Finals

Okay, so finals week is almost over.  And even though I'll be having a summer class starting next week I should be able to start contributing to the blog more often.

... now if I could just stop playing Winterbells and start my 2,500 word paper due tomorrow...

Read, and Be Amazed

I have in my possession a link that may very well shock you to the core.  The discovery of what is to be unveiled is not only amazing, but monumental as well.

Behold: the possible defense we have been looking for.  For those who do not understand what this article means (read the title, maybe?), scientists have discovered "junk DNA," which we humans used to actively employ, that was a defense against diseases like HIV.  And it goes on to say that it is possible to reactivate this junk DNA in the fight against AIDS.

That's all for now, everything else is going swimmingly.

Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection

I submitted this review to the Escapist a few weeks ago and have not yet received any sort of reply on whether or not it would be published there, so I'm just going to publish it here.

Game Title: Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection

Developer(s): SEGA/Backbone Entertainment

Publisher: SEGA

Platform: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 (Xbox 360 version reviewed)

 

I don’t consider myself a “retrogamer.”  Mainly because I do not like the term, and I don’t like the term because it implies that said gamer only ever plays retro games (but we call those people “emos”).  You wouldn’t call someone who watches movies that all happen to be from a period before 1980 a “retrowatcher,” would you?  Movies are movies and games are games no matter what time they’re from.  Besides, “retro” is such as arbitrary term.  I consider Super Mario Bros. 3 to be retro, but someone else might say that Majora’s Mask is retro, which I disagree with.  I see no reason to have more than two main categories of gamers anyways: mainstream and core.

But all my qualms with the labeling of gamers as such did not stop me from being very retro after picking up Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection.  I saved up about $60 dollars, purchased Sonic’s UGC and immediately went out to procure some supplies with the extra cash.  Upon returning from the grocery store I moved my Xbox 360 to the analog TV set in my bedroom, hooked up the appropriate AV cables and proceeded to plop down on the floor.  Just like the old days.  With a 6-pack of Mondos, a box of Dunkaroos and a whole mess of Bagel Bites I was set to enjoy my childhood days all over again. 

Given that this game is just large collection of other games I’ll just review how polished everything is and how well the games translated over to those newfangled controllers.

There is definitely one thing about this compilation that no one can disagree with: it’s packed the brim with content.  However, it’s basically an expanded edition of an earlier compilation, SEGA Genesis Collection for the Sony PlayStation 2 and PSP. There are 49 games by my count (including the 9 unlockables) along with histories and artwork for each game and interviews with SEGA of Japan.  Even Dynamite Headdy, a game from the geniuses at Treasure Co., makes an appearance.  The inclusion of DH, however, only made me question why Gunstar Heroes, also from Treasure, was not incorporated as well.

As with the last collection there are still some games that seem to be included just for the hell of it (Who really wants to play Flicky again?).  And what’s worse is if you only have the Xbox 360 gamepad to play with.  Sure, some of the games, like Streets of Rage and Golden Axe, translate well to the analog controls, but most deserve the d-pad treatment.  I have not played the PS3 counterpart, but I imagine the d-pad on the Sixaxis/Dual Shock 3 controller is much more manageable.  Luckily, I have my trusty arcade stick.  If you have the Street Fighter IV fightpad, then that might be the best solution.

If memory serves, the audio and graphics are perfectly emulated from their Genesis, Master System and arcade counterparts. I have heard that the PS3 version only supports HD up to 720p while the Xbox 360 supports up to 1080p.  Honestly, I don’t see that being a problem because I doubt that there is much difference between the two settings if all you really want is to see some pixilated graphics.  The menu music is nice, and graphically it looks very sleek.

The main menu is well formatted.  The user is given the ability to rate the games and sort them according to the alphabet, ratings, genre and year released.  It sounds trivial, but that option is very satisfying for whatever reason.

Bottom Line: It’s a solid collection with gems like Shining Force II, Dynamite Headdy and Ristar.  I was disappointed to not see the inclusion of Virtua Fighter 2 Genesis, but that didn’t stop me from really enjoying everything else.

Recommendation: Rent it first to see if the amount of games you’ll actually end up playing is worth your $30.  Other than that, I wholeheartedly recommend that all gamers pick up a copy.  And if you have a 360 and PS3, pick up the PS3 version solely for the d-pad.

Is it 1995 again?!

SFIV Fightpad Review (360 version)

About a week or so ago I picked up Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection for the Xbox 360.  My main complaint while playing that compilation was that the method of control most popular on the system, the 360 gamepad, was not at all designed for 2D games.  It’s the wanky d-pad.  Anyone who’s ever played with that controller knows exactly what I’m talking about if they’ve ever tried pulling off some of the more complex combos in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.

