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| NerdThursday, February 10th 2005. | |
captain of americaLakitu
Posts: 1,276 Join Date: Dec 2004 |
For Families, Nintendo Slams Xbox Jim Louderback - PC Magazine My five-year-old son and I love to play video games together. We have a Microsoft Xbox (news - web sites) and a Nintendo (news - web sites) GameCube, and we are constantly searching for fun games that we can both enjoy. But the availability of games which are suitable for him and interesting enough to hold both of our attentions is pretty lame. Missed Tech Tuesday? Rev up Windows and make your PC scream. Also try turning off 'services', and apply fun visual tricks. I had already concluded that Nintendo makes the best games, but I really wanted to find some good Xbox versions—because at home our Xbox is connected to the plasma TV, while the GameCube is hooked up to a standard TV. HD gaming on a widescreen TV can be a wonderful experience. Very few Xbox games so far have managed to hold our attention, though. The only one of note: Shrek 2 from THQ. We could actually play together, which was a plus, and it really only got too difficult for us during the final battle. That was an encouraging experience, and I went foraging for more. So we tried out a wide range of Xbox games, including the new SpongeBob game, Tak 2, movie tie-in games for The Incredibles and A Shark's Tale, and the latest Spyro game, which features the lovable purple dragon. Alas, all of these games have a fatal flaw, which typically occurred during the first hour of play. After a fun romp, where you get to explore the world, find fun prizes, and interact with characters, each game would shift gears into a button-mashing, joystick twitching test of your reflexes. In Tak2, we were forced to navigate a rapidly rushing stream while ducking under or jumping over logs and boulders. In SpongeBob we needed either to navigate a bathtub down a twisty railroad track in the desert, or finish a car race using the hamburger vehicle within a set amount of time. The Incredibles made us dash through suburban streets—again with a time limit—avoiding cars, buses, trucks, and the like. Spyro had a time-based airborne acrobatics game where you had to go through rings and bomb bad guys. Shark's Tale started out with a time-based test of reflexes: Press the buttons in the correct order, within a set time period. The problem with each of these? They stop the flow of the game and demand that you complete the interlude before moving on. In each case, completing the challenge was beyond both me and my five-year-old. I like to think I have pretty decent reflexes. Sure, I'm not a teenager, but I'm pretty quick on the uptake. My son is pretty darn coordinated for a five year old. Yet even after five or six tries, we were unable to complete these stupid tasks that had absolutely nothing to do with advancing the story of the game. And since we couldn't finish them, both of us walked away in disgust. These games were all a waste of money and time. I had wanted to write a story recommending kids games to buy for the holidays, but I just couldn't. None of the titles lived up to our standards. Now contrast that with my son's favorite gift from Christmas, Nintendo's almost-perfect game, Paper Mario. We've been playing it almost nonstop since December 25th. The battles are hard, but not too hard. As you gain strength during the game, your opponents do too—but the two sides are very well balanced. And when the game does stoop to dumb hand-eye coordination tests, they are usually pretty easy to overcome. I was pleasantly surprised during one such interlude. You're forced to navigate Mario through a maze of rushing waves. Hit a breaker and you have to start over. We played through it five or six times to no avail. Frustrated, we turned the TV off to try again another day—but left the GameCube on, with Mario awaiting yet another try at the barrage of breakers. Much to my surprise, the next morning the vicious onslaught of waves was gone. It had been replaced by just an occasional wave rolling in—even a baby could have navigated this challenge. The game actually compensated for our lame button-mashing skills and eased off on the challenge. And that's why Nintendo still makes the world's best games. It compensates for different skill levels and crafts a gaming experience that many different types of players can enjoy. The games do include tough puzzles of coordination—like the sword race in Ocarina of Time—but you don't have to solve the puzzle to finish the game. Not all Nintendo games are as good—we found Mario Sunshine to be a lot of fun, but ultimately the "floating in space" button-mashers defeated us. Still, if you're looking for a good family game for your console, your best bet is almost invariably Nintendo. I'm using my Xbox less and less these days, and playing the GameCube more and more. I love console gaming, and I'm really glad my son does too. Someday we'll be playing Madden NFL, Halo, and the rest. But not today. Microsoft would love for the Xbox to become the center of home entertainment. But if the company can't get its family-games situation together, that won't happen. And based on what I've been playing, they have a long way to go. Without a family-game strategy, the Xbox will remain the province of older boys and men. My solution: Buy Nintendo. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1738&ncid=1211&e=6&u=/zd/20050210/tc_zd/145544 ___________________   
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| NerdThursday, February 10th 2005. | |
PhlogisticEveryone! Get along!
