Games you wish you hadn't wasted your money on!

With the subcategory 'Games you wish you hadn't asked for for gifts'... 'games you wish you hadn't gotten as gifts' is a good one too, if you have such titles. I don't, actually... I always make nice detailed lists for my parents and stuff so I don't get random games from them, and the few other people who have given me a few games picked well... so all the games that were gifts on this list I'd asked for in some form.

PC
- SimCity 3000 (I thought it'd be a step up like SC2k was from SC... I was very wrong, and never warmed to the game as a result. SimCity 2000 is, was, and always will be, far better.)
- Civilization III (same as SC3k... Civ II is one of the top five games of all time. Civ III... just doesn't match up.)
- TES III: Morrowind (just not worth the time or money. It's got simplstic and overly hard combat, throws you into very hard areas from the start, requires a MASSIVE time commitment not just to play through but to get to the point where you can actually have fun in the game beyond wandering around town, etc, etc...)
- Secret Weapons over Normandy (boring... lacking... unrealistic... shows how far Totally Games has fallen from its early-90s greatness... just an all-around dissapointing title, given the developer's pedigree.)
- Dungeon Siege (gift. Click and hack and click and slash and click and move nad click and hack and click and slash and click and move and ... Gets boring really fast.)
- Age of Wonders II (gift... good game I guess but horribly complex and I'm awful at it. Not worth it.)
- Motocross Madness 2 - overly hard driving model makes it very frusterating to play. Ridiculously tough computers sure don't help either.
-Rally Championship (aka 'Network-Q RAC Rally Championship) (rally racer. Got it because it looked fun, but it's dull, and I greatly prefer racing against other cars instead of just time, and it rails you onto the road, and all the stages look the same so the fact that it's got dozens of courses doesn't matter, and the treewalls look really stupid as usual, but treewalls are one of the game's main graphical features... not a total waste I guess, since it's got nice weather effects and is fun sometimes, but definitely a letdown compared to what I wanted. I should have gotten Screamer 2.)


GB
- The Lion King (gift... tolerable, but hard, has frusterating play control/accuracy requirements, and has no saving...)
- Toy Story (gift, and one of the worst games I've ever played)
- Ken Griffey Jr. Presents: Major League Baseball (parents got a game I already had as a gift so I chose this and Micro Machines in the store to replace that game. One of those games was good. It wasn't this one.)

GBC/GBA, N64, GC, SNES: Nothing. Oh, some of the games aren't great, but they were all at least worth buying, at least for the price I paid... (for instance, if I'd paid $50 instead of $5 for Aero Fighters Assualt I bet I'd have a much more negative opinion of the game...)

If I was forced to pick something for each console, though... hmm...

GBC: Micro Machines 1 & 2 Twin Turbo. Poor ports of fantastic games aren't as fun as the good versions, sadly... (sad given how great MM1 is for GB and MM3 is for GBC)
GBA: FFTA I guess? Fine enough game, but Fire Emblem is much better, I should have gotten FE first and maybe FFTA later... but FFTA is fun too so it was also definitely worth getting.
SNES: Hmm... Super R-Type? Good game but brutally hard since it makes you start the level over if you die... Stunt Race FX? Decent but turning around is really hard and the framerate, of course, is low... both were worth $5 though.
N64: Aero Fighters Assualt I guess... Star Wars Episode 1 Racer sure is annoying though, but the first two thirds of the game make it not quite as bad. But Aero Fighters, while far from great, is just average enough (and cheap enough) that I don't actually regret buying it...
GC: Hmm, none really fit. I guess the closest I'd come would be Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance -- decent, but not as good as Gauntlet Dark Legacy and I should have gotten that game first... Star Fox Adventures was cheap and worth owning (though not finishing), and Burnout's bad soundtrack is more than made up for with good gameplay. :)

Or, pointless post done in order for me to waste my time doing something fun like making a list!


Gamespy has another mostly pointless Top 25 GC Games list ( http://cube.gamespy.com/articles/639/639689p1.html )... these things are always so tricky... I'm never sure how to rank games. Do you go by overall quality judged as objectively as you can? By what you like the best? Based on
just what you've played? Based on what you've heard about games as well?

