Protocol Snow

Samba de Amigo is one of my favorite games and, like I’ve written countless times, is one of many examples of the creativity that blossomed during Sega Dreamcast’s brief run. It is an unusual music rhythm game featuring weighted maracas that you shake in time with festive music. A re-make of the game will be coming out for the Nintendo Wii, which at first made me groan because the game is nothing without maracas. However, it has been confirmed that maraca attachments will indeed be released.

Having actual maracas is crucial to the Samba de Amigo experience, and these two videos will show you why.

First, check out this enthusiastic kid showing the right way to play the game (this is the arcade version). This video alone never fails to make me laugh.

Second, watch videogame journalists at a Nintendo media event last year play the upcoming Wii version. See what a big difference the maracas make? (On a side note, the contrast between the two videos is simply hilarious. If you don’t laugh at both videos, then I’m sorry, we don’t have similar taste. These two videos should be my litmus test to judge compatibility.)

I am now feeling bullish on Samba de Amigo Wii. The wireless controllers will certainly eliminate the one problem I had with Samba de Amigo Dreamcast edition: cumbersome wires that detracted ever so slightly from the experience.

I said I was going to write more about Crisis Core two months ago, but things kept happening. Anyway, I enjoyed the game so much that I mailed my PSP to my brother for him to play it since he just started summer vacation.

Final Fantasy VII is probably the most polarizing game in the business. Millions adore it, and just as many seem to despise it in what seems like a reactionary response to its popularity. Fandom aside, I don’t know why anybody who has a PSP wouldn’t buy this game, and I would certainly consider Crisis Core a killer app for anybody who doesn’t own the handheld yet. It’s a showcase for the system’s capabilities and is at the very least a very capable action RPG. I can see how people expecting a traditional RPG battle system might be turned away, but personally I enjoyed the faster pace and greater depth of the fights, which allow dodging of attacks and strategic positioning for critical hits.

The short, bite-sized missions that are an addendum to the main quest are perfect for on-the-go play, and even if you aren’t a big FF7 fan, the presentation of the story is excellent and has many humorous moments. But if you ARE a FF7 fan, you’re going to be giddy with all the fan-service. Familiar characters make cameos, and there are many nods to the original game with inside references.

I thought the story was dragged down by Genesis, a very annoying character who is fond of spouting poetry, and some of the plot developments didn’t make much sense to me. Actually, I still don’t fully understand the plot, but when I say that I love the story, I mean that it was so captivating to be back in this world and to get the back story of Zack, a very important story that was hinted at in FFVII but that deserved to be re-told. The whole Nibelheim flashback is replayed in this game and sent chills down my back.

In Zack, Square Enix has succeeded in creating the most likable character in recent memory. I’ve been wracking my brain and I can’t remember anybody that comes close, perhaps the assassin droid HK-47 from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. He’s the opposite of Cloud in almost every way, a natural leader with heart and humor. Zack is just plain awesome, I haven’t read anybody who dislikes him yet.

And of course, there’s the ending. The ending sequences (about the last 40 or so minutes of the game) rank up there with some of my all-time favorite gaming endings. After I finished Crisis Core, I was pumped up and immediately wanted to replay FFVII. The sequence after the credits even seems to hint at a FFVII remake… let’s hope that happens!

Podcasts are a great way to make exercise, commutes, and household chores much more enjoyable. I have a steady lineup of gaming podcasts that I listen to, and here’s my recommendations.

1) GFW Radio
This podcast from the writers at the now defunct Games for Windows magazine is by far my favorite. New shows are released Wednesday evenings, and I frequently find myself delaying a workout to wait for the newest episode to be uploaded. Their name is unfortunate because it might turn away anybody who isn’t into PC gaming. The truth is that for many episodes, PC game discussion almost seems like an afterthought. Rather, the crew shoot the breeze on anything from movies to hilarious childhood stories and also frequently discuss console games. Favorite segments from the past include mocking embarrassing posters on internet message boards.

A fan has created two “Best Of” shows that encapsulate many of the all-star moments. I highly recommend giving that a shot if you’re a new listener, and it’s likely that you’ll be converted on the spot. (You should probably listen to Part 2 before Part 1, since Part 1 starts off kinda weird especially if this is your first exposure to the show).

2) Player One Podcast
Unlike GFW Radio, this podcast by ex-EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly) veterans is an acquired taste. It’ll take a few episodes to become familiar with the personalities of the hosts and the slower pace, but it’s a very entertaining show once you get used to it. Once in a while, guests that formerly worked with the hosts make special appearances. Those shows tend to be the best with lots of inside stories on life working in the videogame industry.

3) CAGcast
The creator of Cheap Ass Gamer (stationed in Tokyo, Japan) and one of his friends host this podcast about the latest videogame deals and news. In many ways, this is an “underdog” show since the two are newcomers to the videogame industry, which gives the podcast an everyman appeal. Usually plenty of laughs are to be had in each episode, and the two hosts play off each other well. Because of their status in the industry, CAGcast usually isn’t privy to sneak peeks at future games but they provide great commentary from two ordinary Joes on what’s available on the market.

4) Giant Bomb podcast
I have virtually never visited GameSpot so I’m not too familiar with Jeff Gerstmann, the writer who was fired in a GameSpot controversy half a year ago. Since then, multiple staff members have left GameSpot and they formed a new company called Giant Bomb. Their podcast is a good listen; a recurrent segment features reviews of obscure energy drinks that are as surprisingly amusing as they are random.

