Gaming deals, good and bad

Let's face it: gaming is an expensive habit.

When it comes to the prices of things, I use a comparison method. For example: I got a decent bike for around $160. A Nintendo 3DS XL system will go for a suggested retail price of $199.99 when it hits this Sunday. Which is the better deal? To me, the answer is clear: the bike!

As you may have already guessed, today's topic is gaming gear and the money we spend on it. Maybe you spent $20 on a $50 Wii game. Or perhaps you spent the full $50 for a game, but it entirely worth that and then some. Allow me to share some of my own gaming deals, good and bad:

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword + Gold Wii Remote + Orchestra CD
For a huge Zelda fan like me, the $70 for this package was more than worth it. Normally, Wii remotes go for about $40, so I essentially payed half of that for a special edition Wii remote and a CD of some of the best music I've ever heard. Ka-ching!

Metroid Prime Trilogy
I got this game Used-Like New for $60. Back when it was first released, one could get it brand new for $50. Even with the added $10, this Wii collection turned out to be a great deal.

Rune Factory Frontier
I include this on the list because of the sheer amount of time I've invested in it. I've played Rune Factory Frontier for well over 100 hours, and it was a paltry $20 to buy.

Steel Diver
Now we get to the bad deals. Steel Diver is a first party Nintendo 3DS title for $40. I wouldn't call the game horrendous or anything, but I would say the price should be in the neighborhood of $5 or so. Just sayin'!

Now I would love to hear from you guys! What do you consider to be the best and worst in gaming deals?   

Metroid Prime and lots of screaming

I don't like to be horrified. Whether it's games, movies, or books, the "horror" genre is the last I would deliberately seek out.

I wouldn't call Metroid Prime a "horror" game, but it has a distinctly spooky atmosphere about it. It's terrifying, but in a very satisfying way. Does that make sense? Well, what if I just told you that I have screamed, out loud, many times while playing it?

What's the game's secret? It's got to be a combination of a lot of things, including art direction, level design, and music and sound effects. Especially music and sound effects. Just listening to some of the boss themes will send shivers down my spine, no problem. Sometimes you hear things. You hear, but don't see. You move forward a couple of steps, ever so cautious, look around for whatever's making the noise, and still you don't see.

I think atmosphere is the calling card of the Metroid series. I've played a lot of Metroid games, but none boast the same raw, well-defined creepy feel as Metroid Prime. Then again, I haven't even reached the second or third Prime games yet.

First Impressions: Metroid Prime

Please note: these are first impressions of the game Metroid Prime as found within the game Metroid Prime Trilogy...in other words, this is a Wii game, not a Gamecube game.

Phew! With that out of the way, let's talk about Metroid Prime, a really excellent game! Atmosphere is the calling card of basically any Metroid game, and Prime is no exception. In fact, of all the Metroid games I have played so far, Prime probably has the most engrossing, compelling atmosphere of any. That is one of the first things that struck me as I began the game.

I was further impressed by the controls. I don't know how it feels to play Metroid Prime with a Gamecube controller, but I can tell you that I've never been more thankful for point control than while playing Prime. I'm not very competent at the first-person shooter format, but if every FPS feels as slick and simple as Prime, sign me up, I'll play them all!

Level design in Metroid Prime is also top notch from what I've played so far. The levels are a joy to explore and are teeming with secrets. I have gotten stuck a couple of times, but no situation has been so hopeless that a little bit more poking around didn't fix it.

Complaints? I do get a little nauseous when I need to spin the camera more than 90 degrees. Is that an FPS thing or a Metroid Prime thing? It's not like it ruined the game for me, though, so no harm done!

All in all, I can't wait to keep playing Metroid Prime, and that's when I know a game's a keeper!

Now Playing: Week of April 21-27

Welcome back to the place where we talk about what games we'll be playing in the upcoming week! Here's the run-down:

Holly
I'll be playing much of what I have been playing for weeks now: game-beating is slow-going with an overstuffed class schedule to keep one busy. So my "usuals" are returning: Metroid Prime, Xenoblade Chronicles, Kid Icarus: Uprising, Golden Sun, and Metroid: Zero Mission are priorities. I might try to squeeze some Okami in, but somehow playing it feels more like a chore than anything else right now. I'm afraid I can't explain that...

Mary
With all of her activities (especially as the school year approaches its close), Mary has limited herself to one gaming desire for the week: playing Guitar Hero. If the opportunity presents itself, however, we may play some Donkey Kong Country Returns or World of Goo together at some point.   

