G is for Games and Gears.
One of my favorite parts of some of the games I own is the nostalgic feel I get from them. Most of the games I own that are over 5 years old are still in my collection for sentimental value. Whether it’s the first Final Fantasy I ever played or a Super Nintendo game I have played so many times I’ve lost count, it’s these old titles that keep me coming back for more. I’m sure most people have a game like this; one that they can’t get rid of. Having grown up through the reign of Nintendo and Sega, though, I’m curious to see what games lend themselves to such an honorable position in the next ten to twenty years. When the preteens and younger of today grow up to become adult gamers, will they look back fondly on games like Ratchet & Clank or will their games be the more mature titles like GTA? Where I’m playing old games like Super Mario World, maybe that game will be replaced by God of War.
No matter what they are playing now, I do know that they should also be playing the games I grew up on. I know most parents want to give their kids the best, and right now that includes a 360, a Wii, maybe a PS2 or a PS3, but they should also (or instead) give them a Super Nintendo or a Sega Genesis. There are a few reasons I say this. One is obviously that young kids really don’t care about technical superiority. Sure, given the option, many kids will more than likely go for a 360 over a SNES, but a lot of that has to do with their own perception of what makes them look cool. Saying you have a 360 at school makes you a lot cooler than saying you have an SNES (unless you are in the right crowd). However, when they are at home, there is no one there to make fun of them for not playing the latest and the greatest, so why not let them enjoy games that make up for their lack of technical prowess with solid, enjoyable gameplay.
My second point is if you are a gamer parent yourself, you probably understand the importance of “knowing your roots.” Having a good background in classic games helps to develop a gamer’s taste and style. By playing many older titles and seeing how games were developed and executed in the early days allows for a better progression in ability and understanding. It also allows for more enjoyment of modern titles when you know the evolution of the game itself. For instance, having played the original Metroid titles, I get a huge amount of enjoyment out of the Prime series because I can see the evolution with my own eyes and understand parts of the game that would be lost to those who aren’t already versed in the Metroid series.
My last point is a simple one but probably a major one for parents. It gives you and your kid something with which to connect. Sure, you play a lot of the current titles with him but wouldn’t it also be fun for him to see what you grew up playing? For every Sly Cooper or Tak they have, you have a Bubble Bobble or a Rock ‘n’ Roll Racing. Whether they end up liking the games or not isn’t the point; it builds a connection. How many people remember doing something with a parent because they used to “do it all the time” when they were a kid? The enjoyment of the task never really came from the activity itself but the feeling of a connection with the parent.
With the Wii’s Virtual Console, I can see the need for one of the older systems sitting on the entertainment center dropping (though maybe every kid needs the experience of blowing until they’re dizzy into an NES console). Many of the classics from yester-year are becoming available to the younger audience through the VC and even the handheld market. I do feel, though, that whether the games are played on an original system or on a DS doesn’t matter as long as they are being played.
MUSIC
Gears of War is one of the best selling Xbox 360 titles so far, and with good reason. Developed by Epic Games using the Unreal Engine 3.0 and masterminded by Cliff Bleszinski, this third-person shooter game is the most fun you can have with a gun that also acts as a chainsaw. The soundtrack was scored by Kevin Riepl, composer of many other titles such as Unreal Tournament 2003 and 2004, Unreal Championship 2, and City of Villains.
The track “Train Wreck - Locust Theme” is a great example of the atmosphere that the soundtrack does such a great job of creating. The mix of winds, strings, and electronic sounds creates helps build tension in the music and while keeping the music exciting. The strings that appear about a forth of the way in sound like something out of Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain.”
Hiroshi Seiyama - BLUE WATER BLUE SKY ~May's Theme~ GUILTY GEAR X HEAVY ROCK TRACKS ~ The Original Soundtrack of Dreamcast!!
Originally developed for the arcade, Guilty Gear X helped establish the Guilty Gear series among the top tiers of the 2D fighters. The game (along with the rest of the series) was riddled with references to popular rock music and included a soundtrack to fit the theme. Writer and character designer for the Guilty Gear series, Daisuke Ishiwatari, also wrote the music.
“Blue Water Blue Sky” sounds like you’d expect a rock song with such a name to sound. It’s upbeat, extremely catchy, and worth listening to over and over again. If you have ever listened to early 90s Jrock, then the main melody to the track will sound very familiar. The writing style coincides with the 90s style of writing found in Jrock, but not in a bad way. Instead, it creates around 3 minutes of enjoyable instrumental rock that does a great job of representing what the Guilty Gear music is all about.
Miki Higashino and Yumiko Takahashi - Reminiscence Genso Suikoden II Original Game Soundtrack Vol. 1
The Suikoden series has been around for almost 12 years now and while the fifth installment in the series was released in 2006, the second game is considered the pinnacle of the series by many of its fans. Due to the immediate competition with the release of Final Fantasy VIII, unfortunately, the game was quickly overshadowed and fell into obscurity, remaining as one of the rarest PSX titles in the US. The soundtracks to Suikoden II and the rest of the series have proven to be popular with around 15 albums released to accompany the five Suikoden titles.
This track is one of my favorite Suikoden tracks of all time. The piano composition is extremely beautiful and compelling and the accompaniment of the traditional Japanese vocals helps to propel this track above the others. The tone of the piece is both uplifting and somber which is conveyed so well with the minimal use of instruments. Unlike the arranged version found later in the album, the use of only a piano, a few stringed instruments and the vocals helps to make the track much more emotional than the arranged version.
Just a meager flame will do
COIL - Soft Machine (Opening Theme) Gitarooman As the opening track to this unique rhythm game, it does a good job of setting you up for what’s to come without giving too much away. It’s a fun song, with a catchy melody even though the vocals can sound a bit nasally at times. COIL performs most of the tracks on the album, and does an excellent job. It’s definately a diverse soundtrack, though not quite on par with the ecclectic nature of some others (Katamary Damacy for example).
Hirokazu Tanaka - Title BGM (Metroid) Famicom 20th Anniversary Original Sound Tracks Vol. 1 Featuring many different classic NES titles on this album, this is one track that I’m sure many older gamers will recognize and are sure to love. Being the first gimpse into the world of Metroid, the track quickly sets the mood with a dark tone and a rather minimal approach. Instead of trying to push the NES’ musical capabilities, Hirokazu, instead, made something that was more atmospheric than melodic.
Sixto Sounds - Made in the USA (Ken Stage) Blood on the Asphalt: Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo As a tribute album to the music of Street Fighter 2 Turbo, the people of OCRemix put this album together with some of the best versions of the tracks ever created. Sixto Sounds’ version of Ken’s Theme is one of the greatest, though, as it completely captures the feel of the character by combining the solid melody of the original with an almost Survivor-esque sound, making the track what that fine line between cheesy and great.