It's that time again! In the fifth edition of "What We're NOT Playing," we continue our weekly dissection of each other's tastes in games by discussing what new releases we're avoiding.
This week, Stephen Totilo returns to talk with Cip and me about our general thoughts on skateboarding games and how the "Donkey Kong" franchise could be re-vamped, among other things. Here's a sample:
StephenTotilo: I'm ok with Mario being put in every kind of game known to mankind. Because there is an essential quality of Mario-ness, if you know what I mean.
StephenTotilo: But Donkey Kong? What's the consistent characteristic there -- aside from his annoying supporting cast?
JasonCipriano: his tie?
StephenTotilo: You know how DC and Marvel occasionally just wipe out have their universe?
StephenTotilo: I think the Donkey Kong universe needs the same type of house-cleaning
Photo Credit: Stephen Shugerman/ Getty Images
StephenTotilo: I'm back this week with a shocking update. I am NOT playing "Donkey Kong Barrel Blast"
TraceyJohn: Why?
TraceyJohn: I cracked a tooth on one of those root beer barrels that Nintendo sent.
JasonCipriano: cuz it's not "Mario Kart"
StephenTotilo: Because I think I have passed the point where I'll try any old Wii game to see how the controls are
StephenTotilo: AND...
StephenTotilo: I know this is a GameCube port, and one designed for bongo controllers, no less
JasonCipriano: but less annoying without the bongos
TraceyJohn: And you just came from Nintendo event where you got to try "Super Smash Bros. Brawl" and "Super Mario Galaxy," so it may pale in comparison?
StephenTotilo: Even if I didn't go.
StephenTotilo: Most of all, I continue to have problems with all of this "DK" franchising
"When did Donkey Kong become Mario?" |
StephenTotilo: When did Donkey Kong become Mario?
JasonCipriano: put him back at the construction site where he belongs
StephenTotilo: I don't like this use of Donkey Kong.
JasonCipriano: no one in that DK universe needs to exist
JasonCipriano: (except maybe for Cranky)
JasonCipriano: Diddy Kong just bothers me
TraceyJohn: agreed
StephenTotilo: I'm ok with Mario being put in every kind of game known to mankind. Because there is an essential quality of Mario-ness, if you know what I mean.
StephenTotilo: But Donkey Kong? What's the consistent characteristic there -- aside from his annoying supporting cast?
JasonCipriano: his tie?
StephenTotilo: You guys read comics, right?
TraceyJohn: Yes, we do
"You know how DC and Marvel occasionally just wipe out have their universe? I think the Donkey Kong universe needs the same type of house- cleaning." |
StephenTotilo: You know how DC and Marvel occasionally just wipe out have their universe?
TraceyJohn: Yes
TraceyJohn: You think that needs to happen with DK...
JasonCipriano: aren't DC and Marvel too mainstream for you?
StephenTotilo: I think the Donkey Kong universe needs the same type of house-cleaning
StephenTotilo: no more cast members
StephenTotilo: no more racing games
StephenTotilo: But let me add one other odd thing about "Barrel Blast"
StephenTotilo: They show the controls on the front of the box! That's just odd. And it seems kind of desperate
TraceyJohn: Actually, when we got it in
TraceyJohn: we were discussing how weird the box was
StephenTotilo: "Shake the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to race!" (with a picture of some hands doing that)
StephenTotilo: ugh
TraceyJohn: How it had every foreign language on it as well
JasonCipriano: it's not desperate – it's nintendo trying to make their games simple to understand and easily marketable
TraceyJohn: Because they're not already?
StephenTotilo: To Tracey, "every foreign language" = Spanish and French
TraceyJohn: To Stephen, yes! ... but okay, I was exaggerating
JasonCipriano: oh look there's donkey kong - i know him - but what's this game - oh it's a racing game - oh and the controls are easy
StephenTotilo: Spot on Jason... but it makes me sad and I don't want to even open this one
StephenTotilo: How about you two? What are you not playing?
JasonCipriano: i got 2
JasonCipriano: "Tony Hawk's Proving Ground" and "Fury"
StephenTotilo: Well "Fury" because it's an MMO, right?
JasonCipriano: ya - and it’s PVP
JasonCipriano: so I'm well behind in that space
JasonCipriano: i don't need to get my ass kicked on my PC (which couldn't run the game anyways) to remind me how badly i play games with a mouse and keyboard
StephenTotilo: But why no "Tony Hawk"? Aren't there achievements in it that you just need to unlock?
