Episode 19: Portal 2 the Past!

Portal 2 is out, so we decide to take a look back an the humble beginnings of the Portal franchise.

Direct Link

iTunes Link


Recommendations:

Dan: Grid - PC/Xbox 360/PS3

Ashley: Portal - PC (Steam)/Xbox 360/PS3

Alex: King's Quest Collection - PC (Steam)

Jory: Donkey Kong Country Returns - Wii

Episode 18: Project Cafe

Getting tired of the current generation? Wake yourself up with a piping cup of Project Cafe! What in the world is Project Cafe, you ask? Listen and we'll tell you.

Hint: it has to do with Nintendo!

Direct Link! (Not to be confused with Dark Link)

iTunes!

Email your Kibosh Questions to kiboshpodcast@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter @kiboshpodcast.

-KIBOSH!

Episode 17: A Boy Named Sue!

This week's episode is packed full of awesomeness!

Download/Listen Here.

Or Subscribe on iTunes.

KIBOSH!

P.S.
I mentioned that I would post some links in the blog. Here they are! Enjoy! - DAX


Nintendo's Second Quarter Line-up
Botchweed.com: Ubisoft thinks it's time for a new Console.
Sony & Geohotz Settle

Episode 16: Hey, Action Games

Scott Chambers and Brady Campbell join us this week to talk about www.heyactiongames.com/

Here is the episode link.

Plus iTunes.

Enjoy!

Is The 3DS Nintendo's New Wii?

Is the 3DS Nintendo's new Wii? Before you question my knowledge of video game history, I do not mean that the 3DS could be the successor to the Nintendo Wii. There is no way that Nintendo would just abandon the home console market to focus solely on handhelds. As the name of the Nintendo 3DS suggests, it is most definitely the successor to the popular Nintendo DS. My question is more in terms of the capability of the 3DS to touch home with a new audience with glasses-free 3D the same way that the Wii brought in new audiences to gaming with its then unique motion controls.

The Wii may get a lot of flack for being behind the curve in a lot of ways compared to its current competition; Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, but no one can argue the success of Nintendo's motion controlled gaming system. The Wii has sold over 84 million units, 30 million units more than either Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 -- and that is without high definition graphics. Not to mention, the Nintendo DS has sold over 144 million units, surpassed only by the Playstation 2. The fact is Nintendo knows how to sell systems.

Both the Wii and the DS had something in common: unique control mechanics. The DS combined regular gamepad controls with touch screen controls, and the Wii brought in motion controls as its main control mechanic. It is not a stretch to say that these control mechanics helped push these two systems into markets that would not usually buy gaming systems.

Fast forward to March 2011, Nintendo releases its successor to best selling console to date: the 3DS. Touch based controls are still present, but this time they added another new hook: glasses free 3D. 3D itself is not new to the gaming world. Nintendo had even tried to introduce it once before with the Virtual Boy. They probably do not want to talk about that, however. Many games are now being released with the option to play in 3D, but most people do not have the luxury to afford a $3000 3D TV. On top of that, 3D glasses are a pain. So will handheld glasses-free gaming grab people like touch and motion controls did?

I decided to take my own 3DS and pass it around to some members of my family that do not usually play video games to get their reactions. The first was my brother, probably the one with the most experience gaming out of the bunch. I let him play the Face Raiders and Augmented Reality (AR) games. His reaction was amused but mostly indifferent. He seemed to enjoy his time with the 3DS, but I think he may have had more fun with a full retail game.

Next I tried my brother's wife. She owns a Wii, but has not been to keen on the whole idea of video games. I figured the best solution for that would be to shoot down her husbands floating head in Face Raiders. What wife would not want that? She tried out the AR games as well and seemed to get sucked in by the 3D so much that she would actually get phased when the little dragon jumps out to bite you. Interestingly enough, she seems to have been the most interested in the 3DS of all those I showed it to.

After my sister-in-law, I took it over to my dad's place to show him and my step-mom. My dad found the glasses-free 3D to be impressive, but he was also never keen on video games, and though he enjoyed the built-in games for a few minutes, I'm mostly positive he's not currently sitting at his desk wishing he was playing a 3DS.

My step-mom got pretty sucked in by the 3D as well going so far as to create her own Mii and saving it on my system. My dad joked that she would now have to buy one so that she could carry it with her at all times.

Despite everyone enjoying their time with the 3DS and finding the technology interesting, I do not think that any of them were left with more than passing thought of the system itself. The glasses-free 3D, while cool, does not really change the way the games are played in the same way that touch and motion controls did. Plus the 3D can cause eye strain pretty quick, so if someone is picking up the 3DS for the 3D and not for the games they will most likely be disappointed. 

As for my personal opinion, I tend to go back and forth between playing in 3D and in 2D. So far the 3D does not make or break the system. It is mostly just there if wanted. However, hardcore Nintendo fans like myself would mostly likely pick this up even if there was no 3D, and maybe some curious passersby. I do not see the word of mouth being strong in long run for the 3DS. 

-DAX

Motion Controllers: Bane or Delight?

Owning a Nintendo is always a must because of their stellar first party games. I couldn’t possibly miss out on each installment of Legend of Zelda or their other staple franchises. Currently, I am replaying Twilight Princess and coming back to the waggle mechanic to use my sword is frustrating. I might be imagining things or placing my general feelings of annoyance unjustly upon the waggle, but I could swear it is less responsive than pressing a button to do the deed.

Did this person mean to roll or blow?

Now I regress, when I first purchased my Wii I was just as enthralled as everyone else was to be waving their controller around wildly while playing my video games. This quickly became old as every game seemed to require some sort of waggle mechanic. Now my Wii hasn’t been active for some time now and only recently came back into use with the release of Metroid: Other M, Epic Mickey, and Donkey Kong Country Returns.  The motion controls in Donkey Kong Country Returns were the only thing I didn’t like about that game. How many times would I go to blow a flower and instead roll off a cliff? Answer: A few times too many.  Otherwise that game was fantastic! My question is this: Are games generally enhanced by motion controls? Or is this just a gimmick that quickly fades with the hardcore gamer sensibility? Epic Mickey would have been successful if not for the waggle and the bugs of a third person game trying to use first person shooter mechanics. Often times Mickey was just not in line of sight of whatever it was he was shooting. Metroid: Other M was the best use of the Wii remote that I have experienced lately and the motion controls were nearly non-existent. The controller is held sideways the majority of the game. The only times the Wiimote is used with its trademark features is when you point at the screen to go into first person, and when you hold the controller straight up to recharge your energy and missiles.

Are motion controls a burden? Or are they a solid gameplay mechanic? If a button can do the job why not just use a button? Why force your players to wiggle their wrist? I’m probably going to have carpal tunnel as it is! But if a game is genuinely enhanced by the inclusion of a motion control, then I’m all for it! I have not yet played a game that has required the use of the Wii Motion Plus, such as Red Steel 2, but I am very intrigued by the notion of the 1:1 accuracy and will be looking forward to trying it out in Skyward Sword.

-Ash