Category: Video Game Musings

Sonic X Shadow Generations… No Guns. No Buys.

The latest trailer for Sega’s upcoming butchering remastering of a classic 3d Sonic title, Sonic X Shadow Generations. It’s allegedly the same Sonic Generations game you’ve played in the past, but now with a Shadow The Hedgehog sidegame that introduces new powers and such.

We call this the year of Shadow and yet we’re purposely veering away from the one game to bare Shadow’s name… You know, the ones with the guns. That’s the one everyone wants to see remade, but I guess that would be too much work. Either in rights fees or redubbing the whole game with the current cast. Probably why they’re not doing anything with the Sonic Adventure games, which is the stuff that people actually want to play.*

I joke about this being a “No Guns, No Buys” deal for me, but honestly, it’s less to do with that and more to with having a perfectly functional Sonic Generations game on Steam (and also PS3) to play at home. I bought the Sonic Colors Deluxe or whatever it was that came out a few years ago and all it did was make me want to revisit the original Wii version, instead.

Anyway, we’ll see about this one. Sonic X Shadow Generations is supposed to be out later this year. I’m sure the video has a solid release date, but I couldn’t be bothered to remember.

Why Do People Want Me To Review Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties?

Someone left a rather interesting message regarding future video fodder and suggested that I check out Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties… for some reason. Apparently, I’ve had five such messages asking me to review Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties.

May I ask why?

Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties is an infamous 3DO full-motion video game best known for having no video; it’s just still shots of a rather rubbish love story. All I know about it, I’ve heard second-hand. I am more than content with that level of exposure.

But then the assholes at Limited Run decide to re-release this… because it’s a cult favorite.

Again, I ask… why?

There are many other lost games that are far more deserving of being preserved for future generations than Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties. Why can’t we bring back one of those? Hey, I’m no fan of FMV schlock like Night Trap or Double Switch, but at least, those have a reason for being brought back. They’re not great “games” or whatever, but they deserve to be experienced.

I don’t get that with Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties.

I don’t get the appeal.

I really, really don’t.

I’m sure it’s mostly for the memes and all, but I don’t want to spend money on memes. Unless I’m getting this game for free or via donation (please don’t ask to donate – I wouldn’t want you to waste your money), I don’t want to touch this thing… unless it comes out on Steam, so that at the very least, I can buy it, get whatever I can out of two hours of play, and then ask for a refund.

Like I said, there are plenty of lost games that deserve the preservation spotlight more than Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties. Maybe if you made that into an actual FMV game, it’d be one thing… but it’s the same shit game as before. Is the gaming community that depraved of quality entertainment that they consider PLUMBERS DON’T WEAR TIES as something worthy of preservation? Have we fallen that far off the wagon?

So… I guess what I’m saying is…

Nope.

All Five Mega Man Games Dropped On NSO Game Boy

Surprise drop on the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy gimmick… all five Mega Man Game Boy titles (or Rockman Worlds in Japan) are available to play now. Hey, if they’re not going to do a Legacy Collection of these things, I suppose it’s better than nothing.

For those who haven’t played these ones, they’re worth checking out… except for 2. That’s the weak link of the bunch.

I may consider revisiting these for future video fodder… why not? I haven’t touched the first three in decades and it’s a good enough time to go for it.

Actually, you know what?

Fuck it.

Change of plans.

The “Forbidden” REREZ Video About Emulation

Rerez shows you how to get legal ROMS through legal means… mostly through Steam. This is such a hot button video that it didn’t show up on my Youtube feed and I only found out about it because I tend to frequent the actual channel page.

Apparently, being a big fan of emulation will keep your videos from showing up on feeds.

Stupid.

 

Atari Acquires Intellivision Brand And Rights To 200+ Titles

Source: https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2024/05/atari-acquires-intellivision-brand-and-rights-to-200plus-titles

So I guess Amicovision is no longer a thing. A pity. I was looking forward to such cool jaw-dropping classics like Cornhole or Finnegan Fox.

(Yes, I already know about Fox N’ Forests. That didn’t make my jaw drop to the floor or anything, but I digress.)

In all serious, the most I’m hoping out of this deal is that we get the Intellivision equivalent of an Atari 50 compilation. Not so much for the games, but more for the historical overview so people could about the brand beyond something that was prostituted to sell a bill of goods.

On an unrelated note… can Atari buy Coleco next?

*Yes, I already know about Fox N Forests. It didn’t make my jaw drop.

The Knuckles “Event”… Eh.

After two Sonic The Hedgehog movies – that I liked – Paramount put out a Knuckles miniseries… oh wait, it’s not a miniseries. It’s an event. Ooh… aah…

Eh…

This is a show less about Knuckles and more about some guy named Wade and his wacky Jewish family… because that’s what I want to see in my miniseries… er, I mean, event… about a giant red echidna who feels out of place and is trying to adjust to life on Earth. I mean, you get some of that here… but it’s more about Wade and his business and… Wade is not that interesting of a character.

