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lostmario

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Posts posted by lostmario


  1. On 3/26/2024 at 10:45 PM, WackerJr said:

    They probably really good as lunch time games.  If you get the chance to play the version of Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3 (or SMA4:SMB3 for short....) on Switch instead then of course you get the added advantage of the bonus eReader levels.  Certainly not compulsory to play, but a nice bonus for those overly familiar with Mario 3.

    Went with Rock & Roll Racing as my next game. Didn't realise it got a GBA port. Put so many hours into it on the SNES.

    Got an everdrive so I've got the modded rom for SMB3 with all the eReader levels

    • Like 1

  2. Completed Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! today and that is the DKC trilogy done.

    Graphically, it's the best of the three even though the GBA struggles with some of the water levels, I was struggling at times to see enemies which I didn't with the first two.

    I thought the music was fantastic, back to the catchy tunes of DKC 1 after the dark tone of DKC2. I was back humming the tunes after my lunch breaks for the rest of the day. Interestingly I discovered while searching for certain tracks on youtube that the GBA soundtrack is completely different to the SNES version which I'm sure everyone on here was already well aware of.

    I absolutely adore Rockface Rumble, like I couldn't stop smiling and humming along whenever this played.

    Gameplay, top notch. Level design, felt a bit all over the place at times. Like they used scrapped ideas from 1 & 2.

    Some of the boss battles were very random.

    I think DKC 2 is the more complete game but this one runs it close.

    Oh and I hate Kiddy Kong, that incredibly annoying cry when he dies... hate him.

    When I've finished Spider-man: Miles Morales, Donkey Kong Country Returns is next up

    Not sure what my next lunch time GBA game is, maybe the Super Mario Advance series...

    • Like 3
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  3. 10 hours ago, BowserBasher said:

    Started off great for me by winning the first coins runners game then it just went downhill :heh:

     

    I had no idea what was going off, I thought we just had to race round collecting coins. It was only near the end of the first battle when someone drove into me nicking my coins did it click.

    I left after the first bomb battle, wasn't for me so I went back to watching football.


  4. 4 hours ago, Hero-of-Time said:

    With you being back on your PS4, @lostmario, I assume you've now finished this?

    Final thoughts on the game?

    Yeah, I kept meaning to post about it.

    I enjoyed it but I did not enjoy fighting the EMMI's at all. I think the game would have been better without them.

    Some really good challenging boss fights with simple but stunning graphics. Music was top notch as with all Metroid games.

    I think I rate Samus Returns higher, I don't know if it was having access to the map on the bottom screen that made it a less stop / start game, I dunno. I just enjoyed it more.

    Interesting to see what they do next, Super Metroid remake?

    • Thanks 2

  5. Finished Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest today.

    Really enjoyed this, oddly enough I'm kinda glad I accidentally deleted my save after the first 3 worlds as I was very much on the fence whether it was a downgrade on DKC at that point, replaying those 3 worlds again changed my mind on that.  Definitely a better game than the original, the level design is perfect and the music while it isn't as catchy as DKC, it feels more atmospheric. With DKC I was humming the tunes for the rest of the day after playing it during my lunch break, with this, nothing but I get why they mixed it up for the sequel.

    The boss battles are certainly more challenging, I was struggling with the final boss and his "disappearing act" right at the end of the battle. Eventually I got the pattern and that was that.

    It's crazy that it's taken me 28 years to play this.

    Next up in my lunch time GBA gaming and to complete the trilogy - Donkey Kong Country 3

     

    • Like 5
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  6. 11 hours ago, Hero-of-Time said:

    The game does get harder as you progress and trying to beat your own scores in the custom exercise mode can be pretty fun and challenging. When the game first came out (before the pandemic hit) I used to go to the gym every other day, usually lifting and doing cardio, and I found that Ring Fit didn't really push me that much. I've not been back to the gym since lockdown ended and I can certainly see the difference in difficulty whenever I do fire this up now.

    I've been meaning to get back on this on a more regular basis. I think I'm on chapter 13 at the moment. @lostmario bought it recently and every time I see his name pop up on my Switch and see he is playing it, gives me a little nudge to get my finger out and start playing it again.

