Keep up the trend of one post a month (at least), here's another entry.
Since I had posted what I consider the worst Mega Man games ever, I figured it's only fair to post on what I consider the best ones. Mega Man has a history of being some of the tightest designed games ever, as well as some of the hardest. But there are some that clearly stand above the rest, and are rightly regarded as classics. Now with the impending release of Mega Man 10, I think talking about these classics is only the right thing to do. Like my other list, I can't rate the RPG seres since I never really got into them and they can't really be compared with the platformers, but if I was going to reccomend one, it would be Battle Network 3.
So let's start at ten and work our way forward!
10. Mega Man
Where it all started. Putting the original on the list might seem strange since it's not quite as polished as the rest, but despite the fact it's not quite as spit shined as the rest doesn't change the fact that it's still a great and inventive action game. There are a few others I might prefer to make the list in it's stead, but the fact that this early NES game is still a blast to play is a testement to it's quality. Mega Man featured only six bosses instead of the eight that would later be featured, has shoddy colision detection, and no save/password feature, yet still has the tight and challenging platforming and shooting you'd expect from a Mega Man game. If you don't want to deal with the technical problems, play Mega Man Powered Up for the PSP instead. It's just as great, but has a seperate mode with new stages, a level creator, and additional playable characters. MMPU shows that despite the flaws of the first, it's still at it's core a great game.
9. Mega Man X4
I personally prefer Mega Man X3 to X4, but couldn't in good conscience put it on the list over X4. Mega Man X4 is simply a much less convoluted and tighter game than X3 is, and showed that the Mega Man X series could really work in this new fangled CD age. Featuring tightly designed levels, a rocking soundtrack, two playable characters, and a steady challenge, Mega Man X4 is inarguably one of the best. My only gripes are minor. The art design is rather plain and empty (the intro level really spoiled everything) and some of the sprites are not as fluid or fast as one would expect from an X game. But those are minor, X4 is easily on par with the SNES trilogy and showed bright days ahead for the X series. (Which unfortunately never came to pass, as since then the only title to live up to X4 was X8)
8. Mega Man Zero 2
Ah, the oft-overlooked Mega Man Zero series. Whether because it's portable, difficult, or starring Zero instead of Mega Man, this series never gets the respect it deserves. The first game was a really difficult but inventive addition to the series, and was the start to probably the highest quality series in the Mega Man canon. But the first game wasn't perfect, you basically had one life, the mission structure was messy, and the game was hard to get used to. Zero 2 is equivelant to the improvements MM2 gave to 1, the difficulty was balanced fairly, the structure was straightforward and not as convoluted, and the game eases you in instead of throwing you into the challenge. Mega Man Zero 2 is simply one of the best Mega Man games despite it's portability, and should be played by any fans of the series.
7. Mega Man 9
Capcom came roaring back with the classic series with Mega Man 9, after around 10 years of silence. Inticreates (makers of the excellent Zero series) crafted the best Mega Man game since the original NES trilogy acting amost as if the weaker games in the NES series never existed (it does feature Proto Man despite not giving Mega Man the slide from 3) and kept the classic simplicity the series is known for as well as featuring one of the best soundtracks in the entire series. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the soundtracks to most of these games. The entire Mega Man series features perhaps the best music in all of gaming, and 9 is certainly no slouch in that department. The controls are tight and fluid, the challenge is perfectly balanced, the boss weapons are all brilliant and extremely useful, and the game is as perfectly crafted as any of the best Mega Man games. Inticreates should be the only company allowed to touch Mega Man platformers from now on.
6. Mega Man X2
Higher than most would expect, the sequel to the classic series reinvention (or sequel) is actually almost on par with the original. Unlike Zero 2, or MM2, MMX2 does not feature any real improvements in the formula, since MMX was pretty much the first (and only) time Capcom got a series dead on in the first go. Instead it features more of the same with a little bit more. More challenge, more extras, more bosses, and harder to find upgrades. Back when it came out it was kind of seen as a disappointment, but now playing it with fresh eyes, it's hard to argue with it's quality. It's not quite as overstuffed as X3 is, nor as dead simple as X1 or X4. It maintains a great balance of classic X gameplay with some new features to keep the series strong.
