The Catholic Game Nerd

My 4 year old son is good at Contra.  I don't mean Contra 4000 or whatever the latest spin off is.  I mean Contra for the NES (one of many classic consoles in my possession).  Up up down down left right left right b a start.  Contra code.  Konami code.  You know what I'm talking about?  Here's how I discovered my little prodigy.

Last week, I was playing Super Mario Brothers 2 (the American "Marioized" version of Japan's Doki Doki Panic for the Famicom) trying to gear up for a speed run (I haven't played SMB2 in 7 years I bet).  My four year old son tells me he wants to play a game with me.  Well what better game to play with your son than co-op multiplayer classic Contra?  So I load it up, set us up with 30 lives via "old faithful", and go to work.  We played till all of his "mans" were gone and he had stolen all of mine.  Once I died, I decided to read, but he wanted to play some more.  No worries, I set him up with 30 lives and let him play all by himself.  No instructions, by the way, just let the kid punch around and figure it out.  First time through, he uses up most of his lives but makes it through level 2.  Start over at the beginning (I'm sensing an experiment).  2nd attempt, he makes it to level 4 on his 30 men.  The kid has good hand eye coordination to say the least.  He's figuring out bosses, enemy attack patterns, and such, then modifying his play to win.  

Maybe all four year olds can do this, but I am very impressed with his ability to pick up the game and work towards mastery.  Yes, I know this is just a video game, but it is an accomplishment nonetheless.  Plus, it gives me an excuse to play video games, because we're playing together and laughing and having a good time.  Game over, and it's time to read some Spider-Man and Bob the Builder.  I'm telling you, if you don't have kids, go get some.  They are pretty remarkable, and they will surprise you.  

And if you have an old console, dust that baby off and give it some play time.  You won't regret it.   

After seeing the features of Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero: World Tour, I am tempted to buy another new console and the latest incarnation of one of these rhythm games.  The fact that Rock Band 2 has Judas Priest is a great selling point, but the fact that it has Painkiller as an included track is just awesome!  Have you heard that song?  Rob Halford has AMAZING vocal ability.  Whether you are a fan of Judas Priest or not, you must admit he has great talent.  What a range!  

The rest of the tracks for Rock Band 2 look good.  I haven't seen the track list for Guitar Hero World Tour yet.  Let's see what we have here. Mostly rumors.  I'll wait.

What I'm liking so far about Guitar Hero IV is the peripherals first.  The drum set looks amazing, and I have been told from E3 that it is pressure sensitive, opening all sorts of windows for new drum hits and sounds.  Cymbals have been raised and look almost like flaps.  As a child of the 80's, this looks like a synth drum set I've seen in countless bands.  Time will tell how durable the equipment is, but I would assume it will hold up.

GH4 will also give players the ability to make their own music, upload it to the network, and share it with their friends online.  Mixing boards allow them to move stuff around, similar to Audacity.  These features look pretty good.  I now need to see track lists.  The winner will be the one with the best Judas Priest and Led Zeppelin offerings.

The reason I haven't written any reviews lately is because I've been so busy playing Aurora Feint on my iPhone.  In my opinion, this is the best free game I have ever played in my life, second only to Kingdom of Loathing.  

http://aurorafeint.com/

This game uses the touch controls of the iPhone brilliantly.  The blocks you move are large enough for finger control.  My favorite control feature, though, is the accelerometer (tilt) control.  Tilt it to one side, the tiles shift with "gravity".  Tilt it forward, backward, up, down.  Try shaking it a couple of times to mix things up - literally.  I love the control scheme for this game.  Super happy amazing!

The game itself is a joy, especially for the hardcore casual gamer out there.  The main gameplay occurs within "the mine" where you manipulate assorted blocks into groups of 3 or more.  This "mines" that resource, which provides you with power ups and new quest features.  Yes, I mentioned quests.  Get enough resources to level up and you can visit "the store".  Within the store you can buy power ups and in-game enhancements like speed control, bonus breakage, multipliers and more.  You can also buy "blueprints" which allow you to unlock special abilities.  

Building blueprints adds a timed feature to the block grouping game, giving you seconds to amass particular quantities of a certain resource.  It's not as easy as it sounds, even with the power ups.  You build blueprints at the "Smith".  Is this game sounding fun yet or what?

Once you have built some powerups and leveled up, you are able to go to "the castle" to fight sorcerers.  Getting to this point takes loads of time, and I am having too much fun with the Mine and Smith to even care about this just yet.

Got an iPhone or iPod Touch?  Download Aurora Feint RIGHT NOW.  Best free download for iPhone yet.  Try it once and you WILL be hooked.