... I always have a hard time making lists... for PC I have one, since I came up with it years ago and have mostly stuck to it, but consoles... not so much. Somewhat for each console I have, but not as well thought out as my PC list...

Anyway... hmm.

Awards:
-Best GC Sports Game: I haven't played any, unless SSX3 counts as a sports game... it doesn't, of course, so I haven't played any. :)
-Best GC Racing Game: XGRA. Though this may change once the GC gets a copy of Rush 2049 in Midway Arcade Treasures 3... but for now this game is the clear winner. So much more fun to play than F-Zero GX (which is a great game, but just not as good as this...)! Burnout and Wave Race don't even come close.
-Best GC Fighting Game: probably Capcom vs. SNK 2: EO. This is also almost certainly my most-played GC game, as me and my cousin have spent many hours playing it... not to mention all the time I've played it in single player. :) SSBM? Got boring after a few days. Soul Calibur II? Too luck-oriented, and you do too much damage -- fights are too short (which just boosts the luck element). And 3d means less precision. No, CvS2 is better... and besides, it has a FANTASTIC selection of characters...
Best GC RPG: Skies of Arcadia - Legends. Tales of Symphonia was pretty fun, and Paper Mario 2 is cool, but neither matches the greatness of Skies of Arcadia. Oh, I enjoyed ToS... but in the end it didn't leave me quite satisfied in comparison. I beat it in 55 hours and have only put in a little more than that (in the offered replay-with-minor-changes). PM2 I haven't finished... it's good, but SO similar to the first game that that might actually be a downside... the first one is one of the best games on the N64, but for some reason I just didn't love this one as much... but SoA? Fantastic. It was amazing on Dreamcast as is just as great on the GC...
-Best GC Strategy/Sim Game: Pikmin 2... simplistic, but fun, and without the timer it's much more enjoyable. Multiplayer helps too.
-Best GC Action/Adventure Game: Ah... hmm... um... I don't know... like with the overall winner, it's either Eternal Darkness, Zelda - WW, or Metroid Prime, but offhand I can't decide which should be which winner... Nintendo makes so many great games in this category. ED is one of the best games ever, but WW is Zelda and despite not being the best Zelda ever is still Zelda... its only other competition would probably be OoT/Master Quest, of course, but I don't have OoT/MQ for GC and haven't played the port, so I can't comment other than to say OoT is my favorite console game ever. :)
-Best GC Platformer: Mario Sunshine... I guess. Though I'm very, very tempted to give the award to Mega Man Anniversary Collection.
-Best GC Shooter: Smash TV on Midway Arcade Treasures 1... Ikaruga and Rogue Squadron II or RSIII (an underrated game, and it has that complete 2-player version of the RSII campaign too if you preferred that one and have a friend...) are behind this classic. You could also mention Alien Hominid for this category too, but it's not the winner...
-Best GC Game: Umm... can I pass on this one? :) (that is, is it MP? WW? ED? I'm not sure... ED was my first choice, but that was before I played those others...) Eh, okay, I'll give the best game award to Eternal Darkness. Why not... so I guess Metroid Prime wins 'Best Action/Adventure' and WW doesn't get anything except a mention. :)

Special Awards:
-Best 2d-gameplay GC game (this allows 2d gameplay with polyagonal characters): Tie between CvS2 EO and Viewtiful Joe... sorry Alien Hominid, honorary mention perhaps?
-Best multiplayer game: CvS2 EO, SSB:Melee, XGRA, or Wario Ware: Mega Party Minigames, depending on the tastes of who you are playing with... hmm, or maybe Zelda: FSA... that's pretty fun with four people and GBAs. :)


For equality, I'll make (smaller) lists for some other consoles... 'best game I've actually played on "a real (not emulated) console of this type"'... which shortens the list of potential games -- and consoles -- considerably. :)