Dude, the CG characters are the interesting critters. Those are the critters you’re building this media franchise around, not some schmuck people are going to forget about in ten years time. I want to see Knuckles in a series called Knuckles doing Knuckles stuff. This stuff… this stuff with Wade, this excuse to play every single licensed song under the sun… the bowling tournament… these other schmucks that are poor stand-ins for Knuckles… what even is this?

I’m not saying this is a bad show nor am I saying this is a good show. I’m saying it’s a show I don’t like because I thought I was getting one thing and instead I got another thing… and, well, why am I watching this?

So… yeah… not a fan…

If you have a free trial, don’t waste it on this. There are better things to watch on Paramount+. There’s a bunch of old Ninja Turtles on there you could want if you want all the 80s and 90s nostalgia you can stuff down the marble zone. All of that is better than this.

Hopefully Sonic 3 will be good.

Forever Burnt – The Latest Limited Run Snake Oil Package

Source: https://www.timeextension.com/news/2024/05/limited-run-games-apologises-for-shipping-3do-games-on-cd-rs

So… yeah… Limited Run… insert rimshot here.

For those who missed the news, some folks ordered limited edition physical releases of classic 3DO game “D” some time ago. And those who got their physical releases (that they probably paid a premium for in the first place) were shocked to discovered that their limited edition new release of “D” for their vintage 3DO game systems were burnt CD-Rs rather than the proper professionally pressed CDs you’d expect from a physical release, especially that which you’re paying a premium for. Yes, the company that is supposedly about game preservation is content with charging you sixty bucks for a CD-R that you could probably make yourself for pennies. Now add insult to injury, most 3DO systems can’t run CD-Rs, so now these poor people who ordered this limited run of reproductions paid x number of dollars for a burnt CD that you could probably make yourself for pennies that won’t even run on your fucking console.

I’ve only purchased one item from Limited Run… that one experience was enough to tell me that they’re not worth the effort and I’ve never been a fan of their practices. Even so, I figured that they would at least TRY to put out a quality product for the prices they’re charging. In an industry that is bullish about piracy and using copy protection methods that end up being detrimental to the people who actually PURCHASE their products, the last thing I would expect is someone with the legitimate credentials of Limited Run to think that it would be a good idea to charge premium prices for fancy packages and burn the actual software on CD-Rs.

I hear that and I’m laughing my ass off. This comes across a joke. Part of me feels sorry for the folks who bought this thing and expected more, but on the flip side, it’s only a matter of time before Limited Run dives deeper into the garbage merchant handbook with other tricks of the trade that people will complain about and eventually accept as a way of life. And if this is the future of physical media in video games… then maybe we’d all be better off in the digital age.

I keep teasing about having this discussion… I feel like I need to sit down and gather my thoughts on this thing… I’ve got other stuff to do first, but… sooner or later… hopefully sooner…

Nintendo Releasing A “Nintendo World Championships” Game

Source: https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2024/05/nintendo-world-championships-nes-edition-launches-on-switch-in-july

Finally, a non-wrestling post.

So yes, Nintendo is releasing a Nintendo World Championships game, which seems to be a bunch of speedrunner challenges on a variety of NES games. So it’s almost like an NES Remix type of the deal, but more of an emphasis on speed challenges.

I’ve played my share of NES Remix, I liked it, but I don’t need another one like it. I would’ve preferred a release that replicated the experience of those World Championship tournaments, similar to the brief period where reproduction carts of Nintendo World Championships 1990 were a thing, but this is a thing for some folks that will be available for purchase in July.

In the meantime, I’ll hold out hope for Rad Racer to become a thing again… later.

A Good Thing About Steam

So I’ve just got a refund on a pre-order for a ridiculously bloated and completely superfluous version of Star Wars Battlefront I & II with a borked online that I was never going to use and with not enough substantial updates to make me want to give up the old versions that I already have, which work just fine for my needs.

Anything on Steam that’s worth getting? That’s also cheap as shit?

On A Happier Note… Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection Coming Soon!

Source: https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-battlefront-classic-collection

For those who missed out on the original Star Wars Battlefront games… you can get them on Steam or GOG for relatively cheap. And you’re going to want to do it soon because these versions will undoubtably be replaced by the upcoming Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection, which will include both games, all the bonus content, online multiplayer functionality, and an enhanced Hero Assault mode that lets you fight on all the maps in Battlefront II rather than just the Mos Eisley map.

Though, to be fair, GOG still has the original Tomb Raider trilogy on sale despite also featuring the recently released remastered versions.

Hey, you know what? I’m happy to see these Battlefront games get the spotlight once more. They’re great games, I wish the company that developed them were still around so they could make more of them, and hopefully, there’ll be enough success with this collection that they might consider doing the PSP titles next, even if they are… not quite as good.

There you go… some happy news for a change. Not sure if I’m going Switch version with these or if I’m double-dipping on another PC version. We’ll have to see about that.