Happy 20th Birthday, Sonic!

Today marks Sonic the Hedgehog's 20th birthday. Kind of crazy to think how long the little guy's endured. I know I spent most of my childhood playing 16-bit Sonic games on the Sega Genesis, blasting through levels, making my little sister play as Tails and standing out of the way while I made her beat bosses for me. Bwahaha! Unlike Sonic's last birthday celebration (his 15th - which gave us the release of 2006's Sonic the Hedgehog, a game that was universally panned by critics) SEGA is serving up some retro fun!

1.) Sonic Generations!

Sonic Generations is the new upcoming Sonic game for PS3 and Xbox 360. Sega has transformed classic Sonic stages (like the familiar Green Hill Zone) into modern, 3D stages that will feature both the old, pudgy Sonic we grew up with, alongside the slimmer, more modern Sonic we know today. Retro Sonic's levels will feature 2D platforming, while Modern Sonic will be adventuring in 3D. How the two play-styles seam together has yet to be seen, but now, for twenty days only, you can download and play a free demo of the first level on PSN and XBLA.

I gave the demo a whirl - it's short - and it really was just what Sega promised - chubby, 2D Sonic speeding through Green Hill Zone, with the same enemies and the same level design, only modernized to today's graphical standards. It was bright and vibrant and looked really great. There was no demo of the 3D platforming, but I can honestly say I'm looking forward to this one, especially if the 3D portions are anything like Sonic Colors. (Also, if you're a jaded Sonic fan who hasn't tried Sonic Colors - do it NOW! It will restore your faith in the Sonic franchise.) 

Also - they brought the spin dash back for Generations. Hallelujah!!

2.) Sonic Savings!
Sega has some great savings on classic Sonic games! For a limited time, XBLA will be offering Sonic titles for up to 50% off, while Sega has a PC bundle including six Sonic titles for $14.97 available for download at their site. But you better move like a hedgehog: these deals are only good until the end of June.

PSN users get a bundle deal as well: for the next twenty days, you can download the Sonic the Hedgehog bundle which includes the original Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, and Sonic Adventure. It's on sale for $19.99, a $20 value!

3.) Sonic Balloon! 
Did you know that Sonic was the first video game character to appear in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade? (Eat that, Mario!) He made his first appearance in 1993. Now, Sonic will be returning to the parade this year with an all-new balloon featuring his modern look!

Happy Birthday Sonic! Let's make it another 20!

Nintendo Retro Releases - 6/23/11 - New Dates Added!

Hey guys, I'm changing up the format for retro releases. Rather than having one post with all the week's upcoming retro games, I'm just going to do a post for each company. Currently, Sony releases on Tuesday, Microsoft on Wednesday, and Nintendo, previously Monday, have now started releasing on Thursday.

No Nintendo Virtual Console or e-Shop releases this week. Boo.

Metal Gear Solid (Playstation, 1998)

Wow, what a fantastic game.

I first played Metal Gear Solid back in 1998, when I rented it from my local Blockbuster. Up until that point, the games I played were either platformers starring cutesy animal characters, or sweeping fantasy RPGs. Metal Gear Solid was really the first game I played that I considered adult - not just in the skill required for gameplay, but in tone and theme.

Right... that's not what I meant by "adult"....

So what made Metal Gear Solid so great and so memorable? You see, action games up until Metal Gear Solid generally involved beating up every dude you came across. You were always equipped with a weapon and with ammo and defeating guys was the only way to get through the game. Metal Gear Solid is a completely different experience - the gameplay relies on stealth and cunning - ideally, the skill to avoid a conflict whenever possible.

I don't like confrontation.

This, by the way, is far more difficult. You play as Solid Snake, who is forced out of retirement when the terrorist splinter-cell group, FOXHOUND, seize a remote island and threaten to detonate a nuclear weapon, Metal Gear REX, within 24 hours if their demands are not met. This is really the simplified version of the story, which in itself can become a bit convoluted at times, if only due to the sheer number of characters, organizations, and references to events past. Snake infiltrates the island and begins a mission to take down FOXHOUND and secure the Metal Gear.

