February 2013
2013: Year of Luigi
It's no secret that many consider Luigi as often in the shadow of his older and more popular brother, Mario. Luigi hasn't seen himself in the spotlight as much as Mario, with the only exceptions being Luigi's Mansion and Mario is Missing. However, Nintendo had decided recently that this year would be different. On Feburary 14, 2013, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata had announced in a Nintendo Direct that this year would be dubbed the Year of Luigi.
The year is said to kick off with the release of the long-awaited sequel to Luigi's Mansion, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon for the Nintendo 3DS. The game has been said to be released on March 23 and will once again call upon Luigi and his trusty vacuum to dispel ghosts from several mansions.
In addition to the release of this game, Nintendo had also announced a brand new addition to the Mario & Luigi RPG saga, Mario and Luigi: Dream Team for the Nintendo 3DS. In this game, Mario enters the dreams of Luigi to battle against the creatures of the dream world. No release date has been confirmed as of yet, but the game is expected to launch in Summer 2013. Luigi will also be joining Mario and the gang in a new Mario Golf title, Mario Golf: World Tour also for the 3DS and will be released in Summer 2013.
And, last but not least, a brand new DLC has been announced for Nintendo's recent Wii U title, New Super Mario Bros. U. The DLC has been properly named New Super Luigi U and will offer players the chance to play as none other than Luigi as you take on new levels with all new challenges.
With all these new titles being released, the year's looking bright for the younger of the two Mario brothers known as Luigi. And it looks like this will be the year where Luigi finally gets to shine! With three titles for the 3DS and his own DLC, Luigi will certainly have his hands full! Move aside Mario, because, at long last, It's Weegee Time!
The year is said to kick off with the release of the long-awaited sequel to Luigi's Mansion, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon for the Nintendo 3DS. The game has been said to be released on March 23 and will once again call upon Luigi and his trusty vacuum to dispel ghosts from several mansions.
In addition to the release of this game, Nintendo had also announced a brand new addition to the Mario & Luigi RPG saga, Mario and Luigi: Dream Team for the Nintendo 3DS. In this game, Mario enters the dreams of Luigi to battle against the creatures of the dream world. No release date has been confirmed as of yet, but the game is expected to launch in Summer 2013. Luigi will also be joining Mario and the gang in a new Mario Golf title, Mario Golf: World Tour also for the 3DS and will be released in Summer 2013.
And, last but not least, a brand new DLC has been announced for Nintendo's recent Wii U title, New Super Mario Bros. U. The DLC has been properly named New Super Luigi U and will offer players the chance to play as none other than Luigi as you take on new levels with all new challenges.
With all these new titles being released, the year's looking bright for the younger of the two Mario brothers known as Luigi. And it looks like this will be the year where Luigi finally gets to shine! With three titles for the 3DS and his own DLC, Luigi will certainly have his hands full! Move aside Mario, because, at long last, It's Weegee Time!
Video games...as art?
Lately, I've been discussing very different concepts in video games. The music, the graphics, and even the ratings. But, in this entry, am I going to consider the following question. Are video games considered as a form of art?
Over the years, museums have been acknowledging video games as an acceptable art form by allowing them to be on display. During the late 1980s, art museums have began to display exhibits of outdated retro games. In March 2006, the French Minister of Culture characterized video games as "a form of artistic expression". In fact, recently the Smithsonian American Art Museum has made a 2012 exhibit called "The Art of Video Games", which contains over 40 historic video games in their original format.
However, some critics question as to whether or not video games are considered a form of art. For example, Jim Munroe said in a 2010 interview with Nora Young for Spark, dismissed video games as facing a double standard in that they are considered more as toys for children. Another example includes a statement made by Roger Ebert in which he states that "no one in or out of the field has ever been able to cite a game worthy of comparison with the great dramatists, poets, filmmakers, novelists and composers...for most gamers, video games represent a loss of those precious hours we have available to make ourselves more cultured, civilized and empathetic."
These criticisms have not stopped the developed the creation of artistic video games. These are games that have been described as video games created to emphasize the concept of art. Examples of art games include games that have been developed by a game company known as thatgamecompany. Founded in 2006, thatgamecompany develops artistic video games that push the boundaries for interactive entertainment. One popular game they have created was the game known as Flower. This was a Playstation Network title where players collected flower petals while interacting with the ongoing changes with the environment. This game was well received and had gained awards such as Artistic Achievement from the British Academy of Film & Television Art Game Rewards and Best Downloadable Game of the Year from the Game Developer Choice Award. Another game that they had developed was a game called Journey. This was an online adventure game where players venture through a vast desert towards your goal of reaching to the mountaintop. The game received awards such as Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media from the GRAMMYs and Best Animated Video Game from the Annie Awards.
