Opinion: The Re-Rise of Nintendo

If you're like me, you've probably seen this particular image all over your Facebook, Twitter, and various other social media this week:

Whether used in front of a back drop or just shown on a stock white background; this image of a hand holding a miniature original Nintendo Entertainment System aloft like a waiter about to serve you a delicious portion of retro gaming goodness has made the rounds in a big way. But there's more going on here than people simply "geeking out" or seeing an opportunity to play a sample of the best games in one simple package. It signals not only the premiere of another emulation system, but the return of Nintendo as the dominant system makers next console generation. Why do I make a such a bold claim? 

The Rise of the Retro Gaming 

Just a small helping of your childhood...

For several years now, collecting video games, specifically retro games, has gained not only in popularity, but momentum as well. What once was just small-time hobby for some and a chance to replay childhood favorites has morphed into a fun and ever more popular pastime . Collectors and gaming geeks of all ages will avidly seek out everything from Sega Master System to Turbografx 16 to even the old Pong consoles. Anywhere from Craigslist to Ebay to local garage sales can yield gaming gold. However, the most coveted of these finds are almost always those dealing with Nintendo, specifically the original Nintendo Entertainment System, games. As this interest has risen it has spawned countless Youtube creators with content devoted to the beloved NES, blogs such as this one, and various "Twitch Plays"--what once a niche hobby has transformed into a trip down memory lane by many 20 to 30 somethings.  While Xbox and Playstation are promising ever increasing eye-candy and more-of-the-same-First Person Shooters (FPS), Nintendo has gained foothold in people's heart by reminding them of their great past. Mario has become this generation's Mickey Mouse. Many people have an affection for Nintendo that even they may not realize, and that leaves them primed for something fun and new.

E3 and the Breath of the Wild

Coming soon...I hope.

The increasingly irrelevant E3 showcased the usual hodgepodge of upcoming releases and plans for system upgrades meant to catch the attention of consumers and creators alike, but for the most part it was underwhelming. Playstation upgrades? Xbox upgrade code name Scorpio? Interesting, but not interesting enough, least-ways not interesting compared to the fully immersive display at this year's E3 that was Nintendo's Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild experience. Boasting a demo that reportedly could take up to three hours to finish, Nintendo made a big splash with a long overdue playable demo for the next installment in one of its biggest ip's.  For days afterwards, tech and gaming blogs were talking about how it compared to other games with open-world concepts, speculation on whether the long wait will inevitably be worth it, and what the game meant for Nintendo as a whole. Microsoft and Sony plans for the future were given a few articles here and there, but no where near the coverage of Nintendo. 

NX Speculation, Fake Controllers, and the Naysayers 

At last! The "real" NX controller

Ah, the "NX controller" that we've all seen. Yes, it's a fake and there was even a recent attempt to sell a fake one on Ebay. Even though it's a fake, and has to be pointed out as such seemingly every other month, there's a contingent of people who seem hellbent on criticizing every move Nintendo makes in regards to the forthcoming NX. Naysayers of the NX aren't strictly limited to the XBox fans or Playstation enthusiasts though, even business insiders seem to heap criticism on Nintendo with reckless abandon. I can't even begin to speculate as to why there are some who seem to have nothing better to do than pick on one gaming company, especially one as devoted to just having a good time as Nintendo is, but I digress.  All the speculation from controller design to false rumors that NX will be digital download only have only served to continually keep Nintendo not only in the spotlight, but has also kept the public yearning to know more and to separate fact from fiction. PS4K and Xbox Scorpio announcements have made it clear that Sony and Microsoft intend to pursue VR tech as a possibility in the future. The tech for VR still remains barely out of infancy, yet there's an interesting conundrum here. Consumers know where Sony and Microsoft are headed, and they've seen VR helmets everywhere from the cover of Time magazine to Amazon to cheap knock-offs in their local mall. By the time these two companies or 3rd party developers can even start to produce games for the upcoming VR technology, it could already seem like yesterday's news. Nintendo hasn't put all their cards on the table yet, and this makes people interested and even excited to see just what they have in store.

The Pokemon Go Phenomenon 

"What are we doing tonight Nintendo?"
"The same thing we do every night Miyamoto..."