Now Playing: Week of April 14-20

Welcome to another edition of Now Playing! Let's dive right into the games of the week:

Holly
As a recent First Impressions post would tell you, I finally received and have been playing the Wii game Xenoblade Chronicles. This week, I also hope to break back into Okami for Wii. I'm finding it somewhat difficult to do so, but I must! Metroid Prime rounds out this week's Wii line-up. It's pretty ambitious, I know! In the handheld realm, I will still be playing Kid Icarus: Uprising, but, having beaten it, it'll be more of an afterthought to GBA games Golden Sun and Metroid: Zero Mission. In addition to all of the above games, I may sprinkle in some of the following during the week: Rhythm Heaven Fever, Super Mario Galaxy (1 and 2), Final Fantasy III, Super Mario 64, and Wii Sports Resort. How 'bout you all?

*UPDATED* Now Playing: Week of April 7-13

Holly
Last week I forgot to mention one key title that I would be playing. That's because I hadn't gotten it yet, but I have it now! Metroid Prime Trilogy! I already started Metroid Prime and will undoubtedly play it some more this week! Kid Icarus: Uprising is another important game. I've been working on it for a while, and I am getting closer to finishing it, but it's a busy life, after all! Though Excitebots: Trick Racing got a lot of love this week, I still haven't quite finished with it, so it'll carry over into next week. What's new, you ask? Well, Metroid: Zero Mission, for one! Also, I'm hoping to begin Final Fantasy III this week as well. It should be a great week of gaming!

Mary (Update)
Mary will most likely be relaxing with Donkey Kong Country this week. And if she's got time, I'll probably have her over to my place for some social gaming, which might involve any number of games. MotoHeroz is a favorite of ours, but perhaps Mary will consent to play Super Mario Galaxy while I take up the player two position. There's a slew of other possibilities: New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Mario Kart Wii, Kirby's Return to Dreamland, Kirby's Epic Yarn, Rayman Origins, Super Mario World, Donkey Kong Country 2, World of Goo, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Mario Bros. 3...with so many games to play together, there's no telling what we might choose!  

Favorite Wii games countdown #1: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

I kid you not, I have now been sitting at my desk for fifteen minutes or more, wondering what I can possibly say about my number 1 favorite Wii game, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Should I talk about the controls? Should I address the complaints that other reviewers may have towards this game? Should I recount the experience it was waiting for this game to be released? There are simply too many possibilities! Perhaps I'll discuss all of the above. Perhaps not. We'll see where the flow takes me.

The Wait
The very first teaser fans were blessed with was this little beauty right here:

Tantalizing, eh?

The web must've exploded! I got little tidbits here and there on the internet, but this occurred so long ago, I wasn't the web nut I am now. I remember searching for the image so I could place it as my desktop background, all the better to admire it.

News about the new Zelda game came very slowly, or so it seemed to me. During this time, it was a lot easier to not think about the game than it was during the months leading up to its release. When the trailers began flowing, I found it increasingly hard to keep my mind off of this game. Some months before the blessed released date, I pre-ordered the limited edition bundle from Amazon. More waiting. Agony! That, however, wasn't nearly as bad as the wait for my copy to come after the game's release. It released on a Sunday: I didn't get my package until the second Monday after.

The Game
I wasted little time in getting started with the game. I had all of my younger siblings around me. We watched the introduction sequences, enraptured. I found myself completely absorbed into the game world from the moment I took control of Link.

That immersion didn't let up through any portion of Skyward Sword. The pacing was great. There was always something to be in awe of. The motion control, in particular, added much welcome change and depth to the whole experience. In short, the game blew my mind.

Honorable Mention: Rayman Origins
I heard a lot of great things about Rayman Origins from a variety of sources, so I knew I would get it eventually. When I saw I could own the game for $30, I jumped at the chance. And I'm glad I did. Rayman Origins has got a lot of things going for it: pretty graphics, tight controls, a sense of humor, and a charming soundtrack to name a few. I recently played this one with a non-gamer friend of mine, and she loved it! If you ask me, that is one of the best forms of praise a game can receive. That said, don't worry all of you challenge-seekers out there! Origins has plenty of that along with accessibility. Just...don't miss out on this one if you have a Wii, okay? That's all I have to say.

A Game I Should Have Played: Metroid Prime Trilogy
Why?! Three well-reviewed games for a mere $50? Why did I think I could miss out on it?! For those of you who don't know, Metroid Prime Trilogy is a Wii game that actually contains three games: Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime 2, and Metroid Prime 3. All three Metroid Prime games were met with phenomenal praise. All I can do is keep asking myself "WHY?!" If I bought this game now, it would burn a $150 hole in my wallet. That's three times as much as it was when it first came out. I have never played any of the Metroid Prime games. Someday I'll get around to that, but I'm not so confident that it will be in "Trilogy" form. Why, Holly, why?