5 moons out of 5.  This game is flawless.

Should it be legal to download ROMS?  Are video game system emulators legal?  Can I make a backup copy of a game I already own?  I see these questions on the internet and I read about the lawsuits taken against video game pirates.  You can probably find plenty of sites that defend the idea of emulation and ROMS, and there are several sites that will be quick to point out the copyright laws and clauses of game manufacturers.  Is there a gray area?  Is there some relativity to the principle?

The short answer is no.  Game companies do not want their games copied and distributed, in short, because it takes money out of their pockets at some point, either from resale, residuals, or something else.  They go after the people who violate this.  This is true of PC games, arcade games, and video game console games as well.  In fact, many of the newer systems are constantly devising new ways to thwart would be game dumpers and pirates.  The bottom line, however, is that they do not allow copying and they are not afraid to come after you.  

I admit that before I learned about the legal issues surrounding ROMs and emulators, I had MAME32 and several other system emulators.  It was great to relive old memories of arcade games that I just can't find anymore, systems I used to own as a kid, and old games I had never seen before from various systems.  It was a lot of fun until I realized it was illegal.  Of course I looked for loopholes to justify having the emulators and ROMs, but in the end I had to conclude that it was wrong and kill all the files.  It certainly is tempting with so many ROM sites out there offering free downloads, and even places that will build custom cabinets to house an emulating PC and monitor.  

I'll tell you what I would like to see happen.  I would like to see the game manufacturers like Taito, Capcom, Bally Midway, Namco, Nintendo, and more get together and come up with a royalty plan akin to the way iTunes works.  Nintendo is essentially doing that now with their virtual console on the Wii.  You pay a fee, download the game, and play it on an official system emulator that you've paid for (or manufacturers give away as an incentive to rent/buy ROMs).  Apple has the means of encrypting and monitoring purchases.  They are able to keep (at least in general terms) people from stealing songs from others' iPods through their authentication features.  I think it would work.  I for one, would not mind paying a fee to do this.  GameTap is doing something like that now, and they have a great collection.  I'd like to see it continue and become something you can play offline as well.

Games I would like to have as an arcade console in my garage (in no particular order):

Mappy

Pac Man

Donkey Kong

Dragon's Lair

Pengo

Time Pilot

Time Pilot '84

Rolling Thunder

Bionic Commando

That would be a great start.  I'm not sure how I would pay for all of those, nor how I would keep them all turned on.  I wonder what does it cost to restore a video game cabinet, buy a board, and get the game going again?  That is something I want to check on.  I'm sure there are games for sale as well.  I know of very few arcades these days (how sad).  If anybody knows, please let me know.

I have to admit, I'm a late adapter to the MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game for all you gringos out there) scene.  However, after my free trial with World of Warcraft ended, I had a desire to play more, just without having to pay money.  Now, if you look online, there are entire sites devoted to reviewing the myriad free MMORPG sites out there.  I've played several.  Runescape happens to be one of them.  What do I think about Runescape?  Well, you're reading my review aren't you?

Runescape is a nice 3D graphical MMORPG (yes, there are still MMORPG out there that are text based and 2d).  It's free to join and there are loads of people playing at pretty much any time of day or night.  In fact, Runescape.com claims that there are over 130 million accounts created.  Doubtless, many of these accounts are created by the same person in order to be a supply farm or credit farm for the user's main account, but that's still a lot of accounts.  There are plenty of players to quest with and with whom you can interact.  Many of the older MMORPGs suffer from lack of players.  You will not experience this with Runescape.

Runescape is played using your web browser.  It claims that there is no installation necessary.  This was actually my lone complaint with the game.  Well, strike that.  I have another complaint later.  But back to the browser based game.  In my opinion, browser based games are nice for ebaumsworld and other "breaktime" sites with flash games to kill a few minutes.  Grapically intense and involved games just don't seem to jive well for me when they are browser only.  I like the idea of having the general maps and terrain already loaded into my computer.  It seems, to me anyway, that the games run better when I've installed them.  Then the net connection only needs to worry about the generated beasts, and all the other players roaming about.  In my time with Runescape, I noticed a lot of lag.  This did get on my nerves about as much as playing Second Life.  That is probably my #2 reason for quitting the Runescape scene.

The gameplay in Runescape is marvelous.  I enjoy having some say in what my character can do.  I like having the freedom to be able to accomplish a lot of different feats and not to be dependant on certain guilds to do things for me all the time.  The tutorials introduce you well enough into the skills you can develop.  That part is fine.  Character movement is fairly fluid, lag aside.   You can get where you want to go and it doesn't look too clunky.  I mean, what do you expect for a browser based FREE online MMORPG?

