Topic: Nintendo Switch --OT--

Just to add about Hades, it’s basically got an entire dating sim rolled into it as well. And yes, you can be gay af, it’s based on Greek mythology after all.

I've beaten the second Bowser fight in Mario 64. Gone back and collected the red coins in both of his dark world stages now, putting me at 47 stars. The amusing thing is that I'll very soon be able to unlock the third boss door, despite not having played any of the stages in that area yet.

I think I'll go mess around some more in Dire, Dire Docks before torturing myself with Shifting Sand Land again.

@nessisonett ...you can date people in a roguelike hack n slash game?

@Arugula Ha ha - don't worry. I mean, I bought it and am playing it so it is doing something right!

I've got 41 stars on sm64 now, Ive been trying to get all the stars on one level before moving on to the next which has proved erroneous in some instances such as pole jumping for red coins (I was trying to get them without the poles being present 😭) also I've been getting the castle stars when I see them so I don't forget where they are. Sure some stuff is frustrating and it was hard to get used to the slippery was but that is part of the frustrating fun of the game! Many times I have shouted "**** you bowser" out loud even if he isn't present 😂

@RR529 ah yeah I see others have replied to you about the flying level, I was going to say you can access it later in the game but I wasn't sure when. Incidentally I tried it when you mentioned it and I was far enough in to trigger the level - which is a good thing actually because my next level to do is the sand level which requires the cap

@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy @Ralizah I really like 64 DS, it was the first time I ever played this game and I finished it all 150 stars. I could never get into the original because I thought the DS one was better. But of course I'm giving the original a good go now that I've paid top 2020 money for it lol. I played it using the DS thumb strap (that came with the original DS) using the bottom screen as an analog pad. It kind of made sense at the time being that it was in the middle and the analog stick would've been in the middle of the original N64 controller. Oh well it worked and was way better than using the d pad! I guess using the 3ds circle pad would give you better directional movement but you'd still have to hold a button down in order to run

@Ralizah Every single character has a relationship meter you can increase through giving them nectar or ambrosia, which you earn through runs. You earn rewards and dialogue with them. There are two characters who give you a choice later on to full on date which is cool. Most characters are your family since it’s the Olympians (not that incest stopped them before) so romancing them is somewhat complicated and I’m glad they stuck to the ones they did. There’s a male and a female option, so there’s at least a choice. For a roguelike, it’s the incidental dialogue and overarching story that are the highlights which is brilliant because I’m used to games like Isaac and Dead Cells having nonsensical plot and bundles of lore that you have to google.

@nessisonett Oh, that's cool. I did play BoI, but aside from my amusement at the premise, I found it to be quite boring after a few runs. It's also one of those games that doesn't explain itself fully when you encounter something new, and that irritates me.

Enter the Gungeon got boring after a few runs as well.

I did eventually beat Crypt of the Necrodancer, but it's hard to say I enjoyed it.

So I'll add Hades to my wishlist for when the price drops, but I'm not expecting to like it. But who knows? Maybe the reward of getting to know the people in the game will motivate me more.

@ralphdibny Yeah, I heard a lot of complaints about having to hold a button to run in the DS version, but I feel like that must be a decent trade-off for the character not feeling like he's running around on ice 24/7.

@Ralizah Yeah, Isaac’s one of my favourite games of all time but mostly because of Steam Achievements and some great mods. I also play far too much Tales of Maj’Eyal, an impenetrable classic literal Rogue clone with over 1600 achievements on Steam. As much as I am a fan of that style of game, I really do think you would enjoy Hades for its characters and plot more than anything!

@nessisonett I suck at most roguelikes - my issue is that I am pretty bad at most games so I use repetition to get better. So when I die and then have to figure it out, I suck. I struggled with Enter the Gungeon because the game was great, died on a boss, came back, different boss died again. Then I get frustrated with lack of progress and go off in a huff. Which is not the point.

