Key

Woops. Fixed. Thank you.

Key

1993:

Moving on from 1991 and 1992, we make our way into 1993. While still not having a lot of fantastic releases, what there was is pretty notable and worth mentioning. Hell, I'd certainly have a reason to talk about more games in 1993 if I felt the need to do so. However the games I chose to talk about will give a pretty good indication for how the year was as a whole.


The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

Yeah, if you didn't see this one coming, you really need to rework how you think of classic gaming. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is a staple in a lot of peoples lives when it comes to video games. I remember very vividly that I loved this game to pieces. Funny thing is, I played this game way after I had played the newer games, and I still loved it. I remember finding the game to be difficult at times, but still so worth every minute.


Kirby's Adventure

I don't really have a whole lot to say about this one since I don't think I actually played it. However, judging by what I'm looking at in terms of screenshots, I'd say it looks pretty appealing for the time. 1993 I imagine was definitely one of those years where certain series' were starting to improve and garner more popularity. Looks to be like your standard Kirby style game, but with many improvements. Like I said, I've not played it. So this is all based on what I'm looking at.


Doom

I love Doom. Love love love love love it! It's definitely up there with being some of my favorite gaming moments from a game series. The only times I've actually talked about Doom in this journal is I think when I was talking about my multiplayer rankings in the most recent Doom. Hell, I'd still get in the multiplayer today and absolutely love it. This particular series I think has always gotten better and has continued to improve on the predecessors. I mean, c'mon. Even from the get-go we knew Doom wasn't meant to be seen with a light heart:

Key

Three games down and we've already talked about some great ones. Let's keep it going by talking about more great games that came out in this time period.

One I was hesitant to mention but did so anyway is...


Secret of Mana

Now, usually if I haven't played a game yet, I tend to go the other route and just judge it based solely one what I can find screenshot wise. I know it's not a fair way to form an opinion but these are games that I probably won't have much chance to get back to, so I figure that's the next best way to do it. With Secret of Mana however, I literally know nothing about it other than what I've heard about it. Basically, from what I can gather, it works a lot like the way Final Fantasy does, but instead its in its own world entirely. Of course, can't be surprised to find that this was done by Square Enix. Can't think of a more appropriate developer for this to be honest. I mean, I may get to play this at some point in my life but maybe not. We'll see. I just wanted to mention it here because I know it was pretty well received and it's definitely one of the most notable releases for 1993.

Now, moving directly from a game I know literally nothing about to a game I have spent many countless hours of my life playing.


Super Mario All Stars

While managing to be one of my all time favorite games on the Super Nintendo, this game also captured many hearts of many other games just like myself. The thing is, to be able to have a game on the Super Nintendo offer not 1, not 2, but 4 full Super Mario Bros games in one is just outstanding on its own. Not only that, but just the box art is something to love on its own. Every time I see the art for this game, I just remember all the good times I had playing every Super Mario game this cartridge had to offer. I would love one day to own a copy of this again because it was one of those games that I really should have never gotten rid of. I think it was rare to see this game not in the game system back in the day. It definitely became a game I played almost daily.

The Batlord

Super Mario All-Stars was packaged with Super Mario World in all the Super Nintendos so I think every 90s kid on Earth has probably played both into the ground. I know I did.

And I recently got Doom 3 which came with Doom 1 and 2, so I got that going for me.

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Key

Super Mario All-Stars (In Depth)

There's something special in the air when talking about Super Mario All-Stars. While not being one of the coolest ways to present several Mario games at once, it's also managed to be one of my all time favorite games back in the day. I mentioned this briefly before, but I don't really remember a time when this game was not in the system I was playing at the time. It was pretty much this or the original Mario Bros on its own, since it was sold with Duck Hunt if I remember correctly.

