Ricardo Morales - October 6th, 2009
Gamer Culture, Headlines
Final Fantasy sure has changed over the years.
These days, Square is substituting surface flashiness for that unique FF element that, in earlier titles, conjured genuine wonderment. This is especially evident in the new trailer for XIII. The original FF magic has been lost, and unfortunately, it’s in Square-Enix’s best interest to cultivate the evolution.
Some fans claim the franchise peaked around VI, others that XIII will be the best one yet. One thing’s certain: no matter how much the older fans miss bygone FF eras, the games will never be the same again.
Read More »
Ricardo Morales - July 23rd, 2009
Gamer Culture, Halo, Metal Gear Solid
I’ll shamefully admit it: I’ve never beaten Super Mario Bros.
So the other day, I buckled down for a Super Mario Bros. 3 marathon with my nephew, age 7. While playing, I realized that Mario is timeless, and sure as my little nephew is growing up with him now, we’ll still remember Mario in a century.
Mario, Link, Master Chief, Solid Snake. These gaming monuments speak to desires and dreams rooted deeply inside of us, and the experiences they offer will never die.
Read More »
Ricardo Morales - June 3rd, 2009
Gamer Culture, Nintendo Wii
Klonoa is an old-time friend to lots of gamers who will fondly remember the floppy-eared character from the PSX era. Like his older fans, the cat-rabbit hybrid has aged over the years. Formerly a wide-eyed, innocent-looking creature resembling a stuffed animal, he’s now hardened into a tallish young adult with facial hair and more angular features.
Over a decade after he first debuted, this cool cat is now available for today’s audiences in Klonoa for the Wii. This remake of the original platformer certainly gives the title a facelift, and by all means, it’s a great reimagining.
But even so, some gamers will miss the innocent, unassuming Klonoa they grew up with.
Read More »
Shane Burley - August 27th, 2008
Business, Gamer Culture, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii
The Nintendo business model of the past has resurfaced, and this time the very cause of their previous popularity may be what sinks the company. At E3 this year, Microsoft and Nintendo both boasted major advances for their respective gaming consoles. Microsoft unveiled the next step in home media integration by allowing a video rental/purchasing service utilizing streaming video as well as the Xbox 360’s attachable hard drive. When it was Nintendo’s turn, they countered by discussing advances made to their controller to make it more responsive to hand and wrist movement that should have been there since the Wii’s release. Bravo.
Read More »