Graphics?  The graphics in Runescape left something to be desired.  I admit that I was not looking for World of Warcraft polish and style, but I am looking for quality.  That's what makes freeloaders like me want to stay.  The lack of visual appeal is my #3 reason for leaving Runescape.  It doesn't look bad.  There aren't stick figures or anything.  Oh, while I'm thinking about it, there is a great free RPG online with stick figures and I've been playing it for at least 3 years.  Sometime you need to check out kingdomofloathing.com.  You'll like it.  Back to our regularly scheduled review.  The graphics just aren't that sharp.  I think the developers might be able to polish the game up a bit by loading more detailed character models in an installed game, rather than rendering on the fly via browsers.  

What was the number one reason for leaving Runescape?  Was it the lack of adventures?  Nope, plenty of those.  Was it rampant immorality and wanton violence?  Nope.  This fantasy game doesn't have carjacking and prostitution.  You're fighting mythical beasts for pete's sake.  The reason I left this game was the constant begging for upgrading my account.  Listen, if there's one thing I can't stand about free stuff, it's free stuff that asks for money.  I've no problems with ad supported games and websites.  Advertising makes the world go around.  No, it's the fact that a site brags on being totally free, and then nags you to upgrade "for a small fee" in order to "take full advantage of all the game's features".  There are so many games like this out there that I almost don't play.  But all the other factors plus the money hounding just wore my resistance to the limit.  I quit and tried somewhere else to get my fantasy gaming fix.  

How would I rate Runescape?  I give it three 20-sided die out of five (3/5).  It's not that bad, but it's not that good.  Don't hesitate to try it, just don't expect too much.   

Do you like high speed chase scenes?

Do you like miniature and more fuel efficient cars?

DO YOU LIKE ROLLER SKATES?

If you answered yes, I still must warn you that nothing could ever prepare you for what you are about to behold. 

 

 Ninja Roller Chase Fuel Efficiency Amazing: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

With E3 right around the corner and all that, I'm looking for new things to review.  So, you tell me, what would you like for me to review right now?  Next on my plate is Assassin's Creed for PS3, but I'm open to suggestions.  Use the comment fields below if you like.  

Know what?  Just throw anything at me you want.  PC, PS3, DS, XBOX 360, Atari 2600.  I don't really care.  I just enjoy playing games and ranting or raving about them.  I'd like to do this more often.  That is where you come in.

Industry execs take notice.  I represent a significant portion of gamers, as 1/3 of the world's population claims Catholicism as its religious affiliation.  Even those who do not game will purchase games for a relative or friend.  So why not get some advanced copies of games headed my way?  Use the comment field to contact me and I will provide my snail mail for you.

Why are you still here?  Don't you have something to play?

Have you played Grand Theft Auto 3?  Grand Theft Auto: Vice City?  Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas?  Same story, next verse, but you're back in Liberty City as you were in GTA3.  Graphically, this game is stunning.  The amount of processing power required to handle all the detail must be pushing the next gen systems to the limit.  Beautiful.  Absolutely beautiful.  And, like the previous games, you can explore till your heart's content.  Plenty of side missions and activities to keep you busy should you decide to take a break from the branching storyline.  But that's not why you're reading this article.

No doubt, you've come here to know whether this is a good game for your little Johnny.  If you're old enough to buy this game for yourself, you're old enough to be culpable for the morality you engage in, even if only virtually, via GTA4.  But you know that.  Parents, if your kids ask you for this game, I have to ask you to say no.  Why?

I'm not the type to say games make people do things, but like many other things in this world associated with vice, they can indeed enhance feelings and behaviors already part of a child or adult.  Just don't blame Pac Man because your child doesn't like long division.  Pac Man is just a game.  Your child needs to study.

Back to the game.  This game has loads, and I mean LOADS, of questionable and even blatantly immoral content.  Despite the beautiful graphic artistry and amazing programming put into this game, you still get points/money for carjacking, among other crimes.  You are still encouraged to cavort with women (prostitutes or otherwise), and you spend a lot of time on the wrong side of the law.  This is not a wholesome game.  Don't buy it for your kid.

I really wish I could say go get this game.  I'd love to tell you that, but I can't.  I have to look beyond the shiny wrapper of all the amazing, and I do mean amazing, gaming wizardry that makes up Grand Theft Auto IV.  I have to look beyond all that and see that it reflects the worst parts of our great nation: greed, lust, struggle for power, hate, pride, envy.  Haven't I seen those words somewhere else before?  Must have been in a book I'm sure.

I'll give this one 2 Police Badges out of 5, for sheer artistic and programming merit.

Since I cannot show footage of this game, I can at least provide you with a safe alternative.