Metal Gear REX

Although Snake has a gun and various weapons, attempting to plow through the game with firepower will only succeed in getting yourself killed. You need to get creative in this game. For example, you can use cigarette smoke to detect security beams, use ketchup to fake your death and escape a prison cell, and disguise yourself as a cardboard box to get past a pack of ravenous wolves. But action fans, don't despair, because you'll face off against a colorful cast of FOXHOUND members, some of which battles will be explosive.

Using ketchup to fake your death.

Psycho Mantis is one of these characters, as he's a telepathic and telekinetic being that you encounter. This is all well and good, but when he announced to me he would read my mind, I wasn't really paying attention. Yeah, okay dude. Then he said, "I see you like Suikoden!" and my jaw dropped. How did he know that?? Turns out he was reading my memory card. (Also, thank you Psycho Mantis for teaching me the proper way to pronounce "Suikoden".) The battle itself can only be won by unplugging the controller from port one, and plugging it into port two - therefore disabling Mantis's ability to read your moves.

Why yes, I do!

Unlike most action games, Metal Gear Solid also does a great job balancing the serious story with a humorous narrative. Characters like Otakon and a guard with chronic irritable bowel syndrome provide some comic relief. Meryl Silverburgh's relationship with Snake adds a layer of softness to Snake's gruff personality and a bit of sweetness to the game. And unlike pretty much every game ever made up until this point, Metal Gear Solid delivers some seriously great voice acting which lends itself to a truly cinematic experience. But you don't need me to tell you that. If you haven't played this game yet, I'll assume you're a thirteen year old kid, or someone who never owned a Playstation. If you're neither of those things, then what the hell are you waiting for?

Metal Gear Solid is available new and used on Amazon for varying prices. It was also re-released as a part of the Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection. It's also available for download on PSN. Finally, there was an enhanced remake for Gamecube called Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes which updates the graphics to more modern standards and offers a first-person shooter view. 

Retro Releases - Week of 4/4/11

Awesome Retro Finds of the Week 11: Uhhhhh...

Once again, nothing this week. Things will pick up soon, promise!

Final Fantasy (NES, 1990)

Final Fantasy is the most famous console RPG franchise in the world, and possibly the most popular. With 14 installments in the main franchise, and numerous ports, remakes, and spin-offs, Square's best-selling series has moved over 97 million units to date. The title itself is misleading, as people have often asked me, "Why is it called Final Fantasy when they just keep making more??"

How's about you stop asking me that question?!

As the story goes, back in the late 80's, Square was failing as a company. On the verge of bankruptcy, they assigned a small team led by young developer Hironobu Sakaguchi to put out a new type of game, different from what Square had been doing up until that point. Sakaguchi knew that if the game failed, the company would most likely go under, and he swore he would quit the game industry and go back to school to learn something else. Thus, he called the game "Final Fantasy" to describe his delicate situation.

The mustachioed man himself. Sadly, he's no longer with
Square-Enix but has his own studio, Mistwalker.

The game was obviously a smashing success, and not only saved Square (and Sakaguchi's job) but also popularized the RPG genre. It laid the groundwork for future installments in the franchise, introducing things like crystals and airships. But does it stand the test of time?

1987-era NES programming glitch = 1987-era NES Invisible Lady.

Sort of. Final Fantasy plays like your traditional RPG. You start off the game by choosing four characters (The "Four Heroes of Light") and assign a job class to each one. What you choose will determine your characters' stats and abilities. A well-rounded party may consist of a Fighter, a Black Mage, a Black Belt, and a White Mage, for example. For someone who wants a tougher challenge, you could create a party of only White Mages. This small amount of customization was unusual back in the NES days, and certainly added to the game's appeal.

