Hey guys! It's time for a new installment of the NegativeWorld podcast. This episode, Cryojin, NinSage and DrFinkelstein discuss games they're playing, rumors and news, under and over appreciated Nintendo 64 games, and the essence of the Mario games.
As usual, the theme music comes from Negative World's owner and dictator, Zero. The interlude's musics are taken from New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
Comment on the topics, the podcast, the guests, the host, etc. on Negative World! Or, be go ahead and post them on Facebook or Twitter instead.
#1. Wasn't Lost in Shadow originally slated as a WiiWare game?
It was actually never announced as a WiiWare game, it's just a popular assumption that it started development as one. As for seeing a new version of the game, Hudson Soft no longer exists. Their properties are now owned by Konami, but I wouldn't hope for them to release a new version of a game that didn't sell well in the first place.
@roykoopa64 Wow I had long forgotten about Howard and Nester. I was maybe halfway through when I remembered I'd read that same episode years ago. Thanks for bringing back the memories! I have to download and listen to the podcast still. I must be slipping. I usually get them and listen right away.
@Mop it up Hmm, yeah now that I think about it, you might be right. I believe it was announced without specifying platform and people assumed WiiWare and it was later clarified to be a full disk at retail. But then, it's possible that they announced it without announcing the platform because it had started as a WiiWare title and they weren't sure yet whether to expand it to more or not? I just find it tough to believe that anyone would greenlight that game as a retail game from the start. Not that games like that shouldn't be at retail, just that the market is kind of against that right now.
Finally had the time to listen to it, Cryojin is a natural. What a fun topic, despite the fact that I don't have N64 nostalgia and don't really know its hidden gems at all. I really wish the VC had more of them.
I definitely agree Ninsage's annoyance with games that feel padded and won't end, and especially with the example he used. Once I got to the point where you have to clumsily backtrack through Lost In Shadow, I just stopped playing. It was not enjoyable anymore, and I prefered to quit while the game was ahead.
@Zero I agree that it likely started as a WiiWare game, I was simply saying it was never announced as one. It just makes a lot of sense given how the game turned out, and I find it to be a less cynical view than to criticise the game design of the developers.
When I got to that point I also almost quit several times. But, man, I almost neeeeever quit a game - especially one that I honestly do admire and respect. It does so many things brilliantly right, it's just that pacing that was done so horribly wrong.
Finished this up a few days ago, forgot to comment on it.
It was a cool episode. I liked that N64 part, and I'd like to add a game to the list of "didn't get the props it deserved" that totally deserves a better reputation that it has: Castlevania. Yeah, I know it's the most hated of the 3D Castlevania games (I think?) but man I really liked it. Such a good game.
Also, I think the episode should have been called "Sweating Bullet Bills" - I laughed when Dr. Fink said that during the podcast.
You are right. Castlevania on the N64 is a very, very good game. Now, it starts off without much music, which is kindof a turnoff. But once you make it past the castle's main gate the music starts and though it is different than the music from the sidescrolling Castlevania games, the musical score if really good. Esp. if you compare the soundtrack to the vast majority of N64 games.
The biggest problem with Castlevania on the N64, is the problematic platforming. Its not as solid as it should be and jumping feels more floaty than it should be.
There are many levels to this game and they all have a distinctive look and I would have to say the final Count Dracula encounters are my favorite across all of the games, esp. if you receive the full ending(which I heard will vary depending on how long it actually takes one to finish the game...see the game uses a night/day setup scheme and I heard the game keeps track of how many days it takes you to make it to the end). I just recently found out about that, though back in the day, I got the best ending when I completed the game...thats why I'm the gamewizard.
Also, for those who are maybe looking into playing the Castlevania game for the N64, make sure to get the legacy of darkness cart. This should have been the game we all got the first time, but Konami was under pressure to release the game, so 2 of the character's story were removed. We only received Reinhardt Schneider & Carrie Fernandez's playthroughs of the game. Whereas Legacy of Darkness gives us the original Cornell, who is a man-beast type character. His storyline is actually 8 years prior to Reinhardt's and Carrie's storylines, but it leads up and gives us the events on why ole Count Dracula is able to be resurrected during Reinhardt's and Carrie's playthroughs. As far as the 4th character's playthrough, Henry...I never played that character, so I can't give much advice or even say if his storyline is good. Def. play as Cornell, which you have to, before opening up the rest of the cast's storyline.
One last thing, Reinhardt's and Carrie's playthroughs are similar, but there are a few different levels to be seen in each of their story's progression, just as there is a few different areas in Cornell's playthrough . Though, remember, its only a couple of levels that are different. Basically, you will see 90% of the same levels in each character's story.
It's funny, but I actually liked the original version of the game more than the Legacy of Darkness version. I can't explain why though. Cornell's playthrough was pretty solid though, and I liked the new stages with Reinhardt and Carrie. Henry's story was difficult...it was basically a scavenger hunt for kids across the entire game. And it was timed. I didn't enjoy it that much back in the day, but I'm wondering if I should give it another shot.
I do have one piece of advice for those that play this game - don't use the Expansion Pak. The "high res" mode pretty much KILLS the framerate dead.
Yea, it would have been nice if the framerate would have beeen solid when playing the game in hi res. I guess Konami just didn't have the skills when it came to the N64. I mean, Castlevania was a great game, but its not like it had the best graphics for that system. Some areas the graphics were good, but many areas were a little too blurry, colors washed out for my taste. So, one would think that the game should have been able to run in hi res mode without a hitch. Shouldn't have been surprised though, its not like the original Castlevania 64 had great framerates.
Again, game is really good, much better than all the trash talk it received. I think the game had alot to live up to, esp. with Super Castlevania IV, which to this very day is still my favorite Castlevania game. I know many will disagree with me, but I just didn't care for Symphony of the Night on the Playstation. I can admit is was a great game, but I just did not like the fact that the whole game took place in the castle and I didn['t like how it was all connected, via Metroidvania. And since then, Castlevania has turned into an Anime series...ugg...I know those games are good, but again, I know nothing will ever make me feel the way I did when I played the SNES version. All the castlevania games today just seem all the same, blech.
@gamewizard65 You might like Order of Ecclesia on DS, it had a variety of areas from outdoors to indoors and such, and although it is kind of Metroidvania instead of one huge map there are a lot of smaller "levels" to go into.