By the time you've finished reading this article, thousands more people will have already signed up for the fastest growing mobile game in recent history, Pokemon Go. Whether you think of it as a fun way to get in some exercise, a trip down memory lane that comes with augmented reality, or even if you are a joyless soul who likes to post memes about how much more "adult" you are for not playing Pokemon--you cannot deny Pokemon Go has become a bigger smash hit than possibly even Nintendo anticipated. Server issues notwithstanding, the game has actually had a societal impact and for a game that hit mobile gaming barely over a week ago at the time of this writing that's huge. Retailers are trying to figure out how to set up there businesses as virtual gyms, people are wondering around malls and parks talking with one another about the Pokemon they've caught, and Nintendo is raking in billions of dollars. They've gone from having no interest in mobile gaming to utter domination in a single app. Pokemon may have hit the scene 20 years ago, but thanks to multiple sequels and the enormous success of the Pokemon Go app, it's as fresh in people's minds as it was when it first premiered. From memes to terrible political jokes, everyone is talking about Pokemon Go; and this means people are talking about Nintendo.

 End of the Console Wars and Nintendo's (Likely) Upcoming Victory 

No, the title of this last section doesn't show what a Nintendo fanboy I am. (Or rather, it doesn't only show that.) What I mean by declaring an end to the console wars is that I think we are entering the last cycle of consoles with physical media. In an increasingly digital world where games are more and more often downloaded; it's hard to imagine the idea of going out and getting a gaming system lasting much longer.  Not that I think we will all switch to PCs, but that innovation needs to come in a form other than VR tech next.  We need an inbetween step, and Nintendo may have found it.  Rumors have circulated for months now that Nintendo's newest system will feature a hybrid mix of console and portable gaming. If these rumors prove true, Nintendo, already the dominant force in portable gaming, will likely find themselves on the forefront of something not only eye-catching, but truly innovative and enjoyable as well.  It won't just be a fad, but it will be the next step in gaming.


Of course, my speculations could find themselves proven totally false and unworthy of consideration, but it's fun to think about and that's okay. After all, didn't the late Satoru Iwata say that's what video games should be; fun?

Midweek Music Box: Twilight Princes "Twilit Battle"

Does music need to be pleasant in order for it to capture our imagination? Certainly not. In fact, I'd say the music for this particular Midweek Music Box is fairly far from pleasant. It won't make my iPod, I won't listen to it while I work, and I won't listen to it to unwind.  Not because it isn't well done, but because it sends chills up my spine every time I hear it. It unsettled me to the core the first time I heard it, and it still leaves me uneasy when I hear it to this day.

Twilight Princess, as I've mentioned in prior posts, is not a game I have beaten yet. I was wildly enthusiastic when Nintendo announced an HD remake of the classic. Not only did it represent a chance to finally beat a Legend of Zelda game I had managed to not actually beat, but it was on a system I find myself playing on a regular basis.

There was one thing I wasn't looking forward to though. Well, besides the stupid fishing exercise at the beginning of the game. A certain musical track was not only one of the best I'd heard from the new Zelda game, but it managed to trigger a little bit of fear in me--something no Zelda game had managed to do before.  What was that track? or tracks?  The "Twilit Battle" and "Shadow Beast":

"Twilit Battle"

"Shadow Battle"

It was Legend of Zelda, so of course an introductory battle was coming. Something not too hard and not too simple either. Something to help you understand not only the mechanics of the game, but of the tone of the game itself.  So imagine how I felt like when a dark portal opens in the sky and instead of some dark, classically foreboding music, I was treated to this odd jangle of dissonance? I loved and hated it instantly. It was appropriately dark for the game, but more than that, it changed the scope of what Zelda music was. No longer could it be just a symphonic masterpiece. The music could inharmonious, twisted, filled with digital bleeps and bloops that were not merely not music, but the antithesis of music. Again, not in a horrible mess of noise way, but in a way that strikes you on a visceral level. It's a kind of music that sets the mood of the game so perfectly not by being what you expect, but by taking it in a new direction.  

This may not be music you have on repeat, but it certainly will send shivers up your spine.

Friday Night Rentals: Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

A copy of a game I haven't beaten...yet

Yeah, you read that caption right. I've never beaten Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Fact of the matter, I wish I had, but I just so frustrated by it, I allowed myself to not be engaged. Yup, you read that right, for some reason, I was never grabbed by this particular Legend of Zelda game. I was too frustrated by the game to get all the way through it. I plowed through every other Legend of Zelda that I own.  Ganon never stood a chance and Hyrule's salvation was all but assured. 