5) 1UP Yours
Once the undisputed videogame podcast king, 1UP Yours has suffered after 2 of the 4 hosts left 1UP to work at other companies. Since then, I’ve found the discussions to be customarily dull. However, this is probably the best place to go if you want to hear about unreleased games that the staff are playing right now for review purposes.

6) Retronauts
This is 1UP’s retro games podcast that focuses on a specific game series in each episode and talks about its history and impact on the industry. I usually pass on this podcast unless they discuss a series I really enjoy. The hosts have a really bad habit of talking over each other, which makes listening quite frustrating.

7) EGM Live
The official podcast of Electronic Gaming Monthly is surprisingly bad with uninteresting speakers and just plain dull coverage. Once in a blue moon, they feature a former EGM writer who talks about his experiences working on the magazine, and those episodes are excellent.

Special Mention: Penny-Arcade podcast
The PA podcast features Gabe and Tycho turning on the microphones as they discuss possible ideas for their regular comic strips. These shows are typically nonstop hilarity that give listeners a glimpse into their creative process. The chemistry between the two is the best out of all these podcasts. However, episodes are too infrequent and irregular to be considered as part of this list, so they get a special mention. Check out their RSS feed to be notified of any episodes that are released because chances are you’ll always miss them otherwise.

I have a test coming in a week that I need to cram for, but I just wanted to get a quick post in about how good Crisis Core is. It’s the prequel to FFVII, where you play as Zack, and I dare say that I like it MORE than FFVII. Obviously without the original, Crisis Core wouldn’t exist, but it seriously is phenomenal. I just beat it and the ending is standing proudly among my all-time favorites with the likes of Shadow of the Colossus and Metal Gear Solid 3.

Which is a bit odd considering you already know how Zack’s story ends (this is a prequel, after all). But the execution of the ending is a perfect 10. I’ll edit this for a more complete post when I get the chance.

Zack >>>> Cloud

UPDATE: More thoughts

This past Sunday was the release of Smash Brothers Brawl and since I didn’t have a Wii, I headed out to Toys R Us before opening hours to camp out for a bit. I had previously purchased a Wii during the week of Super Mario Galaxy’s release but promptly sold both on eBay after I finished the game.

Mario Galaxy was captivating for the 12 or so hours it took to beat the main quest, but when I started to go for the complete 120 stars, I realized I didn’t have the drive to play through all those time trials and coin collect-a-thons. All for what, an artificial gaming badge of honor? I had sapped the sweet nectar from Mario Galaxy and was ready to move on to the next promising gaming bud.

So this was my second chance with the Wii. Smash Brawl is exactly what you’d expect, a fun party/pseudo-fighting game steeped with Nintendo lore. One of the biggest new modes is Subspace Emissary, a side-scrolling adventure mode revolving around a campy storyline that is essentially a thinly veiled Nintendo fan fic. This is a world where Link walking in the forest passes by a sleeping dinosaur (Yoshi) with hardly a second glance, and where Fox and Diddy Kong team up to fight a giant Pokemon. The actual gameplay is a real chore since you have to navigate through mazes to find the end of the levels, but watching the entertaining cutscenes makes it almost worthwhile, plus you can unlock most of the characters by going through this mode.

However, the real feature is the online play of course. In theory, this is what Nintendo fans have been wanting for years, but the execution thus far has been pitiful. I am spoiled by the Xbox Live experience, no doubt, and I can understand Nintendo’s position on limiting their online service to protect kids from predators. But everybody not under 12 years old suffers as a result. Each “Smash Bros. friend” you want to add to a friends list requires inputting a 16 digit code. If you want to share custom stages with that person, you’ll need to add him as a “Wii friend”, which requires inputting another 20 digit code. No voice chat and a bare-bones online presence are what I expected and Nintendo delivered exactly that.

All that can be forgiven if playing random strangers actually works, but it’s very spotty. In the first several days of release, getting into a game was almost impossible as Nintendo was clearly unable to handle the server load. Last night and today, I was finally able to get into a few games and had some fun, though the lag is immense at times. I’m talking 2 frames a second lag. Perhaps later this week or next week, the online play will be smoothed out.

Despite all the negativity, Brawl is the best game on Wii without a doubt and I’ll probably be keeping the Wii this time around. The fighting mechanics at the core are solid and it’s great fun to beat up all these Nintendo characters. But for now, stick with playing local multiplayer.

Sony just announced a PS3 bundle for $500 that comes with Metal Gear Solid 4 + the upcoming Dualshock 3 controller. It’s the 80 GB version of the PS3 with backwards compatibility and comes out June 12th!

That makes a $500 PS3 much more palatable. This is also timely news since, well, I need a Blu-ray player now that my HD-DVD player is a paperweight.

I’m getting a PS3!

Here’s another great video that shows how Audiosurf customizes tracks according to the song. I love tracks that have a strong beat and are really bumpy. Just goes to show how music is a rollercoaster ride of sound.

Also, don’t get intimidated by how hard the game looks. There’s various difficulty settings, and this guy is playing at the top level.

And did I mention that Audiosurf features online leaderboards? It’s true. Leaderboards are set-up per song so you can immediately compare your scores with other players. The inevitable problem with this is that since songs are identified by their ID3 tags, you might be the only one on the leaderboard if you have a weird tagging system. Still, you’re #1!