The adventure begins!

Each of your party members carries a darkened orb, representing a different element. Their quest is to revitalize the orbs by defeating the Four Fiends who are bring chaos and destruction to the world. When each Fiend falls, the orb is returned to light, and peace comes a little closer. Along the way, you'll experience several misadventures, such as rescuing a princess, fighting pirates, and hunting down a vampire.

Four fiends, but not the Four Fiends.

While wandering the overworld map and exploring dungeons, you'll experience lots of random encounters, which would become a staple of the Final Fantasy series. Battles themselves are turn-based, and when you win, you gain experience points which will level your characters' stats. Unfortunately, this is where two of the game's most glaring flaws come into play: First, there is no auto-targeting -- for example: you are fighting a group of enemies, and you instruct your entire party to focus on Enemy A. The Fighter manages to defeat Enemy A in one turn. Rather than the next party member going on to attack Enemy B, the team will continue to attack the empty space that Enemy A once occupied. This is highly annoying, as you're constantly having to estimate how many attacks it will take to kill one enemy before you can direct attacks to the next one. Second, this game does require quite a bit of mindless level grinding to proceed: the first installment of Final Fantasy is generally considered by fans to be the most difficult.

Be ill-prepared and die!!

Despite these flaws, Final Fantasy set a precedent for further installments and is definitely worth a playthrough. It's really great to see the groundwork of a million-dollar franchise, and despite being originally released in Japan back in 1987, Final Fantasy fans will feel a sense of familiarity upon playing. It may not live up to today's RPGs, with their endless customization, colorful casts, and epic stories, but it's impossible to call yourself a retro gamer without this game in your repertoire.

Final Fantasy has been remade, re-released, and ported multiple times. Luckily, the targeting issue was fixed for each port, so the battle experience has definitely improved. The first remake for the United States was found in Final Fantasy Origins (a still-in-print PSOne title), which has updated graphics and is paired with the previously Japan-only title, Final Fantasy II. There is also Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls for Game Boy Advance and the simply-named Final Fantasy for PSP. It's also available on Wii's Virtual Console service for 500 Wii Points. And if that's not enough, you can even download Final Fantasy for Apple devices and mobile phones. But if you're really not into the new-fangled technologies, well, then there's always Amazon, where you can find Final Fantasy new and used for NES at varying prices.

Retro Releases - Week of 3/28/11

Due to technical difficulties, there will be no update on retro releases this week. Check back next week!

Awesome Retro Finds of the Week 10: Not This Week

Nothing this week. :)

The Sims (PC, 2000)

After two decades of simulation games about cities, societies, theme parks, zoos, ancient civilizations, farming, and even ant colonies, you'd think The Sims would have come out much sooner than it actually did. It's amazing that it took so long to develop a simulation game that just about anyone would want to play: one in which you run other people's lives.

Work it baby!

I can't even describe the countless hours I spent on this game, designing sims that looked like me and my friends, building us all designer houses, accidentally setting our sim kitchens on fire, and feeling awkward whenever my best buddy went to go sit on the john. This is the ultimate "playing God" game as you have direct control over practically every aspect of your sims' lives.

Or you can choose no control. Sims aren't very motivated on their own.

You can start the game with a pre-existing family, or you can design your own. Obviously, everyone chooses the latter, because what fun is it playing with the pre-designed family? The selection of heads, hair, clothing, etc. is all pretty limited, but luckily a Sims Creator was eventually released which allowed you to make custom designs for your sims' appearance and decor. Designing skins for The Sims became an extremely popular hobby; a woman I once worked with actually purchased an entire Lord of the Rings household to play with. I myself enjoyed toying around with the Creator, my greatest achievement being a set of Resident Evil skins.

Design your own home.