X-Box: Metal Slug 3! Good! Play! (awesome rental, though level 5 is BRUTAL. Seriously oldschool you-lose-five-hundred-times brutal.) Halo 2? Bah, I just don't care very much... if I had an X-Box I'd get a bunch of SNK Neo-Geo ports, but NOT Halo 1 or 2. :)
PS1: Star Ocean: The Second Story is fantastic and I really want to play it more, preferably sooner as opposed to later... :(
Genesis: MKII I guess... though Sonic 3 & Knuckles is the best platformer.
Dreamcast: Skies of Arcadia. No question.
N64: OoT... with Mario 64, Rush 2049, Wipeout 64, and F-Zero X rounding out the top five. :)
SNES: Super Mario World... others are great, but that's the best. (Mario Kart, Super Star Wars, and Tetris Attack are also really fun games though... I'd also mention Super SFII, but it's been completely outclassed by Capcom vs SNK 2...
NES: Mario 3! ... followed by Zelda.
Turbografx: that 2d shooter I played the one time I ever played one, in a demo display in Lechmere or Toys R Us or something...

Leaving out the Gameboys because I have some nice solid lists for GB and GBC... haven't changed recently for the most part (from the versions on my website), but this post is long enough already... so handhelds go later. :)

Let me just say this at the start and get it out of the way, Killer 7 is weird. Not in the same way as people actually liking rap music is weird, but more in the same way that an image of Michael Jackson riding a giant, purple bullfrog on a rainbow in space is weird.

Okay, one thing that's immediately noticable about Killer 7 is that there are a number of cheap thrills, not unlike a certain other series of games made by Capcom, however the world of Killer 7 is also genuinely creapy, like that series of game's major competitor. There is a large cast of characters who talk to you from time to time, all of them are really weird, especially the guy in the red gimp suit who always talking about how bad things are. Killer 7 is also very violent, though much is it is highly stylized. You will quickly notice that any ordinary people you meet up with will soon be brutally torn apart by the Heaven Smile, weird monsters that explode when they get close to, in incredibly violent manners. Such as one woman who has her lower body ripped off accompanied by a spray of blood. There's also a talking head that's in a drying machine, but that's where it really wanted to be anyway.

The shooting parts of Killer 7 aren't really anything special, whenever you hear some Heaven Smile letting loose their creepy laugh you bring up your gun scan the room and blast their week points. There is some variety to the enemy types though, so it's not always the same thing over and over. Moving around in Killer 7 is as simple as pressing the A button and at frequent intervels choosing to turn left or right [or whatever] and in that respect it plays it a lot like a PC adventure game. When you're not shooting up bad guys and roaming corridors, you're looking for keys or other items to open doors or solve puzzles, but so far it hasn't been tedious.

There are seven characters for you to play as, all of whom have different weapons. And some will be needed to access certain parts of the game or solve certain puzzles.

Sparse bits of music play in Killer 7 in certain parts, and it's all really creepy and weird. The graphics in have a very comicbook feel to them, which sets it apart from just about any other game out there.

In a word, Killer 7 is unique. And very much so.

It's not for everyone, and it incredibly violent and there's a lot of langauge, but if you stick with it you'll find a game that pulls you in and make you keep playing to see what weird thing will happen next.

400 bucks for the system, a wireless controller, the 20 gig hard drive and DVD remote.

300 bucks for the system and a WIRED controller. That's it.

GC 2005: Xbox 360 Sells For Two Prices
Two SKUs offer premium and core pricing for US and European launch.
by Douglass C. Perry
August 17, 2005 - Confirming long-standing rumors of two different Xbox 360 set-ups, Microsoft today officially announced two differently-priced SKUs for the North American and European markets. The Redmond, WA company will offer a premium system for $399.99 and a core set-up for $299.99.



The premium and core systems will sell for, respectively, £279.99 and £209.99 in the UK and €399.99 and €299.99 in the rest of Europe. Microsoft said it will announce Asian-market news at the Tokyo Game Show in mid-September.

Microsoft remains officially silent on a release date, confirming only that it is on target for "holiday launches" in all three territories. Since rumors regarding all Microsoft products have generally panned out so far, IGN expects a fall ship date (November) for X360 in North America and Europe.

The premium, or "Xbox 360" package ($399.99), is designed for the hardcore, HD-ready gamer, while the Xbox 360 Core System ($299.99) is your basic set-up.

The premium package includes an Xbox 360, a detachable 20-GB hard-drive, a wireless controller, faceplate, headset, a component HD AV cable, an Ethernet cable, and for a limited time, a remote controller.