But yeah, if you're for some reason living under a rock and you don't know what Super Mario All-Stars, lemme present to you what it is with just one picture:



The fact that you could not only play the original Mario Bros, but you also get The Lost Levels, Super Mario Bros 2, and Super Mario Bros 3. And yes, every single one of them is amazing in its own way. I mean, Super Mario Bros 3 was definitely my favorite of the 4, but Super Mario Bros 2 had its own unique charm. I remember playing through and just thinking "this is a bit odd." But the you come to find out the real reason why and it makes perfect sense:

Here is a game called Doki Doki Panic:



and Super Mario Bros 2:



See the resemblance? No? Well, I don't know what to tell ya then. But yeah, certainly not the best of the 4 but still had its own unique charm to make it what it is. And yes, it's definitely worth playing through it multiple times. Just like the rest of them.

Key

Super Mario (The Lost Levels)



When it really comes down to it, Mario games in general haven't always had the highest difficulty curve tho I'd be lying if I said this game in particular didn't create a lot of frustration. The Lost Levels are both known as being an extension to the original Mario but with the addition of a pretty tough difficulty ceiling.

I do like tough games, and I like them when they're tough and fair. The Lost Levels from what I remember definitely had both. I've seen people play it nowadays and even tho they know Mario pretty well, they still struggle. But that's kind of the point I imagine. You'll get levels with enemies you're not prepared and platforming you haven't trained for. But at the end of the day, you still have a Mario game and it's a god damn good one.

Obviously if you compare this to other fairly difficult games, you'll find a lot of similarities. And even if we compare The Lost Levels to even the Super Mario 64 era and forward, the difficulty curve has lessened a bit, but not enough to consider the Mario games in general to be easy platformers or games for that matter. Of course, we know Nintendo. They like quality, and hell, quality is what we've gotten from them time and time again. I would just love to see a Mario game again where the sole intent was to be frustratingly difficult...but fair.

I digress. The Lost Levels are worth every second of your time and honestly, I'd pick this over the original any day. Again, there's something to be said about a game that sets out to be difficult and The Lost Levels take that and excel in it.

Plus, level design is top notch. Like I said before, there's some pretty difficult platforming and the game as a whole is just known as being very difficult. But I imagine if I tried it today, I'd probably still get my ass kicked. I wouldn't mind it.

Time to get you ass kicked.

Aux-In

Trying to catch up. Tons of great stuff on those consoles.

- Donkey Kong Country: The graphics were absolutely mind-blowing and the gameplay was a blast. Rare really maxed out what the SNES was capable of doing, not to mention the game's epic music score. Everything about that game is a 10/10. It was like nothing else at the time.
- Secret of Mana was pretty good, but it's overrated by its fanboys.
- Some of the Gameboy games like Zelda and Metroid I played and they're good for their console. I was never much of a Gameboy bro so I completely forgot those games existed tbh.
- Super Mario 3 is the best one. I said it.
- NES Zelda is as classic as you get. It was very popular for a reason.
- Super Mario Kart: The racing was okay but battle mode with friends or family was where it was at.
- Sonic games: We didn't have a Sega but our neighbor's son did and I would go over there to play Genesis games. He is not here today but I'm reminded of him every time I see a Sonic game.
- Mortal Kombat: First played that in the arcade, actually, and I also remember the controversy. So lame that Nintendo removed the blood, and more aggravating since I loved playing it in the arcades and didn't have a Sega.
- Super Mario World: Great game but at least to me it's not one I'd go back and play now. Maybe I should I dunno.
- Zelda: A Link to the Past: Of course. Stellar.
- F-Zero: Fun at the time but so-so in the aging department.

I wouldn't expect some here to have an experience with these based on age, or even bother to go back and write about them, but you do. The SNES was the Golden Age for what was then Squaresoft. Their RPGs were hit after hit after hit after hit. It was ridiculous how much you could count on them to come through. It was ****ing glorious. I have some Squaresoft RPGs that I think you might miss, but I want to wait to write about them and also I want to play some of them first to reacquaint myself. I still refuse to call them Enix. If you're gonna nerd, nerd hard.

