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Post by Sarge on May 26, 2022 11:26:41 GMT -5
I think the DS (and sort of the 3DS) are the exceptions to the rule - for the most part, many handheld games were lesser versions of their console brethren. Not that there weren't some outstanding games along the way, but I don't know that most of the handheld era was punctuated by true genre-defining stuff.
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Post by Ex on May 26, 2022 11:44:48 GMT -5
It doesn't have to be a wholly binary perception. Were all handheld games ambitious? No. Were some ambitious? Yes. The same can be said for console gaming.
Historically many console gamers disregard handheld games in general, simply because graphically-speaking portables couldn't compete with contemporary consoles. But putting the graphics aside, the intrinsic gameplay designs that blossomed throughout the portable eras were sometimes completely unique. The result of appearing on a platform that was designed for short gameplay sessions on the go. I'm speaking broadly now because I don't feel like spending an hour citing all the examples through the varying generations of portable devices. Ultimately my point is that not all handheld games were unambitious watered-down shadows of their console brethren. Not hardly.
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Post by anayo on May 26, 2022 19:08:14 GMT -5
I think the DS (and sort of the 3DS) are the exceptions to the rule - for the most part, many handheld games were lesser versions of their console brethren. Not that there weren't some outstanding games along the way, but I don't know that most of the handheld era was punctuated by true genre-defining stuff. Not everything on the DS was a mold-breaking work of art. It had some weird "cross gen" games that were basically "GBA 2.0". For instance "Robots" was indistinguishable from the GBA version, they just added a 3D polygon bonus stage in the DS version. Back in the day I thought that was really lame. Edit: I just remembered there were a bunch of other DS games where the top screen was gameplay you more or less could have done on the GBA, then the bottom screen was a map or an inventory screen or something. Those didn't impress me much.
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Post by Ex on May 26, 2022 20:34:54 GMT -5
Sounds like you chose crappy DS games anayo. 🤷♂
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Post by Xeogred on May 26, 2022 21:33:54 GMT -5
I never liked the stylus or any of its gimmicks, but I was never the target audience haha. No denying that. Order of Ecclesia completely ditching that stuff was a blessing to me. I think the flip/dual screen design is genius though.
Still kind of fascinates myself when I think back to how on the ball I was with the three Castlevania DS games. I might have even pre-ordered all of them since I did that more back then. Nobody else I knew locally was into them though sadly. Order of Ecclesia is a masterpiece. They might have been the most hyped I ever got for some handheld releases. I guess that predates the indie scene too though, so I was definitely starving for new sidescrollers in the 2000's.
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Post by Ex on May 26, 2022 21:45:09 GMT -5
I never liked the stylus or any of its gimmicks I bet you never played this though: Fantastic stylus controls, and Itakagi himself designed it. I agree 100%. It's my favorite Igavania. I like it more than SotN because Ecclesia is actually challenging. That doesn't mean I respect it more than SotN though.
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Post by Xeogred on May 26, 2022 21:48:14 GMT -5
Not to mention, female Iga characters are awesome. Better than more emo boy vampires.
I thought I actually had that game, but was thinking of Shinobi 3DS. Dragon Sword does look really cool so I should check it out someday.
- Shinobi 3DS - Dragon Quest VI (already beat the SFC version)
- Dragon Quest VII - Final Fantasy III (already beat the NES original)
That's all I have from my physical DS/3DS "to play" shelf. But I'm digitally stocked up on SMT and Etrian Odyssey for years to come now.
I bought it in 2017 and have never removed it!
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Post by Ex on May 26, 2022 22:04:31 GMT -5
Yep that's the grip I have on 3DS XL as well. I bought one for my New 2DS XL too. Huge improvement for both concerning the grip ergonomics.
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Post by anayo on May 27, 2022 6:50:59 GMT -5
Sounds like you chose crappy DS games anayo . 🤷♂ No thankfully back then I knew better. I was just super hyped about the DS when it came out and payed attention to every little thing that came out for it. I guess once the dust has settled all the good games stand out. My point was just that it wasn't like that at first. They used to have this thing at Wal Mart where they would beam Nintendo DS demos over Wi-Fi. You could download them if you brought your own DS. I tried Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword one day and it persuaded me to buy it ASAP.
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Post by Ex on May 27, 2022 10:11:39 GMT -5
My point was just that it wasn't like that at first. It's understandable given that having the two screens and stylus input, was a whole new world for game developers. It took some time for developers to wrap their heads around the possibilities, then execute those possibilities in creative and entertaining ways. Unfortunately, with the 3DS developers stopped being as innovative with it. Yes the 3DS has plenty of great games, but insofar as utilizing its dual screens and touch input in novel ways? Not so much. The 3DS games I've played thus far just treat the top widescreen as the main show, and relegate stats and maps to the bottom screen. Which is functionally fine, but hardly creative.
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