My Very Long List of E3 Predictions

E3 starts tomorrow. I've never been excited for E3, but this year is incredibly different with each of the major console makers touting new hardware and flashy new software. The PS4, Xbox One, and Wii U all are trying to make a splash with consumers, and now is the time to convince the industry that each are viable platforms. Wow. I'm excited to hear about stuff. There could be MEGATONS of info this week.

Portable News Trailers and More

Portable games are here to stay. Whether you have a dedicated console for playing games or if you're like everybody else with a smart phone, portable is where its at if you have to get up and go somewhere. I love portable games because I have crazy kids that run circles around me, and playing on a console isn't the best option if you have to keep up with them.

The 3DS world has been abuzz with some release dates for some very important games hitting the shelves in February and March. First up is Fire Emblem: Awakening. I've never played a Fire Emblem game, but after looking at all the work that went into this game, I have a feeling that this will be the first.  The game employs some strategy elements, and some hardcore permadeath mechanics. Check out the trailer below:

MMO's and more

Some incredible games have been released since... the last time I bloggered.

Phantasy Star Online 2 was released in Japan on July 4th and it continues the tradition of sci-fi action roleplaying that PSO started on the Dreamcast over 10 years ago.

Here's the opening trailer:


I downloaded the game shortly after release with some Japanese help from some friendly folks on the internet. The game looks great and running around the worlds and killing stuff is pretty easy to get into. I've started to play on Ship #7 which has a large group of English players that have been playing the game since launch.

The game itself is similar to other action rpgs coming out of Japan these days (Monster Hunter, Gods Eater Burst, PSP2, etc) where you get quests from a quest counter and then board your ship to go to not so distant worlds to accomplish tasks. Along the way you'll group with other players to take down some pretty huge beasts and monsters. I wonder where this idea of a quest "hub" came from, because it is creeping into a lot of games.

My overall impression of the game is that it is pretty awesome for a free to play rpg style game. The game itself looks great, the graphics are up to par with other MMO's and it plays well despite my weak internet connection (most of the computing is handled on my end, not on the server itself). It really feels like a console rpg, much like the predecessor PSO on the Dreamcast, and I think that once SEGA rolls out PSO2 on iOS and PSVita the game will open up even further.

For now the game is only playable in Japanese. The US version of the game is slated for 2013 release. A demo at PAX Prime 2012 in a couple of weeks will show everyone what SEGA has planned for localization. As of this blog there are possible plans to restrict the current game to Japan ISPs due to hacking and cheating exploits. Supposedly this is already in effect, but I can still log on. Overall, my limited Japanese is whats keeping me from really enjoying this game... there are a ton of menus and dialog. I think I'll like the game better next year, but until then, I'll level up and see how it goes this fall. I like what I've played so far, and its FREE.

I've talked about this a lot over the past few months. Dragon Quest X was finally released in Japan to eager fans who have waited for this title for what? Over four years? An MMO released on the Nintendo Wii has some people scratching their heads. It makes sense for Japan, but many people, myself included, believe that the West won't see a Wii release. The game quadrupled Wii sales in Japan leading up to the release, and with the Wii U coming out shortly, it looks like Nintendo will squeeze out some life out of it's the old console yet still. The launch was relatively flawless according to some, and after loading your discs onto the 16GB usb plugged into the Wii (75 minutes later), the game is pretty straightforward.

Since I can't play the game (yet) I've relied on some Let's Play videos and podcasts to fill in the gaps about this game. From what people have said, and what I have seen, the game is less MMO and more Co-Op online version of a Dragon Quest game. There are social interactions within the game, but there are some things that separate it from other online games, and make it feel more like a traditional console rpg.

Wii DQX Super bundle

Character creation seems limited, but players have said that there's no problem regarding players looking like each other. Fighting enemies in the game seems exactly like Dragon Quest games: turn based. When you encounter an enemy, you instance yourself with it until combat ends, which is different from other MMO's where other random players can help you. If you aren't grouped with that player you can cheer them on as they battle. Interesting. I haven't looked into the story much, but the world itself is large and players have already put in more than 100 hours into the game by now.

I'm wondering how this game will develop as the years go by. One of the blaring things is the graphics and how they will obviously improve as the game gets released to the Wii U. The graphics look as good or better than Dragon Quest 8, and that's a problem for some, but others are willing to overlook that because they hunger for more DQ. The Wii's graphic limitations are suitable for the cell shaded cartoon style of the game but it will look better on different hardware. Expansions will probably make the game really big... and those still playing on the Wii will probably have to get larger thumb drives.

