[Super Mario World 🎬 (3rd April 2026)]

Just now, drahkon said:

I have yet to see the first movie  

It's a load of fun, especially Dennis Hopper.

[Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra (Early 2026; Amy Hennig, Skydance)]

30 minutes ago, drahkon said:

Didn't even know this existed, what this is and why I should care  

It's from the a writer whose most recent games are Forspoken, Battlefield Hardline and Uncharted 3.

[NFL Blitz 2002 - All GameCube Games]

NFL Blitz 2002 

Real Teams, Real Players, Real Attitude!

• NA release: 18th March 2002
• EU release: N/A
• JP release: N/A
• Developer: Point of View
• Publisher: Midway
• NGC Magazine Score: N/A
• Mods Used: Widescreen Hack

 

Another American Football game, retaining the arcade action of the previous games. Well, mostly, the gameplay is simplified, yet this doesn’t seem to have the frenzy of some of the previous games, feeling rather sluggish instead

 

 

This version also doesn’t have many features. The fun creation tools of NHL Hitz haven’t made an appearance here, and the minigames have not made a re-appearance. This is a bare bones update.

Fine

Quote

While it may not be as tightly focused as NFL Blitz ’99, NFL Blitz 2002 features the same basic concepts that make the series great. Blitz old-timers will balk at the game’s completely different timing and needlessly expanded playbooks, but in the end, NFL Blitz 2002 is the best arcade-style football game on the home market.

Jeff Gerstmann, GameSpot

Remake or remaster?

This kind of silly sports game should come back

Official Ways to get the game

There is no official way to get NFL Blitz 2002

[NFL Blitz 2002 - All GameCube Games]

International Superstar Soccer 2 

Victory pass line shining on the pitch!

• JP release: 14th March 2002
• EU release: 3rd May 2002
• NA release: N/A
• Developer: Konami
• Publisher: Konami
• NGC Magazine Score: 83%
• Mods Used: Widescreen Hack

 

When International Superstar Soccer 2000 came out on N64, over on PS1 and PS2,Konami decided to start the naming from scratch, giving the games numbers instead of dates. I can only guess that this was done to try and get more long-term sales, as people don’t want a sports game from an older date, so someone may see this on a store shelf and not know it’s older.

 

 

The “next gen” versions also seem to have given up on clubs, reverting back to only having international teams, giving far fewer options to the teams you can play as and the kind of tournaments you can have – even if they didn’t use the name Manchester United, fans still want to be their off-brand version.

 

 

As for the core gameplay, I’m not a huge fan. Passing seems very temperamental and I found myself passing in the completely wrong direction to nobody. Players also hate trying to get into space, and seem afraid of going into the box unless you dance around in there for a bit to egg them on. This doesn’t come close to the enjoyment of the games on N64.

Fine

Quote

After playing the improved, but still wretchedly fault-ridden FIFA Road to the World Cup (EA have yet to make their next FIFA game available to us, but we all know what to expect), and then then the nut-numbing Virtua Striker v2002 in NGC/66, this is like upgrading from a place on the terraces at Hull to a director’s box at Old Trafford.

Tim Weaver, NGC Magazine #68

Remake or remaster?

I think ISS 2000 is still the best ISS game for Konami to look back on.

Official Ways to get the game

There is no official way to get International Superstar Soccer 2.

[Nintendo and The Pokémon Company suing Pocket Pair (Palworld developers) for patent infringement]

4 hours ago, Jonnas said:

 

As for Warner Bros... did they ever actually try to prevent another developer from using a Nemesis-like system? Have they ever publicly bothered to enforce that thing that the internet keeps accusing them of enforcing? Is there a small developer that got a C&D letter from them or something? Legitimate questions, because I never heard of any.

Nobody has really tried. There was an indie game that was working in a nemesis like system (before the parent), but couldn't get it to work. Not even Monolith could get it to work in another game - the concept is kind of dependant on both the player character and enemies respawning in-universe. 

Many parents are very specific implementations. Like Nintendo's sanity effect patent, it requires a visible bar that increases them as it depletes.  

[NFL Blitz 2002 - All GameCube Games]

Doshin the Giant

Be a giant, do what you want!