The Core 360 System is stripped down in comparison. It includes an Xbox 360, one standard wired controller, a faceplate, and a standard AV cable. The $399 package is designed for the high-definition gaming era; the other is designed for a no-frills, current-gen set-up. Presumably both systems come with power cords, though Microsoft's press releases didn't actually include them.

Taking into account that a memory card for $39.99 (€34.99/£22.99) is required for saving games, a headset for $19.99 (€19.99/£14.99) is necessary for Xbox Live play, a second controller sells for $39.99 (€34.99/£24.99), and a remote goes for $29.99 (€29.99/£19.99), totaling $130, the premium price appears the better deal. The above tally doesn't include a hard drive, which costs an additional $99 (totaling $229).

Microsoft Vice President Peter Moore explained the company learned through extensive research that gamers and consumers wanted options above all else.

"We've learned gamers want choice," explained a confident Moore. "We really believe in the early-going that the Xbox 360 package will be the majority of purchases. It's huge value for the money at $399, with a hard-drive, with wireless controllers, with HD cables, and you get high definition right out of the box, and there will be content loaded on the hard-drive, high definition videos included, and you will be immediately able to see HD broadcast."

IGN's editors responded with their own comments on Microsoft's announcements.

"I think a lot of people will take a look at the $399 price tag for the 'complete' package and balk a bit, but it's actually a great deal in the end. The headset and HD AV pack would cost upwards of $50, even if you bought cheap third-party versions of them. Add in the hard drive that you'd have to purchase separately from the core system, plus a wireless controller and you've got a great package deal, certainly better than any retailers would have put together themselves. Many people will need all this stuff anyway, so Microsoft is actually cutting everyone a deal.

"The major problem I have with the whole thing is the lack of a hard drive in the core system. Sony's optional hard drive was a complete failure from a support standpoint, and while I'm sure the Xbox 360 will see much stronger support for its drive, not every developer will be willing to spend extra time and money to support something that may or may not be there.

"I'll obviously be picking up the full, $399 version myself. I've already got a bit of cash down on one, so now I just need to make sure they've got me in the computer for the right system.

"I do find it funny that Microsoft is listing a faceplate as part of each package. That's like selling a car and advertising that it includes a hood."

--Chris Roper, Editor, IGN Hardware

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"So is that controller on the core system a wired one?

"If it isn't, then they're saying that a headset, hard drive and cables would cost $200 which is somewhat believable, I suppose. I'm still a little disappointed that the hard drive is only 20 gigs since I can currently shove a 200-gig drive into my Xbox for less than $100. In terms of an all-in-wonder device, I'd like to have the capacity to store 20,000 songs and still have room for a few seasons of The Simpsons, but then that's just me.

"I think that the pricing is a great idea since it helps to upsell people to a $400 price point, which is where the system truly begins. Once people go onto Live, they're going to want to have a hard drive and likely a headset so that they can hear the young'uns scream when they get killed in Halo 3/4/whatever. It also makes it look like the Core system is a real system instead of a crippled version of what the 360 is supposed to be. Nice touch."

"I've grown up with one console with one set-up costing once price. Though it sounds simplistic, a single price and a single set-up will be easier for most consumers to understand. Sure, we're not talking rocket science here. Heck, we're not even talking basic geometry, but let's face it, look at all those accessories, add-ons, peripherals, and what not. We're not even talking about the games yet. People are going to get confused. People are, well, you know, not all that smart when it comes to hardware. They need serious help. Microsoft's different set-ups, while pretty simple, will confuse people, sadly.



"And a small portion, probably the hard-edged, HD-ready gaming group that's going to buy the Xbox 360 on day one, won't be confused one bit. They're already pimping out their stereos, TVs, and living rooms in preparation for just such an occasion. For these guys, the Premium package of $399.99 is perfect. I know that's the system set-up I'm getting.

"But if games cost $59.99 and I buy four, that's $240. Add in a $399 set-up, and wham, I'm already at $640. That's a lot of dough. Makes you think twice about which games you'll have to get versus the ones you might get..."

--Douglass C. Perry, Editor-in-Chief, IGN Xbox/Xbox360
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"The announced price of Xbox 360 isn't all that surprising. I would've liked the console to come with a hard drive and a couple of controllers for $299, heck I'd like to have the whole thing cost 10 dollars and come with five free games but Microsoft's price point fits the current market trends to a tee.