    It's killing my knees but it's great fun. I've not played it as much as I'd like so far. God of War: Ragnarok took over my game time post Christmas and now Metroid Dread has took over.

    Seeing this has pushed me to play it tonight.

    • Like 2

  7. 2 hours ago, BowserBasher said:

    Thats fair, I used to get like that when we did this as the league. Just got so angry and it wasn't fun at times cause I felt I got robbed of a better place. Since we now just do this for fun Im more relaxed and don't care as much if I get booted from first to 4th when I was about to cross the line for the win, 😂 Yes it's annoying as hell, but there's nothing at stake so I just pass it off as "that's Mario Kart".

     

    Usually doesn't bother me, no league points on the line like you said so no big deal but that race... I was getting hit by everything. When I start getting angry with the game, that's the time to stop.

    I was having an ok ish night before that with 2nd place in both GPs.

     

    • Thanks 1

  8. 23 hours ago, Hero-of-Time said:

    How are you getting on with it, @lostmario?

    Enjoying it, just got the grapple hook. I hate the EMMI's though, seen way too many game over screens for my liking.

    I loved Samus Returns on the 3DS and MercurySteam have done another fantastic job with this.

    • Thanks 2

  9. On 2/8/2024 at 1:16 PM, bob said:

    Watched the 'finale' of Echo last night.

    What utter rubbish the whole show was from start to finish.

    Just dull moments and boring, less-than-one-dimensional characters all the way through.

    Thank god it was only 5 episodes, because I don't think I would have watched a 6th.

    I gave up on it half way through the first episode. Just found it incredibly boring.

    With it only being 5 episodes, I might have to just get it watched.


  10. On 2/9/2024 at 8:33 AM, Hero-of-Time said:

    You enjoying it more now? Have you played the 3rd (best) one before?

    I was enjoying it when I messaged you about it but I found the music disappointing after playing DKC.

    I got to the third world and somehow deleted my save. Started again and began to really appreciate the music, not as catchy as DKC but really atmospheric.

    Level design builds on DKC so well, perfect balance in terms of difficulty and being fun to play.

    Like 2, I've not played 3 before either, I had moved onto PS1 and N64 by then. Looking forward to it.

    On 2/9/2024 at 10:32 AM, Cube said:

    @lostmario The 2018 Battletoads game starts off fine for the first hour or so, but the rest of it is atrocious. The fighting levels stop and you have

    - Discount Rayman Origins levels that are very simple and not enjoyable.

    - A really boring vertical scrolling space shooter with multiple levels.

    Followed by a terrible minigame where you have to repair something by hitting random buttons.

     

    I finished it when I had gamepass. I thought it was great, I enjoyed the randomness of the above mentioned level types.

    I think it would do quite well on the Switch as a budget release.


  11. 3 minutes ago, Glen-i said:

    The thing is, that Rare's output had declined a lot since Donkey Kong 64. A lot of the people who made those games happen had left and moved on to other ventures at that point. Rare didn't really resemble themselves in the past.

    I'd argue that Nintendo made the right call in the end. It sucks, but that's what it is.

    I disagree, I don't see DK64 as the drop off in quality.  Perfect Dark, Banjo-Tooie and Conkers BFD all came after and were still peak Rare. Dinosaur Planet if Nintendo had not forced Starfox on them would have been a perfect swansong for the N64 as they would have kept to their original vision for the game. I've played the leaked rom and it just feels different to Star Fox Adventures.

    I enjoyed Star Fox Adventures by the way.

    It wasn't just Rare, their most important first party developer that they lost, it's all the valuable IPs that would have been useful during the gamecube years.

     

     

    • Like 1

  12. 14 hours ago, darksnowman said:

     Rare was a massive loss.

    Indeed, I'm currently playing through DKC 2 for the first time and still find it crazy that Nintendo let them go.

    Had an idea for a thread on the topic but I keep putting off doing it.


  13. 2 hours ago, Hero-of-Time said:

    The Marvels was fine but that's about it. Kamala does a lot of the heavy lifting due to how funny and charming she is but the main plot is pretty throwaway and the villain is straight up garbage.

      Credits Scene (Reveal hidden contents)

    I wasn't expecting the X-Men/Beast to show up! Amazing. 