It would be awkward and difficult to compare a game like Super Mario Galaxy to a work by Mozart, but when you think about it, video games can be considered as a form of art. In fact, video games have been offered legal protection as creative works by the Supreme Court of the United Games. And art games do serve the primary purpose of being creative expression. So, next time you're at an art museum, don't be too surprised if you find an exhibit on something like "The evolution of video games".
Over the years, museums have been acknowledging video games as an acceptable art form by allowing them to be on display. During the late 1980s, art museums have began to display exhibits of outdated retro games. In March 2006, the French Minister of Culture characterized video games as "a form of artistic expression". In fact, recently the Smithsonian American Art Museum has made a 2012 exhibit called "The Art of Video Games", which contains over 40 historic video games in their original format.
However, some critics question as to whether or not video games are considered a form of art. For example, Jim Munroe said in a 2010 interview with Nora Young for Spark, dismissed video games as facing a double standard in that they are considered more as toys for children. Another example includes a statement made by Roger Ebert in which he states that "no one in or out of the field has ever been able to cite a game worthy of comparison with the great dramatists, poets, filmmakers, novelists and composers...for most gamers, video games represent a loss of those precious hours we have available to make ourselves more cultured, civilized and empathetic."
These criticisms have not stopped the developed the creation of artistic video games. These are games that have been described as video games created to emphasize the concept of art. Examples of art games include games that have been developed by a game company known as thatgamecompany. Founded in 2006, thatgamecompany develops artistic video games that push the boundaries for interactive entertainment. One popular game they have created was the game known as Flower. This was a Playstation Network title where players collected flower petals while interacting with the ongoing changes with the environment. This game was well received and had gained awards such as Artistic Achievement from the British Academy of Film & Television Art Game Rewards and Best Downloadable Game of the Year from the Game Developer Choice Award. Another game that they had developed was a game called Journey. This was an online adventure game where players venture through a vast desert towards your goal of reaching to the mountaintop. The game received awards such as Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media from the GRAMMYs and Best Animated Video Game from the Annie Awards.
It would be awkward and difficult to compare a game like Super Mario Galaxy to a work by Mozart, but when you think about it, video games can be considered as a form of art. In fact, video games have been offered legal protection as creative works by the Supreme Court of the United Games. And art games do serve the primary purpose of being creative expression. So, next time you're at an art museum, don't be too surprised if you find an exhibit on something like "The evolution of video games".
The Rating system: Do people still pay attention?
Imagine this scenario: you see a 10-year-old kid walking into a game store. He decides he wants to buy an M-rated game. He brings the game up to the cashier. What do you think will happen? Will the cashier ring up the game for the kid? Or will he insist that the kid has a parent or legal guardian with him in order to purchase the game? Or will he decide not to sell the kid the game? As I have mentioned in a previous entry, the rating system exists for a reason. But the question is what purpose does the rating system and people still bother to pay attention to it?
The ESRB rating system (Or Entertainment Software Rating Board) exists for the primary function of acknowledging the appropriate age group for a game. For example, a game rated E for Everyone is intended for an audience of all ages. A game rated E10 or T for teen is intended for people over the age of 10, and a game rated M for Mature is intended for people over the age of 17. These ratings determine what is the right age group for certain games, and thus they can be used by parents to decide what games would be appropriate for their children. But, do parents still use the ratings systems nowadays as much as they should?
Remember in my "Violence in Video Games" entry when I mentioned about how some parents don't seem to bother paying notice to the video game ratings. Unfortunately, there is some truth to that. Parents today seem to be mindlessly buying their children M-rated games and they are the ones who are playing them. It really is ironic that children are playing video games that were not intended for them rather than playing games that are. And what's worse, some parents don't even take the time and consideration to talk to their kids about the games that they are playing. The rating system in a sense is meant to serve as a warning as to what to expect from the game, and some parents don't even take the time to put that into consideration.
In another sense, the rating system serves as a means of censorship. It serves as a means of addressing what the game contains in terms of certain content. For example, in a game that is rated E or E10, it is mentioned that you can expect some cartoon, fantasy, or mild violence as opposed to a game rated T or M where you can expect more violence and strong language. The rating system doesn't just justify what age group the game is intended for, it also explains what the game itself will contain in terms of content.
The rating system is meant to address to the parents who the game is intended for and what the game will contain. If parents would just take the time to take this into consideration, there would be less concern as to whether or not the game is appropriate enough for their children. After all, that's the main reason the rating system exists at all. So, next time you're deciding what to give you're 11-year-old son for his birthday, take a close look at game's rating. If the game is rated M, then it's a safe bet you might want to reconsider your options or at least be prepared to tell your son to be careful when playing the game.
