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Design Choices For Games and Cartridges

Alongside the design choices for consoles and the like, I also want to bring up some examples of my favorite cartridge designs etc for video games either back in the day or even in current day. Honestly though, some of the most interesting style of game cartridges came out back in the day, specifically throughout the 90's. I know old style computers etc had some cartridges as well, but I don't know enough about this to really talk about them that much.

Let's get right to it though. The first one I'd like to talk about is Majora's Mask:



Both the image on the cartridge and the frame around it are awesome. It felt so cool owning a cartridge like this back in the day. I definitely had this game on display for a while back when I was borrowing games from friends. It's a cool cartridge. Always have loved the design choices.

Next on the list will be another Zelda game, but I'm using it as an example of the type of "cartridge" that this is.



I mean, not only is this a fantastic design for Wind Waker, it's also a great design in general. I really really loved the game disc style they went with for the Nintendo Gamecube. I think it was a smart idea to do so regardless, but the type of game disc is what made the Gamecube one of my all time favorite consoles. Idk. I just really like it. I wish they'd bring this style back, but they've gone back to sort of the small cartridge style. I don't dislike it by any means. I think the cartridge style for the Nintendo Switch is pretty neat. Definitely different.

Now, the final one on the list is not from a console, but from a hand held. I feel like it still counts because those still used game cartridges back in the day. Anyway, probably my all time favorite style of hand held cartridges would simply have to go to the original Game Boy / Game Boy Color cartridges. Specifically:



Back when I got my first copy of Pokemon Gold, I was just amazed by the amount of detail they put into this cartridge. It went so well that they managed to add a sparkle thing to it, and it really made the game look fantastic. Plus, I just love the image of Ho-Oh smack right in the middle. This is definitely one of my all time favorites, perhaps top 3 favorite cartridges. As a kid, it just felt so cool to grab the game out of the box and find that it's gold all around. Or silver if you got silver.

MicShazam

The custom class system was so completely broken. Some debuffs didn't even have any effect at all, but gave a massive bonus to skill points. So affording things like immunity to paralysis was easy when making a new character. I don't remember which, but there were some debuffs I would take every time, since they wouldn't hinder my character in any meaningful way.

Aux-In

Not for Majora's Mask but for Orcarina of Time, I remember putting one on pre-order at Walmart a few months before release. Was pretty excited to get it in. It was the limited edition gold cartridge. Think I paid $60. Just looked at my N64 stash and see that I have Majora's Mask as well. Don't remember if I bought that new or used, but it's the gold cartridge and has the 3D holographic sticker.

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"All over a bowl of bitter beans."

debaserr

My Majora's Mask had a hologram switchy thing on it.

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Donkey Kong Country (In Depth Review)

Man, Donkey Kong Country. There's something special about this game as well. Certainly one of Rare's finest additions to the gaming community. Hell, most if not all their games are a true blessing to the gaming world. They basically owned the scene back then when it came to games that were just flat out great. Banjo Kazooie, Conkers Bad Fur Day, the like. Donkey Kong Country falls right into that category. However, I do find Donkey Kong Country to be a little bit higher on the list due to a couple things that I will mention here. Keep in mind I am incredibly biased because this game was one of the very first I ever played. It was such a fun experience from start to finish and I remember just playing through it over and over again and having so much difficulty on a lot of levels.

Anyway, the first thing I want to talk about is the level design:



For me personally, I find all the levels to have unique designs to them and it makes for some really fun and challenging levels at forefront of the level design. However, if I were to choose an absolute favorite, I'd have to go to the snow levels. When it really boils down to it, I feel like I had the most difficult with these levels over and of the other ones. Whether it was the weather effect of the snow falling down (which is ****ing awesome btw) or w/e, I just remember it being fairly difficult. But at the same time, for when this game came out, the artistic value of these levels is certainly on a level on its own. Very well laid out snow and mountains that makes for a really interesting level to play, and again, somewhat difficult.