5. Mega Man Legends 1/2 (tie)
It was hard to pick one Legends game over the other, so it seemed only fair to include them in the same place. Legends was a new breakthrough for Mega Man, featuring the jump to 3D as it's main selling point. The game had a light atmosphere, great characters, and some great additions to the series. Unfortunately, some people hated this new series and complained how it was too new, obviously forgetting that Mega Man 8 and new X games were still be released alongside this at the time. It was a successful experiment for those who actually gave it a chance, which unfortunately was not many. The sequel improved several aspects such as the controls and the interface, but for all intents and purposes it was simply an extension of the first game. Both games are fantastic additions to the Mega Man series and could definitely use remakes on more current systems in order to flesh out the more rough areas. Rumor has it that Capcom game Lost Planet was made using an engine meant for the Legends series, but nothing has yet to come of it. Shame. This series deserves much more than it gets.
4. Mega Man 2
Wha? Only #4! How can this happen? Mega Man 2 is the best Mega Man game ever, right?!? Well... There's no denying it's not an excellent game and well deserving it's stature, but there are a few reasons why it's not at the top here. The first reason is that I typically look beyond nostalgia when I make my lists, and the games that outrank it are simply better games, second is that the controls are not quite as tight as what was to come, and third is that I just never thought it was the best Mega Man game. Not to say it isn't great. Mega Man 2 features one of the best soundtracks ever, some of the best level design ever to hit the series, and a decent challenge (when not played on the default difficulty). A greatest Mega Man game list without 2 is simply wrong.
3. Mega Man Zero 3
The peak of the great Zero series, Z3 is actually comparable to MM3 in the amount of subtle changes that drastically improve the formula. The level design is one of the best ever in a Mega Man game, the challenge is pinpoint perfect, the variety of moves, unlockables, and powers is the strongest they've ever been, and the bosses are brilliant (the final boss is the best final boss in any Mega Man game), this is one of the best games in the entire canon. For those still unwilling to jump into this series, you missed out on some excellent gaming. Somehow managing to top the ridiculous improvements to the forumla MMZ2 made, MMZ3 is one of the best games the entire series and must be played for lovers of action platforming.
2. Mega Man 3
Yes, even better than 2, somehow Mega Man 3 managed to top 2 to become the best game in the classic series. More stages, tighter controls, better stages, and the introduction of the excellent slide move, Mega Man 3 is not just one of the best Mega Man games, but one of the best games ever. The introduction of series staples Rush and Protoman help to flesh out the universe and add a bit more of a story to the games then players are used to. Endlessly replayable, Mega Man 3 is at the top of the heap in the Mega Man canon.
1. Mega Man X
When Mega Man X came out, the Mega Man series had seen better days. The series had all but dropped out of sight, and with the release of Mega Man 6, people just didn't care anymore. But with Nintendo's Super Nintendo system, suddenly things were looking bright again. Those that picked up the intriguing looking Mega Man X were treated with a fast paced, flashy, and superbly crafted action platformer surpassing what many thought was possible for the Mega Man series. Not only one of the best Mega Man games, but arguably one of the best of all time (and certainly on the SNES). For those interested, Capcom released a remake on the PSP featuring remixed locations for items, different difficulties and Vile as a playable character. But still, Mega Man X was perfect in every area, story, music, sound and graphics, there was nothing it was lacking in. Still regarded as one of the best, if not the best, MMX is certainly as good as it gets in the Mega Man series.
Funny how Mega Man X both had what I consider the best and worst games in the entire franchise, and how Inticreates is so consistently brilliant when it comes to Mega Man platformers. All put together, I'd say the Zero series is the highest quality series, but that's not to say the other series are lacking in any way. Despite a few weak titles, the Mega Man series is still the high standard in action platforming even after being around for over twenty years! Once again, we at TSC salute you for being one of the best, Mega Man!
