Advancing Boy!

I have always enjoyed handheld gaming, it's more than just the convenience of being able to play games anywhere.  For me its the awe & admiration I feel towards developers when playing a great portable game.  When creating a game for a handheld device there can be a big limitation on what can be achieved.  There is less power in these devices which means lesser graphics need to be replaced with greater stories & gameplay.  Many developers  are unable to step up to the plate & we become awash with mediocre or bad games. However there are some willing to rise to the challenge & push the console to its limits & provide us with the great games we crave. With this in mind I am going to spend at least the next two posts discussing handheld consoles & their games.

Before playing Zero Mission I had never played a Metroid game, as I was a Sega Kid it was an easily missed series.  While I realize for the most part that Zero Mission is basically a suped-up colour version of the original game I really loved it & thought it added to the original (which I later played).

The plot in some way reminds me of Aliens, a group messing with a dangerous species they hope to control. Samus (Ripley) being one of the only sane people decides to take care of business & ensure the universe doesn't get any more screwed up than it already is.

One of the first things that grabbed me was the music, sometimes eerie & other times really action packed. It could make you feel alone & isolated or pumped up & ready to kick ass. The game could be both colourful & dark. Some areas on planet Zebes felt dark but was always balanced by Samus's bright suit.

I loved the gameplay! There is something about coming against an unpassable area & then later getting an upgrade & you think to yourself, now I can get through that part. One of my favorite upgrades is the roll - simple but effective.

The game in itself made me want more & although it got some negative feed back due to its length I walked away satisfied & happy (that's what she said).  There is a saying I feel rings true here "always leave them wanting more", there are number of games that can feel overly long especially if the story is weak - this is not one of those games.

This game series was another first for me. I was aware of Zelda series but had never played any of them. I am not embarrassed to say it but I found the game tough.  It was a style of gameplay I was relatively unfamiliar with & combined action with puzzles.

You play as Link a pint size green menace who swings his sword round & smashes pots, his excuse for doing this? Saving the Kingdom of Hyrule & the Princess - being honest it's a good excuse. Your mission is to restore an ancient blade called the Four Sword, to do this you need to find the Picori people.  Your main tools are a sword, shield, a thirst for destruction & of course Ezlo a talking green cap.

The music always gave me the feeling of urgency, whether I was in a field or in a dungeon. The game always feels bright even when you are in a darkened area, this is probably due to Link's appearance. His crazy green hat, pointy ears & blonde hair help keep a certain lightness to a game which can be very dark.

The game play is quite fun & as you work your way through the game you obtain more weapons to help you over come obstacles.  Each dungeon you enter usually has a new weapon & a key item.  The boss at the end of the dungeon usually offers the main challenge, forcing you to consider every move you make & pick the right tools to defeat them.

While this game is not my favorite in the series it was a great introduction to it. If for some reason you have not had the chance to play a Zelda game this might be the place to start. Being honest though my favorite is the Phantom Hour Glass, more on this later.

While I have mixed feelings on this game I feel it is worth mentioning. The appeal for some is the gameplay, for others it was the story & for me it was probably the look of the game. I also want to give a shout to a friend of mine Max who introduced me to this game & the previous two games mentioned.

The story for me was not too exciting. Andy a Commander of the Orange Star Army is seemingly attacking other countries for no reason. You get take on the role of one of the Commanders & fight your way through various enemies.

The music was fun & up beat which is one of things I liked about it. For me though one of things that let it down was that the maps, they felt dull & lifeless.  On the plus side the animations when attacking enemies looked great.

I have never been big in to turned based games especially war games.  While I can appreciate the benefit of turned based gameplay in a war style game its feels out of place.  Some would argue that it is better as it gives you time to plan your moves & act more strategically.  For me I feel real time strategy is the way to go; reacting,counter attacking & planning on the go.

It may seem I have done nothing put the game down & to degree that is true. I do feel some of the map designs could be improved along with the game mechanics.  On the other hand I feel the game can be very fun; great animations & the commanders you can play as each have their own quirky personalities & abilities. Bottom line, if you like turn based combat, fun animations & characters this one is for you.

So its time to come to the close of another post but before I go here are some other titles that are worth checking out (it's a short list because I got caught up in my next handheld device):

Pokemon Emerald
R-Type 3
Mario Golf Advance Tour


See you next time!