     

    Yeah, it was just OK. Quite forgettable with the post credit scenes being the only interesting part of the film. One which I imagine is dead in the water with the way Marvel have pushed everything back apart from Deadpool 3.

    Brie Larson just seemed to sleepwalk through the film with the other 2 leads carrying the film. Seemed like a completely different character to the one in Captain Marvel and Endgame.

    • Like 1

  14. 4 hours ago, Julius said:

    I'm imagining a scenario with Banjo popping up to confirm a Nuts & Bolts port and that being it from Xbox, would love to see the fallout from that :laughing: 

    But yeah, I'll be shocked now if they don't turn up in a Direct (mini?): Partner Showcase, that was a good shout @Dcubed! Man, it's hard to imagine what that could look like. 

    Over/under 70% on the odds of a Phil Spencer cameo in the Direct if Xbox do turn up? 

    Screw Banjo.

    If xbox show up at the direct, give me these. Just hearing those iconic themes on a Nintendo Direct would be huge.

    and this.

    It's about time they came home.

    • Like 2

  15. Picked this up from my local charity shop for 10p on Saturday.

    Apart from the crack on the front of the case, it's in fantastic condition.

    dG1Xk3j.jpeg

    Also got these two off eBay last week, I was looking for World Driver and came across it with Ridge Racer 64 for £70 including P&P. Managed to get £5 knocked off which seemed a fair price for the condition of both.

    TMQhXN5.jpeg

    09WYai3.jpeg

    https://i.imgur.com/xOJMx4H.jpeg[/imgxOJMx4H.jpeg

    Added bonus, he included box protectors for both for free.

    I keep meaning to take some photos of my N64 collection as its grown significantly over the last 12 months but it means taking all the games off the shelf and they are alphabetised. I don't want to do it!

     

     

    • Like 2
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  16. 13 hours ago, Dcubed said:

    You say that, but the hybrid form-factor isn't going to be much of a distinct USP over the next generation as the likes of Valve continue to encroach on their space with the Steam Deck...

    The portable PC space is only going to get more and more crowded as time goes on; and with even Microsoft now reportedly moving away from x86 and onto ARM with the next generation? A standard "Switch 2" isn't going to stand out very much in the market as time goes on.

    Complacency is very tempting, but also usually what happens before a fall.  The Third Console Curse is a thing for a very good reason, and it's usually because the market leader gets over-confident, arrogant and complacent.  Nintendo also need to consider the creative needs of their developers, who are no doubt begging for fresh new hardware that allows for fresh new experiences (Don't forget that Miyamoto himself has already been expressing a desire for new control schemes and new forms of play as far back as 2019).  The last thing Nintendo needs is to lose their creative staff as they grow unsatisfied with chasing the status quo (especially as Chinese companies continue to poach Japanese developers en-masse).

    Gamers have shown with their wallets that the hybrid console is what they want from Nintendo. Best of both worlds, portable and home console. It works, why reinvent the wheel just for sake of it.

    If not the hybrid form-factor, then what? Nintendo won't go back to developing for two separate platforms now and I doubt Nintendo are worried about the portable PC space.

    I'm not sure what gimmick they could add to the current switch model that would add to the gaming experience. What if their developers just want more powerful hardware to showcase their vision better without the hassle of adding unnecessary gimmicks to it.

     

    9 hours ago, Hero-of-Time said:

    Given that you got a Switch pretty late on, is there any scenario where you can see yourself buy a Switch 2 on day 1?

    If the launch window is solid, I'll be there day 1.

    I kinda regret holding off as long as I did but I was burnt by the Wii U and pushed into the loving arms of the PS4.

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  17. On 1/29/2024 at 1:59 PM, Dcubed said:

    Which is why I'm worried that we're going to end up getting something utterly safe and boring.  Nintendo just don't seem inclined to take the kinds of risks they used to anymore... I hope I end up being wrong though!

    Now isn't the time for unnecessary expensive gimmicks that push the console price up and reduce the graphical power (see Wii U). The Switch has brought them back to the DS and early years of the Wii in terms of profitability and relevance in the gaming world.

    Play it safe, build the Switch brand. Do a Sony. PS1 to PS2. Keep it simple.

    Stick with the Switch branding and simple gimmick for the next console and then freshen things up next time with a fancy gimmick if need be.