BEHOLD!

 

 Grand Theft Auto IV Cut Scene Alternative: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

So many games would fit into the Lego ________ formula. If you haven't played either of the Lego Star Wars, first of all, WHY IN THE WORLD NOT?  Second, you will not be disappointed with the Lego platformer.  You have a week to play some Lego Star Wars before Lego Indiana Jones hits the store shelves.  

I've been able to get some hands on time with this game (PC version), and I was extremely satisfied.  Gameplay elements such as destructible and interactive environments will be familiar to Lego Star Wars veterans, as is player attributes making a difference in solving the games many puzzles.  Even with so many familiar elements, the game still feels fresh.  I didn't feel as though I was playing Lego Star Wars with Indiana Jones people.  

Graphics are crisp and colorful and the controls are super responsive.  It is a lot of fun to swing that whip as Indiana Jones, swinging over chasms with ease, then laying the smacketh down upon thine enemies.  Fun for all.

And even though we're going to have the original Indiana Jones trilogy on this game, I'm not the least bit worried about letting my kids play.  They are not allowed to watch Raiders of the Lost Ark because of the last scene.  They can't watch The Temple of Doom because of the whole human sacrifice thing.  I don't have a copy of The Last Crusade, so they can't watch that either.  Even so, there is no problem with this game.  No blood.  No worries.  All "violence" is Lego style.  Your people don't even die.  This is a very family friendly title.  

Will I have a copy of Lego Indiana Jones on release day?  You better believe it. 

I give Lego Indiana Jones (multiple platforms) 5 Mola Rams out of 5.

Reserve your copy today.  I have a feeling this one is going to sell quickly. 

Want my review of Pokemon Diamond for the Nintendo DS?  Of course you do.  C'mon, man. 

I am not an early adapter, so I only recently purchased Pokemon Diamond for my DS.  I would have reviewed this game much earlier if someone had been kind enough to give me the game for review or at least allow me to demo the game closer to its release date.  Sour grapes aside.  Let's talk about the game.

Have you ever played a Pokemon game?  No?  Have you lived in a cave for the past 10 years?  I'm dating myself a little bit, but I've been playing Pokemon video games for a while now.  In fact, I played Pokemon Blue on my Game Boy at the hospital while my wife was in labor.  Now, before you freak out, let me explain the circumstances.  She was scheduled for an induction, because the baby decided to be way late, and the doctor wanted to be sure baby and mommy were alright.  At any rate, we knew it would be a long process.  My wife got crosswords and books, and I bought a Game Boy and a couple of games, including Pokemon Blue.  I even bought a Pikachu for the baby.  I liked the Pokemon series, and I still do, excepting the weird spin offs.  

The basic premise is that you are a Pokemon trainer, whose job it is to find, and collect as many different species of Pokemon as you can.  Along the way, you train your Pokemon and increase their abilities and skills.  The game has adventure elements and quests, laid out similar to the Zelda series.  There is plenty of collection activity for all you people who love getting as many gold coins, magical stars, or whatever else your various games tell you to collect.  And fighting with other Pokemon and Pokemon trainers is fun too.  

Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl for the DS are basically the same game.  There are some differences in the Pokemon you find, but the handy WiFi connection will allow you to trade and obtain the differing characters over the good ol' internet.  Hooray!  

How does it play on the DS?  It plays fun, that's how.  You use the directional buttons (d pad) to move around (duh) and can use the touchscreen for various functions when moving about.  When it comes to your menus, you can use the touchscreen or the buttons.  Using the touchscreen in battle is basically selection, but I like having all my options laid out in front of me.  No scrolling to select what to do.  Menus branch in and out easily.  

I've had the game all of two weeks now, and I've been playing about 10 hours total (the game keeps track of your play time).  Taking my time to find all the hidden goodies and talk to all the people (how else am I going to gain Pokemon supremacy?) is a lot of fun.  You can interact with almost everything you see.  I'm also taking the time to level up all my Pokemon so they will be the best Pokemon they can be.  Wow, I must be an awesome trainer.

Is the game worth $40?  Nope.  But I doubt most games are worth their retail price.  I paid $30 for mine and I don't regret it.  It will take me a long time to unlock all the secrets, find all the Pokemon, and beat up on trainers until I am bored.  This game has great replay because of the length of the game, and the various ways to interact with other trainers online via the Nintendo wifi.  Plenty of side quests also lengthen the game and increase it's value.  No wonder Pokemon games, even used and generations old, still fetch large sums of money.  This is a very good series that I recommend to any gamer. 

I'll rate Pokemon Diamond for the Nintendo DS five Munchlax out of five.

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