• JP release: 12th March 2002
• EU release: 20th September 2002
• NA release: N/A
• Developer: Param
• Publisher: Nintendo
• NGC Magazine Score: 62%
• Mods Used: Widescreen Code

 

Originally released on 64DD, Doshin the Giant is a game that I enjoyed but didn’t quite understand. Luckily, the GameCube version was released in Europe, so I know more about how the game works, which is definitely a good thing, although the game is also not as deep as I was hoping.

Doshin the Giant is a “god” game where you control a yellow giant and help a bunch of villagers construct buildings by bringing them trees and adjusting the height of their land. You can also turn into the evil Joshin to smash stuff up, or to ward away natural disasters. Doing good or bad deeds will make you grow stronger – although only for one in-game day.

 

 

The main thing I struggled with was building monuments, but the game hints at what you do a bit more here: for them to build a nice monument, you need to give them a flower, obtained by putting around seven trees close together, those trees will die but more will take their place, along with a flower – although there can only be one flower at the time.

This tree mechanic is also needed to keep areas green and alive – as all the trees will die over time, you need to keep things refreshed for the villagers.

 

 

Building the different monuments is also quite simple, the flags in a village indicate the group living there, with different tribes having different colours. Getting the different monuments built (which is the main objective of the game) is a case of smashing the old one, moving some villagers around, getting a flower, waiting for them to build the new monument and repeat. I had envisioned in my head a system where they would build different ones based on the actions you perform, but the reality is far simpler.

There aren’t that many ways the villagers need your help, either. They either want a tree, want an object moved from where they’re building (usually the tree you just placed) or want the land levelling, which can be a massive problem, especially if lots of villagers need stuff adjusting, as fixing one area will make the others unhappy. Luckily, you do get a massive amount of hearts, although the bigger you get, the more difficult it is to avoid trampling and killing the villagers.

 

 

For Doshin’s transition to GameCube, there are a few changes. First of all, nothing from the rather strange expansion is included, which is understandable. The map is also smaller, probably so the game doesn’t eat up an entire memory card. There are some enhancements, though, as the game (especially the water) looks much nicer and there are more animals and building designs to make the world much more vibrant, with the villagers having cattle and birds flying around and hunting fish. The camera controls also let you more closely look at what the villagers are doing.

 

 

As it stands, Doshin the Giant is the only 64DD game to be remastered or re-released in some form, although a few portions of the Mario Artist series did inspire other things like Miis and WarioWare. While shallow, it’s still an extremely charming game that’s well suited to giving it the odd go every now and then.

 

Fun

Quote

Doshin the Giant is so kooky-Japanese it almost hurts: the main dude himself, with his little tuft of hair and over-long arms, for a start. He appears out of the blue – literally, right out of the ocean like a jaundiced, philanthropic Godzilla – and wanders onto a tropical island one morning. With the power to tug trees right out of the ground and raise or lower the odd terra firma at will, he (or rather, you) sets about helping the four native tribes to build huts, followed by farms, villages, and so on. Sadly, for a god sim, your actions are pretty limited.

Tom Mayo, NGC Magazine #74

Remake or remaster?

A remastered version would make for a lovely little downloadable title that you can open up every now and then.

Official Ways to get the game

There is no official way to get Doshin the Giant.

[NFL Blitz 2002 - All GameCube Games]

SpyHunter

Prepare to be Hunted

• NA release: 12th March 2002
• EU release: 28th June 2002
• JP release: N/A
• Developer: Paradigm, Point of View
• Publisher: Midway
• NGC Magazine Score: 55%
• Mods Used: Widescreen Code

 

The original Spy Hunter took the concept of James Bond games and made a fun arcade game about it, which got its own sequel. This version, SpyHunter (no space this time) is kind of a reboot, but does mention that the person inside the car is the same as the original arcade game.

However, in the previous few years, James Bond games had ramped up, including its own vehicle based game in 007 Racing. Can the homage do a better job than the original?

 

 

Well, sort of, as 007 Racing was abysmal and SpyHunter is just bad. The biggest problem by far is that there’s no sense of speed and that there’s no spectacle. Destroying enemies doesn’t feel satisfying. If those things had been done right, then you can kind of forgive a game for shallow gameplay, but shallow gameplay is all there is.

The 12 levels (plus two training levels) are all linear affairs where you have to complete a main objective (usually blowing up stuff) and some side objectives (blow up more stuff or collect stuff). None of them are much fun to complete, and it’s very easy to completely miss an object as everything in a level just merges together. I also discovered a handy trick for the few escort sections: rush forward and completely ignore them, as enemies will only attack them when you’re close.