The ESRB rating system (Or Entertainment Software Rating Board) exists for the primary function of acknowledging the appropriate age group for a game. For example, a game rated E for Everyone is intended for an audience of all ages. A game rated E10 or T for teen is intended for people over the age of 10, and a game rated M for Mature is intended for people over the age of 17. These ratings determine what is the right age group for certain games, and thus they can be used by parents to decide what games would be appropriate for their children. But, do parents still use the ratings systems nowadays as much as they should?
Remember in my "Violence in Video Games" entry when I mentioned about how some parents don't seem to bother paying notice to the video game ratings. Unfortunately, there is some truth to that. Parents today seem to be mindlessly buying their children M-rated games and they are the ones who are playing them. It really is ironic that children are playing video games that were not intended for them rather than playing games that are. And what's worse, some parents don't even take the time and consideration to talk to their kids about the games that they are playing. The rating system in a sense is meant to serve as a warning as to what to expect from the game, and some parents don't even take the time to put that into consideration.
In another sense, the rating system serves as a means of censorship. It serves as a means of addressing what the game contains in terms of certain content. For example, in a game that is rated E or E10, it is mentioned that you can expect some cartoon, fantasy, or mild violence as opposed to a game rated T or M where you can expect more violence and strong language. The rating system doesn't just justify what age group the game is intended for, it also explains what the game itself will contain in terms of content.
The rating system is meant to address to the parents who the game is intended for and what the game will contain. If parents would just take the time to take this into consideration, there would be less concern as to whether or not the game is appropriate enough for their children. After all, that's the main reason the rating system exists at all. So, next time you're deciding what to give you're 11-year-old son for his birthday, take a close look at game's rating. If the game is rated M, then it's a safe bet you might want to reconsider your options or at least be prepared to tell your son to be careful when playing the game.
Rayman Legends delayed?!
As you may or may not know, Rayman Legends was an exclusive title for the Wii U said to have been released roughly around 19 days from now. However, Ubisoft had announced just recently that the game will now be delayed for six months. The reason for this being is that the game has said to now also be released for other platforms and Ubisoft had decided to release each version around the same time.
Now, I can understand them wanting to release each version around the same time, but this seems like a decision that should've been made earlier in production. Also, it was hoped that Rayman Legends was meant to be a Wii U exclusive with the intent of showing off what the system can really do. While releasing the game for other systems would be good for those who don't have a Wii U, it means that it'll be some time before the Wii U has an actual third party exclusive.
Many people were upset with the decision they have made and for quite a number of reasons. One of which was the fact that this delay could potentially hurt the game's sales as it will now have to be up against other titles such as GTA V and Wind Waker HD. Another reason is the game was said to release around 19 days, and now people will have to wait another few months. This is taken into consideration with the fact that a demo was released a while ago on the Wii U. While the Wii U version has been completed, people will have to wait to get their hands on it as it will be released with the other systems several months from now.
It also seems that people are trying to figure out who the blame is for this delay: Ubisoft for announcing this delay? Nintendo for allowing and knowing about it? Or Microsoft for their "policy" on multi-platform titles? Whatever the reason, it won't change the fact that Rayman Legends is now delayed and it will be some time for its release. Keep in mind that this is not the first time the game has been delayed, as it was originally meant to be released as a launch title for the Wii U. Unfortunately, these things happen, and all there is left to do now is wait and hope that the title will be as successful as it would have been upon its original release.
Now, I can understand them wanting to release each version around the same time, but this seems like a decision that should've been made earlier in production. Also, it was hoped that Rayman Legends was meant to be a Wii U exclusive with the intent of showing off what the system can really do. While releasing the game for other systems would be good for those who don't have a Wii U, it means that it'll be some time before the Wii U has an actual third party exclusive.
Many people were upset with the decision they have made and for quite a number of reasons. One of which was the fact that this delay could potentially hurt the game's sales as it will now have to be up against other titles such as GTA V and Wind Waker HD. Another reason is the game was said to release around 19 days, and now people will have to wait another few months. This is taken into consideration with the fact that a demo was released a while ago on the Wii U. While the Wii U version has been completed, people will have to wait to get their hands on it as it will be released with the other systems several months from now.
It also seems that people are trying to figure out who the blame is for this delay: Ubisoft for announcing this delay? Nintendo for allowing and knowing about it? Or Microsoft for their "policy" on multi-platform titles? Whatever the reason, it won't change the fact that Rayman Legends is now delayed and it will be some time for its release. Keep in mind that this is not the first time the game has been delayed, as it was originally meant to be released as a launch title for the Wii U. Unfortunately, these things happen, and all there is left to do now is wait and hope that the title will be as successful as it would have been upon its original release.
