PixlBit

Want to know which 2-D Zelda is the best Zelda? It isn’t Link to the Past! (WARNING: POSSIBLE STORY SPOILERS!!)

Here’s a little shocker for you: my first Zelda game was Ocarina of Time. I didn’t get into Nintendo’s other big franchise until Zelda made the jump to the Nintendo 64 in 1998. After experiencing Link’s first adventure in 3-D, I wanted more Zelda. I learned about the previous Zelda titles in the franchise, thanks in part to the awesome player’s guide Nintendo put out, and my need for more Zelda was quickly fixed with the arrival of Link’s Awakening DX. The “DX” part standing for “Deluxe”.

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Jason analyzes the recent sale of Harmonix, and what it means for the future of rhythm game sales.

A few months ago, Viacom sold off rhythm game developer Harmonix for a reported amount of fifty dollars. The most shocking aspect of this trade is that Viacom originally bought Harmonix for $175 million. Apparently the trade gives Viacom about $150 million in tax benefits, which is quite a hefty number, itself, but still, it seems like this is a major failure on Viacom's part, which reflects as a failure on the part of Harmonix, itself. A little while later, Activision reported that they will not publish a new Guitar Hero or DJ Hero game in 2011 after disappointing sales of the previous entry, simultaneously halting future DLC for the two franchises. The once-popular music gaming genre appears to have come to a screeching halt after oversaturation and the companies' failure to understand the market.

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Maybe making a sequel to an obscure game from the '80s wasn’t a great idea?

Rush’N Attack: Ex Patriot is the latest in a string of updates/sequels of old Arcade/NES games, some of which have been phenomenal, like Bionic Commando: Rearmed. Unfortunately for Konami, that same success isn’t manifesting in their sequel to Rush’N Attack. This is thanks in large part to some uninspired levels, finicky jump mechanics, and one-dimensional gameplay. The gameplay does occasionally give off a Metroid vibe, but it’s clear the developers didn’t know how to really capitalize on that concept, resulting in a ho-hum experience.

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Expect to see the latest addition to the Ratchet and Clank series in stores on October 18th, 2011

Sony recently revealed Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One's release date, as well as a slew of information about exclusive preorder bonuses from four separate retailers. Each preorder is a "free unlockable item."

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Being the definitive version of Rayman 2 isn't saying much.

Alright, let’s address the elephant in the room: Rayman 3D is a cheap cash-in port of the Dreamcast version of Rayman 2. No, the game has not been enhanced in any meaningful way other than the addition of stereoscopic 3D - and no, it doesn’t in any way actually enhance the gameplay. Yes, at times, I even encountered a few instances where the game completely froze up, thus forcing me to hard reset my 3DS. All of this aside, Rayman 3D is still an enjoyable experience - one that has lost some of its luster over time. Thanks to the circle pad on the 3DS, the game controls like a dream, and the 3D, while nothing significant, adds some nice visual flair, giving the game a bit of extra charm. All things considered, this release of Rayman 2 is the definitive one.

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