 

 

The GameCube version also has awkward controls. The game was designed around four shoulder buttons and they were adjusted to the GameCube’s three without much thought. Originally the bottom shoulder buttons fire offensive (right) and defensive (left) weapons, which match the HUD, and the top shoulder buttons swap between the different offensive/defensive weapons. For the GameCube, R is to fire offensive weapons, L is to change offensive weapons and you need to hold Z to do the same for defensive weapons, which feels very awkward. I think it would have been slightly better to have L and R to fire, then holding Z to change.

SpyHunter also faced an additional problem on GameCube: it came out after Agent Under Fire, which featured a few Bond vehicle sections that are far better than anything offered by SpyHunter.

 

 

Overall, SpyHunter is a fairly dull but functional driving game with a bit of shooting involved. The levels all feel the same, and even all the music is similar throughout the game – oddly, almost every bit of music is based on the theme tune of an American detective show called Peter Gunn, which ran from 1958 to 1961. The GameCube never got the two sequels to this SpyHunter (the third of which lets you play as Dwayne Johnson).

Poor

Quote

The definition of the objects and the surrounding environment is so poor that mission-critical targets and sliproads only become visible a split-second before you pass them despite being ringed in red and orange circles. Furthermore, the game is so unfair that it’s near impossible to not take any damage or kill civilians. This results in a level structure so poorly focused, all you can do is memorise the mission and prey that you manage to fulfil all the objectives before you inevitably get blown into pieces.

Geraint Evans, NGC Magazine #68

Remake or remaster?

A complete collection of the Spy Hunter games wouldn’t be bad.

Official Ways to get the game

There is no official way to get SpyHunter

[Indie Games]

I was going to make a comment about him being surprised about the Braid remaster selling poorly, but that's a different asshole indie developer. 

[Your 2025 Gaming Diary]

I'd be doing the PS1, Saturn and PSP versions of Symphony of the Night.

The collections collection doesn't seem badly priced, so I'll keep an eye out for an offer. 

Edit: oh, I already have the Anniversary Collection.

[Your 2025 Gaming Diary]

I still have a while left with GameCube gsmes, but I've started sorting out my list, and I've added a few fun extras. 

With the GBA/DS ones, would you recommend the originals or the collections? 

 

(Some games I will play different versions of, like full remakes or significantly different content, I've sorted out all the versions of SotN).

[NFL Blitz 2002 - All GameCube Games]

Pac-Man World 2

The ghosts have unleashed the evil Spooky. Pac-Man must save Pac-Land again.

• NA release: 12th March 2002
• EU release: 21st March 2003
• JP release: N/A
• Developer: Namco
• Publisher: Namco
• NGC Magazine Score: 70%
• Mods Used: Widescreen Code

 

With Namco’s dislike of the N64, Nintendo gamers never got the first Pac-Man World. With it being much easier to port between the PlayStation 2 and GameCube, though, Namco not only supported it a lot more, but even developed multiple games for Nintendo.

The Pac-Man World games are a series of enjoyable 3D platformers. They don’t quite reach the heights of Mario or Banjo, but aren’t bad.

 

 

One thing I did like was how much it captured the feel of Pac-Man. There’s an obscene amount of pellets to collect in each level, often laid out in maze-like patterns. Instead of being tedious to collect, there is an oddly compulsive nature to them and I found myself wanting to collect them – even though there’s not much of a reward other than getting a slice of health for every 50 you eat up.

There’s also a load of fruit hidden around the level. Like the pellets, these aren’t an annoying way to gate progress, but at the same time, there’s also no reward, it’s purely for a high score. Yet, even though I don’t care about high scores, I still wanted to hunt for them.

 

 

Pac-Man controls quite well, and the ledge grab helps with some of the more difficult platforming sections. His ground pound is quite satisfying to use as it makes Pac-Man bounce back up, and you can repeatedly pound the ground. You can also charge up a dash, although I found this to be a bit unreliable.

The camera works well for the most part, but sometimes it takes away some of your control or gets stuck so you can’t fully turn it around. Still, this only happens on occasion, so it’s still a lot of fun to make your way around the linear levels.

 

 

Also hidden in the levels are Galaxian keys, these open up mazes to play. These play like classic arcade Pac-Man, but each with its own layout and a visual style based on the level you’re on. They’re a great reward for exploring away from the main path, and you can also try for a high score by replaying them in the arcade in Pac-Village.

