Game Debate #185: Superman (N64)

[Tulpa | 3,516]

Gloves just out-Estiled Estil! 

[The Count | 528]

1 hour ago, Tulpa said:

Need more detail. Why is he a vampire? Does he sparkle? If he's a count, where's his county located? If he lived in Portugal, wouldn't he be called the comte?

There's more questions than answers here!

I'll not further elaborate other than to divulge that these questions and more are between me and Mrs. The Count.

[Estil | 1,265]

5 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said:

The Louisville Bobcat is named Count?

Who is this Loserville Bobcat you speak of?  Sounds like some sort of minor league pickleball team or something...

[Link | 2,714]

6 hours ago, Tulpa said:

Gloves just out-Estiled Estil! 

Too obscure and vulgar for Estil

[OptOut | 8,889]

Although I HAVE played this game for maybe an hour or so, I haven't played nearly enough of it to make a judgement. I intend to fully playthrough this game at some point, so I'm going to hold off on my judgement until then.

However, based on what I HAVE played of the game thus far, it's definitely NOT the worst N64 game IMO.

[GPX | 1,370]

3 hours ago, OptOut said:

Although I HAVE played this game for maybe an hour or so, I haven't played nearly enough of it to make a judgement. I intend to fully playthrough this game at some point, so I'm going to hold off on my judgement until then.

However, based on what I HAVE played of the game thus far, it's definitely NOT the worst N64 game IMO.

I’m now curious to know what is the worst N64 game in your view?

I’ve got the game but haven’t bothered to give it a try thanks to having watched an AVGN episode on it. 

[OptOut | 8,889]

4 minutes ago, GPX said:

I’m now curious to know what is the worst N64 game in your view?

I’ve got the game but haven’t bothered to give it a try thanks to having watched an AVGN episode on it. 

Okay, so I haven't played every N64 game (yet), so there may be worse, but I have a couple that I know are absolutely garbage tier.

For starters, Batman Beyond is a shallow, underdeveloped game, which may not be as outright BROKEN as Superman 64, but it is incredibly lazy, poorly designed and criminally lacking in content. It's a VERY straightforward beat-em-up with ZERO original ideas or ambition, but even then it's very poorly executed. At least Superman had ambition for greater things, even if they didn't pan out.

However, the absolute worst games on the system IMO are Elmo's Letter Adventure and Elmo's Number Journey. Now, I know what you're thinking, hold on, those are kid's games, of COURSE they suck. But seriously. Not only do they suck, indeed, each being a small collection of REALLY basic and boring minigames (which wouldn't be fun even if you WERE 5 or whatever), but the simple fact that these TWO carts were released for FULL PRICE EACH with content that TOGETHER would be considered sparse really takes the cake. I think that abuse really needs to be called out, even if you don't need to pay full price these days.

Other than that, there are a lot of games I would consider bad, like Starshot or a bunch of the sports and/or fighting games, but they aren't OFFENSIVELY bad like the above examples. Some of these may or may not be as bad as Superman.

Actually, once I REALLY give Superman a proper go, I'm kinda hoping it lands somewhere in the sweet-spot of "so bad it's good" territory, like Carmageddon 64, Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue or Monster Truck Madness. What I've played of it so far, it has potential for me to hit that spot, I DO actually really like playing super bad games now and then, lol! 

[OptOut | 8,889]

36 minutes ago, GPX said:

I’m now curious to know what is the worst N64 game in your view?

I’ve got the game but haven’t bothered to give it a try thanks to having watched an AVGN episode on it. 

Oh man, I just remembered another while I was at it. Rugrats Scavenger Hunt. Basically imagine Mario Party, but it looks like complete shit, the boards require EVEN more luck to navigate and win, and there aren't even MINIGAMES to make it fun! Playing that game is boring AF, it takes FOREVER to finish a single board, and you have a CONSTANT barrage of annoying baby sounds and other sound effects ringing in your ears the whole time. Utter hell! 

However, I do feel it's fair to point out that the other Rugrats game (Rugrats in Paris) on N64 is WAY better. I mean it's still not great or anything, but there actually are fun minigames in that one, and the premise of exploring an amusement park is genuinely fun and engaging. It even has some boss battles thrown in, it's worth checking out if you like the characters at the very least, or are just looking for a relatively relaxing fun game not to take too seriously.

[RH | 4,918]

2 hours ago, GPX said:

I’m now curious to know what is the worst N64 game in your view?

I’ve got the game but haven’t bothered to give it a try thanks to having watched an AVGN episode on it. 