Glitches. Love 'em or Hate 'em?
Let's face it. There is no such thing as perfect and video games are no exception. Every video game has its fair share of problems and faults and most people are willing to accept them or despise them. But, there are certain things that can occur in video games that many people nowadays enjoy exploiting for the fun of it. These are known as glitches.
Glitches are known as a faulting in a program or unintentional mishaps that tend to occur without warning. There are many glitches that have become noticed and famous among many people. While some have become well admired, others have become despised. It all depends if they interfere with the main gameplay and whether or not it affects how you play. An example of a bad glitch is a glitch that causes the game to crash making it unplayable. An example of a good glitch that can be used as a means of sequence breaking or completing a certain game differently from what was intended.
A prime example of a game with many such glitches is the game, Sonic 2006, or Sonic the Hedgehog 2006, or Sonic Next Gen, or whatever you prefer. This game has been known by many as one of the worst Sonic titles in existence. One of the reasons why many people despise the game is because of the many glitches left in the game due to it being rushed into production. Some of these glitches include Sonic sticking onto the loops even when he's not moving or being unable to move for a brief amount of time or being able to phase through walls in a certain stage. While most of the glitches may seem very detrimental, there are some who have put them to good use. In fact, some people have made videos on YouTube, showing how to pull off certain glitches or showing how to use to complete certain stages faster or with a different character. Although games like Sonic 06 are riddling with glitches that hurt the game's overall performance, there are still those who look upon them opportunities of exploration.
An example of a glitch that people have come to know and love is the famous MissingNo glitch. This glitch originated from the original Pokémon Red and Blue games, and from them on has been revered as one of the most popular glitches of all time. This MissingNo glitch stands for "Missing number" and has been notified by Nintendo as hazardous to the game as it may cause your save file to become corrupt and quite possibly ruining the game. However, many have taken advantage of exploiting this glitch over the years due the glitch being able to ignore level boundaries (being to precede past level 100). and the possibility of it being able to evolve into a Kangashkan that can learn fly. This glitch had become so popular and well-known, that people had begun seeking ways to encounter this glitch in later
Pokémon titles. In fact, IGN listed it in 2009 as one of the best in-game easter eggs.
While game companies may advise not pulling off glitches such as these, people have become enticed by these glitches and have made many attempts of actually performing them. Perhaps it's not because they want to see if it will actually crash the game, but rather to see the glitch for themselves and witness the bizarre results of performing it. And as I mentioned, people have actually made guides on how to perform certain glitches to encourage others to try it for themselves. Glitches may be harmful, but they are also fun because you never know what to expect. Although, don't be too surprised if you can't for whatever reason continue playing the game afterwards. So, it's best to encounter glitches, at your own risk, but have fun!
Glitches are known as a faulting in a program or unintentional mishaps that tend to occur without warning. There are many glitches that have become noticed and famous among many people. While some have become well admired, others have become despised. It all depends if they interfere with the main gameplay and whether or not it affects how you play. An example of a bad glitch is a glitch that causes the game to crash making it unplayable. An example of a good glitch that can be used as a means of sequence breaking or completing a certain game differently from what was intended.
A prime example of a game with many such glitches is the game, Sonic 2006, or Sonic the Hedgehog 2006, or Sonic Next Gen, or whatever you prefer. This game has been known by many as one of the worst Sonic titles in existence. One of the reasons why many people despise the game is because of the many glitches left in the game due to it being rushed into production. Some of these glitches include Sonic sticking onto the loops even when he's not moving or being unable to move for a brief amount of time or being able to phase through walls in a certain stage. While most of the glitches may seem very detrimental, there are some who have put them to good use. In fact, some people have made videos on YouTube, showing how to pull off certain glitches or showing how to use to complete certain stages faster or with a different character. Although games like Sonic 06 are riddling with glitches that hurt the game's overall performance, there are still those who look upon them opportunities of exploration.
An example of a glitch that people have come to know and love is the famous MissingNo glitch. This glitch originated from the original Pokémon Red and Blue games, and from them on has been revered as one of the most popular glitches of all time. This MissingNo glitch stands for "Missing number" and has been notified by Nintendo as hazardous to the game as it may cause your save file to become corrupt and quite possibly ruining the game. However, many have taken advantage of exploiting this glitch over the years due the glitch being able to ignore level boundaries (being to precede past level 100). and the possibility of it being able to evolve into a Kangashkan that can learn fly. This glitch had become so popular and well-known, that people had begun seeking ways to encounter this glitch in later
Pokémon titles. In fact, IGN listed it in 2009 as one of the best in-game easter eggs.