...but there's a certain point that has hung me up nearly every time that I play Twilight Princess.  Even after I pass that certain point, I feel annoyance at it's existence.  Yes, with utmost clarity I can narrow down my annoyance to one particular point:

Time to feed a stupid cat...

Yup, that moment right at the beginning of the game where you need to go fishing to lure a cat, to get it steal your fish and run home, to make the owner happy the cat has returned, so that she'll sell you a necessary item.  It was as tedious a side quest as one can think of in my opinion, and it happened right off the bat. What's worse, it was a side quest that I likely would have skipped given the choice.

Now don't get me wrong, I realize side quests have a long and glorious tradition within the Legend of Zelda universe. I like doing them most of the time, but admit I haven't completed every single one for every single game. Although getting a fully loaded set of hearts makes you feel like you could take Ganon down in one stroke; I just found myself eventually wanting to just beat the game and skipping some hunts and side quests.  So, imagine my frustration when I find the rescue of princess Zelda, the defeat of Ganon, the very salvation of Hyrule itself...hinges on you being able to catch a fish and feed a cat at the beginning of the game.  

Now, to be fair, in Ocarina of Time, you have to do a few side quest-esque things before you can go inside the Deku tree. However, those side quests both functioned to get you the sword and a shield, and they also provided you an opportunity to learn how to control your sword and do some basic blocking.  Likewise in Majora's Mask, you have to do a series of side quests before you get to the main task of freeing yourself from the "Terrible fate" of imprisonment in deku scrub form. However, you aren't just sent running around pointlessly grabbing moon tears and shrub contracts for nothing. Majora's Mask is teaching you a bit of the core of the game play and mechanics as well, specifically that of time management and task fulfillment within the game's three day cycle. These side quests were well crafted and cleverly integrated into the game both in terms of function and storytelling.

So what does feeding a cat have to do with learning core game play?  Does this cat tie in later in the game?  Do you and Ganon engage in an epic fish-off for the fate of Hyrule?

Nope!  

You just putz around a fishing hole like a retiree while trying to satisfy some stupid cat's afternoon munchies.  I love the Legend of Zelda games, but this was ridiculous. It brought the game to a screeching halt in terms of both action and story flow.  It took too long to figure out the right way to fish, the right fish to catch, and where to stand so as to trigger the "event" of the cat standing nearby and stealing said fish.  I'm not sure if that's because I always played it on the Wii and such slow plotting doesn't happen on the Gamecube version--my assumption is that the game is pretty much the same though.

I did play the game past catching the fish and feeding the cat.  But the damage was already done. I had gotten so bored with the game before things had a chance to ramp up, that I felt like I was plodding along, not enjoying the game as much as I would have had I not gotten stuck doing menial work so early on. I own the game, but I actually wished a few times that I had only rented it over the weekend, such was my annoyance and dissatisfaction.  

Naturally, I can't wait for the HD version to be released.

Booyah! Can't wait!

Yup, you read that part right. I can't wait. Despite the frustration, despite sometimes wishing it was just another Friday night rental; I'm a long time Legend of Zelda fan at heart and love everything about the story line and series. I'm not just looking forward to updated graphics or how great the soundtrack will sound in HD, or even Amiibo functionality (although those are definitely pluses). I'm looking forward to the opportunity to get back into this game from a fresh, but familiar perspective. I want to beat this game. I want to see the ending.  The world created in the Legend of Zelda series is so engaging, so fun, so well written that I love returning to it time and time again.  It's like a careworn novel I want to read again until the pages start to fall out, but want to read once more.

Whether the old frustrations will kick in, I'm not sure, but one thing is for sure. After 30 years of Legend of Zelda games, it still feels great to rescue Zelda and defeat Ganon; becoming not only another person who beat the game, but the hero of Hyrule.

A Quest Not Beaten: Legend of Zelda Memories.

The Legend of Zelda turned 30 this past Sunday, and perhaps you don't need another article to tell you how awesome of game Zelda is, do you?  Because if you don't already know that it's one of the best game series on the planet, then please go and read one of the dozens of articles--actually, I take that back.  Just go and play the freaking game!  Then you'll know for yourself why this game still remains one of the most incredible franchises of all time. When it appeared on the scene 30 years ago, it was unlike anything out there--at least, anything that I had ever played.  I almost did a "Friday Night Rentals" article about the original Legend of Zelda as it was one of those games that I rented back in the day. However, I actually got this game as a kid and even if I were to write about it, so much has already been said I wouldn't know where to begin. (Not that one more article would never appear, just not something I want to write about at this time).  Instead, I wanted to talk a bit about my experience beating the original game for the first time and that fabled second quest. 