 

 

There are also a few levels that mix things up. The ice skating and rollerblade levels are fast paced and a lot of fun, although the underwater levels are extremely slow and tedious and go on for way, way too long – and they’re all in the row, with two swimming levels where you automatically move forward immediately followed by two slow arcade style shoot-em-up levels. They should have been spread out more to change the pace throughout the game.

One additional collectible hidden in levels are Namco tokens, which unlock some classic Pac-Man arcade games.

Pac-Man

It’s classic Pac-Man, a faithful port that was also used in Namco Museum.

Pac-Attack

A falling block puzzle game. You place ghosts, fruit and walls, and then put Pac-Man down in a position to gobble it up. It’s an interesting way to integrate Pac-Man gameplay into a puzzle game, but I wasn’t fond of it.

Pac-Mania

My first impressions of Pac-Mania was that it was a version of Pac-Man that was far too zoomed in with an awkward isometric view. However, this version focuses much more on the chase aspects, and skilled use of the jump mechanic is vital to evading the ghosts. It’s a fun mix up to the classic Pac-Man formula.

Ms. Pac-Man

Like Pac-Man, this port is identical to what is seen in Namco Museum. It’s a better version of the original Pac-Man.

—

Overall, Pac-Man World 2 is a very enjoyable game. It looks great and the classic ditties being used for level completion is lovely. The rest of the music is a bit annoying (one level – Butane Pain – I had to check if it was playing wrong due to how bad it was, but it really is that bad), which is the only complaint with the presentation, as it looks lovely and the sound effects are satisfying.

Fun

Quote

And now it seems as if Pac-Man, suffering from some kind of mid-life crisis, actually wants to be his younger, more sucessful rival. Mario jumps; Pac jumps. Mario butt-slams; Pac makes a valiant attempt to do the same, despite having no discernible arse. Mario turns metallic and walks on the sea bed; Pac steals his idea as shamelessly as a gypsy rifling through and old lady’s biscuit tin. This isn’t the place to come if originality is something you value in your games collection, but it’s actually nowhere near as poor as we expected it to be.

Martin Kitts, NGC Magazine #78

Remake or remaster?

A remastered collection of 2 and 3 would be nice, as this still looks nice, so it doesn’t need a full remake as much as the first game.

Official Ways to get the game

There is no official way to get Pac-Man World 2.

[Your 2025 Gaming Diary]

Reading your Castlevania stuff, perhaps I should consider doing a franchise that I've barely touched at some point...

[The Star Wars Thread]

Young Jedi Adventures seemed like a decent young kids show when I threw it on for Ollie (although he doesn't watch much TV at all at the moment, although we buy lots of Bluey stuff because we like it). 

 

[Gex Trilogy]

6 minutes ago, Glen-i said:

Kinda new to this, so I'm guessing I can roll up with the file on my phone, and that would be enough?

A USB stick might be better, but they should be able to do that. They may have trouble with the webp, so here's it in its original png https://djcube.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/gexposter.png

The resolution isn't great, which is why I suggested a small print. 

[Gex Trilogy]

7 minutes ago, Glen-i said:

That's not a bad idea, how would I go about doing that?

A local print shop would probably be the best bet for a one-off job. 

[Gex Trilogy]

I love how they're moaning about criticism regarding lack of effort by mentioning something they've added that they haven't talked about before. All they've shown is emulated footage with basic widescreen support (which stretches the HUD) that all emulators do. 

But I wouldn't expect anything different from the con artists running Limited run. 

 

Edit @Glen-i you could look at getting a smaller one printed on some nice postcard-size card: https://limitedrungames.com/cdn/shop/files/gex-trilogy-limited-run-games-poster.png

[NFL Blitz 2002 - All GameCube Games]

41 minutes ago, Dcubed said:

Maybe my memory is being warped by the very late European release for the console?

Possibly. The GameCube did have a lot of Bond games. 

I will point out when we reach the European launch in terms of the first game to be released in any region after it. Still have another 10 or so games before we get there, though.

[NFL Blitz 2002 - All GameCube Games]

Agent Under Fire

When the world needs a hero, James Bond answers the call.