IMHO, any "sports management" game, even if well designed, sounds like the most painfully boring experience, ever.  But that's a personal opinion.  I'm not a sports person but those games where you strictly manage teams and then watch the computer play the games... I just don't get it.

2 hours ago, OptOut said:

However, the absolute worst games on the system IMO are Elmo's Letter Adventure and Elmo's Number Journey. Now, I know what you're thinking, hold on, those are kid's games, of COURSE they suck. But seriously. Not only do they suck, indeed, each being a small collection of REALLY basic and boring minigames (which wouldn't be fun even if you WERE 5 or whatever), but the simple fact that these TWO carts were released for FULL PRICE EACH with content that TOGETHER would be considered sparse really takes the cake. I think that abuse really needs to be called out, even if you don't need to pay full price these days.

I can't believe I'm doing this but... I'm going to stick up for these games.  I've not played the N64 titles but after my daughter was born and and she was just old enough to pick up a controller, I bought Ready Set Grover for the Wii.  It sounds 100% the same.  It only has, maybe, 6 mini games and a couple of those might have variation of set design.  The controls are super basic, like super-slowly tilting  your Wiimote left or right to "Catch" items as the fall, or to steer Abi on a tricycle to avoid obstacles as she's riding at a snails pace.

This stuff is slow and simple.  I bought the pack that came with the game and the Grover sleeve for the Wiimote and it might have been on sale, but it was a a full-priced game at some point.  Regardless, I did feel like I was ripped off... but it was perfect for my 2 year old daughter.  She not only loved the game, but at her age the difficulty was truly right where she was at.  There is zero-fun in a game like this for anyone over 5 unless you're the parent of the child playing it.  My daughter loved it... she loved it longer than she probably should have because it was a fond memory for her as she was aging out of it, plus she was able to teach her little brother about it as she got older and he was growing up to be old enough to hold a Wiimote.

In this context, as a parent who saw how two kids enjoyed this game and learned to play together, I'm glad I bought it and it was worth it.  In fact, every now and then my daughter asks to pull it out and play it.  It's not because it's a great game.  She's 12 and sees that.  But for her, this is her first itch of nostalgia and as a Dad who's a nostalgia nut, I can support that type of game play from time to time.

I can't give this game "high praise" from an adult perspective but as a parent looking for something dead-simple and safe for a wee-gamer, these types of titles really do help little ones actually get into gaming.  I know there are some small geniuses that can pick up controllers at 3  years old and murder their gamer Dad's at Street Fighter Turbo, but those kids are the exception.  Most little kids will benefit from having a super-low-entry game like these.  My two kids sure did.

Edited January 8 by RH

[OptOut | 8,889]

28 minutes ago, RH said:

IMHO, any "sports management" game, even if well designed, sounds like the most painfully boring experience, ever.  But that's a personal opinion.  I'm not a sports person but those games where you strictly manage teams and then watch the computer play the games... I just don't get it.

I can't believe I'm doing this but... I'm going to stick up for these games.  I've not played the N64 titles but after my daughter was born and and she was just old enough to pick up a controller, I bought Ready Set Grover for the Wii.  It sounds 100% the same.  It only has, maybe, 6 mini games and a couple of those might have variation of set design.  The controls are super basic, like super-slowly tilting  your Wiimote left or right to "Catch" items as the fall, or to steer Abi on a tricycle to avoid obstacles as she's riding at a snails pace.

This stuff is slow and simple.  I bought the pack that came with the game and the Grover sleeve for the Wiimote and it might have been on sale, but it was a a full-priced game at some point.  Regardless, I did feel like I was ripped off... but it was perfect for my 2 year old daughter.  She not only loved the game, but at her age the difficulty was truly right where she was at.  There is zero-fun in a game like this for anyone over 5 unless you're the parent of the child playing it.  My daughter loved it... she loved it longer than she probably should have because it was a fond memory for her as she was aging out of it, plus she was able to teach her little brother about it as she got older and he was growing up to be old enough to hold a Wiimote.

In this context, as a parent who saw how two kids enjoyed this game and learned to play together, I'm glad I bought it and it was worth it.  In fact, every now and then my daughter asks to pull it out and play it.  It's not because it's a great game.  She's 12 and see that.  But for her, this is her first itch of nostalgia and as a Dad who's a nostalgia nut, I can support that type of game play from time to time.