"The core package comes in at the same price as the first Xbox at launch - a system with far less functionality that never produced a profit. This allows people to take the plunge into the next generation without veering too far away from that 300 dollar sweet spot for electronics which has been made all the more attractive due to the rampant success of the iPod. The core can be looked at as a starter kit that can be added to over time, or at least that's what Microsoft is hoping.

"The $399.99 version of Xbox 360 is really for those of us who would probably pay far more just to own the new console. This bundle comes with HD cables because it is targeted at early adopters to new technology or those who simply must have the latest toys no matter what the cost. These are the people Kutaragi was indirectly targeting when he touted the plans for a ridiculously high price for PS3. These are also the people who will be dropping another roll of twenties for another controller and a couple of games. Microsoft's pricing of the peripherals also follows Sony's model of cashing in on the little things. Money is not made on the sale of consoles alone and we already know all of those memory cards, Multitaps, and Dual Shocks added up to a big pile of money in the past years.

"With all the recent reports on the skyrocketing costs of development it's no wonder this would eventually be handed down to the consumer. But like most of our readers I'd rather live on canned soup and frozen waffles for a couple of months than miss out on PGR3. Its time to pick your favorite games and return the rest in preparation for launch. I already know I'll be dropping some bills for the hot new hardware, but we have yet to hear a definite price for next-gen games. If the increase is comparable to everything else, I might be more thankful for 360's backwards compatibility out of necessity."

-- David Clayman, Editor, IGN Xbox/Xbox 360
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"I was hoping the 360 gimmick would carry over to the price of the fully loaded system. But, $400 isn't too far off of what I was willing to pay to get all those extras. In fact, I hadn't expected the rumor that component HD cables being included would come true, so that's nice (no HDMI option kind of sucks, though) . That combined with the fact that a remote for the Media Center cababilities is included makes it a fair price for me. I am wondering how much extra controllers will run and I wish I had the option to get a 40GB drive right out of the box.

However, compared to past console launches this is extremely expensive. If I weren't a hardcore industry member-follower, I may not be as compelled to jump on at system launch. If Perfect Dark Zero's single-player doesn't rock my face, I don't know how excited I'll be about the launch line up. Really, in the end, that's what it comes down to for me: I need to see the launch games. Only then can I be sure how worth it owning 360 at launch is.

-- Fran, Chief Video Producer
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"I understand why Microsoft is offering two Xbox 360 packages: the company is ready to take gamers into the next generation (the "HD era" if you must) with slick advances like wireless controllers, hi-def connections, and a hard drive; but the company is out for blood this time -- it wants to reach as many consumers as possible. For most of us, the premium package (which Microsoft notably is calling just "Xbox 360") is the no-brainer choice. It's pretty clear the company wants us to think of this as the standard set-up, while the "Core" system is there to catch the consumers hesitating over price. 'Don't miss out on X360!' Microsoft seems to be saying. 'If you can't afford the full ride, don't go away -- I bet we can make you a deal.'

"Honestly, it's a smart move. If Microsoft wants to dominate this new generation, or even put up a real fight, it's going to have to move as many units as it can starting as early as possible. This is no time to leave launch sales to the hardcore while the rest wait for a price drop. Since the extra goodies in the premium package will be available separately, no one really misses out in the long run."

-- David Adams, IGN News

Clicky Clicky

Quote:Chaos erupted this morning at the Richmond International Raceway as thousands of people stampeded through the gates in a rush to buy used iBook laptop computers for $50 each.

There were several minor injuries and one person was taken to a hospital with a leg injury, fire Battalion Chief Steve Wood said during a 1 p.m. news conference. In all, 17 people were treated, the majority for heat- or diabetic-related problems, he said.

Thousands of Henrico County residents and/or taxpayers stood in a half-mile-long line as dawn broke while others waited in cars parked nearby or milled about not far from the entrance to RIR. One official estimate put the crowd at 5,500. Other observers estimated more than twice that.

Many had come prepared with books, snacks, umbrellas and chairs. The first car arrived at 1:30 a.m. By 6:30 vehicles were backed up on Laburnum Avenue about a half mile to Carolina Avenue.