F*** Lethal Lava Land. Naïve, fresh-faced 12-year-old Sam didn’t know any better and so accepted the flaws with a smile on his face. Cantankerous 35-year-old me is not amused in the slightest. The camera is appalling and I swear is even worse here. I do have to say that listening to the Hollow Knight soundtrack while I play is nice. The repetitive Mario tunes were starting to grate a little.

@mookysam I thought that volcano was bad. They just keep coming. Shifting Sand Land, Tall Tall Mountain and Tick Tock Clock are made by satanists.

@mookysam @nessisonett those are some of the best levels haha! What fun is it if it is too easy! Well I've 6 starred lethal lava and shifting sand. I'll look forward to those other ones mentioned! Also Ness, did you mean sadists or Satanists or both?!

Mario 64 always feels like I'm trying to keep myself every minute. The other 3D Mario games aren't as intense.

@nessisonett @ralphdibny
The volcano is awful mainly because of the camera, especially when it gets to jumping between poles. Something about the game feels off on the Switch. I don't know if it's simply the different controller, because the game was obviously made with the N64's more precise analogue stick in mind. There's a lot Nintendo could have done to improve the game, even in emulation, but it's very bare bones.

Shifting Sand Land is actually one of my favourite levels! Tick Tock Clock on the other hand. Ugh. I've now got the six main stars in Lethal Lava Land and Hazy Maze Cave, but am leaving the 100 coins in those for now.

@ralphdibny Both, absolutely. The camera really starts to get on my nerves on those levels, along with Mario having a turning circle larger than a horse and carriage.

I actually kind of liked the volcano level, but Shifting Sand Land can bite me. Seriously one of the most irritating levels I've ever encountered in a video game.

Surprisingly, I'm enjoying Big Boo's Haunt as well.

The game controls a lot more nicely in handheld with the Split Pad Pro. I feel like it's the larger joysticks. The N64's analog stick was tall and stiff, and Mario's controls are very mapped to every twitch of the stick.

Have to add here that the Pro Controller is brilliant. Easily one of the most comfortable controllers I’ve held, mostly in part to the grip being shaped a specific way that just feels really good. The sticks are nice too and the buttons are huge but have a good click to them. The D-pad is a bit inaccurate but that’s probably my only complaint. A massive step up from those bloody joy-cons.

I just beat the 70 star bowser battle and couldn't get off "The End" screen, turns out you have to turn off your N64 console🤦🏻‍♂️ guess I'll just press the Home button...

@nessisonett I've used the pro since the experiment with the GC controller, just too much faff and it is pretty smooth with the pro. I have been playing in handheld a bit when I'm in bed too.

@mookysam I only just found out about the 100 coin thing from a well meaning Toad! Can't believe I've gota go back through all the levels. I will do it last though so I can have a run through and say goodbye to all the levels. I doubt I'll play this again for another ten years at least

I have to say I really liked Jolly Roger Bay in 64. First time I can say I felt relaxed in 64, it's such a generally chill world (annoying eel mission notwithstanding). Only thing I'll say is that it needs to be more open on when you need a transformation in order to get a Star, as I spent way too much time trying to get the Jet Stream Star, not realizing until I looked it up that you need access to Metal Mario first (I kept trying to use the Koopa Troopa shell since it didn't seem to have any other use here, though it kept giving out just before I got to the jet stream, so I wasn't sure what I was missing).

Anyhow, I got all the other Stars in the world, plus three Secret Stars (the Aquarium one, Red Coins in first Bowser level, and basement Rabbit), for a total of 31, and I just beat the first Bowser level.

@RR529 Yeah, I’m a big fan of Jolly Roger Bay, it’s a tightly designed world. I agree about the transformations being a bit obscure on occasion but I think that’s a problem (or not, depending on your view) with games in general back then, a lot relied on some leaps of logic that mostly spread through word of mouth. Nintendo Power was almost required for some old games.

Jesus, why are the missions in Shifting Sand Land so much longer and harder than anything else in this game? That one where you have to land on four pillars and then fight a boss is the worst. I hate the wing cap!