Lastly, shame on you about Final Fantasy. Shame shame.

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Reviews l YouTube Playlist: Another Dimension

"All over a bowl of bitter beans."

Key

^thanks man! Love seeing your thoughts on these especially when it comes to older games. I've here and there talked about older games but never in this style. It's actually a lot more fun than I anticipated because its almost always a nostalgia trip.

And I know. Shame on me for FF. I just didn't "get it" back then but I wish I did.

NES Zelda is still so so good for its time and I'd play it over and over again given the opportunity. Hell that goes for most of the games on here.

Much more to come this month. This is just a little sample.

Key

Design Choices For Controllers and Consoles [pt.1]



I'm talking a lot about video games in here but I keep forgetting to talk about something that I've actually been wanting to talk about in depth for a while. Never really had the opportunity but I figured I'm in a creative mood, and I want to write something for this journal tonight, so here we go.

And alright, fine, ya got me. I am definitely listening to the Super Mario 64 remix album by The Greatest Bits.

Anyway, honestly when it comes to designing game consoles, Nintendo has always had a pretty interesting twist. Sometimes not for the better. Let's talk here for a second about perhaps one of the most bizarre and just...out of place controller designs possibly ever made:



I mean let's be honest, you knew this one was coming. Yes, the controller for the Nintendo 64 was by far one of the worst controllers I've ever used. Sure, some games were really well optimized with it, but if you remember, having to use your thumb with that joystick for several hours on end tends to really **** up your thumbs. There's nothing comfortable about the joystick. It's just straight plastic. But god damn do I love it just as much. Just reminds me of a time where gaming was really taking off and I got to be a part of it. But yeah, still a ****ty design.

However, one of my favorite console designs also happens to be by Nintendo. No it's not the Switch. No it's not the Wii U. No...it's not the Wii. I mean c'mon really? It's of course going to:



Yes, the Nintendo Gamecube. I ****ing love this console. It has easily one of my favorite controller designs ever. The buttons and everything on a Gamecube controller feel so good to use. The fact that it just sits comfortably in your hand is just wonderful and definitely a step up from the previously mentioned. But yeah, just overall I really love the design of the Nintendo Gamecube. It's like Nintendo thought to go back to a more normal style console but still make it different enough. It had those badass small CD's for games and stuff as well. It is of course obvious that the reason I love this console is because I love Wind Waker so much. But again, that's obvious.

Key

Design Choices For Controllers and Consoles [pt.2]

Now, moving on from that I want to talk about yet another Nintendo console. I'm sorry guys, I was a Nintendo fanboy back then and I kind of still am now. But whatever. I'll talk about other ones too. Calm down. Anyway,



Yeah. I like the look and feel of the NES. Even having one today, it feels like you own a piece of history with how archaic it looks. But I did just talk about the NES so I'll leave this short. I just like it's look. No reason really.



Next up we have one that I honestly wasn't really expecting to talk about, but I decided that it was worth it because I absolutely loved the time I put into this console when I owned one. Definitely an underrated system in some regards. But that's not the point here. The whole standing up design to this is amazing. They definitely pulled that aspect off and Sony aren't really strangers to making sure their stuff is quality. I definitely love the sleek look of the PS3. I will admit that the PS4 does look slick as well. But I love the fact that you could just stand this one up. I dunno if you can do that with PS4 but then again, I've only ever seen them sitting normally. So I guess I'm just guessing.

Plus, controllers are A+. That goes for most Sony controllers. I use a PS4 controller for my PC and I ****ing love it. Super comfortable to use.



^That image is actually the exact same controller that I have. I got it years ago and I've never had any problems. And yeah, I really like the design of these controllers over the Xbox 360 and later controllers. Those ones always felt far too bulky and not easy to maneuver. Whereas with a PS4 controller, it's skinny and easy to hold. I like that about it especially if i'm playing games that require quick presses. So yeah, definitely prefer the PS4 designs over any Xbox controller honestly.