Dueling Analogs

You Got Metroid in My Castlevania

Steve Napierski — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:55:54 +0000

There was a recent article on Joystiq’s [link] about whether or not Metroid Dread is or isn’t it the works got me thinking about something completely different. That I love Metroidvania games!

For those of you who may not know what a Metroidvania (also known as a Castleroid by someone, but I don’t know who) game is, it’s a 2D side-scrolling platformer adventure game with emphasis on exploration. The names Metroidvania and Castleroid are amalgams of Metroid and Castlevania. Specifically because the original Metroid and Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest were the originators of the genre. While their successors Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night are herald as the formula for all future incarnations of the genre.

Looking over a list of list of Metroidvania games, on Listal.com, also had me noticing something else. Overall, this is a pretty solid genre. Think of any other kind of genre. While these games might have some exceptional titles, they definitely have their share of blemishes as well. While on the other hand, the Metroidvania games are pretty strong overall. With it’s weaker title not being below subpar, but being considered average at worse.

Unfortunately, with the 2D Castlevania games firmly grounded on the handhelds there aren’t really a lot of these type of games on the console systems. Part of the problem is the misconception that Metroidvania games need to be sprite based, and sprite based games don’t always sell so well, because they exist in a 2D world. While games like Odin Sphere and Muramasa: The Demon Blade demonstrate that 2D games with sprites can be works of art, just because it’s 2D movement that doesn’t necessarily mean it needs to be a 2D game. Games like New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Street Figher IV clearly demonstrated that 3D games can exist on 2D rails and still be awesome.

The other problem is that publishers don’t think they’ll sell. Granted I’m not sure how well a Metroidvania game would do with a full release on disc format. Especially, with the amount of development time that would have to go into the project and potential monetary losses. But games like Shadow Complex showed that there is definitely a place for this genre in the world of DLC (downloadable content) and there is also lots of money to be had in it as well.

To summarize: I love this genre, I want to see more of this genre and I think it’s a good idea as well. I think this is definitely an area that I would like to see some of the up and coming indie developers focusing on, but then again I bet a lot of them already are.

Playstation Wiimote Moves Me

Steve Napierski — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:39:22 +0000

I’m not here to talk about the Playstation 3’s foray into the area of motion controlled peripherals. I’m not here to debate whether their attempt is superior or inferior to that of their competitors. I’m not even here to joke on glowing ball thing on the top that reminds me of those bobbing antennas that you wore on your head as kids. No, I’m here to ask one question. Again, Sony? I had thought that with the exemplar showing of Playstation 2 that Sony had gotten out of the business of ripping Nintendo off, but I guess I was wrong.

The original Playstation a.k.a. PS1 and not the PSX (that was something completely different) had this controller. A controller that was done so well that Sony has basically cloned it and recloned it for the PS2 and PS3. The thing is, the controller is just a Super NES controller with handle thingies at the bottom.

Later this same Playstation controller (Now called a Dual Analog controller because it had two duel analogs sticks added to it, which is cool. I give credit where credit is due.) also had this vibration thing added to it and became the Dual Shock controller. Once again, the this vibration concept was a rip off from Nintendo and their rumble paks for the N64 controllers.

And now their new Playstation Move controllers are nothing more than blatant ripoffs of the Nintendo Wiimote and nunchuk. Sure they moved buttons around and made it a little different. For example, it’s black and the Wiimotes are white. And it also has that glowing ball thing on top that was specifically added there to say, “Hey, I’ve got a great idea! Let’s ripoff Nintendo, again.”

Seriously… It’s a ripoff and a blatant one at that too. But if you can’t see it, then I guess you can’t see that Avatar is really Disney’s Pocahontas either. I’m just saying.

[source]

Wirt’s Third Leg

Steve Napierski — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0000

This is what we refer to as an eleventh hour comic. I knew around 9:30pm that there was no way that I would finish the comic I was originally working on on time. For starters, the strip is fifteen (15) panels long and I was only five (5) panels in. Second, as of 9:30pm I had just finalized the way that the characters in the comic would look. And lastly, it’s fifteen friggin’ panels long! I know a lot of you think that this is my full-time job or that I have all the time in the world, but I don’t. If I did, then I wouldn’t ever have an excuse for a missed update or lack of polish. But since neither of those are true, I can.

I was joking with a friend about Wirt’s Third Leg last week. Saying that I imagined it being like an old Hanna-Barbera cartoon. In fact, I was originally intending on animating this like an old Hanna-Barbera cartoon but time constraints had other things in mind. I can still hear the old cartoon music while I’m reading this comic.

Nonetheless, I will continue to work on the originally planned comic and hopefully I will have it finished sometime next week. Until then…

Classic Dueling Analogs #3

Steve Napierski — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:26:00 +0000

This is one of my personal favorites. Not only do I love the delivery of this comic but the title for it is “Without the Super, He’s Just a Man”.

Running another Classic Dueling Analogs today. First off, changed the name of these from “If Scott Johnson can do this then so can I” numbered sequentially to “Class Dueling Analogs” numbered sequentially. Second, sorry for the lack of a new comic. Currently living in the house that sick built and not feeling the motivation nor the funny to create anything new. Third, I want to thank Griffin McElroy for including Dueling Analogs in the latest Joystiq’s Weekly Webcomic Wrapup. I really appreciate it. And lastly, I really think Thursday’s comic will make up for the lack of new material today. It’s a comic that I’ve wanted to do for a very long time now and the positive response to the previous comic gave me the confidence that I could actually pull it off. Thanks, everyone.

Until Thursday…

Suck My Brock

Steve Napierski — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:47:00 +0000

I think my explanation makes a little more sense than what “really” happens.

So Monday I did a comic about Yu-Gi-Oh! because when I was sick last week I found my self watching Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s on Cartoon Network. Today’s comic is about Pokémon because I also found myself watching Pokémon DP Galactic Battle on Cartoon Network as well. All I can say about Pokémon DP Galactic Battle is “Huh?”

Keeping the post short today. You want to rant about Pokémon, Pokémon DP Galactic Battle or Brock never opening his eyes please do below. Otherwise, I will see you on Monday.