Note: I would include images, but that's a bit too much of a hassle for this list.
Showing posts with label List. Show all posts
Showing posts with label List. Show all posts
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
The 4D Slip - Difficulty In Gaming
Those that I talk to about video games might think I have an unnatural obsession with tough difficulty in games, but that's not really the case at all. I find the balance of legitimate challenge in gaming on top of clever level design a sort of zen experience. Not that I can't find joy in a lack of challenge and a streamlined experience, as long as the game design is still strong (Super Mario Bros. 3, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and TMNT4 fall into this category), but there is something magical about throwing yourself into a seemingly inescapable situation and coming out on top.
However, with the release of Modern Warfare 2 (which I have not played, but I have heard remains an issue) and NSMBWii (which brings back 'Nintendo hard') I would like to bring up the idea of different styles of difficulty.
1. Quarter Muncher Difficulty
For those that have played a hard arcade game, you know what this means. Developers in the old days would pretty much throw the player into situations where unless you were basically a 'God of Gaming', you would need to keep pumping quarters into the machine to keep going. Very rarely was it 'impossible' to beat a game, but quite frankly it was infuriating to try in most cases, and instead move on or just accept your defeat and put in another quarter.
Somehow this style still lives on in games like Street Fighter 4 with crap like Seth. A random spike in difficulty made to make you go to the continue screen and try again. Even OCCing (One Credit Complete) these types of games is tough because you frequently have to exploit bugs and dumb design decisions to get past them. SNK Boss Syndrome was made purely for the reason of getting the player to do just that. (I love you SNK, but I hate you so much)
2. Old School Difficulty
Named as such because it's been at the forefront of gaming for a long ass time (also known as 'Nintendo hard') and still remains active in gaming, this is my personal favorite style of difficulty. The difficulty revolves around the developers testing the player by deliberately making challenges the player has to work their way through, and challenge themselves to get better at the game. This is different from quarter munching difficulty in that its frequently (but not always) less frustrating and more forgiving with the chances it gives you to conquer an obstacle, since you're not pumping quarters in, there's really no need to bother.
My favorite example of this is Contra for the NES. A seemingly impossible game full of one hit deaths and screen filling chaos. However, after playing the game enough, and getting used to the rules of the world, you can navigate yourself through without much of a challenge at all. This is, in my opinion, true difficulty. Unlike the other examples of difficulty, these perfectly designed games test only your skills as a gamer and when you die it is ONLY your own fault.
3. Bad Design Difficulty
This is by far the worst kind of difficulty, in my opinion. Difficulty made because the developers made a bad decision in the making of the game and made things much harder than they're supposed to be.
But not just that. Some games are designed specifically with strange design issues or control quirks in mind, (Castlevania and GnG come to mind) and base their difficulty on the player working around these issues instead of any challenge the actual game may possess. Heck, some include that too (Ninja Gaiden has the damn birds, but still remains challenging for other reasons such as legitimate level and boss design), and this still remains a popular style of difficulty to a lot of retro games. Even if it feels archaic to most newer ones.
4. Fake/Cheese Difficulty
This is probably the most controversial one, and the one I'll receive the most flak for (who am I to judge difficulty and whatnot), but I will say it anyway. Fake Difficulty is when developers simply kill or harm you and there is no way to avoid or work around it. There are multiple forms of this cheese in gaming, but it is by far the worst form of difficulty, one that punishes players simply for the hell of it. There are many games I could include here, but the one I will focus on is Call Of Duty's veteran mode.
Call Of Duty is well known for being a game that has "no AI". The enemies always know exactly where you are and will spray bullets over your location no matter where you are. You can't sneak around unless it's scripted and when you blow your cover, enemies instantly know where you are and fill you full of bullets. COD is known for the 'wall of death' difficulty that simply kills you for walking where the developers don't want you to go, without any warning, and spam instant kill grenades that you simply can't avoid (and in a certain level in COD4, it's basically up to chance if you can even make it through) all the while pouring enemies out that only stop when you walk over an invisible switch. Sort of like a shooting range.
