Last Retro Game You Played? What Retro Game Are You Currently Playing?

Was Metroid any good Jim? I vaguely remember NGamer saying it was better left in the past or something.

I'm not a fan of Metroid. It's a bit like the original Legend of Zelda in that it's totally dwarfed by ALTTP as Super Metroid makes playing the original a bit pointless. At least Zelda II and Metroid II had something to distinguish them from their sequels.

I've worked my way through to the last few levels of Boom Blox Bash Party. While it is a lot of fun, it's certainly looking aged and the distinct lack of personality means its a quiet world when played on your own. Obviously, BBBP is meant to be a multiplayer experience but even then, it's a brilliant gameplay mechanic dressed up in charity shop clothes.

As far as the game modes go, the grabby levels are my favourite. Effectively a giant game of Jenga, it has more nuance than the regular "throw ball" or "match colours" levels and I'm kind of intrigued by the ACTUAL Jenga game that's on Wii. As fun as Boom Blox is, it still feels like it didn't reach its full potential. A lot of the levels are samey, the game always waits four seconds too long at the end before ending, and the medals/achievements ultimately mean nothing (and unlock items to be used for making your own levels - which I find hard to believe people really did, maybe they did?). I'm probably being too harsh, but I enjoyed Boom Blox ten years ago and the concept of Boom Blox holds up, but it's definitely an idea that could be brought up-to-date with a HD refinement. A Nintendo coat of paint would do wonders.

7.5/10

Been playing a ton of Sonic recently. Especially Sonic 3 and Knuckles which I've been enjoying more and more every playthrough.

Replayed Sonic Rush, getting all the emeralds and true ending which didn't take too long. It was the Sonic game I really liked growing up but its flaws are more apparent now. It's still fun but there are too many situations where I can't really go too wild with the jumps and tricks because I end up going into a bottomless pit.

Fancy trying Sonic Rush Adventure at some point but honestly not too keen on doing some of the mandatory side stuff again. Have been playing Sonic Colours DS for the first time though, beat it but didn't collect all the emeralds and have been enjoying it. Feels like the Rush gameplay is more refined here, the trick system is removed (which honestly I never cared for) and there's a lot of well thought out variety. I think the bosses are a lot cooler as well - much more control over how quickly you can end it if you figure out what to look for.

I thought Boom Blox Bash Party was the best thing ever when it first came out, but it's a very sterile experience now that all the online functionality and that sense of community is gone. I've got nostalgia for it, but when I dig out my Wii, neither Boom Blox is the first thing I'm reaching for.

I worked through those three Sonic DS games a couple of months ago! They're all fun, but I think Rush Adventure has the best levels. One of my favourite DS purchases was a pre-owned copy of Rush Adventure with a completed save file. Just played the levels, no arsing about the rubbishy side stuff!

I've actually been playing a bit of Sonic Generations as added to Game with Gold as the 360 game. It plays great and look's decent as it's X enhanced.

Really want another one of them

Sonic Generations is always a game I have wanted to play but never got round to buying. Looks great though!

I'm currently halfway through Super Paper Mario and, wow, this game is equal parts frustrating and just outright bonkers. Hoping to polish it off over the next week so will do a write-up, but interested if anyone else played this back in 2007?

I played it on release and (as my only paper mario game, so with no expectations) I really enjoyed it

'Equal parts frustrating and just outright bonkers' summarises it perfectly, I reckon. Despite adooring TTYD I went in with my expectations measured by NGamer's review, so I wasn't disappointed. I'd say it was the last good Paper Mario game, but was it great? I'm not sure, you know.

World 4

Mr. L was brilliant - and in fact the whole cast of villains is great

The part where you get imprisoned and made to earn money is the most memorable part to me

Generations was class, one of the best Sonic games since the Mega Drive. Super Paper Mario has been sitting sealed on my shelf for years, but my initial impressions of my first copy were quite positive. 

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Did anybody play Timesplitters: Future Perfect back in the day? I fancied something retro and something different, so I started the story mode last night. Two levels in though, and it feels quite out of date in it's presentation and pace. Is it worth sticking with?

I did play it on Xbox, it was alright but I mainly played it CO-OP and Online. Then most of the time would just go back to 2 which was just better even if we could only play split screen or system link.

2 is better than Future Perfect and still holds up (imo it's never been surpassed as FPS games changed direction)

OrangeRakoon wrote:

Mr. L was brilliant - and in fact, the whole cast of villains is great

The part where you get imprisoned and made to earn money is the most memorable part to me

I'm facing Mr. L at the moment, but yes, that World 4 space level was a bit naff. The gravity level was clever with the 3D thrown in but wasn't keen on the space-shooty bits. That's something I think this game suffers from more than TTYD - filler. World 2's mansion was a pain in the arse, not so much the working (which I didn't know if it was a nod/jab at stuff like Shenmue) but the reliance on mazes. World 3 was just hilarious, even the shoddy boss design didn't bother me as the whole thing was ridiculous. What Super Paper Mario does well with, is its puzzles and combat. I much prefer tackling enemies in real-time or with the various Pixls - if it was turn-based it would have really dragged. That probably says more about great TTYD is.

