to the good ol' days about something or other.  You can barely turn on the news without hearing how things have gotten so much worse over time.  Well, this is actually the best time to be alive since the beginning of time.  So grats on that.  Even with videogames, technology is racing forward.  Have you seen the Kinect hack videos?  They're amazing.  Think of the possibilities.  I get excited every time I think about the future of gaming.  I don't know what's next, but I know I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for it.

Now, with all these new fangled doohickeys coming out from the woodworks, I'd still be shocked if any of them replaced my favorite game.  Let me remind you at this point that it came out on the Nintendo 64.  Others my age, or older, have favorites from the original Nintendo Entertainment System.  What does it say about all the new hardware if they can't compete with games that came out before 3D was even an option?  I try to judge the game based on it's own merit.  When I look back, I don't focus on the good memories of my family watching me progress through each area; I look at the story, the difficulty and the gameplay.  I should try to be as objective as possible.  We all should when discussing the quality of any title.  But here's the real question, if we're so sure that nothing will compare with our old favorites, why play new games at all?  Why not just keep playing those top classics and be content appreciating the quality of an age long since passed?

And the crowd goes silent as I go for my 10,000th straight win...

I'm willing to bet that we always hope the next game will be our new favorite.  No one gets into a game with the thought of how terrible it'll turn out.  People want to be entertained.  Whether that's by some old favorite from childhood or the newest game to hit the shelves I don't think people care.  Every time I pick up a Zelda title, I want it to be better than Ocarina of Time.  I want that experience of playing a game I know is amazing from start to finish.  I want another game I would judge with a perfect score.  I hope that the games of tomorrow surpass those of yesteryear, but, knowing that the majority of games are average and good only for a week-long rental, I don't have any expectations, just memories.

Giving Thanks to Gaming

Soon, one of the most fattening days of the year will be upon us.  Thanksgiving is usually seen as a time to be grateful for what we have, who we have in our lives, and what we're lucky enough to do with our lives.  This is done by eating a giant meal with our families and loved ones and maybe saying a word of thanks before digging in.  Some families have traditions for this day: to go around the table and give thanks, the father cutting into the turkey, watching hours of football with an unbuckled belt.  Whatever your personal tradition, Super Dope Gaming hopes you each have a lovely Thanksgiving, full of joy and laughter.  For those gamers out there, more concerned with getting to the next level than with what part of the bird you get to eat, here is a selection of games that you should not only be thankful for, but also ones that you can share with others.

1. MarioKart Wii

The game that keeps on giving, even after all the courses have been memorized and you've become a pro at drifting.  No, not with DLC; MarioKart Wii allows for a rewarding experience through 32 tracks, half of which are taken from previous MarioKart games and updated; split screen multiplayer, competitive online matches, a leader board, fun and exciting items, and more characters to play as than ever.  This game, like it's predecessors, is most enjoyed when playing with friends -- just make sure they know what they're doing first, racing against beginners is never fun -- and having several hours devoted to finding out who's the better kart driver.  The courses aren't too challenging, which means more people can get in on the action, but some of the most difficult challenges come from catching up to your friend after a blue shell.  This game is always a fun time with a small group and works best when people just want to have fun and forget the serious nature of other games.

2. World of Warcraft

I know, I know, it's an MMO and a lot of people don't have it or don't want to pay the $15 a month subscription fee.  I don't blame you.  But what could be better than getting a group of your friends online and setting up a PvP raid against the Alliance?  It's been a long time since I played WoW (it was back before the first expansion) but the best memories I have of my 60+ days of play time are the ones where I took a trip to Ironforge and sneaked around, ganking low-level noobs.  I was cruel.  Of course, there have been battle grounds for a long time, places where there can be a point to the pointless slaughtering of others, but the best situation is going to the lowest leveled, contested area and griefing the rival faction with your friends, hopefully there with you at a LAN party.  Ah, memories.