• NA release: 12th Match 2002
• EU release: 14th June 2002
• JP release: N/A
• Developer: EA Redwood Shores
• Publisher: EA
• NGC Magazine Score: 70%
• Mods Used: Reloaded

 

After The World is Not Enough, EA decided that sticking to the schedule of James Bond films wasn’t suited to them, So instead of making a Die Another Day film, EA instead opted to create some brand new Bond adventures, starting with Agent Under Fire. Another notable thing is the lack of Pierce Bronson, instead using a unique design that kind of blends all the Bonds together.

Agent Under Fire still sticks to the first person shooter format, as the game originally began development as a PS2 version of The World Is Not Enough, which would have been the fourth completely different version of that game.

 

 

The levels in Agent Under Fire are really well made, offering alternative routes through the use of gadgets. The stealth mechanics aren’t very deep, but are quite fun, and the shooting mechanics are well done, along with the introduction of “Bond Moves”, where you can use parts of the level to your advantage to take out enemies in satisfying ways.

 

 

Vehicles are also brought into the mix, with a few really enjoyable driving sections, taking place on semi-open maps. The handling feels great and I would actually quite enjoy a whole game based around this – unfortunately we just have the atrocious 007 Racing. It’s a bit strange that there are pickups around the map, rather than just something Q installed in the car, but these are still a blast.

 

 

The on-rails vehicle sections, however, are not much fun. These seem to go on forever, and while there are a few cool set pieces (like blowing up a petrol station with a helicopter near it), they come across as rather bland. The worst of these is the tank section, clearly only included because GoldenEye had a tank, with Bond conveniently finding one after crashing into a random building in the middle of a city.

 

 

Agent Under Fire has an enjoyable story, with one major oddity. Bond is not his usual suave womanising self in this, but instead comes across as a creep as he gets caught out due to ogling women multiple times, and even R (EA went all in on Bond’s joke, even though this Q is based more on Desmond Llewelyn’s Q) uses this quirk to trick Bond. The overall plot about clones is still good and has some surprise twists.

Agent Under Fire set up a good start for EA’s original Bond adventures.

Fun

Quote

An inspiring, and engaging first-person shooter in the mould of Rare’s classic this ain’t, and, more relevantly, come this September when Turok and TimeSplitters 2 hit the shelves this will be all but forgotten. But it’s still good enough to keep you going if you can accept it for its many problems. It’ll stir a bit, but it won’t be shaking you.

Geraint Evans, NGC Magazine #70

Remake or remaster?

The reloaded mod is a great fan remastering, but an official remaster and rerelease of EA’s Bond games would be wonderful to see.

Official Ways to get the game

There is no official way to get Agent Under Fire.

[NFL Blitz 2002 - All GameCube Games]

All-Star Baseball 2003

Where The Stars Play

• NA release: 7th Match 2002
• JP release: 8th August 2002
• EU release: N/A
• Developer: Acclaim Studios Austin
• Publisher: Acclaim Sports
• NGC Magazine Score: N/A
• Mods Used: Widescreen Hack

 

From what I can tell, this is mostly the same game as last year’s with some slight tweaks. Looking at reviews elsewhere, the AI was apparently the massive change this time around, although I’m not savvy enough on baseball to be able to notice stuff like that. The game did feel slightly nicer to play, and the atmosphere felt more like a sporting event, even if strikes and outs were still very muted, and on close calls you have no idea what’s happened until the next batter comes out.

 

 

While I was able to actually score some runs, it also turned out that this is one of the downsides of the overhauled AI. I found that if I went long, the CPU would always catch it, no matter how far away they were, while hitting short I could slowly trickle runs by going one base at a time. Every now and then, the people on other bases would mess up and choose not to run on their own accord, which is quite annoying. When checking reviews elsewhere, I discovered that the AI doesn’t target first base and provides leniency for this tactic to work.

Fine

Quote

If you’re looking for a simulation-style baseball game for your GameCube, All-Star Baseball 2003 is the best and only option. Despite the fact that most people will be unable to save the franchise mode, there are plenty of other modes to explore, and playing the game is a deep, engrossing, and realistic experience. The graphics leave a bit to be desired, and there are some slight quirks with the gameplay, but compared with last year’s bug-filled instalment, All-Star Baseball 2003 is winner.

Hilary Goldstein, IGN

Remake or remaster?

Sports games evolve over time.

Official Ways to get the game

There is no official way to get All-Star Baseball 2003.

[How Much Is Too Much?]

Getting Split Fiction for my birthday a little over a month after launch is the closest I've had a game to release day in years. Even then, I tend to ask for discounted games for gifts rather than getting them myself. 