I can't give this game "high praise" from an adult perspective but as a parent looking for something dead-simple and safe for a wee-gamer, these types of titles really do help little ones actually get into gaming.  I know there are some small geniuses that can pick up controllers at 3  years old and murder their gamer Dad's at Street Fighter Turbo, but those kids are the exception.  Most little kids will benefit from having a super-low-entry game like these.  My two kids sure did.

Anyone who hasn't got their kids rounding out a 100% complete save file on GTAV by the age of 6 isn't fit to be a parent IMO.

[RH | 4,918]

2 minutes ago, OptOut said:

Anyone who hasn't got their kids rounding out a 100% complete save file on GTAV by the age of 6 isn't fit to be a parent IMO.

Aaaaand that opinion is why YOU are not fit to be a parent.

[Estil | 1,265]

13 hours ago, The Count said:

I'll not further elaborate other than to divulge that these questions and more are between me and Mrs. The Count.

Fun fact: By marriage Frida (from ABBA) became a Countess!  No foolin'!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anni-Frid_Lyngstad

[Reed Rothchild | 9,548]

48 minutes ago, OptOut said:

Anyone who hasn't got their kids rounding out a 100% complete save file on GTAV by the age of 6 isn't fit to be a parent IMO.

Any games my kids complete in my relative vicinity are checked off the backlog.  Those are the rules 

[Estil | 1,265]

3 hours ago, OptOut said:

However, the absolute worst games on the system IMO are Elmo's Letter Adventure and Elmo's Number Journey. Now, I know what you're thinking, hold on, those are kid's games, of COURSE they suck.

No sir, kid's games can and should be given just as much care and effort into quality like any of the other gaming genres.  So absoultley NOT a valid excuse.

[RH | 4,918]

21 minutes ago, Estil said:

No sir, kid's games can and should be given just as much care and effort into quality like any of the other gaming genres.  So absoultley NOT a valid excuse.

The thing is, "quality" can have different standards depending on, developmentally, where kids are.  Give a 2 year old a controller in front of a 72" TV with Mario Kart 8 and what you'll see that they will, maybe, find out which button is the gas, press it, run into the wall and when they are done being overwhelmed by the bright flashy graphics, they'll throw down the controller and move on.  Granted, that could take 45 minutes but they won't "do" anything because their brains can't comprehend the objective or point of the game.

Very bare bones games with simple colors is where very-young children's brains are.  This is a phycological and developmental fact.  Little kids maybe be able to engage games made for older kids but that doesn't mean they understand them.  Games like these Sesame Street games are going to be boring for us but kids have to start some where and that means their games are going to be slow, with simple graphics and very basic.

But with that said, these games should NOT be buggy.  They need to properly work.  Considering the basic nature of them, by design, there should be zero-excuse for bugs because if you're just making 6-10 barebones mini-games, then there's not reason for them to not work rock-solidly.

Edited January 8 by RH

[Webhead123 | 679]

19 hours ago, Estil said:

No, I'm saying that to @The Count  You do know why they call him The Count right?

 

[OptOut | 8,889]

2 hours ago, RH said:

Aaaaand that opinion is why YOU are not fit to be a parent.

Nobody tell my kids!

[Estil | 1,265]

4 hours ago, OptOut said:

Anyone who hasn't got their kids rounding out a 100% complete save file on GTAV by the age of 6 isn't fit to be a parent IMO.

Did you not happen to see the M rating?

[Reed Rothchild | 9,548]

2 minutes ago, Estil said:

Did you not happen to see the M rating?

M stands for "Many and All Ages" - the dads of VGS

[The Count | 528]

4 hours ago, Webhead123 said:

 

That's exactly the narrative that I want perpetuated. I would "never" do something like that... 

[OptOut | 8,889]

I was intending on putting this off for as long as possible, but I guess my opinion on this game is required!

Here we go, I'll get back to you when I'm done... 

[OptOut | 8,889]

Oh no...

I actually kinda like it! 

[Gloves | 11,794]

1 minute ago, OptOut said:

Oh no...

I actually kinda like it! 

[Reed Rothchild | 9,548]

40 minutes ago, OptOut said:

Oh no...

I actually kinda like it! 

I dare you to score it higher than A Link to the Past.  Dare you!

[OptOut | 8,889]

2 minutes ago, Reed Rothchild said:

I dare you to score it higher than A Link to the Past.  Dare you!

Challenge accepted, but I promise I will be fair and give it a genuine rating based on how I feel once I've beat the whole game.

I will warn you though, after playing for a around 2 hours I am already LEGIT hovering around a 4...