Wii

When i was 10 or so the home version of the Neo Geo system was released, one of my friends actually got one as a gift(Makio, whom i've mention in previous post).  Looking back on it is when i realize what a fucking little brown-noser i was.  Makio was more of a friend of a freind; he lived across the cul-de-sac from Jerry's house(where i had as many sleep overs as humanly possible through out my middle school life).  While i was there, i was usually bugging Jerry to call Makio and see if he could bring over the newest greatest Neo Geo games.  Jerry had a Neo Geo too, but with the games being $200 a pop, he only had 3 games.  One Neo Geo game was more expensive than my Super NES, which i had to beg my Mom for for a good year before it was released.  At one point or another i convinced a reluctant Makio to record a Magician Lord, Ninja Combat run on VHS for me.  I still have this tape, and i must have watched it HUNDREDS of times.  I was amazed at all the pagan imagery contained within one game, it was disturbingly beautiful.  And the music has been bouncing around my head since then.

Magician Lord was one of the flagship games for the arcade Neo Geo MVS.  The genre is fantasy/anime, the atmosphere is dark and moody,  and the bloody pentagrams are freshly painted.  My impressionable 10 year old mind was uncontrollably drawn to it, how could i not be.  I dropped SO MANY quarters on this game at the local 7-Eleven in my youth.  The score is synthesized electro-funk, with some fantasy-rpg-esque melodies mixed in, in the flavor of Phantasy Star 2.

check out:

• Level 1
• Level 2
• Final Battle
• End Credits
• Prolog

Recently title has been added to the Wii Channel. The graphics don't look half bad for being a 15+ year old game. Still a fine example of some of the best 2D graphics out there. Well worth the points, despite being rediculously difficult. Do yourself a service and check out the Magician Lord Soundtrack in the meantime

Hackeers have appearantly found a way to possibly run homebrew games and apps on the Wii.

Wii Hacked

I dont believe this will be taken lightly by Nintendo. The emulation scene has flourished only because the copyright holders of "retro" games haven't raised their voice, they're more worried about making the next bestest greatestest game of the century. With old school games being so hip nowadays in Xbox Live and Wii's Virtual Console, i hardly think that Nintendo will allow their profit from these repackaged games to be comprimised. </gloom>

I guess we'll see how Nintendo handles this, if at all.

This is yet another reason for me to get off my ass and get a Wii.

Katamari on Wii

Katamari on PS2 almost single handedly revived my in playing console games again. There haven't been too many games that I've played in the last decade that's as innovative, pure hearted, and raw fun as the Katamari series. And this is definitely shifting my decision as to which "next gen" system to get.

This news has to be a huge blow to Sony as well. Their over pumped monster, the PS3, is seriously lacking in quality games for the next year. The only game on PS3 that is carrying the most potencial, in my eyes, is Little Big Planet. And the last time i heard, this isn't even an actual release, but a downloadable game on their online network, PS3 Home.

I've been a loyal Sony Playstation follower for some time now. But i find no reason to shell out 600 bucks for a graphical monster with shitty games. Maybe in a couple of years Sony will be able to compile a decent game library.

I can't believe that more than half a year after the release date for the Nintendo Wii that it is still being consistently sold out.

Ive been enjoying every little last under powered bit of my PS2 for the last year. PS2 still has the best game library of any system out right now(besides the Nintendo DS), and game tend to go "Greatest Hits" very quickly, making it quite affordable to keep kicking in its ripe old age(in console years). The only home console that's piqued my interest since the PS2 has been the Wii, but there are some things that have made it hard for me to make the conversion:

1. -PS2 is backwards compatible, and i still have, and buy PS1 games
2. -Wii is underpowered in comparison to the Xbox 360, and PS3. This will only become more appearant as developers get the hang of coding for the 360 and PS3 in the next coming years(There are still PS2 game being released that look more impressive than the next gen consoles.
3. -Wii's are still sold out. I am not willing to camp out bum rush the truck driver as the new shipment comes in. I have a job and a life.
4. -Nintendo has always been too "family" for its own good. The Nintendo exclusives, like the Mario, Zelda, and Metroid series are well worth the price. But i know ill end up missing out some more adult themed gems; basically anything by Rockstar(i only invest on one system at a time, for the same reasons as above, and not made of money, or a tool).

I think that EVENTUALLY....i'll have a Wii. That will only happen when i can actually find it at store with out having drive accross town, or beat up a kid standing in line. For now, my PS2 is doing me just fine(altho a buddy of my lent me his Gamecube and all his games, so i guess now i look like a hypocrite...oh well)

Here's a tracker that will help those with more determiation and patience than I. Wii Tracker

"Good luck....You'lllll need it" <---- Smash TV