Enemies can't be worked around, or strategized around. You simply need to shoot them until they fall and hope you have enough cover so that a grenade or a wall doesn't find you first. It's not difficulty you can overcome, merely put up with.
I hope you enjoyed this look into my thoughts on game difficulty, I always wanted to write it down somewhere, and now I have.
However, with the release of Modern Warfare 2 (which I have not played, but I have heard remains an issue) and NSMBWii (which brings back 'Nintendo hard') I would like to bring up the idea of different styles of difficulty.
1. Quarter Muncher Difficulty
For those that have played a hard arcade game, you know what this means. Developers in the old days would pretty much throw the player into situations where unless you were basically a 'God of Gaming', you would need to keep pumping quarters into the machine to keep going. Very rarely was it 'impossible' to beat a game, but quite frankly it was infuriating to try in most cases, and instead move on or just accept your defeat and put in another quarter.
Somehow this style still lives on in games like Street Fighter 4 with crap like Seth. A random spike in difficulty made to make you go to the continue screen and try again. Even OCCing (One Credit Complete) these types of games is tough because you frequently have to exploit bugs and dumb design decisions to get past them. SNK Boss Syndrome was made purely for the reason of getting the player to do just that. (I love you SNK, but I hate you so much)
2. Old School Difficulty
Named as such because it's been at the forefront of gaming for a long ass time (also known as 'Nintendo hard') and still remains active in gaming, this is my personal favorite style of difficulty. The difficulty revolves around the developers testing the player by deliberately making challenges the player has to work their way through, and challenge themselves to get better at the game. This is different from quarter munching difficulty in that its frequently (but not always) less frustrating and more forgiving with the chances it gives you to conquer an obstacle, since you're not pumping quarters in, there's really no need to bother.
My favorite example of this is Contra for the NES. A seemingly impossible game full of one hit deaths and screen filling chaos. However, after playing the game enough, and getting used to the rules of the world, you can navigate yourself through without much of a challenge at all. This is, in my opinion, true difficulty. Unlike the other examples of difficulty, these perfectly designed games test only your skills as a gamer and when you die it is ONLY your own fault.
3. Bad Design Difficulty
This is by far the worst kind of difficulty, in my opinion. Difficulty made because the developers made a bad decision in the making of the game and made things much harder than they're supposed to be.
But not just that. Some games are designed specifically with strange design issues or control quirks in mind, (Castlevania and GnG come to mind) and base their difficulty on the player working around these issues instead of any challenge the actual game may possess. Heck, some include that too (Ninja Gaiden has the damn birds, but still remains challenging for other reasons such as legitimate level and boss design), and this still remains a popular style of difficulty to a lot of retro games. Even if it feels archaic to most newer ones.
4. Fake/Cheese Difficulty
This is probably the most controversial one, and the one I'll receive the most flak for (who am I to judge difficulty and whatnot), but I will say it anyway. Fake Difficulty is when developers simply kill or harm you and there is no way to avoid or work around it. There are multiple forms of this cheese in gaming, but it is by far the worst form of difficulty, one that punishes players simply for the hell of it. There are many games I could include here, but the one I will focus on is Call Of Duty's veteran mode.
Call Of Duty is well known for being a game that has "no AI". The enemies always know exactly where you are and will spray bullets over your location no matter where you are. You can't sneak around unless it's scripted and when you blow your cover, enemies instantly know where you are and fill you full of bullets. COD is known for the 'wall of death' difficulty that simply kills you for walking where the developers don't want you to go, without any warning, and spam instant kill grenades that you simply can't avoid (and in a certain level in COD4, it's basically up to chance if you can even make it through) all the while pouring enemies out that only stop when you walk over an invisible switch. Sort of like a shooting range.
Enemies can't be worked around, or strategized around. You simply need to shoot them until they fall and hope you have enough cover so that a grenade or a wall doesn't find you first. It's not difficulty you can overcome, merely put up with.
I hope you enjoyed this look into my thoughts on game difficulty, I always wanted to write it down somewhere, and now I have.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Been a bit slow recently...