Anywho, before we talk about some good ol' fashioned Legend of Zelda goodness for a bit, lets cue the intro music:

Ah, what better way to begin an epic quest than a bit of spirited music? Now, from the title of this article you might think I was implying that I never beat the game. Let me be honest about that....

Of course I beat the game! Geez!  It was too fantastic to put down, too rad not to play all the way through! My dad even sat down and played the game a bit such was his level of impressed-ness.  Now, it took a while to beat this game as a kid--heck, I'm no speed runner--it still takes a bit of work. What a fantastic, and new concept. An open world, full of danger and excitement. This was a Hyrule unlike the iterations we've come to know. There are no side towns, no castle settings or separate lands. Just you and a wilderness full of monsters. Yeah, there's the occasional shop keeper trying to sell potions and make a quick buck. Heck, you might stumble upon a bearded hermit wanting to give you a sword thanks to how dangerous it is to go alone out there.

So when I defeated Ganon, assembled the Triforce and rescued Zelda, it was pretty clear that was it. The game was beaten.

But no!  There was a second quest! Why? Did Zelda plan on resurrecting Ganon and letting him kidnap her again? Did the Ocarina of Time blast you into another dimension where you were back to the swordless, three-hearted whimp you were at the beginning?  I guess so, because you can start the game shortly after beating it and try The Legend of Zelda's infamous second quest.  Here, all but the first dungeon and sword-giving hermit had moved. Nothing was as it used to be...well, except for the whole "collect-the-Triforce-pieces-and-save-Zelda" thing. So how did I react to this?

At first, I was really into the whole idea of playing through the game a second time. I had a ton of fun doing it the first time around, why not do it a second time that was a bit more challenging? Sure, it was a bit harder, and navigating the first letter-shaped dungeon resulted in numerous deaths and do-overs; yet I was still having fun. Just as suddenly though, my excitement waned.  

"Why was I playing the same game again?" I would think to myself. Hadn't I saved Hyrule already? What was the point of beating it again? Was the ending likely to change? And so, I ended up talking myself out of it.  What was the point of playing a harder version of an already beaten game? I was just a kid then, and for whatever reason, I convinced myself tht finishing off the second quest was a waste of time. 

Dumb, I know, but...yeah, as a kid I just had sooooo much time devoted to the other, "more important" things (like skateboarding and watching cartoons, I guess) that I just didn't have time for another round of The Legend of Zelda. I guess now, you might call it a "gamer regret."

Oh sure, I still have the Nintendo and my original copy of Zelda, I even downloaded it on to my WiiU via the eShop so I could pop it on through the merest push of a button. Even with that going for me, I still haven't beaten the second quest in Legend of Zelda. I've gotten a fair ways in it, to be sure. For a while I incorrectly thought I remembered actually beating the second quest until I realized there were some dungeons so well hidden that I had no clue, no memory of having found them before.Then it all came flooding back.  Years later though, the truth is, I don't know if I'll ever get through that second quest. Blasphemy for a Zelda fan. Even as I type it I have a hard time believing it.

Yes, I know there are walk-thrus and hints so readily available that it's ridiculous. None of us had the kind of gaming advice back then that you do now. It was you and an issue of Nintendo Power you hoped had the hint you needed. If not, better luck next month.  So maybe I've run out of excuses. 

Maybe, rather than sharing gratuitous (and awesome) montage shots to Legend of Zelda through the years, a better tribute would be to finally buckle down and beat that second quest.  Maybe, just maybe the hour to rescue princess Zelda for a second time has finally arrived!

(Cue gratuitous box art montage)

One of the best soundtracks ever.

An epic Epic of epic epicness...

And of course this little gem that I ....

...Wait. An HD remaster of Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess comes out soon?  Guess I'll be too busy to finish that second quest after all....maybe.

Midweek Music Box: The Great Fairy's Fountain

Wouldn't it be wonderful if listening to the sweet strains of harp while lying by a poolside were all it took to not only "cleanse" the body of impurities, but restore every aspect of your being from heart to health?