Posts: 2,512 Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Massachusetts |
Paper Mario is really easy.  ___________________ 
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| NerdThursday, February 10th 2005. | |
Vert1never stops
Posts: 1,482 Join Date: Jul 2004 |
Slamming XBOX is ineffective. Clearly you must shoot it with a rocket launcher to cause any kindof physical damage. |
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| NerdThursday, February 10th 2005. | |
Herorave on
Posts: 3,765 Join Date: Dec 2004 |
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| NerdThursday, February 10th 2005. | |
Ninjazn.ninja
Posts: 4,753 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Richmond, VA |
They can't beat a Shrek game? And wow this hurts Nintendo's rep. ___________________  Quote: "I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. " Xbox Live GT: Dr Applebee |
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| NerdThursday, February 10th 2005. | |
RocksteadySteady Rockin' All Night
Posts: 14,141 Join Date: Aug 2003 |
Yeah honestly, since when was Spongebob and Shrek 2 good games? That's amusing. |
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| NerdThursday, February 10th 2005. | |
Herorave on
Posts: 3,765 Join Date: Dec 2004 |
This is coming from a PC gamer editor too apparently. 
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| NerdThursday, February 10th 2005. | |
Vert1never stops
Posts: 1,482 Join Date: Jul 2004 |
XBOX isn't a family system. Paper Mario:TTYD pwns almost everything on XBOX as far as I'm concerned. There was that thing that did look like an XBOX in the game... |
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| NerdThursday, February 10th 2005. | |
MaxwellLike Spinning Plates
Posts: 2,205 Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Dead Air Space |
Exeunt omnes ha ha
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| NerdThursday, February 10th 2005. | |
Herorave on
Posts: 3,765 Join Date: Dec 2004 |
^Right, sorry. 
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| NerdThursday, February 10th 2005. | |
QLakitu
Posts: 2,462 Join Date: Aug 2003 |
Everything he stated was to be expected from a person in his situation. He doesn't understand the industry or gaming in general. Its unlikely anything in this could be beneficial to anyone, unless someone was so braindead to expect mass kid friendly games out of box, or cube to have mass mature appeal. ___________________ 
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| NerdThursday, February 10th 2005. | |
KuribooSuper
Posts: 12,190 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: A Galaxy far far away.... |
This is just ridiculus...makes no sense...such stupid games...  ___________________ Mario's Bitch |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
kinopioPunk's Not Dead
Posts: 14,644 Join Date: Nov 2002 |
OMG MICROSFOT IS T3h M8TURE LOLOL111 Seriously, I often have my little cousins (respectively 5 and 8 I think) over to play my "Caymcube" (aren't they cute?) and despite me trying to get them to play games like Mario Party/Kart/Sunshine, Monkey Ball or Billy Hatcher, the only thing they want is more Bloody Roar and Soul Calibur 2. ___________________ Now playing No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle Endless Ocean 2: Adventures of the Deep |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
BatistGod
Posts: 36,070 Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Sainte Maxime |
Bloody Roar sucks. I used to have that game. ___________________ The Dragons are Gone! |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
kinopioPunk's Not Dead
Posts: 14,644 Join Date: Nov 2002 |
I'm no hardcore 3D fighting fan but I liked it. ___________________ Now playing No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle Endless Ocean 2: Adventures of the Deep |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
Herorave on
Posts: 3,765 Join Date: Dec 2004 |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
KuribooSuper
Posts: 12,190 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: A Galaxy far far away.... |
My cousins like Metriod Prime better, and they can play SSBM all night long. Its a good thing though, shuts the brats up.  ___________________ Mario's Bitch |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
SouzetsuReady to Fly
Posts: 7,481 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: California |
What's sad is that all those games on that they played on the Xbox are also available on the GC. |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
XaviusSabor de Soledad
Posts: 32,290 Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: NM |
I thought the article was actually kind of sweet. It's nice to be able to sit down and play a game for more than 5 minutes with someone that young instead of just tearing them up like I do in Soul Calibur 2 or getting pissed off when they **** up in X-Men Legends. ___________________  I was young and confused and your mom didn't want me around no more. Now pass me dem damn collard greens! |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
kinopioPunk's Not Dead
Posts: 14,644 Join Date: Nov 2002 |