Anyway, when I picked up Sonic’s UGC I also attempted to pick up a Street Fighter IV Fighterpad from MadCatz, but they did not have any in stock.  Big surprise.  At that point I had still not grasped one in my hands let alone actually seen one.  I was super bummed because, even though I had my EX2, I would not have a proper method of input for Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Dynamite Headdy or Ristar. 

As luck would have it I caught sight of a pair of fightpads in the Best Buy my cousin asked me to stop at.  One was Blanka and the other being Ryu.  Of course I had to pick up the one with Blanka emblazoned on the face of the pad (‘cause if you have no electrical powers, then you’re lame). 

I immediately opened up the packaging and just held it for a good thirty seconds or so.  The shape of the pad feels so familiar, yet so fresh.  It feels almost as if someone compressed the Xbox 360 pad into some sort of pancake, removed the control sticks and rearranged the buttons a little bit.  That’s the fresh part.  The familiar part is this unmistakable reminder of the Saturn pad that so many people know and love.  Every fighting pad that was released after it tried to mimic the greatness of that pad, but none really ever came close to recreating the sensation of playing with the doomed console’s top quality controller (except for maybe the ASCII FT) until SEGA re-released the Saturn pad on the PS2 and PC/Mac, but that doesn’t count because it was the same controller.  This controller ends the cycle of mediocrity.

First off, is the quality of the controller up to par?  At the beginning I couldn’t quite figure out if I approved of the plastic used for the casing of the controller, but I do understand why they chose the smooth, almost tacky, plastic.  I imagine that it cut costs and allowed for the character portraits to be printed on the faces.  It’s a nice presentation having Blanka glare menacingly at me while I play games that he isn’t in.

Next on the list would be the comfort.  I would venture to say that this pad might be even better than my favorite 2D pad of all time: the original (Model 1 in the US) Saturn pad.  There are rubber grips on the either side and a rubber backing that more than make up for the slipperiness of the controller’s plastic once your hands start to get sweaty.  The d-pad is far better than the Xbox 360’s standard controller, but that isn’t saying much.  It’s a loose, floating d-pad that is very reminiscent of the SEGA d-pads of old, but a little spongier.  And the face and shoulder buttons have just enough throw.

The features are pretty much exactly what you’d expect.  There are the 6 face buttons, 2 shoulder buttons, 8-way d-pad, the 3 “Xbox buttons” and, most importantly, the turbo button.  I haven’t had a turbo button on a controller of this quality, aside from arcade sticks, in a long time.  And I gotta say, it feels like the awkward meeting of 2 good friends after years of separation.  That being said, it’s just amazing to finally have a turbo feature again.  Another cool feature is the ability to flip a switch on the bottom of the gamepad that allows the d-pad to function as a normal d-pad or emulate either the left or right control sticks.  It’s very useful for games that may not support the d-pad inherently.

So what about usability?  As of current I have used the pad w/ Soul Calibur IV, Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection (all titles), Virtua Fighter 5 Online and a few XBLA games like Pacman C.E., Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, Super SFII Turbo HD and R-Type Dimensions.  The controller functions perfectly w/ all of those titles and had me remembering the good ol’ days of Genesis and Saturn.  Just for the hell of it I decided to try the Fightpad out w/ Halo 3 and Sonic Unleahsed.  As it turns out the d-pad does function adequately as both the right and left control sticks, but I would not recommend it for games that either require both sticks (duh!) or games that might need more precise 3D control (also duh!).

Bottom Line: It’s an awesome controller the likes of which I’ve been waiting to see for a long time.  If you have it, I’m sure you love it.  If you don’t, I’m sure you will love it [if you ever pick one up].

Recommendation: Buy it if you play a lot of XBLA titles and fighting games and don’t want to shell out for a high quality arcade stick or think that arcade sticks are too bulky.  I don’t think I would’ve bought it if I hadn’t found it for $40 at Best Buy.  I searched on eBay for it and could only it for $80+s/h.  To me, it’s not worth that much because I have my EX2, but to each his own.

The Dealio-yo

So right now I'm working on school stuff for final projects and exams.  Other than that I'm working on a new podcast.  Not really new, to tell you the truth, it's more of a do-over of the first one.  

Also, confidentially, I have a little secret side-project.  More on that later.

Podcast?

So I decided to do this podcast as an experiment.  It's a bit rough and if I do another, then I'll strive for better quality and a less boring experience.

Below are some links that I promised I would include:

Metroid Metal

VertexGuy

Here's the podcast, please enjoy if you can.  Click here. (right-click and click "Save As" or whatever it says to download the MP3 file)

The Lowdown

So here's the sitch, my friends:  I'll have at least 2 comics up before midnight on Monday (tomorrow).  I've been busy writing papers and going to Indianapolis for no good reason other than to go.  

I also plan on doing some videos on YouTube as well.  Keep your eyes peeled for reviews and such too.

Catch y'all later!!