3. Super Smash Brothers Brawl

Another Wii game, but deservedly on this list.  Not too many people can keep up with the fast pacing of Melee, and there are some who won't go near the clunky, unbalanced mess that is the original Smash Brothers, so that leaves the latest iteration of the series.  This game has pissed off "hardcore" fighter fans since it came out, but does much to improve on accepted greatness.  Brawl offers a roster of 35 characters and 41 stages, which is more than enough to add the required depth for more serious players and a great way to bring in people whose favorite characters may not have been in the games before.  The game offers a Co-op mode, the subspace emissary, which is a pretty big let-down, really, but the game shines when it's a group of four going at it on random stages.  You can make it more competitive by getting rid of items and, if you're playing against someone without much experience, you can add a handicap to make it easier.  If you want crazy fun, create your own stage with lots of traps and spikes, then turn on items to very high and watch as sh*t hits the fan.

4. Secret of Mana

An oldie but a goodie.  If you want retro fun with a great game, then look no further than this classic gem.  Secret of Mana allows for two or three (with a multitap) people to play in what is usually a single-player genre.  This SNES game does what most RPGs now don't even do: have each person control a member of your party.  It's perfect and I don't know why it doesn't happen in each party-gathering RPG.  Taking down run-of-the-mill baddies to a giant moth-thing and then a giant bat-thing with your friends instills a great feeling of accomplishment in each person.  Leveling-up is also a feel-good experience during which you can be cheered on by your friends for now being able to kill enemies in a single hit, or be berated for having chosen the cleric.  Clerics are lame.  The game loses a few points for having only three characters, but gains it all back and more in the stellar gameplay.

5. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

This game is both the longest-titled on the list and my personal favorite.  It holds a special place in my heart because A Link to the Past is one of my favorite games (Ocarina of Time is still better) and I have great memories with my friends.  The story is different, but the visuals and the dungeons are taken frame-by-frame from the SNES version.  It's hands-down the most difficult to arrange with your friends since, in addition to the game, you need four Game Boy Advances or SPs, and also a connector cord for each to plug into the Gamecube.  These are not easy to come by, but once it happens, it's a thing of magic.  Top-down, multi-player Zelda action.  My friends and I have taken a weekend off just to take the time to get through the game.  There isn't a lot of difficulty for fans of the Zelda series, but there is a ton of carnage.  Each player can hold an item (some of which can be upgraded) and use that item to attack other players.  You got bombs? Blow up your friends.  A Roc's feather? Jump up and slam them.  A hammer?  You know what to do.  Then, at the end of each level, you can vote for the best and worst "hero" to further honor or denounce your friends.  I would still love to play this game, but my God, are those connector cables a b*tch to find... and three other gamer friends.

My First Game is My First Review

I'm not sure who would want to read a recent review of a videogame that came out over a decade ago (1998), but it is with great zeal and love that I write one. It seems only right to begin with my first console game I ever owned (kiiinda... the Nintendo 64 came with a Duke Nukem game that I didn't like and returned the next day, all in order to buy this game that "I heard good things about two years ago at school"). Yes, what is largely considered the best game of any console of any generation was my very first outing into console gaming. Sure, I played Duke Nukem 2D, Monster Bash, Commander Keen, various other DOS games, and various SEGA Genesis games through my cousin - even Super Mario World and Mario Kart 64 at a friend's house - but Ocarina of Time was the first game that was ever mine. And boy did I play it. Every morning I'd get up and play it for 30 to 60 minutes before I had to go to school. So many hours and hours spent trying to figure out each of the dungeons and even harder temples. When I started, I couldn't even run in a straight line. It took me a week to beat the Deku Tree dungeon. Now it takes me a little more than an hour, but I have beaten the game more times than I can remember. Anyway, enough of nostalgic waxing, on to the review.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time begins with a young boy, Link (really just whatever you place as your file name, so, for me, GREG), separated from the rest of his kind, the kokiri kids, on account of his missing one defining characteristic: a fairy to call his own. This, however, is quickly rectified in the opening scenes of the game, when a fairy, Navi (who is nowhere near as annoying as many believe), on a mission from the forest leader/protector/boss man, comes to find the boy and begin a grand adventure throughout the entire world of Hyrule and towards Link's destiny. The idea of this is at the same time startlingly simple and hopelessly involving. Who among us as gamers has never felt like an outsider or has never wished to be something great? Who among us as humans? What is a little disconcerting, perhaps, is that Link at the outset of his journey must be no older than 12, although he looks 8. Despite this seemingly young age, Link overcomes all odds and meets the game's namesake, Princess Zelda. With her help, Link finds the spirit stones and uses them to open the doorway to the Triforce, which grants the wish of the person who touches it. Of course, Link is not the one to touch it, but the Evil Man of the Desert, Ganondorf, does and becomes the King of Evil and conquers Hyrule. During this time, Link is imprisoned in a magical chamber until he is old enough to wield the Master Sword, evil's bane you see, and defeat Ganondorf, with the help of the six sages of the world, gained by passing each temple in the "Adult Link" part of the game.