I've wanted to play this game for a long time. But rumors of a PC version made me wait (and I don't have a PS3 currently) for this version which includes more content, additional features, and more death.


Dark Souls was both praised and condemned for it's unforgiving difficulty. Dying over and over is commonplace in this game. It has been compared to 8-bit games of old for it's difficulty, which is something that is gone from modern video games. I'm hoping all that time playing Monster Hunter will pay off and help me avoid getting killed to death over and over. Who knows. This game looks good, and

The Last Story was release yesterday. I'll look into that soon!

Quickie

I'm going to finish a game this week. That's a promise. No more distractions.

But in other big news:

SEGA's MMORPG Phantasy Star Online 2 is coming to the PlayStation Vita.

The sequel looks amazing, with its combination of sci-fi and fantasy that's made Phantasy Star an original series from the start. What makes this better is the fact that you can play the game both on PC and Vita. I've been wondering when someone would tackle the first real portable MMORPG. I like to play rpg's, but I would like the option to play them on portable system. Even when I played World of Warcraft, the closest thing to portable for that were crude tablet computers or netbooks. If the video confirms how seamless playing Phantasy Star Online 2 is on the Vita and PC... I might be sold. If Sony would confirm a Monster Hunter or Dark Souls, that would seal the deal. 

I havent' really played any of the Phantasy Star games, but since I got a Dreamcast not too long ago, I've been wanting to play the first Phantasy Star Online game (though now it involves a complicated process). It was a cutting edge game, that had interesting features that allowed you to play with players all across the globe (this was back in 2001). There was a universal translator to communicate with other players in Japan for crying out loud. Official servers went dark a few years ago, but there's a private server or two for folks that want to play the original game. 

Sonic the Hedgehog CD

I've been on a SEGA kick lately. I'm really interested about SEGA because for the most part I shunned their games and consoles during what I like to call my "Dark Super Nintendo Years". Doing research for some interesting games to play have led me into the what I thought was a bleak and dark void of SEGA territory. I was wrong and I blame Nintendo for brainwashing me with their "Play it Loud" series of advertising. What I've found is that while I still hate the SEGA Genesis (mainly for it's cheap sounding synthesizer sound), anything else that SEGA made was totally awesome and often on the cutting edge. Did they take too many risks to wean people away from Nintendo? Perhaps. I'll have to look at that another time.

I had a friend who ended up getting a SEGA Genesis and he got a SEGA CD for Christmas. I remember playing this game and thinking how awesome the game was, because it was different than the other Sonic games that I had played before... because it was on a CD-ROM. At that time CD-ROM drives had first appeared on computers, and the SEGA CD add on was my first experience playing a console game from a shiny compact disc instead of a floppy or cartridge. That leap of technology was crazy for a kid such as myself at the time. The visuals were pretty amazing back then, and though the SEGA CD wasn't popular, it certainly gave me a taste of what future consoles would be capable of.

Development

According to the internets, Sonic CD was developed at the same time as Sonic 2, and it kind of shows. Though both games were developed by different teams, there are some similarities in level design and the feel of both games are really close to each other. Sonic CD was going to be Sonic 2, it became something else entirely with the addition of time travel and other mechanics. The original creator of Sonic, Naoto Ōshima, led the development of Sonic CD, and while the game lacks the difficulty of the first,  it expands the ideas and theme of the original game. The incredible popularity of Sonic 2 in America pushed back the release of Sonic CD, and may have caused last minute changes to the game while in development.

Cut scenes for the game were produced by anime giant Toei Animation. They look good, and for kids with limited exposure to anime back in 1994, it looks pretty sweet.

Interestingly enough, SEGA has remastered Sonic CD for widescreen release on Xbox 360 and PS3 networks this holiday season.

Box Art

The box art for every version of Sonic CD is different and each of them reuse the same figures for both Sonic and Metal Sonic. I have to say that the Japanese version looks very 1990's with the crazy geometric patterns and squiggles. Sonic on the American version looks weird.... almost like Mickey Mouse and possibly similar to the Archie Sonic comics that were published around the same time. And all of them are misleading in a way because Metal Sonic is only in a few places in the actual game.

US version

Japan version

Europe version

PC version

My first impressions playing Sonic CD after all this time were that it looks and feels a lot like the first Sonic the Hedgehog. I'm not certain if the CD-ROM allowed for better graphics, because it looks very similar to the cartridge Sonics in terms of game-play and graphical output in general. The music and sound are what make this game superior to anything that was available around 1994. The CD made it possible for a studio quality soundtrack on top of the sound effects, and it works very well. This was something I wouldn't hear until a few years later when I started playing games on the Sony PlayStation. But wow, even today it sounds pretty good.