While game companies may advise not pulling off glitches such as these, people have become enticed by these glitches and have made many attempts of actually performing them. Perhaps it's not because they want to see if it will actually crash the game, but rather to see the glitch for themselves and witness the bizarre results of performing it. And as I mentioned, people have actually made guides on how to perform certain glitches to encourage others to try it for themselves. Glitches may be harmful, but they are also fun because you never know what to expect. Although, don't be too surprised if you can't for whatever reason continue playing the game afterwards. So, it's best to encounter glitches, at your own risk, but have fun!
Music in Video Games
Video game soundtracks have come quite a long way since the early years. It's amazing how video game music has evolved from simple chip-tunes to being played by an entire orchestra. In fact, it's no surprise that one of the many reasons people have come to admire certain games because of their music. Much like every other aspect when it comes to producing these games, the music serves an important role. But what role does the music serve?
Just like the plot to a game, the music tells a story and sets a mode for the environment being portrayed in the game. For example, in the first level of Super Mario Galaxy, Good Egg Galaxy, the music played in that stage gives you a sense that this is the beginning of your adventure into the grand depths of space. It almost gives you a sense as if you're actually there in the stage, running around collecting Star Bits.
I'll say this right now, I love the music in the games that I play. In fact, often times I find myself listening to those songs over and over again when I'm working on homework or just for the fun of it. It's amazing how often you'll find yourselves getting lost in the captivating music from the games you've come to know and love to the point where you'll find yourself listening to them hours upon end. The music really makes the games all the more memorable.
Although, many people might have their criticisms about other game mechanics such as story, gameplay, and graphics, one thing that you can never go wrong with is the music. In fact, it has even got to the point where some people have even made their own remixes to their favorite songs from their favorite games. Music is always evolving in video games to make your experiences with them much more enjoyable. If you're a music lover and a video game lover, don't be too surprised if you find yourself humming a song you know from a game you just recently played!
Just like the plot to a game, the music tells a story and sets a mode for the environment being portrayed in the game. For example, in the first level of Super Mario Galaxy, Good Egg Galaxy, the music played in that stage gives you a sense that this is the beginning of your adventure into the grand depths of space. It almost gives you a sense as if you're actually there in the stage, running around collecting Star Bits.
I'll say this right now, I love the music in the games that I play. In fact, often times I find myself listening to those songs over and over again when I'm working on homework or just for the fun of it. It's amazing how often you'll find yourselves getting lost in the captivating music from the games you've come to know and love to the point where you'll find yourself listening to them hours upon end. The music really makes the games all the more memorable.
Although, many people might have their criticisms about other game mechanics such as story, gameplay, and graphics, one thing that you can never go wrong with is the music. In fact, it has even got to the point where some people have even made their own remixes to their favorite songs from their favorite games. Music is always evolving in video games to make your experiences with them much more enjoyable. If you're a music lover and a video game lover, don't be too surprised if you find yourself humming a song you know from a game you just recently played!
The "Written" Sequelitis: Pokémon
Before we get started, to anyone who doesn't know what Sequelitis is, it's a series created by a popular animator on Newgrounds and Youtube named Egoraptor. Basically, in this series, he analyzes a certain game and its predecessor and compares between the two. An example would be the Sequelitis he did for Megaman and Megaman X.
I decided to make one in dedication of the Pokémon series, so rather than just comparing two different games, I will be discussing the franchise as a whole. Because, let's face it. There's been as of now 6 generations of Pokémon with over 700 different types of pokémon total. And yes, I am aware that the newest generation hasn't come out yet, but I'm still new to this whole Sequelitis thing, so please, bear with me.
Anyway, let's start from the beginning. No, not the very beginning, but I mean, the beginning of Pokémon. Back around the 90s, Nintendo had already begun to see great success from some of the other franchises, including Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and even series like Super Metroid. And it's no secret that Nintendo is known nowadays as one of the most successful game companies in the world. They have explored and developed all sorts of different genres of gaming. From side-scrolling platforming (Mario) to action/adventure (Legend of Zelda), even eventually exploring realms of gaming like strategy/survival with Pikmin and their own take on first person shooters with Metroid Prime! But there was one realm of gaming they have yet to explore. And while they had explored it once with a Mario title, Super Mario RPG, they had yet to base an entire series on the RPG realm of gaming. And the answer to the that was none other than, you guessed it, Pokémon!