Once you have a family, you move them into a lot: either an empty lot of land that you can build a house upon, or a pre-existing home that just needs to be furnished to make it your own. Once you move the family in, it's time to find a job so you can pay the bills. There are multiple career paths available, from law enforcement, to business, to even criminal. In addition to fulfilling your sims monetary needs, you also need to make sure their base needs are being covered: a kitchen full of food to feed them with, a comfortable bed to sleep in, a clean shower and a toilet that isn't broken. While Sims will generally take care of these physiological needs on their own, you may need to assist them once in awhile: for example, if your sim wants to use the bathroom, another sim seems to have no problem waltzing right in while they're in the middle of doing their "business" - you will often need to shoo sims out of the way on various occasions.

Chaos ensuing.

Of course, letting sims run amok is part of the fun of this game. Sims who possess zero cooking skill will often set the kitchen on fire, and if the firemen don't get there on time, they'll die. The Livin' Large expansion pack introduces the Grim Reaper, who will come to collect them. Sometimes sims will get into arguments, particularly when you have a total slob and a neat freak living in one house. It's fun to watch them get into fist fights. When you create sim versions of your friends, watching the mayhem that ensues has often spurred me to tell stories about the game to the real-life versions. It's fun times! Got someone you don't like in real life? Create a sim and let the aggression fly! "You stole my boyfriend, huh? How would you like to take a dip in my swimming pool? Oh, WHAT? The ladder mysteriously vanished?!?! Enjoy sleeping with the fishes, bitch!!"

Take away the ladder and there's no escape!

Ahem.

Okay, I'll be good.

There are some flaws in the game, which are resolved in the next two installments: basically things like non-existent weekends, the fact that sims don't age (aside from infants) and family links. I can't tell you how many times I put a male and a female sim in one household with the intention of them being brother and sister, only to find them making out a week later. Eww, come on guys!! 

Bobby Joe, stop looking at your sister like that!

Despite these flaws, with seven expansion packs to build off the game, The Sims provides hours and hours of entertainment. This game shattered the best-selling PC game record back in 2000, and it's easy to see why. Although you might find more value in the improvements made in the Sims 2 and 3, this is still a great game that most anyone can enjoy.  

The Sims is available on PC and Mac, as well as multiple consoles. As highly as I recommend the computer games, I can't say the same for the console ones - the gameplay as limited due to the space restrictions of console-based games. If you're interested in The Sims, it's available on Amazon new and used for varying prices.

Retro Releases - Week of 3/21/11 - The World is Square

Square-Enix brings yet another PSOne RPG offering. Not only that, but Final Fantasy III was just released for Virtual Console in Europe, which means North America can't be far behind.


Nintendo Virtual Console:
Natsume Championship Wrestling (SNES, 1994)
Enter the ring as one of twelve different wrestlers. With over 50 moves, this is one of the few (if not only?) wrestling games currently available for Virtual Console. Also notable is the inclusion of a 4-player mode, and with the technological power of 2011, you don't even need a multitap to participate! Woohoo! It's available today for 800 Wii Points.


Sony Playstation Network:
Legend of Mana (Playstation, 2000)
You are the hero of Fa'Diel, a shapeless world that needs your help. The Great Mana Tree vanished years ago and you must restore magic to the land. Using artifacts that you find on your journey, you can shape your world and unlock new stories and adventures. This is an action RPG from Square where the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. Download it Tuesday for $5.99, or, if you're uncertain, check out Retro Awesome's retroview.



Xbox Live Arcade:
Coming Wednesday!

Other Releases:
- The Sims franchise continues with The Sims Medieval for PC and Mac.

- Nintendo's new handheld, the 3DS, may not be released until Sunday, but a few of the games will hit shelves a little early. Retro fans may be interested in Rayman 3D (a remake of Rayman 2), Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars, and Ridge Racer 3D.


- Final Fantasy meets fighting games on the PSP with Dissidia 012: Duodecim Final Fantasy. No, I don't know what the name is supposed to mean either.