I want it to be know that I always let my cousins win at SC2. You should have seen when the younger one insisted to play F-Zero GX! He is so bad at it I have to manipulate the analog stick for him while he maintains A and uses Boost as soon as he can. His older sister is starting to like Luigi's Mansion but had a hard time getting used to the dual analog controls, so we explore together but I'm the one keeping the pad. We have a lot of fun, especially since I pretend not to know the solutions to puzzles, "Oh no! That ghost disappeared as soon as I faced him, what can I do?" ___________________ Now playing No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle Endless Ocean 2: Adventures of the Deep |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
RocksteadySteady Rockin' All Night
Posts: 14,141 Join Date: Aug 2003 |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
Vert1never stops
Posts: 1,482 Join Date: Jul 2004 |
Bloody Roar was exclusive for GC's launch window or w/e. That game was just crappy button mashing. Nintendo=everyone |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
RocksteadySteady Rockin' All Night
Posts: 14,141 Join Date: Aug 2003 |
I know for a fact it didn't come out at launch. Although it's complicated how the exclusitivity worked for the game. It first came out for the PS2 as Bloody Roar 3 or something, then it came out on GameCube with extra features and was enough to bare the "Only For" logo under the nam Bloody Roar: Primal Fury. Then a year or so later it got ported with more features onto the Xbox. Crappy. |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
kinopioPunk's Not Dead
Posts: 14,644 Join Date: Nov 2002 |
I don't know about the rest of the world but I know for a fact it was a launch game in Europe. How do I know? Well, it was just the first game I got to play on my Cube, before even Luigi's Mansion. As I said I liked Primal Fury, thought it was fun and simple enough to master for a 3D fighting novice like me. ___________________ Now playing No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle Endless Ocean 2: Adventures of the Deep |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
DKLDO NOT WANT SUPER RAPE
Posts: 6,748 Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: California, USA |
wow this is weird, I remember back in the day *I'm not that old, so this means... several years ago, that's not really back in the day...* It was okay for us to play crap like mortal combat, even though I was only like, 7-10 or something... how old am I now again? Anyway... wait, I forgot what I was going to post... |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
RocksteadySteady Rockin' All Night
Posts: 14,141 Join Date: Aug 2003 |
It wasn't for the US. |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
DKLDO NOT WANT SUPER RAPE
Posts: 6,748 Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: California, USA |
Nah, I came from the US, but my mom didn't really give a rats ass about all the ratings and crap, so she sent me stuff out here to the Philippines *MK 3 was one of them* surprisingly enough though, one of my favorite games for the Super Nintendo was JEOPARDY! mainly because it was the height of hilarity since we practically knew NOTHING and never even made it to final Jeopardy |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
kinopioPunk's Not Dead
Posts: 14,644 Join Date: Nov 2002 |
I think Rocksteady's reply was to my post DKL. But you're right, we enjoyed violent games even more back when we were blood thirsty kids. I remember that Barbarians game for my Amstrad CPC where you finished your opponent by slicing his pixelly neck, good days! ___________________ Now playing No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle Endless Ocean 2: Adventures of the Deep |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
Vert1never stops
Posts: 1,482 Join Date: Jul 2004 |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
DKLDO NOT WANT SUPER RAPE
Posts: 6,748 Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: California, USA |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
kinopioPunk's Not Dead
Posts: 14,644 Join Date: Nov 2002 |
First click the "!" button under the desired post then check the "Quote message in reply?" box. ___________________ Now playing No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle Endless Ocean 2: Adventures of the Deep |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
DKLDO NOT WANT SUPER RAPE
Posts: 6,748 Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: California, USA |
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| NerdFriday, February 11th 2005. | |
Rtd_rufusWhomp
Posts: 294 Join Date: Jan 2005 |
Jim Louderback, isn't he the same guy that used to have a show on techtv? (no idea if he still does, havn't watched it for a year now) At any rate, his points are pretty moot, he doesn't really represent the general gaming community very well, and i always got the impression from watching him on TV that he wasn't so much a gamer as he dabbled in games now and then. ___________________  |
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| NerdMonday, February 14th 2005. | |
ONI5Lakitu
Posts: 1,193 Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: NJ |
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