Game that you're obnoxious about

[Rett Mikhal]

Wasn't Final Fantasy VI actually released as III on the SNES in America?

The game I'm OBNOXIOUS about... to the point I will not only strap people to a chair with a nintendo controller (like Cap'm N) and superglue their eyes open (like Cap'm N) and force them to play, but will ALSO go out of my way to buy people a copy of the game or give them the ROM and an emulator for, AND help them through the first dungeon.... is Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals.

Most people ask, shouldn't I play the first one? Well, no. Lufia II is a prequel, so it's perfectly acceptable to play through it first and the first one second, like I did. In fact, it's better. Prequels just don't work for me past the hour long format of a Star Trek episode in which usually only 20 minutes are spent in excited suspense that you know who is going to bite the bullet.

I saw Lufia II in Nintendo Power when I was a lad, and it had cool pictures and an interesting story, so I rented it and it hasn't left my mind since. I think I have two copies of it scattered across the far-off lands (read: family) and have played through it about 15 times. The story just never gets old. How can a SNES evoke emotion out of 16 bit sprites?.... they did it.

And the music... Super Nintendo beat the 32X for a good reason.

Just PM me, I'll give you the rom and some Save Files! LET ME SHOW YOU MY POKEMONS!

[Hucklebubba]

rettmikhal said:

Wasn't Final Fantasy VI actually released as III on the SNES in America?

Yep. I just call it VI because that feels more nerd-accurate.

And you are correct: Lufia II is awesome.

On the issue of 16-bit emotion, it always kind of bothered me that Maxim kicks Tia to the curb in favor of Selan, apparently just because she's hotter. Not that I can argue; she is, at least in the context of big-headed sprite people.

That's the way I remember it, anyhow. It's been a while, and I was just a wee lad at the time, so perhaps there was some more noble reason.

[Rett Mikhal]

I disagree. Maxim and Tia were friends since they were in diapers. Maxim just couldn't bring himself to ruin that friendship for his own gains. Besides, Maxim was a warrior, Tia was not. They were from two different worlds and Selan was the only warrior chick that could possibly tame him.

Also, Tia leaves of her own accord, without giving a chance to let Maxim change her mind. Most likely she knew he'd be wrought with guilt, because he's not a big pile of average hero crap and only cares for himself.

Huckle, did you ever make it to the end of the Ancient Dungeon?

Edit: Oh, yeah, and you're right. Big headed dot eyed green haired sprites are way hotter than blue haired ones. Selan just shows more leg, what can I say.

[Hucklebubba]

rettmikhal said:

Huckle, did you ever make it to the end of the Ancient Dungeon?

I want to say that I did, but it's such a fuzzy memory that I can't with absolute certainty. And that's just the sort of thing that I'd put on my permanent life resume, so the fact that I can't remember clearly would seem to indicate that I did not.

Switching gears slightly: Something that always weirded me out slightly about the ending of Lufia II is that, unless I did something wrong, you never face off against the head Sinistral. As I recall, you fight Amon(?), Maxim and Selan become orbs of light or somesuch, and the head dude says, "Well, I reckon I'll just keep a-sittin' on this throne." (I'm paraphrasing, of course.)

I have an actual working copy of the game not more than three feet from where I'm sitting now, and a Super Nintendo three feet in the other direction. Perhaps it's time to play through again.

rettmikhal said:

Oh, yeah, and you're right. Big headed dot eyed green haired sprites are way hotter than blue haired ones.

Green-haired chicks rock the Casbah. I mean, you've got Terra from FF6, the DASH! incarnation of Nuku Nuku. . .um. . .Terra again. . .and countless other noteworthy green-haired women whom I cannot think of right now because they don't exist.

[Rett Mikhal]

That's Erik the Absolute. His motives are... unknown. Daos was the leader of the Sinistrals in the human world, and the party never even knew Erik existed. Erim seemed to be his most trusted Lt., which is ironic considering she is identity challenged up the wazoo.

Ever notice there's at least one blue haired person in anything from Japan?

[Hucklebubba]

rettmikhal said:

Ever notice there's at least one blue haired person in anything from Japan?

Well, yeah. 'Cause you gotta have blue hair.

[PoolMan]

Haha... the perfect reply.

[Rett Mikhal]

Just what I hoped you would reply, as well!

"Those sure are some fresh kicks, Homestar."
"THANKS, I KNOW!"

[eatmyshorts]

Donkey Kong Country 2 is tied with Metal Gear Solid for the greatest game ever mad, but than again, those are 2 of the handfull of games I have actually had the attention span to play through.

[Al]

MGS was a good deal of fun, but Donkey Kong Country 2 was where it was *at* in 1995. I spent 3 full months racing my friend Vin to 102% completion.

[Rett Mikhal]

So true... I remember going to three different stores trying to get that game. Back then getting full completion was fun. It was an adventure. It was a challenge. Now it just feels like... work. I'm not sure if I've changed or the games have changed or both or some kind of sine wave variable of changitude but the point remains. Why should I have to freaking scan every rock just to see Samus' face?!?!?

Oh, and the best DK2 world was the Kremlin Amusement park. Anyone else notice when you beat Link for third place, his vest appeared in the garbage next to Sonic's shoes and Earth worm Jim's gun?

[Spiderdancer]

For me? Oblivion, no question. This game, and specifically making new stuff for it, helped get me through a very low point in my life and I cherish it for that reason.

Other reasons:

The graphics. Purrr.

The mods. Natural Weather? Check. Fantasy Figures and Robert's Bodies and armors for ditto? Check. Making my own new race with new texture every time I want to start a new game? Woo hoo.

The fans. I love Canadian Ice & Howndog's forum, and I meet a lot of people of widely different ages and backgrounds there (sort of like here but with more other goths). It's fun and lolism is little tolerated.

Gameplay. I have yet to find another sandbox RPG that lets me roleplay this much, do what I want with a character to this extent. I absolutely refuse to play any game that won't let me be my own gender (see: Gothic III, the Witcher) or forces my character to wear things I would kill someone for suggesting in real life (see: any game ever made with a solely female protagonist). Honestly I'm now so spoiled I would never play a game without equippable clothing and armor, at least not unless it were a really killer RTS.

NeverWinter Nights was made by the people who invented RPGs, and it absolutely sucks for roleplaying compared to Oblivion.

[Rett Mikhal]

What about older games that let you pick your armor but just don't cosmetically change. Because then you're just at an impasse. You said you would play it, but without the aesthetics... will you?

If you will, I suggest Lufia II. Hey I said I was obnoxious about it up yonder. UP YONDER.

Those mods get really addicting... to the point you download so many they overlap each other and cause serious problems. But I don't care. My character had Obi-Wan's padawan saber handle and that made me happy.

[Spiderdancer]

Of course I will - if the game is good enough. I do play Diablo II so I'm not a total graphics whore. It has annoying fem outfits but I get around that mostly by playing males.

[BlackCatWhiteCat]

Okami. Never in my life have I been so entranced with a game's beauty, originality, and music. It's the only game that I've ever flipped through all the sound bytes JUST FOR FUN, and let the full versions run as well. I was crushed when my nephew (2 years my junior), who got me into RP games reacted to it with "meh. It's interesting to watch buy I'd hate to play it." WHAT? I actually STARTED CRYING during what Issun did near the end of the last fight. That's another thing I've never done before with a game.

Also I'm extremely homesick for Japan, and playing this game almost puts me back there sometimes (obviously I lived in a more rural area).

Okay so other than that, DDR. If for no other reason than to have someone to play with. But two very good reasons are that a) It's fun. b) It helps keep you in shape.