If that story seems convoluted or if you think the names of the characters and places and items are all confusing, I understand. This game took my 10 months to beat it my first time, but I ate it all up, and happily. Just be thankful it's nothing like the infamous storyline of the Metal Gear series. In actuality, the story is a big part of what makes this game great. Link allows the player to identify with him and think of him as a "larger than life" hero. This entire game is an epic, fantasy adventure that puts the player in the driver's seat. This indeed is nothing new now, what with the Lord of the Rings and more Final Fantasy games than you can shake a stick at (I don't know why that's an expression), but back when Super Mario 64 departed from 2D side-scrolling, this was unbelievable. The story, even judged by today's standards, still holds up among other such amazing stories Mass Effect or Bioshock. Truthfully, it can be boiled down to "reluctant hero becomes confidant and finally banishes evil to make way for peace," but that type of generic characterization fails to do this game justice.

The more technical aspects also are still appealing. When playing any of the current-gen consoles, one may be used to high level graphics and incredibly detailed environments, but if one plays the Ocarina of Time there is no lost love or looks of disgust. When picking up the game today, I at first find myself surprised that games have come so far from the polygons and blurry edges and the sharp and hard backgrounds of yesteryear, and I must admit I'm slightly hesitant. Still, after a few minutes of playing, I can't help but feel accustomed to what would be lacking from modern games. Sure, there are no detailed flames or bloody rag-doll physics, but there is a solar glare and after a little while, night. And rain. And lakes, forests, deserts, temples, dungeons, bugs, giant monsters, and the like. There is nothing missing from this game in terms of style or presentation. Most of the enemies are colorful, but not excessively so like Wind Waker or what Skyward Sword appears to be. Everything about the feel of this game is natural. Even the controls feel right and are easily learned. Of course, it helps that they're always present on the screen. Still, nothing is awkward about the button uses or combinations. Z to target, B to attack, A for Action, and the C-buttons for items. Not to mention the fantastic soundtrack. From beginning to end, the soundtrack mirrors Link's actions, fitting with any situation. When in the kokiri forest, it's light and whimsical; in the boss fights, it's exciting and fast-paced; when fighting Ganondorf, the music is heavy, slow and epic. Combine this with the idea of using music on the ocarina to solve puzzles, open doorways, and, eventually, just to travel from place to place, then the soundtrack is more than just background to an otherwise great game, it becomes a reason for greatness, increasing the overall quality of the adventure. All perfectly accessible and formed for common hand placement. These elements can all come together to make the perfect gameplay experience.

The main thing I can talk about for hours in this game is the way it unfolds. I went from not being able to move in a straight line to blocking every attack, flipping out of the way, and then being able to land the perfect counter. I started with a wooden shield and small dagger in a small forest of kids and moved onto a legendary weapon with gauntlets of power in the fortress of evil. It never feels as if the game is forcing you to do things that you don't want to do, excluding the Water Temple, of course. Every action made is a step taken on your way to vanquishing Ganondorf and saving Hyrule. I can see where the temples can get repetitive what with the map, compass, special item pattern, but the expansive areas and fantastic themes of the temples more than overcome this slight shortcoming. To be able to fight a dragon in a volcano, an atom... thing... under a lake, or a ghost on a bongo in an ancient well is nothing less than amazing and really just a lot of fun in a totally awesome game.

I'm not sure how many games I've played in my life, but I am sure this is the game that started me down the gaming path. Most games are average, some are terrible, and many of them are very good. Some games, however, have everything a game needs in order to be great and even continuously pushes other games to strive for greatness. More than that, games like this are able to have such an effect on the player that no matter how often or how much later one plays the same old game, it is always challenging, fun, moving, and all-around a great way to spend one's time. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is one of these games. For my first review, I give the best game I've ever played a perfect score of 5 out of 5.

5/5 Perfect Score! Super Dope!