Interestingly enough, and I don't know why video game developers do weird things like this, there are two different soundtracks for the game. The original Japanese version and the American version. The Japanese version has samples of a Bootsy Collins/George Clinton song in parts of the boss music. Interesting stuff.

Results

This is my take on most of the early Sonic games that I've played: Sonic screams through levels running super fast, which is enjoyable. Then inevitably there are obstacles that are thrown in your path which slow you down... like enemies, spikes, pits, water, and the well placed bumper things that send you flying back. Sonic CD had plenty of all of those, but it seemed like there were a lot more bumpers than I was used to compared to other Sonic games. That's frustrating. In most platform type games you can explore around, find secrets, and hidden areas. In Sonic games you want to run as fast as you can, and you pass by everything at blinding speed, which leaves all the secrets and things undiscovered. I feel like levels are designed to trap the player in mazes, or allow the player to zoom through. In most cases I was able to finish most areas in about 2 minutes.

Sonic CD rewards the player for exploring around with the time travel mechanic that can put you in a future or past version of every level. By going into the past and destroying a secret machine, you can put yourself in a "good future" with less difficulty, enemies, etc. During my quick playthrough, I only managed to go back in time a couple of times... but never really got around to destroying any machines or collecting enough rings for bonus levels. If you complete all seven bonus stages and collect every Time Stone, you get the good ending. I did not get the good ending. Collecting Time Stones, or Chaos Emeralds, or whatever else in Sonic games are for the hardcore player.... and I have never been able to do it.

As far as the game goes, it seemed kinda easy. I didn't die until one of the final stages, and that was mostly from the Metal Sonic race stage. If I was careful or lucky enough, I could just run and jump my way through most levels very quickly. Like I said before, the downside to passing through levels that fast is you miss all the textures and secrets in the game. I also wish there was more inclusion of Metal Sonic, aside from the front cover of the game and a few other places... he isn't really there.

The only struggle I had was in the second to last stage where I was stuck in the past, and it seemed like it was physically impossible to make a jump and exit the level. I was seemingly lost in a maze of platforms, tubes, and repeating sections. After going into the future again, I was able to clear the trouble section pretty easily. Not sure why it was so hard, but I think I spent close to 40 minutes there. The boss fights in the game were too easy. Dr Robotnik/Eggman was a pushover in the end, and with one ring left I hit his robot thing a few times and that was it. Done.

This is the actual low resolution Sonic CD anime ending. I can't help but think that this small anime clip helped to influence the multiple cartoon series and perhaps future games in the series. Especially the part where Metal Sonic and Sonic are racing. Who knows. I thought it was an awesome end to the game, and these anime cut scenes  would become a staple for many games on the SEGA Saturn. More games need stuff like this.

The bad ending screen. Bummer. Should have tried harder.  Oh well

VICTORY!

Statistics:

Deaths: 24 Game Overs: 8 Continues 8 Levels: 21 Trips to the Future: 4 Trips to the Past: 4 Bonus Stages: 1 Secret Machines destroyed: 1 High Score: 115000 Approximate time: 1 1/2 hours.

Sonic the Hedgehog CD®, and all associated video games, music, characters, etc. are owned by SEGA - all rights reserved

Console Wars

I'm working on completing a game right now, but it's taking longer than expected.

So I'm introducing a series of thoughts on video games I'd like to call CONSOLE WARS.

16-bit Advertising Wars: Nintendo vs. Sega

I've always known that there have been console wars in the worlds of video games. That was something that, as a kid, I didn't worry about even though I saw the commercials and bought the merchandise. I'm aware of the marketing and advertising slung my way twenty years ago by the companies that wanted my parent's money. It was on television, in my breakfast cereal, and in the cartoons I watched. I found myself on team Nintendo, and when the SNES came out I knew that I had to play it.

Things didn't heat up until both Sega and Nintendo both had competing 16-bit systems. Nintendo owned the market share during the 8-bit era, and as they introduced their next generation console, the Super Nintendo, they made it clear that all your favorite characters from the NES would be found in a new 16-bit home. That continuity would ensure that most video game players would have to upgrade to the newer, better system. Because Nintendo controlled the video game market for so long, they had a recognizable brand name, with recognizable characters, and lots of customers in Japan and in North America. Sega did not. Anyone remember Alex Kidd? Nope. It wasn't until Sonic the Hedgehog, two years after the Genesis launched, that Sega finally had a flagship mascot of their own that they could market. By that time, Nintendo had a full house: Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Donkey Kong, and they were developing more. This opened up the 1990's for serious competition between the two companies.