Getting over the hype of playing a game early has been a great thing for me. Having little interest in online (which was further reduced by costs) has also helped. And on top of this, there's also the issues that many games have at launch, with more stuff added over time, so you're getting a better first experience by waiting. When games promise years of content updates, my reaction is more "oh, I can wait to then and play the full thing".

Costs are also why I do my lists, playing lots of old games with the occasional new game. And enjoying older games has made me realise that it doesn't matter when I play a game.

 

 

Also, for using "commercially available technology", Split Fiction is the first game of this generation that has properly wowed me visually. 

[NFL Blitz 2002 - All GameCube Games]

Gauntlet: Dark Legacy

The journey into darkness continues!

• NA release: 6th Match 2002
• EU release: 19th July 2002
• JP release: N/A
• Developer: Midway Games West
• Publisher: Midway
• NGC Magazine Score: 25%
• Mods Used: Widescreen Code

 

It’s quite amazing how much a control scheme can affect a game. While I enjoyed Gauntlet Legacy for a short while on N64 (it’s a game that’s better with more people), it wasn’t that long until I gave up. Dark Legacy is, for the most part, an enhanced version of the same game, but it plays much better if you pick the right settings.

You see, the good control scheme isn’t the default or even the second option. Scroll through the control schemes and there will be one called “Robotron”, this allows you to aim independently of moving.

 

 

Not only does this make aiming feel much more comfortable, but it also grants you the ability to move and attack at the same time, with a reduced rate of fire and a slower walking speed. These simple changes open up the gameplay a lot for positioning and defending yourself, and thus makes the enjoyment last much longer.

I do think that not picking this control option is partly responsible for NGC’s magazine’s rather unfair 25% review score of Dark Legacy.

 

 

The rest of the game is similar to Gauntlet Legends, you shoot your way through levels destroying enemies and their spawning generators, kind keys to unlock chests and doors, and looking for secrets. Crystals are needed to open levels, golden icons to open parts of the hub world, runestones are hidden and used to open the final portal, and legendary weapons are used to help defeat bosses.

On top of all that, there’s a manner of special weapons, magic potions, and gold to find along the way.

 

 

There are plenty of annoyances, though. The biggest is the camera, which is far too zoomed in, so you’re often shooting at things off-screen. There also isn’t a chance to mix up the gameplay slightly by using different classes, as swapping your character means starting the game from scratch. There’s even some outfits that are only unlocked by cheat code (which also means starting from the beginning), it would have been nice to unlock these and swap without having to reset everything.

When playing with three others, some of the players could play around with picking different characters and swap to unlockable ones, as long as there’s a single designated player to keep to the same character and allow for keeping progress.

 

 

Playing on my own, I made it as far as the 6th world (out of 8). While I still had no trouble getting to the end of the levels, the game had grown too tedious to continue. Enemies streamed out of generators at a rate that took multiple minutes to get through, and the stronger enemies took ages to kill. With four players, this would be much more manageable, but it’s still a lot of fun.

Fun

Quote

Forgetting the one-dimensional play mechanics and horrible slur on a coin-op’s good name for a moment, Gauntlet: Dark Legacy is worth seeing just to remind yourself that not every game is going to be a Pikmin or a Super Smash Bros.

Martin Kitts, NCG Magazine #68

Remake or remaster?

A cleaned up version of this game, with the ability to change characters and use bonus outfits without resetting progress, online multiplayer and a zoomed out camera would be a ton of fun.

Official Ways to get the game

There is no official way to get Gauntlet: Dark Legacy.

[General Retro Discussion]

Randomly mentioned in an Xbox article, remakes of the first two Ecco the Dolphin games plus a new one is in development with the original team.

Quote

Me and the entire original team are going to Remaster the original Ecco the Dolphin and Tides of Time games. Then we will make a new, third game with contemporary play and GPU sensibilities. Stay tuned to eccothedolphin.com

Looks like the full reveal is a year away, though.

[NFL Blitz 2002 - All GameCube Games]

55 minutes ago, Dcubed said:

Neat idea! Will you be covering the big 3rd party releases that never had GCN versions even start development? (GTA3/VC/SA, FF10, MGS2 etc), or will these selections be exclusively games that were originally in development for GCN but got cancelled along the way? (Kameo: Elements of Power, Grabbed by the Ghoulies, Perfect Dark Zero, Too Human etc).

