It's missing something: Halo 3 ODST

(tags game, Halo ODST, Xbox 360)

Halo 3 ODST. As one of the few rare games that have I pre-ordered, bought, and played on the first day of release, you would think I can be called one of those Halo fanboiz. I disagree. My fascination with the products is the single player FPS mode. Although it's not the arcade-style FPS that I like with Unreal Tournament, it's forgiving casual entertainment with headshot satisfaction.

I think the sticker on the plastic wrapped game case starts this new product experience on the wrong foot. The sticker reads, "Halo: each [sic] multiplayer beta access". Microsoft Japan has trouble with their "R"s. Hahahaah. lololololol

Okay, I said the requisite joke. You can headshot me now. \(>_<)/

There are more comments I want to make on this but I want to commit ritual dark-map hikikomori with the Rookie before the end of this weekend so I will follow up in a later post. I am sad though, the weather outside is glorious and sunny.

a sweet Nano review: iPod Nano G5 and A Little Snow Fairy Sugar

(tags iPod, hardware, Sugar)

I did update my iPod to the Nano "generation 5". Orange, neck strap, grippy case.

I've been rewatching A Little Snow Fairy Sugar (ちっちゃな雪使いシュガー). I have not seen yet my favorite anime facial expression, which could be summed up as \(>.<)/ . I don't miss a thing.

MacBugs GETS HYPE (no emu)

(tags game, Macintosh, nostalgia)

I was deprived as a child. No Sega, no PC, and certainly no Mac. So Apple Macintoshes held a special place in my nostalgia, because they were intertwined with my school computer room antics. I once left a college computer room's Mac running multiple anime videos ... AT THE SAME TIME. Ranma 1/2 OVA? Macs were power, at least back in 1994 and a college Internet connection.

But this particular post is provoked by nostalgia for Mac Bugs!. This is a game with name that makes it virtually unsearchable, and it is not so notable enough to have a Wikipedia page. So I could not recall this game. I do remember trying to start up one of the high school's Macs to get a quick session in, but being interrupted by some tough boy, who was acting as teacher's deputy/pet.

I swiped this animated picture from the Japan based The Vintage Mac Museum. Thanks!

The object of the game is to get a high score, like most 80s games ask you to do. You will be assaulted by Apple Macintosh icons (or is it Lisa icons?) from all directions, but attacking will be your trusty mouse, aiming in the direction of your movement. Don't hit the spiky bombs! In modern parlance, this is an Arena Shooter with a Centipede wave like motif.

I could try playing this again, with an abandonware copy of the software and a free PC based emulator, but I fear the pain of installing weird software outweighs the 15 seconds of fun. NO thanks. Play Echoes instead.

I learned that the author of this game was Sunnyvale, California-based Michael Ouye. Given the 3 or 4 years, I'm sure it was easy to propagate to my neck of California. According to Mac Garden, it was enticement for a 150 USD C programming package back in 1985 but I suppose I got to experience it through someone's else sneakernet warezin'.

A tin of cute: Pikachu Printed biscuits 2009

(tags food, Pikachu)

I had this tin of biscuit cookies sitting in my room for the last month. It goes by the name of "Pokemon Print Biscuits Pikachu" (ポケモンプリントビスケット ピカチュウ), and sells for 680 yen, starting 2009-07.

I don't really care for the cookies. though. It's the picture design on the tin. So full of Pikachu. So full of win.

Thanks goes out to the ポケモンプリントビスケット ピカチュウ post by いそがないで歩こう blog.

At the Pokemon Center Osaka, there is a lot of unsold tins though, so I can snag another. There is no need, I do admit.

I am a recent Pokemon fan so I was shocked and appalled to see an older design of Pikachu.

The Pikachu, mass-marketed, requires cuter proportions. The older Pikachu design is cute for a video game, but the current design bests even Hello Kitty in straight up kawaii.

this blog is refreshing

(tags blog)

No I don't mean it refreshes you. I mean I am posting to it more often, recently. This is so that I don't go off and register a Twitter-etc ...

This comment has already exceeded 140 characters. Succinct, direct English FAIL.

Collective level up: GoW2 Horde Mode

(tags game, Gears of War, Halo ODST)

That Halo 3: ODST Live Action Trailer "We are ODST" was riveting (Joystiq, IGN). Yes I know it doesn't have anything to do with the actual game play. But it had me thinking about the upcoming Halo 3: ODST game. As far as I know, it's a single-player campaign and an online co-op "us vs lots of AI enemies" expansion to the old Halo 3, called "Firefight". I was previously only interested in the single-player.

Then I remembered how much fun I had leveling up in an unofficial Unreal Tournament mod that was similar to "horde" gaming, back when I played it some years ago. I am currently finishing up the single player part of Gears of War 2, and its Horde mode was convenient so I gave it a whirl this weekend. Wow, it's pretty fun. I don't hear any audio, and people start to quit after level 30 but it is pretty easy to play. I didn't feel lagged.

This makes me reconsider buying ODST near opening day. I wonder if I am locked to the Japanese version though.

Wanting Raystorm HD

(tags game, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3, RayStorm, shmup)

Raystorm. I feel all nostalgic about this shmup because I used to play in the Japanese arcades back during my exchange program. Now it's in HD and on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Wanting.

Well, I could buy it for the PSP but I really don't want to buy Sony points.

I could also play my PS1 version. It's around here somewhere. I'm pretty sure I don't have the PC version.

Bubble Bobble Neo!

(tags game, Xbox 360, Bubble Bobble)

I bought Bubble Bobble Neo only after an online friend did, just so I can beat him over the head with a better score. It was 800 XBLP (== 1000 JPY) which is kinda pricey. It's the Xbox Live Arcade version which is currently JP region only. The Wii also has it. I should have just busted out the NES ROM and played that until the desire waned.

I barely remember playing this game years ago. Like back on the NES console, using a real cartridge. I loved last boss stage. Lighting bolts to kill off the boss? Kewl. There are subtleties to the game play that I did not pick up back when I first played it. I still don't use the backside popping thing for full effect. It requires very precise joystick control. Ugh these characters are so slow to control.

So yeah I beat his score, but evidently it's because he used a Continue. On my first day with the game, I made it to level 42 with Continues until boredom set in (how many continues are you gonna give me? endless?). Then I tried setting my high score, no Continues and I could only achieve level 14. Too sad.

I'm disappointed in the lack of online multiplayer. I guess I need to get my local Xbox fiends to invite me over for some Vs.

Every Extend Extra

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, Every Extend Extra)

Almost done with Hatsune Miku Project Diva PSP but I tried out Every Extend Extra on the PSP recently. Oh yeah I like this game. Before playing, I thought it was a music game. It turns out its kinda shmupity in that I need to be able to dodge bullets and inert crates while bomb-chaining for power-ups and score.

I was really frustrated with it in the beginning, but after an hour or two I began to see the patterns and the boss movements. Now I can get to the fourth stage. I really like the abstract patterns and how the stage skins change.

The action is few and far between, so its not very good for commute gaming. Gonna keep the UMD at home.