Even before the gates opened, the atmosphere turned surly, with people yelling at police officers who were trying to keep the crowd civil.

When the first off-duty police officers arrived at 6:10 a.m., they called for more officers to assist with security, Police Chief Henry W. Stanley said.

Ultimately, up to 45 officers were there, as were fire and rescue personnel.

The gates opened at 6:54 a.m., and the stampede -- literally -- was on. The first crush occurred at the main gate to RIR and the second occurred at the entrance to the building where the 4-year-old iBooks were being sold.

Police Lt. Doug Perry said a few people who acted inappropriately made the situation bad for everyone. When police arrived, he said, they took control of the situation.

One Henrico resident, Devra Sirot, attended the sale with her two young sons and said she feared for their safety.

"My kids almost got stampeded. If it wasn't for these two really strong guys . . . Everyone was stampeding to get in."


She bought three iBooks -- one for her and one for each of her sons.

Once people were inside the building, the sale went smoothly and all 1,000 laptops were sold, officials said. County officials said they will be meeting to review the situation to see what could be done differently in the future.

The laptops were made available at a bargain-basement price after the county school system chose a new vendor -- Dell -- to supply the high schools with laptops. Henrico had used Apple iBooks in its high schools for the past four years.

For more on-the-scene details of the chaotic sale and an account from columnist Mark Holmberg, check out tomorrow's Times-Dispatch.

http://njoy.pekori.to/image/gameboymicro.pdf

Importgameblog.com

tubtub Wrote:The Nintendo DS will be $129.99 just in time for Nintendogs. I believe the drop occurs 8/21, but it might be sooner. More info soon.

Quote:Update - TRU is sending out a flyer for it. It's advertised $129.99, but will be $129.95. The ad is basically for Nintendogs and includes a $10 off $50 NINTENDO purchase coupon(should work on the hardware, so you could get it for $119.95). The flyer is only going out to R-zone best guests, though, and should arrive at homes next week.

Update 2 - I figured I might as well post this here, too, since it's more Nintendo news. There are two new items listed in the TRU computer. There is a "GC Ltd Ed PK XD Bundle" listed. The Bundle is priced at $99.99 with no date yet, but at least it looks like Nintendo is going to be trying this Christmas. Also, a GBA SP Sponge Bob system is listed.

Update 3 - The price drop is actually occuring this week. Probably Wednesday or Thursday. It is universal, also. Second, if you do get the $10 off coupon from TRU in the mail it WILL work on the system, so you can get it for $119.95 making it an even better deal.

Quote:I just got the September issue in the mail today, and it's right there on page 32, in "The Goods," section.

Quote:A Small but Bright Star

Game Boy Micro » Nintendo shrunk its Game Boy down to the size of a pack of gum. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery nets about 10 hours of battery life for the backlit two-inch screen. Swappable faceplates.
$100 » nintendo.com

Quote:No new information other than the price, so maybe that's just an estimate (it sometimes is on the page), but I assume they usually go with the information given to them.

Quote:Gamasutra: Do you think the market for 2D action games in general is getting smaller? Will we ever see that kind of gameplay on consoles again, or only handhelds?

KI: To tell the truth, I don't think it's even that 2D is only possible on handhelds, but more that it's only possible on DS. Personally speaking, I'd jump at any chance to develop a 2D game for any console, or even the PSP, but those chances are getting fewer and fewer. I feel like the DS is the last fortress of 2D gaming. So if we can get a younger audience with this DS 2D game, and prove to them that 2D gaming is worthwhile and fun, maybe then we can increase the market for that type of game.

So I'd like to ask any gamer that cares about this to educate their children about 2D games, and maybe together we can build a bright future for this type of gameplay.

Quote:Our development team has decided to take extra time to add some incredible new elements to The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. As a result, the game will now launch in 2006 globally. We recognize there may be some disappointed fans, however we firmly believe this additional time will result in a much more enjoyable gaming experience. GameCube fans will have a variety of Nintendo games to choose from this Christmas, including Mario Smash Football, Battalion Wars, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness.

Quote:In order to try and lift dampened spirits, Nintendo released seven new screenshots of Twilight Princess to accompany the statement.