King K. Rool



I have not in any way played enough boss fights in Donkey Kong games to really have anything to relate this to, but I absolutely love the King K. Rool fight in Donkey Kong Country. I think it is not only one of the more interesting boss fights in a game of that's time, but I'm sure it could still be somewhat difficult today. Plus the fact that you're literally on a boat throwing barrels. That's ****ing awesome level design right there.



Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong

I mean, c'mon, one of the main reasons why this game is so good is because you get to play as both Diddy Kong and Donkey Kong together. The fact that you can simultaneously have two characters running on the screen at the same time was definitely revolutionary at the time. I don't remember if character mechanics had been evolved to fit those needs, but I do remember it being quite novel. I just think the duo of characters in this game really makes for a much more charming and heartwarming feel to it. You feel a connection to the characters and somewhat forget that you're literally just playing a platforming game.

Yeah, so Donkey Kong Country is great and anyone that disagrees can run their face directly into my fist.

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1995

I realize each time that I bring up a year to talk about, that the particular year I'm talking about tends to surpass the previous year. That is definitely case when you take the year 1995 into account. 1994 yes had some pretty fantastic and notable releases. Hell, some releases in 1994 were probably far superior to those released the following year. However, I do think 1995 may have pumped out some better quality games overall. So let's talk about it.

Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness


It's pretty much a huge coincidence that I've managed to talk about both this game and the previous game in less than a few posts. But, I cherish the series so I feel like each of them deserve a time in the light. Warcraft 2: Tides of Darkness is seriously a vast improvement from the first game. That's not the say the first isn't great, but this game is the one I beat first out of all of them. And I have to say, even though I played through a lot of Warcraft 3 before I got to this one, I actually found myself enjoying this one a little bit more. Of course, that was until Frozen Throne came out and just took that crown right away. Definitely worth a purchase and a playthrough if you've got the time.

Rayman


I honestly cannot believe that this game came out in 1995. That's crazy to me considering I've played the "reboot" on the Game Boy Advance and it's ****ing fantastic. To know that the original release of the game was several years prior to me actually playing it. That says something on its own. I love this game. I think the platforming is difficult enough but fair. Plus, the character design of Rayman is just awesome. No arms or legs makes for some really interesting mechanics that you can add to a character. And boy they did.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest


Giving credit where credit is due, Donkey Kong Country 2: Didd'y Kong Quest definitely showcases that Rare know how to make great sequels. We saw it with Banjo-Tooie, and then we of course say it with Donkey Kong Country 2. I think one of the nicest things about this release over its predecessor is that everything felt tight and natural. More than the original which says a lot. The game actually did receive a lot of praise for its gameplay and graphics. Honestly, well deserved. It's a game I don't think gets as much attention as its predecessor, but it's still a fantastic game. Not saying I never hear people talk about it, it's just not as prevalent.

Chrono Trigger



Admittedly I have not played Chrono Trigger but I have seen plenty of it to form somewhat of an opinion. I know for a fact that this game in particular is regarded as one of the best RPG's of all time, especially considering it came out for the Super Nintendo. From what I can tell, the game certainly looks like something I'd sink a lot of time into. It unfortunately has also been one of those games that falls on the backburner and sits for a while until I eventually get to it. It's on my list though.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island



Oh man oh man oh man what good memories this game brought. I ****ing love everything about this game. The music, the gameplay, the graphics, the story, everything. I mean, yeah crying Mario can get really annoying, but sometimes its fun to see him just float away. I think it's also amazing to be able to play as Yoshi for the main character and have Mario sitting back and just chillin. Definitely one of Nintendo's greatest releases of all time.

The Batlord

One thing that I don't remember being remarked on is that in its own way Chrono Trigger has a world as well-realized, gorgeous, and immersive as Yoshi's Island. It doesn't feel like a game world. It doesn't feel like a representation of a world. It feels like a perfectly good argument that God got this world wrong.