At the same time both Nintendo and Sega were fighting an equally vicious portable console war. They were both grasping for ways to make more money and to outdo the other. The Gameboy made it possible to have a video game experience that you could take anywhere. All the familiar faces were there, Mario, Metroid, Zelda, and the mega hit Tetris. Sega upped the ante with Gamegear, a portable console that addressed the Gameboy's only flaw: the lack of a backlit color screen. Never mind that the Gamegear was more expensive and ate AA batteries up like candy. The advertising blitz by Sega made the Gameboy look dull and lifeless. When you're #2, you have to work twice as hard to win, and that's what Sega did with their advertising.

It seemed like the majority of Sega ads and commercials were negative towards Nintendo products, or geared to players that had no video game affiliation. It also seemed like they made more commercials. While most of Nintendo's ads ignored Sega completely, they ran a few negative ads in Sega's direction.

Sega made some technological leaps with their CD-ROM system and 32X adaptor to extend the life of their Genesis system. They also created Sega Channel which offered unlimited game play for a monthly fee through  cable providers, something that in 1994 was way ahead of its time. While these innovations should have put Sega ahead, they found themselves at the wrong end of hardware capability. The CD system suffered from slow speeds due to the limitation of CD-ROM technology at the time, and Sega Channel suffered from electromagnetic "noise" inherent in older RG-59 coaxial cabling, which made downloading games difficult to do. Nintendo had wanted to create a CD-Rom device for the SNES, but that fell through, they did have an interesting satellite gaming device that was only available in Japan, but bringing that to the US would be prohibitively expensive. Nintendo would find out that their tried and true cartridge technology would eventually backfire on them later (I'll discuss this at a later time).

When technological comparisons were used up, Sega took a different approach to attack Nintendo. Boasting a cheaper alternative to the more expensive Nintendo 16-bit system. They did this multiple times.

But Nintendo beat Sega in the console wars for various reasons. They rode into the 16-bit generation with everything on their side. They had the fan base, the market share, the games. They managed to score big hits with Mario Kart, StarFox and Donkey Kong Country. They obliterated the portable game market with a cheaper, and technologically inferior Gameboy system, which lasted from 1989 until 2001 and beyond because of the insanely popular Pokemon franchise. But at the same time it was Sega's determination for competition with Nintendo and made them a profitable in North America. Many things contributed to this rivalry that could not have been foreseen by either company.

The rise of fighting games was unique to the 16-bit era. Arcade adaptations of fighting games began to flood into console market. Street Fighter II was a huge hit in the arcades and was ported to the SNES first, eventually selling over six million copies. Mortal Kombat was ported to both systems, but because the Genesis version kept the blood and gore of the arcade original, it sold far more copies than the toned down, non-bloody SNES version. The controversy surrounding violent fighting games probably added more fuel to the fire, giving consumers more of a reason to buy the Genesis version.

By the end of the 16-bit wars Sega had caught up with Nintendo in many ways: they had recognizable characters, edgy commercials, portable consoles, and products that competed with Nintendo at every turn. Their sales numbers didn't reach the height of the SNES, but they had many titles that sold over a million copies, and that would have been impossible a few years earlier. Both Sega and Nintendo left the 1990's and the 16-bit console wars with a better understanding of what consumers wanted and did not want, and in a way it made for better video games.

In the end they both wanted to prove how crazy they were... and you were crazy NOT to play their games.

Epilogue: 

I'm wondering why there was a divided Nintendo and Sega crowd growing up. I think the majority of friends I had owned a Nintendo, but there were a few kids I knew that didn't. What made me think that they were insane? It was all the stuff that I was led to believe by the folks at Nintendo. I think I was led to believe that everything produced by Sega was crap. What about the Sega made it so different? It was black for one. The controller had three buttons. It looked like it could swallow your soul.

That's the effects of advertising. I now think that Sega had some pretty awesome games, and that the Sega Master System actually looks better than the NES.

Blasphemy!

But I can play Sonic on my Wii now. We won the war right? My side won. Only... Sega didn't die, they just changed directions. That kind of makes me sad. Console wars have changed, and new sides have been drawn. I wonder if there's still bad blood between Sega and Nintendo? Who knows. This is a topic that still incites incredible emotions on the interwebs and forum sites. Some old rivalries never go away.