The Cappuccino Kid wrote:

Did anybody play Timesplitters: Future Perfect back in the day? I fancied something retro and something different, so I started the story mode last night. Two levels in though, and it feels quite out of date in its presentation and pace. Is it worth sticking with?

I really enjoyed Future Perfect's campaign at the time, perhaps more so than 2's. Timesplitters 2 certainly has more memorable levels, but I distinctly remember Future Perfect's campaign being really funny. Maybe the humour has dated somewhat, but there are some real laugh out loud moments. That train level really irritated me for some reason, although after Goldeneye's and then Uncharted's, I'm not a big fan of them (Confidential Mission had a great one though). I would say if it's not fun after the first two levels, it doesn't suddenly improve.

Thanks for your advice about Timesplitters, everybody. I tried getting into a handful of other PS2 games, but they've not grabbed me. I'm genuinely stumped with what to play. 

I'm surrounded by my old collection in my parents house, with literally hundreds of games. Does anyone have any suggestions for any console? Happy for anyone to just throw ideas out there, happy to consider anything!

The Cappuccino Kid wrote:

Thanks for your advice about Timesplitters, everybody. I tried getting into a handful of other PS2 games, but they've not grabbed me. I'm genuinely stumped with what to play. 

I'm surrounded by my old collection in my parents house, with literally hundreds of games. Does anyone have any suggestions for any console? Happy for anyone to just throw ideas out there, happy to consider anything!

What are the options/systems?

Yeah a few choices be it N64 and SM64, OoT or PS2 and Black, THUG2 gives us a bit of an idea then we can help narrow it down.

The options are Master System, Mega Drive, Saturn, Dreamcast, 360, PSone, PS2, PSP and every Nintendo portable and home console from the Game Boy onwards (except Virtual Boy). 

I thought about Super Mario 64, but I've played that to buggery. Same goes for Ocarina. I don't have Black, and I gave away my copy of THUG2 to a pal who I can't see at the moment!

I thought about cracking on with one of the Pokemon Colosseum games on the GameCube. Are they actually up to much?

I've only played the first but you'll hate it as it's much closer to a normal JRPG then a mainline Pokémon.

Do you have the Panzer Dragoon games, maybe those seeing remake is out.

I'll leave Pokémon Colosseum and Gale of Darkness then!

Don't have any Panzer Dragoon games. Not interested in the remake at the cost.

Balladeer wrote:

Was Metroid any good Jim?  I vaguely remember NGamer saying it was better left in the past or something.

JayMoyles wrote:

I'm not a fan of Metroid. It's a bit like the original Legend of Zelda in that it's totally dwarfed by ALTTP as Super Metroid makes playing the original a bit pointless. At least Zelda II and Metroid II had something to distinguish them from their sequels.

Exact-o-mondo - Super Metroid is like another draft of the game. Damn my completionism though.

Now on Ninja Gaiden. I borrowed it on the original NES originally; although the continue system is generous, I never finished it, as it's cheaty-balls-hard, and would have to turn the game off at some point. This is what the save states are for, this nonsense.

Rob and I had a big session on F-Zero GX on Sunday morning as we were snowed in, Matty wasn't feeling well so we couldn't go to the burger joint we were planning to, and Rob just recently picked up his gamecube controllers.

Good CHRIST that is a good videogame. We wanted to see the mad Gomar and Shioh ending cutscene that Muss shared that time so we played through one of their cups in pass-the-pad fashion but it turns out you have to do it in Master mode. Still, the excitement was VERY real and then we watched the video on youtube and pissed ourselves.



I might pick up a cube controller and a copy for myself again . . .

Wish they would straight up port this bad boy to the Switch. They just need to get the resolution upscaled to modern tv's and we're good to go. Still looks beautiful even today. Can you believe this came out in 2003!

Those endings. Absolutely ridiculous. Not that I got anywhere near the required standard to see them 'properly'. If they update it to the modern day I hope there are cheats or an easy mode. #inb4gitgud

This chat about F-Zero GX made me want to give it another go. I did, and that's it back in it's case for another five years. Anyway, I had to root about my GameCube collection to find it, and I gathered up these:



I've got it on Wii U too. Six copies of Wind Waker, and I've never given it a chance. So, I booted up my save file from 2014 and I'm now onto Wind Waker HD