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Let's Talk About...Nintendo 64



When it comes to talking about video game systems, it tends to fall under two different categories for me. Was the system worth getting? Were there enough games to justify owning one? The answer to both those questions: yes. Owning a Nintendo 64 back in the day is easily my all time favorite experience as a gamer. All the games that were coming out back in the day were either really really good, or fantastically good. We're going to be diving into the year 1996 at some point, so I wanted to first touch on the system that brought us some of these amazing games.



As I said earlier, a lot of what makes a system great is what it has to offer. If we're talking games specifically, and of course we are, there are tons upon tons to choose from. I don't want to go too far in depth with them here as I will be talking about them at another point. But...


Banjo Kazooie


Diddy Kong Racing


Super Mario 64

Don't those just look like so much fun? And that's literally just a small portion of what the Nintendo 64 brought to the table. Not to mention that Rare was easily at the forefront when it came to gaming. The first two images I showed of games here were both made my Rare. They continuously pumped out quality games and even today, I'd say they're worth playing.

Graphically, evidently the Nintendo 64 has aged quite a bit, but seriously, the games are still a lot of fun to play and well worth your time. Even if it hasn't aged as well, certain games like Super Mario 64 and Banjo Kazooie among others are definitely worth playing even today. If they ever come out with a Nintendo 64 Classic Edition, i'll be all over it.

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1996 [Pt. 1]

Especially since we just talked about the Nintendo 64, I figured it was time to jump into 1996, where some of my all time favorite Nintendo 64 games exist. We're starting to get near the 2000's, and that's when things really start to get interesting as we hit the modern era. Anyway, let's talk about games:

Pokemon Red & Green



The reason I'm going with Pokemon Red & Green is simply due to the fact that Green and the Japan release were out in 1996, even though the the North American release came out in 1998. Whatever. I love these games. I think this is literally the very beginning of the entire world we'd get to explore time and time again. Talk about bringing out one of the most successful franchises to ever hit the handheld world. That's why I mentioned earlier that the handheld side of gaming probably wouldn't have survived very long if the Pokemon games hadn't been owning the scene. Credit is due though because I've played more Pokemon games that I love over games that I didn't particularly like. Never really hated a Pokemon game. But yeah, Pokemon rules.

Duke Nukem 3D



I actually have a copy of this on Steam and have played it. I think it's amazing to see Duke Nukem on a modern screen and it definitely doesn't do it any injustices. I remember playing like...one of the first Duke Nukem to ever released on PC. It was the side scrolling one if I remember correctly. Legitimately a lot of fun and a well rounded franchise all around.

Super Mario 64



You want to talk about one of the most successful 3D platformers ever? Then let's talk about Super Mario 64. Back in the Nintendo 64 days, graphics were not something developers were particularly invested in. I mean, they were obviously using what they could at the time to create something great, but it wasn't really the big seller at the time. However, the exception goes to Super Mario 64. This game while not only managing to capture the true essence of a 3D platformer, it also has a story and a full world for you to explore. It feel vast, quick, tough, and really ****ing fun. The ability to fight Bowser 3 times is also great even though the boss fights are easy. For a game like this to come out back in the day, it blew people's minds. However, the biggest fault with the game is how old you can see that it looks if you pay attention on a bigger screen.

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1996 [Pt. 2]

Two more games to talk about from 1996 and I'm very much looking forward to talking about both of these.


Kirby Super Star

I remember very vividly loving everything about this game. Several different games in one package and all of them are great. The fact that it was released on the Super Nintendo and managed to hold so much on it. Well that's also a very huge plus. Here's a general layout what you'd find playing this game:





Good stuff.

The next one we have is one I have not actually played but god damn I've seen so much of it I practically have played it.


Super Mario RPG

From start to finish, I've seen this game. Not from my own experience though unfortunately. Literally, one of the few games I didn't play back when they were coming out with them. I legitimately had no idea this game even existed for a long while. Definitely missed the boat on that one because I certainly should have experienced this game when it was gaining popularity. I mean hell, it's still respected today and for good reason. It definitely sets a pretty good bar for what a Super Mario RPG should look like. I'd definitely play it all the way through.