    I don't think Nintendo have been in a stronger position than they are now before a new console release.

    The sales potential of their franchises now is frightening. 5 of them over 25 million in sales with none of them being Pokemon is ridiculous.

    Then add in the potential for more 3rd parties to jump on the bandwagon with the rumoured specs of the console being very 3rd party friendly.

    8 hours ago, Hero-of-Time said:

    I take it you'd still buy it though if it was just an upgraded Switch?

    What are people's thoughts about the Switch 2 possibly using LCD over OLED. Doesn't bother me as I never upgraded to OLED but it may be a step backwards for those who did.

    My Switch is 99% of the time docked so LCD doesn't bother me if it keeps the price down.


  18. On 1/24/2024 at 9:21 PM, lostmario said:

    Oh and I finished the main story on God of War Ragnarok on Monday. Just working my way through the post game stuff now.

    Really enjoyed it and justified me not buying a PS5 just yet as it looks incredible on the PS4 Pro. Santa Monica Studio pushing it to its limits.

    Don't think I'll be able to get the Platinum. Missed too many collectables that I can't be bothered searching for. Looking forward to playing through the Valhalla DLC once I've done as much as I can.

    Well I wasn't as far off getting the Platinum trophy as I thought. My 21st Platinum Trophy in the bag.

    The Gna and King Hrolf were tough fights, had to go full defensive against both and gradually get their health down.

    Onto Valhalla.


  19. Finished Donkey Kong Country on the GBA today at work during my lunch. Not 100% but I was never going for that.

    After finishing Metroid Zero Mission, tried a few games but nothing was clicking for the 30 minutes I had each day to play. This ended up being the perfect pick up and play game I was looking for.

    Forget how awesome DKC is, the level design and that absolutely incredible soundtrack. Was humming the tunes for the rest of the day. David Wise was on fire here.

    I absolutely hate swimming levels in games but the god tier soundtrack for those levels made them bearable.

    Next up. DKC 2: Diddy Kong's Quest. Once I've completed the trilogy, I'm now very tempted to playthrough Returns and Tropical Freeze again.

     

    Oh and I finished the main story on God of War Ragnarok on Monday. Just working my way through the post game stuff now.

    Really enjoyed it and justified me not buying a PS5 just yet as it looks incredible on the PS4 Pro. Santa Monica Studio pushing it to its limits.

    Don't think I'll be able to get the Platinum. Missed too many collectables that I can't be bothered searching for. Looking forward to playing through the Valhalla DLC once I've done as much as I can.

     

     

     

    • Like 4
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  20. 7 hours ago, bob said:
    21 hours ago, lostmario said:
    I'm trying to justify buying a Playstation 5 but like the Switch for many many many years, until there is at least 5 games I want to play on it, I can't.
    I can only think of 3 games I want for it. Spider-man 2, Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart, Robocop Rogue City. Am I missing any?
    Note: I have God of War: Ragnarok, Horizon: Forbidden West & Spider-man: Miles Morales on the PS4. No interest in the Last of Us remakes / remasters.
     

    Maybe Baldurs Gate 3? Supposed to be very good, but it's not a PS exclusive. Depends on whether you already have a next gen console or a good PC.

    As below, RPGs aren't really my thing so doesn't really interest me.

    21 hours ago, Hero-of-Time said:

    Final Fantasy VII Rebirth? 

    Probably not worth it seeing as you are still getting a lot of mileage out of your PS4. A lot of stuff has been cross gen and that looks to continue this year.

    Sorry, I had a power cut last night just as I was going to reply to you.

    While I enjoyed FF7 Remake, I'm not really into my RPGs so it's not a system seller for me.

    Probably hold off until Nintendo have revealed the Switch U then make a decision then but by then Sony will have probably revealed the PS5 Pro and I'll be back to square one on whether to pull the trigger or not.


  21. I'm trying to justify buying a Playstation 5 but like the Switch for many many many years, until there is at least 5 games I want to play on it, I can't.

    I can only think of 3 games I want for it. Spider-man 2, Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart, Robocop Rogue City. Am I missing any?

    Note: I have God of War: Ragnarok, Horizon: Forbidden West & Spider-man: Miles Morales on the PS4. No interest in the Last of Us remakes / remasters.

     

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