The first installment of the series began in 1996 with the Japanese release of Pokémon Red and Green, which later lead to the American release of Pokémon Red and Blue in 1998. These games were phenomenal! A simple turn-based RPG where you faced your own pokémon against your opponent in an epic battle! It was even possible to battle with your friends as well as trade which is what you had to do to evolve certain pokémon. The game with a simple goal. You play as a 10-year-old kid who decides to go out into the world of pokémon to catch as many as you can, while battling the eight gym leaders of Kanto, ultimately leading up to you become the champion of Pokémon!
These games ushered in a new and vastly growing franchise. Everywhere, kids were playing and enjoying what these games had to offer. It even led to an eventually release of a third game, Pokémon Yellow in 1998/1999! These games took off like a rocket and their popularity surely followed! From the explotable glitches, like the Mew glitch and Missingno glitch, to the card game, even to eventually getting its own television series, which still runs to this very day!
The question still remained though, how could a series like pokémon evolve (no pun intended) its already fast-growing population. The answer had a name, Pokémon Gold and Silver, the initial predecessors of the original pokémon games and the introduction to a whole new generation with 100 new pokémon in tow. These games took what Pokémon Red and Blue had going for them and expanded on it. With a whole new region to explore and new pokémon to collect and even revising the old original Kanto region. This once more led to a third title, Pokémon Crystal. But there was one thing these games added that upon encountering, would cause any player to shout in excitement: Shiny pokémon. What are shiny pokémon you may ask? There are basically the same pokémon but with a different color. Examples include a black Charizard, an orange Entei, and even a blue Ditto! There is an approximate 1 in 8,192 chance of you running into one, which means you would have to be either really lucky or have to run into a certain pokémon many times or to have reset the game a lot. Of course, nowadays, there are other means of obtaining them: through breeding, events, trading with friends. Hell, in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, they included an item that increased your chances of finding one. But, back in the days of Gold and Silver, finding a shiny pokémon with the limited amount of options you had would've made you the luckiest person ever!
The world of Pokémon expanded even further with the release of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. These games bring the series into a whole new world of color. Literally! With even more pokémon to capture and the re-emphasis on trading and battling with your friends, all which eventually led to a remake of the original games with Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green. This even ushered in a new type of pokémon: Event pokémon. These were rare pokémon that could be only be obtained by certain real-life events held. Examples include obtaining Latios and Latias in Pokémon Emerald (the third game to Ruby and Sapphire), Lugia and Ho-oh in Fire Red and Leaf Green, and Deoxys in Emerald. This allowed people to obtain rare pokémon that weren't originally available within the main game.
Then there came Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. This is where things really started to pick up. Why? Remember how you could trade and battle with your friends? Well, starting from Fire Red and Leaf Green, you were given the option to do these thing WIRELESSLY. And Diamond and Pearl expanded by allowing you to also battle and trade ONLINE! You were no longer just limited to your friends. Now you could battle and trade with other people around the world. This added a competitive side to Pokémon, when players from around the world began to battle each other to see who was the best. There even came a special device in the Gold and Silver remakes, Pokémon Heart Gold and Soul Silver, where you could actually the battles you had. This began a new trend, as players began to post on YouTube, actually Pokémon battles with other players.
And last, but certainly not least (literally), there is now Pokémon Black and White, and Pokémon Black 2 and White 2. This is where the aspect of 3D really began to shine in the main games. Which actually started from Diamond and Pearl, where the main worlds shifted from top-down in a 2D perspective to top-down in a 3D perspective. Diamond and Pearl implemented this, Black and White and Black and White 2 expand on this. Even more so, the in-game cutscenes became fully rendered in 3D. I still have goosebumps from when I saw Zekrom and Reshiram appear in the original Black and White games and when Black Kyruem and White Kyruem were formed in the sequels. Even the in-game battles had begun to show early signs of potential jumps, when the pokémon actually started moving. Perhaps, this was the hint to the jump into 3D which led to the eventually announcement of....
Pokémon X and Y! The current and upcoming 6th generation of Pokémon. As I mentioned in another blog entry, although games like Pokémon stadium 1 and 2 along with Pokémon Colloseum and XD were the first to bring the world of Pokémon into the 3D realm, Pokémon X and Y will mark the first time in the history of the franchise where the main games will be in 3D. I still remember reading some the comments people had these games were announced. Some were excited for it, while others not so much. But, you know, when you think about it, it was bound to happen. Much like everything else in life, Pokémon has gone under many changes. And jumping from 2D to 3D will be one of them. It's not different than when Mario and Zelda went to 3D with Super Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time or Samus going from a side-scolling point of view to an FPS (first person shooter) point of view in Metroid Prime. So, for those who are excited for X and Y, like me, I say, looking forward to these games, and for those who aren't, maybe your opinion might change over the next few months.