More of the latter. I don't want to do too many. Some are sequels to popular N64 games (like this, I don't think there were any plans for GameCube), but I will be covering a few that were in development for GameCube (like the Rare ones). Although only within the period of GameCube game releases (Too Human took a bit too long). 

So it's more ones that have a connection of sorts to Nintendo/the GameCube, but there's no strictness to it.

[bad stuff thread.]

2 minutes ago, drahkon said:

Either way, this is a disaster...doesn't look like the new government will last the next four years and a new election will then give the right wing party another increase in voters...maybe even a majority which would end democracy in Germany.

Both Australia and Canada were trending to the right until a month ago. Enough people don't want a repeat of America.

[NFL Blitz 2002 - All GameCube Games]

Shadow Man: 2econd Coming

Beyond the grave begins the battle for deliverance.

• NA release: 28th February 2002 (PS2)
• EU release: 8th March 2002 (PS2)
• JP release: N/A
• Developer: Acclaim Studios Teesside
• Publisher: Acclaim
• NGC Magazine Score: N/A
• Mods Used: None

 

When I was playing through All N64 Games, I came across a few interesting games which I’d heard a lot about that all happened to have next-gen sequels that I had never heard about, due to not being released on the GameCube (and not being well remembered on other platforms). As I’m intrigued about these few games, I decided to include them as a bonus – did the GameCube miss out on not having them?

The first up Shadow Man: 2econd Coming, the horrendously titled (what’s wrong with 2nd Coming?) PlayStation 2 sequel to the beloved N64 Shadow Man. I absolutely adored the first game, so how does the sequel stack up, and why is it not fondly remembered?

 

 

Quite simply, it’s probably because it’s not a very good game. One big change is that it no longer feels like a big interconnected world – the metroidvania aspects are gone. Instead, it feels like a few individual levels with backtracking, just following a single path with no exploration. When I reached the hub world, which seemed to be a decent size, I was hoping for those elements to come back, but it was just a small dungeon and the hub is just a round room.

The levels themselves also lack the rich storytelling and horror of the first game. Everywhere in the original felt like it had an horrific purpose, and it was something you had to figure out based on what you saw. It made each location eerie yet wonderful to explore. The game is nowhere near as dark in terms of tone, although it is dark in that it is often difficult to see anything.

 

 

There’s also a day and night mechanic that is just annoying. At night you get to be Shadow Man, but in the day you turn into Mike LeRoi’s human form. Which means that at night, you can use your special voodoo weapons, don’t take damage from falls, can’t drown and produce some much-needed light. In human form, Mike can push blocks, which feels like they created this day/night mechanic and needed at least one reason for people to play as Mike, so took a basic thing Shadow Man could do and gave it to his human form.

In the first dungeon you do get a pocket watch that lets you switch the time of day, but this still means that you have to go through the very slow menu to change the time every 5 minutes to keep playing as Shadow Man.

 

 

The character designs have also been drastically altered. In his human form, Mike being ultra buff makes it look like he and Shadow Man aren’t the same entity, and Shadow Man now being a skeleton instead of a zombie just looks naff. The side characters also look pretty bad, with Nettie now just wearing underwear and Jaunty going from an Irish man to an actual leprechaun. Even his snake form is utterly ridiculous looking.

 

 

With all that said, Shadow Man 2nd Coming isn’t a bad game (awful character design aside), it just lacks everything that made the first game so special. It’s a shame to see as you can see little peeks of something that could have been special, but they seem to have been buried under troubled development.

Fine

Quote

I had a dream that I was playing a great action/adventure game with dark, adult themes, great graphics, an innovative story, topnotch level design and a good assortment of challenging puzzles. Then I woke up, and discovered that I’d inadvertently fallen asleep while playing Shadow Man 2.

Joe Rybicki, Official US PlayStation Magazine #57

Did the GameCube Miss Out?

In the long run, I don’t really think so, however, it had come out at the same time as the PS2 version, it would have provided a decent action adventure game to pad out the console’s library.

Remake or remaster?

With the same effort as the first Shadow Man remaster, some of the annoyance could be sorted, the original character designs brought back and some much needed atmosphere to the game. There are some design documents with some cut content and other potential things to use. But without drastic changes to the level layout, it wouldn’t reach the heights of the first.

Official Ways to get the game

There is no official way to get the game. You also have to do some hex edits to the game file if you want to emulate it properly.