While my insides must have caught the notes of some sort of twisted fusion of accordion and bagpipes because I just spent several days in the hospital thanks to the stomach flu deciding to take my digestive tract for a spin. Between doctor's and nurses with their constant pokes, prods, and requests for fluids--I found myself just wishing for a bit of peace and rest. Kinda like what you never seem to get from the wrong side of a hospital bed. Although there were a bevy of movies to watch on the TV, and several books at my disposal; I found myself wishing for a bit of calming music, somehow feeling like the right tune would help me as much as anything administered via my IV. Of course when it comes to relaxing melodies that could sooth the soul and heal the body, one song immediately comes to mind:  The Great Fairy's Fountain Theme from Legend of Zelda.

"The Great Fairy's Fountain Theme"

First introduced in 1991 via Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, this Legend of Zelda song has, through its various iterations, featured the gentle and sweet, simple sound of a harp with a occasional ethereal sounds for accompaniment. Although  "Zelda's Lullaby" would have had a calming effect as well, I guess composer Koji Kondo did his job right, because when I want a song that both relaxes and soothes in a way that no syringe full of anti-nausea medicine can, I reach for this track on my playlist. 

Now, I'd be embellishing the healing properties of this song more than just a little bit if I were to credit it with helping me get out of my recent "incarceration" in a local hospital.  However, I can't emphasize enough how nice it was to get back home and have an opportunity to put this song on and just unwind. For me there's always been something inherently pleasing about the strains of harp. Each plucked note beckons you to take a moment, take just a few precious moments to both enjoy the music and receive a nurturing goodness from it. Perhaps it's because we often times associate harp music with angels that listening to a tune like this long enough can make you just want to drift away on fluffy cloud.

Okay, maybe that sounds a tad silly, but after a few days in a hospital bed I really would have preferred a fluffy white cloud to the adjustable brick that I was lying on.

Anwho--Several variants of this song have appeared over the years, but I wanted to share the version from the recent 25th Anniversary Symphony of the Goddess tour. Although full credit goes to Kondo for creating such beautiful music that still holds up when you listen to it on a game system; it was nice to hear a fully orchestrated--fully realized version of this song. It gives it a full breadth and depth that makes you appreciate the music all the more.

In case you're worried it won't have quite the calming effect promise, no need to for anxiety--I promise the Great Fairy won't so much as screech out a giggle.

tee hee...

Midweek Music Box; Theophany "Time's End" Majora's Mask

All things end.  All things draw to a close.  Halloween approaches and the end of this "season" of the year nears it's conclusion.  Time to wrap up the Halloween-themed Midweek Music Box picks with one that I find one of the most terror inducing of all.

For the record, I hated this music when I was a kid.  But in a good way.  You know, it's a love-to-hate thing.  The music on the last notes of the last day freaked me out, it left me completely unsettled, and it made me just want to restart the game's three day cycle simply so I wouldn't have to listen to that doom-filled music.  Soon...soon the rest of the world and I would experience a terrible fate, a final conclusion.

Everything in the game took on an unearthly quality. A sense of unstoppable horror and dread permeates every inch of Clock Town and pretty much wherever you are has an atmosphere of doom.  The people of the world know the end is coming and they cannot escape it.  Sure, you can travel back in time, but those people, in that timeline, for them the dawn brings the sun and the moon...and death.  That tune for those final hours send a chill up my spine to this day.  I like it for the mood it sets, and that it takes me back to a time when as a teenager horror movies couldn't scare me, but a simple tune could.  So when I heard Theophany's "Majora's Mask Remix" online a few year ago, I knew I had found not just a fantastic tribute, but a music mix which dialed up the dread to 11.

So why not give it a listen:  

"Final Hours"

Talk about eerie.  I mean, just picture that pumping out your window come Halloween?  Why not make a mock-up of a Redead to really set the mood a tad further?  Okay, maybe not.  Go with something less scary like a zombie or werewolf.  When it comes time though, I don't know if I would really need much else to set the mood for kids coming up to my home on the 31st.  There are definitely other tunes from Nintendo's library of games or 3rd party game makers who hit the coffin nail on the head.  From Ghouls and Ghosts, to Castlevania to even the Boo House from Super Mario World--Get some game music into that haunting rotation of yours and have a Happy Halloween.