I've been a bit dry recently, and Randy has been busy with dealing with his job, so I figured I'd make a simple list post to kill some time.
Since IGN did their take on the top 25 consoles of all time, I'd figure I'd try to do the same. Why not? I'm bored.
1. SNES
This system is so great that I'm still discovering great games I never played before years after it ceased being produced. It was the only system I owned besides the PS1 that was wall to wall greatness with absolutely no lulls in it's release history. From the first time I popped in Super Mario World, until discovering 'Gunman's Proof' on an emulator, their is no system that surpasses it's library and variety. Simply stunning.
2. Playstation
The only thing that keeps this a definite number two is that the 3D is so hard to adjust to nowadays. But this system is just the tops. The 2D (when not plagued by slowdown or missing frames due to ports that shouldn't have been made for the system) was the best I'd ever seen (and the last time they sold decently on a console) and the 3D was a true step forward for gaming. The library is so varied and creative that it's hard for to put this down at all, and just like the SNES, I'm still discovering great games for it.
3. NES
Probably the oldest console I can still play nowadays, the NES defined 2D gaming. While many games were vastly improved in the jump to the SNES, their are many others that never did make that jump. The system had a lot of creativity put into it's library, and lasted for so long, that there are still gems being discovered in it. It may get a lot of nostalgia love, but the games are still playable and still tons of fun, and for something so old, that has to count for something.
4. Sega Genesis
The flipside to the 16 bit war that I was never a part of (Since I rented games instead of bought, I had enough for two systems), the Genesis seemed like a different evolution of the NES style (I didn't know about the Master System until years later) and was faster and flasher than my big bright SNES. I find the ports between both systems negligible, but the originals for this system are still some of the best gaming has to offer.
5. Xbox 360
Might be a bit high for my list, but the 360 helped reinvigorate my love of gaming (with the Wii) by introducing the concept of downloadable games (and the return of 2D to the consoles!), making online play and community a surprising element in my play time, and yeah the games are pretty good as well. The Wii60 combo this gen lit a fire in my passion for gaming that the previous gen pretty much sucked out of me. I rate this half of the combo slightly higher since developers haven't been supporting the other half nearly as much as this one.
6. Sega Dreamcast
The last Sega system, and probably the most interesting one last gen. Arcade perfect ports became a reality, and companies like Capcom were showing us exactly how powerful it was. The controller was a bit awkward to get used to, but the originality in the games and the traditional games still keeping their original high quality, this was probably the best system (technically) last gen.
7. TurboGrafx
I played this system once as a kid, (the game was Keith Courage) and was mildly impressed. But it wasn't until the Wii VC where I truly understood this system. The system has a very impressive library, and the CD mechanic was highly revolutionary for the time. I still want to get one of these systems eventually. It needs more respect than it gets.
8. Playstation 2
I'm listing this purely for the niche and obscure games that were truly great. Otherwise, this probably wouldn't make the top 10. Normally it wouldn't be enough to make the list, but there were a LOT of them. So it makes the list purely for that reason. But I really felt this system was disappointing.
9. Nintendo Wii
The only thing keeping this low is the lack of games for the system. Don't get me wrong, there are quite a lot of good games for the system, and more on the way, but as it is now, it's merely on the cusp of greatness. I love the controls (though the classic controller should have been packed in) and the VC and WiiWare systems help add value to the system (the TurboGrafx games ALONE are enough for purchase of this console), the system is truly great with loads of potential.
10. Sega CD
This makes the list only because I've actually played games on it, but it's not that bad. The ports that made this system were typically the best of them all (beating the Genesis and the SNES) and the original games (that weren't FMV crapstains) were truly a step forward in gaming. The redbook audio was truly interesting and made for some fantastic soundtracks. You know, before game audio became as bland as it is now. The system is a bit underrated though, and should be respected more than it is.
The Gamecube, Xbox, and Jaguar do not deserve a ranking in my opinion. While they each had some truly great games, as a whole they simply do not stack up to the rest of this list. The Playstation 3, though, I'm not sure, as I haven't touched one yet.
