Ever wonder how the original Super Mario Bros. might look on an Atari? Or how Mario Galaxy would look on a Super Nintendo? Me neither, but it's still pretty interesting to see these videos depicting how the games might look if they were downgraded. I don't think either one is quite believable graphically, but it's close enough. Now how about a video of Mario Sunshine on the GameBoy?
Ray and I got to talking about the new Gears of War 2 trailer and realized two things. First, they used the chainsaw almost exactly how Ray said they should use it in our latest podcast (strange coincidence). Second, I told him it would be awesome to put the Mad World song to the new trailer, half jokingly, half seriously. He was up to the task and put this video together and I think it's great. His point is that the song is emotional, not the game. I think he's right.
I thought I'd bring to everyone's attention that there's a great little flash game out there that uses a song Ray wrote for his album Jessica and the Silver Eclipse. The game is called RhythmBlaster and Ray's song The Curtail of the Covert isn't just background music (Ray's is the first level by the way), the song actually helps create the level. The game seems like a basic shooter, but its unique feature is that the waves of enemies appear to the rhythm of the music that's playing. So please, if you try out the game, have the sound on, it's a pretty cool experience. Also, there's a newer version of the game that eliminates the lag issue and has many more levels in it, but it doesn't use Ray's song. Check it out if you enjoyed the first version.
Tim and Ray discuss the finer points of gamer stereotypes and delve into a new category of gamer, the mid-core gamer. Sadly, Trivia for You is missing, but all the other regular segments make an appearance, so check it out! (Sorry for the delay folks, we'll try to be on-time next week!)
The above image is the confirmed final box art for Mario Kart Wii (it comes packed with the Wii Wheel, hence the large box). We can assume the actual case for the disc has the same artwork on it. I can't say I'm entirely sold on the image. The logo is acceptable even though the 'Mario Kart' has some sharp lines that contrast a bit with the Wii logo. The blue circle is a nice touch as it matches the back of the Wii Wheel itself (and reminds me of the Wii Shop Channel's blue loading ring). I think the huge Wii Wheel in the background is overkill though. If someone was curious about why the box was so big, they'd see the logo in the corner explaining that it comes with a Wii Wheel. Plugging the peripheral so prominently on the cover seems like a waste of space (and this box has plenty of space). And that brings me to what is most wrong with the box, Mario & Luigi.
Valentine's Day is around the corner and no one can accuse us of holding back the love as we discuss why the PS3 may emerge as a powerhouse console in 2008! Plus, a fan request results in a commitment from Tim and Ray that the fans should appreciate!
I've never shared this on 2P START!, but a couple of years ago I decided to build from scratch a MAME arcade machine that was a reproduction of the 1983 Mario Bros. arcade game. It was a ton of work but it now sits proudly in my home as a testament to my accomplishment. Thanks to the wonders of eBay, I was able to secure an original Mario Bros. marquee, bezel, and coin door salvaged off an original arcade machine, as well as some reproduction side art that looks really sharp. The only departure from the original is the control panel which I modified for 2 players with a 6-button layout instead of the original 1 button. This allows for greater flexibility in playing other games. Check out the early entries in the blog to see each step of the process or just check out the final pics. There are also pictures of my brother's Donkey Kong 3 cabinet which I helped him build once he saw how awesome mine was.
Don't care about Brawl? Well, this week we discuss the games to look forward to beyond Brawl for the Wii. We've also got Trivia For You, Comic Talk, Suggestion Box, and the Black Doom Award!
I thought I'd share some photos I took of the Arcade Museum I went to while I was in San Francisco a couple weeks ago. The place is called Musee Mechanique (warning: the link contains annoying, looping sound effects) and it's at Pier 45 on Fisherman's Wharf. It's nothing spectacular, but it's free and it's kind of fun to see the old arcade machines, many of which aren't really games at all, more like mechanical shows. The best part is that you can drop quarters into any machine you wish and play (or watch) the different games. I had no idea this place was there, but it was a neat surprise to run into and a fun little diversion.
Ah yes. So many corny Sonic songs.... all in one place...
Even better, they've got Black Doom's symbol sprinkled all over the place. I love it!