And there you have it, six generations of Pokémon summed up in a nutshell. The series has gained much popularity over these many years. And from it came competitive battling, memorable memes, and even a memorable TV show. And while most people will say that the series has lost its charm over the years, due to lack of creativity, Pokémon will still go down in history as one of the greatest and most popular gaming franchises of all time. And with that, I would to thank you all for reading, thank Egoraptor for the inspiration to write this, and, as the main slogan goes, "Gotta Catch Em' All!"
I decided to make one in dedication of the Pokémon series, so rather than just comparing two different games, I will be discussing the franchise as a whole. Because, let's face it. There's been as of now 6 generations of Pokémon with over 700 different types of pokémon total. And yes, I am aware that the newest generation hasn't come out yet, but I'm still new to this whole Sequelitis thing, so please, bear with me.
Anyway, let's start from the beginning. No, not the very beginning, but I mean, the beginning of Pokémon. Back around the 90s, Nintendo had already begun to see great success from some of the other franchises, including Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and even series like Super Metroid. And it's no secret that Nintendo is known nowadays as one of the most successful game companies in the world. They have explored and developed all sorts of different genres of gaming. From side-scrolling platforming (Mario) to action/adventure (Legend of Zelda), even eventually exploring realms of gaming like strategy/survival with Pikmin and their own take on first person shooters with Metroid Prime! But there was one realm of gaming they have yet to explore. And while they had explored it once with a Mario title, Super Mario RPG, they had yet to base an entire series on the RPG realm of gaming. And the answer to the that was none other than, you guessed it, Pokémon!
The first installment of the series began in 1996 with the Japanese release of Pokémon Red and Green, which later lead to the American release of Pokémon Red and Blue in 1998. These games were phenomenal! A simple turn-based RPG where you faced your own pokémon against your opponent in an epic battle! It was even possible to battle with your friends as well as trade which is what you had to do to evolve certain pokémon. The game with a simple goal. You play as a 10-year-old kid who decides to go out into the world of pokémon to catch as many as you can, while battling the eight gym leaders of Kanto, ultimately leading up to you become the champion of Pokémon!
These games ushered in a new and vastly growing franchise. Everywhere, kids were playing and enjoying what these games had to offer. It even led to an eventually release of a third game, Pokémon Yellow in 1998/1999! These games took off like a rocket and their popularity surely followed! From the explotable glitches, like the Mew glitch and Missingno glitch, to the card game, even to eventually getting its own television series, which still runs to this very day!
The question still remained though, how could a series like pokémon evolve (no pun intended) its already fast-growing population. The answer had a name, Pokémon Gold and Silver, the initial predecessors of the original pokémon games and the introduction to a whole new generation with 100 new pokémon in tow. These games took what Pokémon Red and Blue had going for them and expanded on it. With a whole new region to explore and new pokémon to collect and even revising the old original Kanto region. This once more led to a third title, Pokémon Crystal. But there was one thing these games added that upon encountering, would cause any player to shout in excitement: Shiny pokémon. What are shiny pokémon you may ask? There are basically the same pokémon but with a different color. Examples include a black Charizard, an orange Entei, and even a blue Ditto! There is an approximate 1 in 8,192 chance of you running into one, which means you would have to be either really lucky or have to run into a certain pokémon many times or to have reset the game a lot. Of course, nowadays, there are other means of obtaining them: through breeding, events, trading with friends. Hell, in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, they included an item that increased your chances of finding one. But, back in the days of Gold and Silver, finding a shiny pokémon with the limited amount of options you had would've made you the luckiest person ever!
The world of Pokémon expanded even further with the release of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. These games bring the series into a whole new world of color. Literally! With even more pokémon to capture and the re-emphasis on trading and battling with your friends, all which eventually led to a remake of the original games with Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green. This even ushered in a new type of pokémon: Event pokémon. These were rare pokémon that could be only be obtained by certain real-life events held. Examples include obtaining Latios and Latias in Pokémon Emerald (the third game to Ruby and Sapphire), Lugia and Ho-oh in Fire Red and Leaf Green, and Deoxys in Emerald. This allowed people to obtain rare pokémon that weren't originally available within the main game.
Then there came Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. This is where things really started to pick up. Why? Remember how you could trade and battle with your friends? Well, starting from Fire Red and Leaf Green, you were given the option to do these thing WIRELESSLY. And Diamond and Pearl expanded by allowing you to also battle and trade ONLINE! You were no longer just limited to your friends. Now you could battle and trade with other people around the world. This added a competitive side to Pokémon, when players from around the world began to battle each other to see who was the best. There even came a special device in the Gold and Silver remakes, Pokémon Heart Gold and Soul Silver, where you could actually the battles you had. This began a new trend, as players began to post on YouTube, actually Pokémon battles with other players.