Since IGN did their take on the top 25 consoles of all time, I'd figure I'd try to do the same. Why not? I'm bored.
1. SNES
This system is so great that I'm still discovering great games I never played before years after it ceased being produced. It was the only system I owned besides the PS1 that was wall to wall greatness with absolutely no lulls in it's release history. From the first time I popped in Super Mario World, until discovering 'Gunman's Proof' on an emulator, their is no system that surpasses it's library and variety. Simply stunning.
2. Playstation
The only thing that keeps this a definite number two is that the 3D is so hard to adjust to nowadays. But this system is just the tops. The 2D (when not plagued by slowdown or missing frames due to ports that shouldn't have been made for the system) was the best I'd ever seen (and the last time they sold decently on a console) and the 3D was a true step forward for gaming. The library is so varied and creative that it's hard for to put this down at all, and just like the SNES, I'm still discovering great games for it.
3. NES
Probably the oldest console I can still play nowadays, the NES defined 2D gaming. While many games were vastly improved in the jump to the SNES, their are many others that never did make that jump. The system had a lot of creativity put into it's library, and lasted for so long, that there are still gems being discovered in it. It may get a lot of nostalgia love, but the games are still playable and still tons of fun, and for something so old, that has to count for something.
4. Sega Genesis
The flipside to the 16 bit war that I was never a part of (Since I rented games instead of bought, I had enough for two systems), the Genesis seemed like a different evolution of the NES style (I didn't know about the Master System until years later) and was faster and flasher than my big bright SNES. I find the ports between both systems negligible, but the originals for this system are still some of the best gaming has to offer.
5. Xbox 360
Might be a bit high for my list, but the 360 helped reinvigorate my love of gaming (with the Wii) by introducing the concept of downloadable games (and the return of 2D to the consoles!), making online play and community a surprising element in my play time, and yeah the games are pretty good as well. The Wii60 combo this gen lit a fire in my passion for gaming that the previous gen pretty much sucked out of me. I rate this half of the combo slightly higher since developers haven't been supporting the other half nearly as much as this one.
6. Sega Dreamcast
The last Sega system, and probably the most interesting one last gen. Arcade perfect ports became a reality, and companies like Capcom were showing us exactly how powerful it was. The controller was a bit awkward to get used to, but the originality in the games and the traditional games still keeping their original high quality, this was probably the best system (technically) last gen.
7. TurboGrafx
I played this system once as a kid, (the game was Keith Courage) and was mildly impressed. But it wasn't until the Wii VC where I truly understood this system. The system has a very impressive library, and the CD mechanic was highly revolutionary for the time. I still want to get one of these systems eventually. It needs more respect than it gets.
8. Playstation 2
I'm listing this purely for the niche and obscure games that were truly great. Otherwise, this probably wouldn't make the top 10. Normally it wouldn't be enough to make the list, but there were a LOT of them. So it makes the list purely for that reason. But I really felt this system was disappointing.
9. Nintendo Wii
The only thing keeping this low is the lack of games for the system. Don't get me wrong, there are quite a lot of good games for the system, and more on the way, but as it is now, it's merely on the cusp of greatness. I love the controls (though the classic controller should have been packed in) and the VC and WiiWare systems help add value to the system (the TurboGrafx games ALONE are enough for purchase of this console), the system is truly great with loads of potential.
10. Sega CD
This makes the list only because I've actually played games on it, but it's not that bad. The ports that made this system were typically the best of them all (beating the Genesis and the SNES) and the original games (that weren't FMV crapstains) were truly a step forward in gaming. The redbook audio was truly interesting and made for some fantastic soundtracks. You know, before game audio became as bland as it is now. The system is a bit underrated though, and should be respected more than it is.
The Gamecube, Xbox, and Jaguar do not deserve a ranking in my opinion. While they each had some truly great games, as a whole they simply do not stack up to the rest of this list. The Playstation 3, though, I'm not sure, as I haven't touched one yet.
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