1. The DS (again)
Yesterday Nintendo was back in town to show off the “new and improved” DS. And new and improved it was.
This time around I was able to sit down (literally… last time, all the units were affixed to podiums for a less than comfortable experience) and really soak things in (the games were, more or less, complete and not just tech demos like before, plus with the mystery of the system no longer an issue, there was less need for expository chatter).
First off, the feel of the unit is quite nice (much lighter than I though it would be). While not as sexy as the PSP, the design is still sharp, and an improvement over the original iteration (which was not that shabby to begin with). They found a way to house the stylus, but it’s far too small for my hands, which aren’t exactly large or man-ish. The display is nice; the bottom, touch-sensitive screen was a tad bit dimmer than the top one (thanks to some sort of coating, or the material itself perhaps), but both are still a marked improvement over the GBA’s display (though back-lighting is always better than front-lighting). And there’s a standard headphone jack built in (thank God).
Then there were the games…
- Super Mario 64 DS
A port of the N64 classic with multiplayer action and tons of mini games. Movement was, as expected, a bit difficult with just a digital pad, but surprisingly smooth, and even fun, with the stylus. For some reason, I had a very hard time pulling off jumps and the such.
- Wario Ware DS
Pretty much the same thing I played last time, and still hella fun. I got through about 20 or so mini-games, and each managed to make me laugh.
- Metroid Prime Hunters
Switching the screens was a smart move; this time, this time I could actually see what was going on without my fingers getting in the way (now the touch screen is the map screen, which should have been the case in the first place). I really enjoy how customizable the control scheme is; tapping my screen made my character jump, whereas for the Nintendo rep, tapping meant to shoot. At a certain point, I was able to manipulate the action buttons on the right, yet also use my index finger for the screen at the same time.
- Ridge Racer
I really wasn’t expecting this. And it was actually fun to play. Granted, I was crashing and swerving all over the place, but that’s any game of Ridge Racer for me.
- Mr Driller
I must make a confession: even though I’ve heard nothing but good things about the series for ages now, I have never played a game of Mr Driller (though I am putting serious thought into getting Drill Land for the GameCube, based on the very strong word of mouth… that, and once I discovered it’s connection with Dig Dug). Even though I really didn’t know what I was doing while playing (which is a bit discouraging, since it is a puzzle game) I though it was fun.
… Even though it wasn’t there, the Nintendo folks did mention Feel The Magic, and they seemed rather hopeful for it, so it was nice to hear that Nintendo will be supporting its release. Also, even though it didn’t come up in conversation, according to the press material, Nintendogs is now Puppy Times. Plus the press kit has screenshots for a game called Sprung, which I know nothing about, and I sorta refuse to believe this is for real.
As for the other systems, they didn’t have the Minish Cap unfortunately, but there was Mario Tennis for the GameCube. It had that Camelot feel, plus the mini games look fun as hell, but I have to admit, I have major reservations with the actual tennis component.
Basically, each character has two special power hits which, as one might imagine, are rather outlandish and comical. First off, they’re far too long, so I’d imagine after a while, they’ll probably be annoying as hell. But the biggest problem is that you can do these special moves at almost anytime. Regardless of you position to the ball, if its in your court, you will connect with it. This seems really dumb and makes the game far too easy.
Plus there was Mario Party 6, which was more of the same, but hey…. if it ain’t broken, right? This time, a microphone is included, but it’s not a super major part of the game. Its used in just a few mini-games, and from what I saw, it’s nothing mind-blowing, which is a shame really.
I should also mention that the reps really wanted me to play Donkey Konga. Hey, it’s a cool game and all, but I already played it last time.
2. The Finale
Earlier this week was the long awaited Farscape mini-series, the Peacekeeper Wars. Overall, I enjoyed it. In fact, it made me realize precisely how much of a fan I used to be, and how much I’ve missed it (it was the last show that I made any sort of effort to watch). The four hour “series finale” was Farscape at it’s very best: tons of fast paced space battles and pulse gun shoot outs, as well as a healthy dose of inner turmoil, plenty or drama and personality conflicts, plus some genuinely funny and touching moments. Though it really did feel like an entire season’s worth of material packed into four hours. They included a lot, but the execution was outstanding; in fact, I’d dare say it was because of the lighting quick pace that I found the mini-series so enjoyable.
I was a pretty big fan of the first three seasons, but at a certain point in season four, I lost interest. There’s a couple of reasons, such as real life gobbling up more of my television watching time, but ultimately I found myself simply not that interested in what was going on. Though I always tried to appreciate what was happening, since I knew that there was a purpose to it al. Tthe show always “has a reason”.
Still, some episodes just bored me to tears, to the point where I had to give the show a break… then it went and got cancelled. So I was happy to see some of the more boring bits “justified” by the mini-series. Plus it saw the return of some favorites, including the awesome 1812, as well as more “John and Harvey” moments, which I always love.
3. The People
The election is less than two weeks away, and I’ll be so fucking glad when it’s over with. The thing that makes me so sad and angry is the stark inevitably that Bush will more than likely be re-elected. I can’t believe, after all that he’s said and done in the past few weeks alone (and I’m not just talking about his “performance” during the debates), with all the foolish and downright unethical bullshit that he’s responsible for getting exposed on a daily basis, as well as all the nonsense the rest of us now has to deal with (the rich getting richer, education and healthcare continuing to go downhil, our rights slipping away, the religious dogma dictating what good and bad for us, the whole world hating us) that people aren’t in the streets rioting and demanding the guy’s head.
But this is the American public we’re talking about. Not only are most Americans dumb, they also have no taste. After all, they’ve managed to make a Shark’s Tale the number one film three months running. More and more, I weep for this land.
4. The Worst Movie Ever Made
Last night, I had an epiphany. It happened when I saw a commercial for White Chicks on DVD.
I often say that such and such film is “the worst movie ever made.” No it isn’t. White Chicks is. Next time I see something and think to myself, “Jesus fuck, that looks like the worst movie ever” I should just think to myself, no it’s not, and just remember White Chicks.