StephenTotilo: People looooove "Tony Hawk"
JasonCipriano: "Tony Hawk" because my 15 minutes with "Skate" reaffirmed my dislike for skating games.
JasonCipriano: and I'm doing my best to prioritize games for achievements
StephenTotilo: And that dislike is because...
JasonCipriano: "Skate'"s controls pissed me off
JasonCipriano: but i also realized i don't care about skating
JasonCipriano: the best things in those games are the soundtracks
TraceyJohn: Ok, so let me borrow it
TraceyJohn: because I was supposed to try that from the first WWNP
StephenTotilo: So Jason, could anyone ever make a skating game you would like?
StephenTotilo: What would it have to be to get you interested?
JasonCipriano: the team that made the "SSX" games
"That's why I always stayed away from the 'Tony Hawk' games in the past. I was a fan of the 'SSX' series and the control schemes were reversed." |
JasonCipriano: that's why i always stayed away from the "Tony Hawk" games in the past - I was a fan of the "SSX" series and the control schemes were reversed
JasonCipriano: wait – didn't the "SSX" team make "Skate"?
StephenTotilo: I do not know. But what is it about "SSX" that you'd want to see brought over?
StephenTotilo: is it the controls? the downhill emphasis?
JasonCipriano: the speed - and controls were always so tight
JasonCipriano: I'll admit i gave "Downhill Jam" a try (i actually bought it when i got my wii) and i haven't really picked it up in a while
StephenTotilo: because the thing I like about "SSX" is how little failure there is in the game. the best games in that series are just a rush. whereas skating games make me feel like I'm failing all the time because I'm constantly failing to hit
StephenTotilo: a jump or nail a combo or whatever the game wants me to do
JasonCipriano: yea - same thing here - i hate falling off the board and resetting
JasonCipriano: every 6 seconds
StephenTotilo: once again it seems like a lot of the games we each avoid are the ones we stink at. I guess that stands to reason. Tracey? You're avoiding what?
StephenTotilo: Are you playing "Halo 3" and "Orange Box"?
TraceyJohn: I actually will be checking out "Fury"
TraceyJohn: Hmmm. I guess "Tony Hawk" (because I stink at it, which I've mentioned before)
"I'm open to games I'm bad at ... as long as they teach me how to play the game." |
JasonCipriano: i mean I'm open to games I'm bad at ... as long as they teach me how to play the game
JasonCipriano: don't assume i know how to play a skateboarding game from the very beginning - maybe i haven't played the 34 other iterations of the game
JasonCipriano: make me better
JasonCipriano: give me a fish and i'll play for a day ... teach me to fish and I’ll play for a lifetime
JasonCipriano: or something like that
StephenTotilo: oh my.
StephenTotilo: meanwhile I'm frustrated with how much "Phantom Hourglass" is holding my hand, which is the opposite of your complaint
TraceyJohn: Sorry had a phone call... what about fish???
StephenTotilo: I was just fishing Tracey, to see what else you weren't playing
TraceyJohn: I finished the "Halo 3" campaign over the weekend
TraceyJohn: and I am TERRIBLE at FPS
TraceyJohn: but I played through it with friends. It was fun.
TraceyJohn: I actually try to confront games I'm bad at
TraceyJohn: So I guess it's not fair to say that I will not play "Tony Hawk." I will give the series another shot.
TraceyJohn: Maybe not this week, but I'd like to try "Skate" as well
StephenTotilo: Instead, you will confront Tony Hawk??
TraceyJohn: Yes. In person. Where is he?
JasonCipriano: i could take him
JasonCipriano: he’s old
TraceyJohn: And I have not tried "Orange Box" yet, but I'm interested in trying it on console
StephenTotilo: I was leery of playing it on console at first, because it seems like you should be playing that game on PC
JasonCipriano: yeah - but if your brain doesn't work that way.
StephenTotilo: but I gave in and played lots of "Portal"
JasonCipriano: we are talking about what we aren't playing people
StephenTotilo: I avoided the second half of "Episode 2," because the first half was so routine
TraceyJohn: oh really?
TraceyJohn: Did you try "Team Fortress 2"?
StephenTotilo: not since before the game was officially out and there was no one to play with
StephenTotilo: So we're not avoiding that much this week. That's all right. There's always next week to ignore the hard labor of the world's toiling game developers
StephenTotilo: later guys
Comments