And last, but certainly not least (literally), there is now Pokémon Black and White, and Pokémon Black 2 and White 2. This is where the aspect of 3D really began to shine in the main games. Which actually started from Diamond and Pearl, where the main worlds shifted from top-down in a 2D perspective to top-down in a 3D perspective. Diamond and Pearl implemented this, Black and White and Black and White 2 expand on this. Even more so, the in-game cutscenes became fully rendered in 3D. I still have goosebumps from when I saw Zekrom and Reshiram appear in the original Black and White games and when Black Kyruem and White Kyruem were formed in the sequels. Even the in-game battles had begun to show early signs of potential jumps, when the pokémon actually started moving. Perhaps, this was the hint to the jump into 3D which led to the eventually announcement of....
Pokémon X and Y! The current and upcoming 6th generation of Pokémon. As I mentioned in another blog entry, although games like Pokémon stadium 1 and 2 along with Pokémon Colloseum and XD were the first to bring the world of Pokémon into the 3D realm, Pokémon X and Y will mark the first time in the history of the franchise where the main games will be in 3D. I still remember reading some the comments people had these games were announced. Some were excited for it, while others not so much. But, you know, when you think about it, it was bound to happen. Much like everything else in life, Pokémon has gone under many changes. And jumping from 2D to 3D will be one of them. It's not different than when Mario and Zelda went to 3D with Super Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time or Samus going from a side-scolling point of view to an FPS (first person shooter) point of view in Metroid Prime. So, for those who are excited for X and Y, like me, I say, looking forward to these games, and for those who aren't, maybe your opinion might change over the next few months.
And there you have it, six generations of Pokémon summed up in a nutshell. The series has gained much popularity over these many years. And from it came competitive battling, memorable memes, and even a memorable TV show. And while most people will say that the series has lost its charm over the years, due to lack of creativity, Pokémon will still go down in history as one of the greatest and most popular gaming franchises of all time. And with that, I would to thank you all for reading, thank Egoraptor for the inspiration to write this, and, as the main slogan goes, "Gotta Catch Em' All!"
Quantity vs. Quality
Lately, video games have been focusing more and more on the graphics aspect. They've even begun making full advantage of HD, or High Definition, if you prefer. But the question still stands. Do better graphics really make a better game?
There are many games that I have played that I thought were phenomenal and I can go on and on about how pretty that they looked. But, truth be told, they're not just games I like because I think they look amazing. There are many reasons I can think of that make a good game, story, gameplay, controls, even the music.
I can understand wanting to make realistic since we now have the means of doing that. I can accept that we have evolved from the simple days were everything was made out of pixels to the point that a game can be become so graphically enhanced, up to the point where it literally looks real. But, that shouldn't deter you away from the major and minor details that make the game worth playing. Having better graphics might be important, but it's not everything.
Truth is, you don't need stunning visuals to make a game good. Just look at the original Super Mario Bros. Back then, the game didn't have stunning visual graphics and it still managed to be a great success. I can name many other games that became a huge hit, that didn't necessarily focus on graphics. I'm not saying having outstanding visuals is a bad thing. If anything, it only helps make the game more presentable. But the next time you're playing your favorite game, I want you to ask yourself. Are you playing this game because you truly enjoy it? Or are you just playing because you thought the game looked amazing and nothing else?
There are many games that I have played that I thought were phenomenal and I can go on and on about how pretty that they looked. But, truth be told, they're not just games I like because I think they look amazing. There are many reasons I can think of that make a good game, story, gameplay, controls, even the music.
I can understand wanting to make realistic since we now have the means of doing that. I can accept that we have evolved from the simple days were everything was made out of pixels to the point that a game can be become so graphically enhanced, up to the point where it literally looks real. But, that shouldn't deter you away from the major and minor details that make the game worth playing. Having better graphics might be important, but it's not everything.
Truth is, you don't need stunning visuals to make a game good. Just look at the original Super Mario Bros. Back then, the game didn't have stunning visual graphics and it still managed to be a great success. I can name many other games that became a huge hit, that didn't necessarily focus on graphics. I'm not saying having outstanding visuals is a bad thing. If anything, it only helps make the game more presentable. But the next time you're playing your favorite game, I want you to ask yourself. Are you playing this game because you truly enjoy it? Or are you just playing because you thought the game looked amazing and nothing else?