Awesome Retro Finds of the Week 09: Quickie

Busy week! Didn't have much time, so I stopped at one thrift store and luckily found this on the first try. I was in and out and gone! And now I own my first platformer for PSOne. 

It's Rayman! It was $2. All of my PSOne games are action games or RPGs, so this is a nice addition. 

Eventually I'll compile a "most wanted" list. For PSOne platformers, I would love to find Tomba! and Klonoa: Door to Phantomile. I owned both at one point and sold them while I was in college. That's practically the story of my life. Sigh. 

Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega Genesis, 1991)

Back in the late 1980's, Nintendo had become a seemingly unstoppable juggernaut. No other company could compete, as the Atari 2600 dwindled in popularity, and couldn't produce a console as successful as the NES. Sega was new to the gaming scene with their Sega Master System, which, while popular in Europe and Brazil, couldn't gain prominence in the U.S. and Japanese markets. When the Genesis was first launched, it had the upper-hand in terms of graphical capability and processing power over the NES, and yet, Sega still failed to move Genesis units at a competitive rate. What was a failing game company to do?

SE~GAAAA

The answer was found in the form of a little blue hedgehog.

Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog debuted in 1991 as Sega's new mascot, intended to compete with Nintendo's Mario. Although the Genesis was originally bundled with Altered Beast, Sega eventually decided to swap that to Sonic the Hedgehog. The plan paid off, big time. By bundling Sonic with the Genesis, Sega managed to grab almost 50% of the home console market from Nintendo.

The first of many successful titles for Sega.

So what made Sonic so great? Well, he was a mean-looking blue hedgehog who could move really, really fast. This was way cooler than a slow, fat plumber who hopped on things. Also, the game was characterized by lush, bright environments and a techno-driven soundtrack. This wasn't your average platformer. This was your platformer on speed.

Go faster!

Sonic popularized the anthropomorphic mascot in platforming. Originally named "Mr. Needlemouse", Sonic the Hedgehog revolves around Sonic as he frees his forest friends from Dr. Robotnik. Robotnik (later known as "Eggman") is turning the forest creatures into mindless robot slaves to help him obtain the six Chaos Emeralds. He'll use the Emeralds' powers to take over the world, that is, unless Sonic can stop him.

At the end of each level, you face Robotnik one-on-one.

As Sonic, you'll traverse through six levels, broken into three acts each, to stop Robotnik. Along the way, you'll find yourself traversing loop-de-loops, springs, and slopes, which if you use properly, will maximize your speed. The most satisfying thing about a Sonic game is when you get good at a level: basically, when you know where everything is and you can just blow through it like it's a piece of cake. This led to the ever-popular speed runs on YouTube that you see floating around.

Unlike other platformers at the time, Sonic did not follow the "three hits and you're dead" rule. In Sonic the Hedgehog, you can collect rings. If you are hit by an enemy, then your rings explode away from you, but grab 'em quick, because as long as you are holding at least one ring, it is impossible to die. Collect 100 rings, and you earn an extra life. Sonic also had checkpoints mid-level, and bonus stages where you could try to collect the Chaos Emeralds.

Bonus stage!

Finally, I know I mentioned it before, but I have to again: I absolutely love the soundtrack to this game, and really, most Sonic games. It's upbeat and really drives the action.

Sonic the Hedgehog is, to this day, one of my favorite franchises, even though it's had its ups and downs over the past decade. This first game led the groundwork to some very successful and much-improved on sequels, and if nothing else, deserves some accolades for being able to stand up to Mario in a time when he seemed invincible. 

Sonic the Hedgehog is available in numerous compilations, the most recent being Sonic Mega Collection, Sonic Mega Collection Plus, Sega Genesis Collection, Sonic Classic Collection and Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection. It is also available for download on Virtual Console, Xbox Live Arcade, Playstation Network, Steam, and Apple's App Store. Finally, if you want the old Genesis cartridge, it's available new and used at varying prices from Amazon.com.